diff --git a/exporter.py b/exporter.py
index 17061d7..2c810f3 100755
--- a/exporter.py
+++ b/exporter.py
@@ -7,8 +7,34 @@
 import os
 import json
 import argparse
+import traceback
 
 class ArgumentParser(argparse.ArgumentParser):    
+  def __init__(self, \
+               prog=None, \
+               usage=None, \
+               description=None, \
+               epilog=None, \
+               parents=[], \
+               formatter_class=argparse.HelpFormatter, \
+               prefix_chars='-', \
+               fromfile_prefix_chars=None, \
+               argument_default=None, \
+               conflict_handler='error', \
+               add_help=True):
+    self._parse_safe = False
+    super(ArgumentParser, self).__init__(prog=prog, \
+                                         usage=usage, \
+                                         description=description, \
+                                         epilog=epilog, \
+                                         parents=parents, \
+                                         formatter_class=formatter_class, \
+                                         prefix_chars=prefix_chars, \
+                                         fromfile_prefix_chars=fromfile_prefix_chars, \
+                                         argument_default=argument_default, \
+                                         conflict_handler=conflict_handler, \
+                                         add_help=add_help)
+
   def _get_action_from_name(self, name):
     """Given a name, get the Action instance registered with this parser.
     If only it were made available in the ArgumentError object. It is 
@@ -31,28 +57,59 @@
         return True
     return False
 
+  def parse_args_safe(self, args=None, namespace=None):
+    print "parse safe"
+    self._parse_safe = True
+    ret = None
+    try:
+      ret = self.parse_args(args, namespace)
+    except:
+      print "AE: " + str(sys.exc_info()[1])
+      ret = None
+    print "done"
+    self._parse_safe = False
+    return ret
+
   def error(self, message):
-    exc = sys.exc_info()[1]
-    if exc:
-      exc.argument = self._get_action_from_name(exc.argument_name)
-      raise exc
+    print "error"
+    if self._parse_safe:
+      exc = sys.exc_info()[1]
+      if exc:
+        exc.argument = self._get_action_from_name(exc.argument_name)
+        raise exc
+      else:
+        raise argparse.ArgumentError(None, message)
     super(ArgumentParser, self).error(message)
 
 port = 7890
 
 job_parser = ArgumentParser(description="Specify an export job")
-job_parser.add_argument("input_swf", nargs="?", help="location of a .swf file to export")
+job_parser.add_argument("input_swf", help="location of a .swf file to export")
 job_parser.add_argument("-t", "--type", default=1, help="export type: 1=spritesheet, 3=skeletal", choices=[1,3])
 
-cmd_parser = ArgumentParser(description="Export .swf files, either from the command line or piped from stdin", parents=[job_parser], conflict_handler="resolve")
-cmd_parser.add_argument("-p", "--port", default=port, help="port to use for the wrapper server", type=int)
+desc = "Export .swf files, either from the command line or piped from stdin"
+cmd_parser_base = ArgumentParser(description=desc)
+cmd_parser_base.add_argument("-p", "--port", default=port, help="port to use for the wrapper server", type=int)
 
-try:
-  cmd_args = cmd_parser.parse_args()
-except argparse.ArgumentError, exc:
-  # only show cmd line errors for things *just* in the cmd_parser (we will parse other stuff later)
-  if cmd_parser.has_dest(exc.argument.dest) and not job_parser.has_dest(exc.argument.dest):
-    super(ArgumentParser, cmd_parser).error(exc.message)
+cmd_parser_single = ArgumentParser(description=desc, parents=[cmd_parser_base, job_parser], conflict_handler="resolve")
+cmd_parser_stdin = ArgumentParser(description=desc, parents=[cmd_parser_base], conflict_handler="resolve")
+cmd_parser_stdin.add_argument("use_stdin", choices=["-"], help="parse export jobs from stdin")
+
+#args_single = cmd_parser_single.parse_args_safe()
+args_stdin = cmd_parser_stdin.parse_args_safe()
+#if args_single is None:
+#  #if args_stdin is None:
+#  #  cmd_parser_single.print_usage()
+#  #  cmd_parser_stdin.print_usage()
+#  #  sys.exit(2)
+#  #else:
+#  #  print "read from stdin"
+#  cmd_parser_single.print_usage()
+#  pass
+#else:
+#  print "do single command: " + str(args_single)
+
+sys.exit(0)
 
 s = socket.socket()
 s.bind(("localhost", port))