diff --git a/stim/grids/image_stack.h b/stim/grids/image_stack.h
index 1c27f6c..549417f 100644
--- a/stim/grids/image_stack.h
+++ b/stim/grids/image_stack.h
@@ -63,40 +63,44 @@ public:
 	//	grid<T, 4, F>::spacing((F)1.0, sx, sy, sz);
 	//}
 
-	///Load an image stack based on a file mask. Images are loaded in alphanumeric order
-	/// @param file_mask is the mask describing images to be loaded
-	void load_images(std::string file_mask){
-
-		stim::filename file_path(file_mask);
-
-		//get the list of files
-		std::vector<stim::filename> file_list = file_path.get_list();
+	/// Load all of the images specified by a list of strings
+	/// @param string_list is a list of file names specifying images
+	void load_images(std::vector<std::string> string_list){
 
 		//if there are no matching files, exit
-		if(file_list.size() == 0){
+		if(string_list.size() == 0){
 			std::cout<<"STIM ERROR (image_stack): No matching files for loading a stack."<<std::endl;
 			exit(1);
 		}
 
-		//load the first image and set all of the image_stack properties
-		stim::image<T> I(file_list[0].str());
+		stim::image<T> I(string_list[0]);		//load the first image and set all of the image_stack proparties
 
-		//set the image resolution and number of channels
-		R[0] = I.channels();
-		R[1] = I.width();
+		R[0] = I.channels();				//set the number of color channels
+		R[1] = I.width();				//set the stack height and width based on the image size
 		R[2] = I.height();
-		R[3] = file_list.size();
+		R[3] = string_list.size();			//set the stack z-resolution based on the number of images
 
-		//allocate storage space
-		ptr = (T*)malloc(sizeof(T) * samples());
+		ptr = (T*)malloc(sizeof(T) * samples());	//allocate storage space
 
 		//load and copy each image into the grid
-		for(unsigned int i = 0; i<R[3]; i++){			
-			stim::image<T> I(file_list[i].str());					//load the image			
+		for(unsigned int i = 0; i<R[3]; i++){				//for each image in the list			
+			stim::image<T> I(string_list[i]);			//load the image			
 			I.get_interleaved_rgb(&ptr[ i * R[0] * R[1] * R[2] ]);	//retrieve the interlaced data from the image - store it in the grid			
 		}
 	}
 
+	/// Load a stack of images based on a file mask. Images are loaded in alphanumeric order
+	/// @param file_mask is the mask describing the images to be loaded
+	void load_images(std::string file_mask){
+		stim::filename file_path(file_mask);				//get the path for the images
+		std::vector<stim::filename> file_list = file_path.get_list();	//get the list of files
+		std::vector<std::string> string_list(file_list.size());		//allocate space for an array of strings
+		for(size_t f = 0; f < file_list.size(); f++){			//for each file name in the list
+			string_list[f] = file_list[f].str();			//convert the file name to a string
+		}
+		load_images(string_list);					//load all of the images in the list
+	}
+
 	///Inserts image I into slot i.
 	/// @param stim::image<T> I; image to insert.
 	/// @int I, where to place the image.
diff --git a/stim/parser/arguments.h b/stim/parser/arguments.h
index 148893f..3a67bee 100644
--- a/stim/parser/arguments.h
+++ b/stim/parser/arguments.h
@@ -523,7 +523,11 @@ namespace stim{
         std::string arg(size_t a){
         	return args[a];
         }
-
+	
+	/// Returns an std::vector of argument strings
+	std::vector<std::string> arg_vector(){
+		return args;
+	}
         ///Returns an object describing the argument
 
         /// @param _name is the name of the requested argument
--
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