diff --git a/asl/gui.py b/asl/gui.py
index 6a70665..2103429 100644
--- a/asl/gui.py
+++ b/asl/gui.py
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ def __init__(self, parent):
         self.nslices = 1
         self.view = 0
         self.figure = Figure(figsize=(3.5, 3.5), dpi=100, facecolor='black')
-        self.axes = self.figure.add_subplot(111, facecolor='black')
+        self.axes = self.figure.add_subplot(111, axis_bgcolor='black')
         self.axes.get_xaxis().set_ticklabels([])
         self.axes.get_yaxis().set_ticklabels([])          
         self.canvas = FigureCanvas(self, -1, self.figure)
diff --git a/asl_file.cc b/asl_file.cc
index abb5924..1aa6f76 100644
--- a/asl_file.cc
+++ b/asl_file.cc
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     {
         //parse command line (puts these into the log file)
         ReadOptions &opts = ReadOptions::getInstance();
-        opts.parse_command_line(argc, argv);
+        if (!opts.parse_command_line(argc, argv))
+        {
+            return 0;
+        }
 
         //deal with input data type options
         bool isblocked = false;  //indicates if data is in blocks of repeats (of all TIs) rather than TIs
diff --git a/readoptions.cc b/readoptions.cc
index 5c76189..fffc055 100644
--- a/readoptions.cc
+++ b/readoptions.cc
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ namespace OXASL
 {
 ReadOptions *ReadOptions::ropt = NULL;
 
-void ReadOptions::parse_command_line(int argc, char **argv)
+bool ReadOptions::parse_command_line(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     Tracer_Plus("ReadOptions::parse_command_line");
 
@@ -41,10 +41,20 @@ void ReadOptions::parse_command_line(int argc, char **argv)
     //  logger.str() << argv[a] << " ";
     //logger.str() << endl << "---------------------------------------------" << endl << endl;
 
-    if (help.value() || !options.check_compulsory_arguments())
+    if (help.value())
     {
         options.usage();
+        return false;
+    }
+    else if (version.value()) 
+    {
+        cout << GIT_SHA1 << " (" << GIT_DATE << ")" << endl;
+        return false;
+    }
+    else if (!options.check_compulsory_arguments()) 
+    {
         throw Exception("Not all of the compulsory arguments have been provided");
     }
+    return true;
 }
 }
diff --git a/readoptions.h b/readoptions.h
index c4b1607..3b73c93 100644
--- a/readoptions.h
+++ b/readoptions.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class ReadOptions
     static ReadOptions &getInstance();
     ~ReadOptions() { delete ropt; }
     Option<bool> help;
+    Option<bool> version;
 
     Option<string> datafile;
     Option<string> maskfile;
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ class ReadOptions
     Option<string> pv_wm_file;
     Option<int> kernel;
 
-    void parse_command_line(int argc, char **argv);
+    bool parse_command_line(int argc, char **argv);
 
 private:
     ReadOptions();
@@ -95,6 +96,11 @@ inline ReadOptions::ReadOptions()
         false, no_argument)
     ,
 
+    version(string("-v,--version"), false,
+        string("display version identification"),
+        false, no_argument)
+    ,
+
     //input files
     datafile(string("--data,--datafile"), string("ASL datafile"),
         string("data file"),
@@ -203,6 +209,7 @@ inline ReadOptions::ReadOptions()
     try
     {
         options.add(help);
+        options.add(version);
 
         options.add(datafile);
         options.add(maskfile);