diff --git a/scsh/static.scm.in b/scsh/static.scm.in
index 894e407..877d589 100644
--- a/scsh/static.scm.in
+++ b/scsh/static.scm.in
@@ -46,31 +46,103 @@ For testing load this at a scsh prompt
 ;;; real work in static-heap-linker1
 ;;; argl is a list of the command line arguments
     (define (static-heap-linker argl)
-      (cond ((not (= (length argl) 3))
-	     (format #t 
-		     "usage: ~a input-image-file output-executible-file" 
-		     (car argl))
-	     (exit 1)))
-      (let ((temp-dir			; place for intermediate .c .o files
-	     (or (getenv "TMPDIR") 
-		 "@TMPDIR@"))
-	    (cc-command			; command to compile a .c file
-	     (or (getenv "CC")
-		 "@CC@ @CFLAGS@"))
-	    (ld-flags			; flags needed to link executible
-	     (or (getenv "LDFLAGS")
-		 "@LDFLAGS@"))
-	    (libraries			; linbraries need to link executible
-	     (or (getenv "LIBS")
-		 "@LIBS@"))
-	    (input-image		; the input scheme image file
-	     (cadr argl))
-	    (output-executible		; the output executible file
-	     (caddr argl)))
-	(static-heap-linker1 input-image temp-dir output-executible
-			     cc-command ld-flags libraries)
-	(exit 0)))
-
+	(let ((temp-dir-arg #f)
+	      (cc-command-arg #f)
+	      (ld-flags-arg #f)
+	      (libraries-arg #f)
+	      (input-image-arg #f)
+	      (output-executible-arg #f))
+	  (let loop ((args (cdr argl)))
+	    (cond ((null? args)
+		   (cond ((not output-executible-arg)
+			  (display "error: -o is a required argument") 
+			  (newline)
+			  (usage (car argl)))
+			 ((not input-image-arg)
+			  (display "error: -i is a required argument") 
+			  (newline)
+			  (usage (car argl)))))
+		  ((equal? (car args) "-o")
+		   (cond ((not (null? (cdr args)))
+			  (set! output-executible-arg (cadr args))
+			  (loop (cddr args)))
+			 (else 
+			  (display "error: -o requires argument") (newline)
+			  (usage (car argl)))))
+		  ((equal? (car args) "-i")
+		   (cond ((not (null? (cdr args)))
+			  (set! input-executible-arg (cadr args))
+			  (loop (cddr args)))
+			 (else 
+			  (display "error: -i requires argument") (newline)
+			  (usage (car argl)))))
+		  ((equal? (car args) "--temp")
+		   (cond ((not (null? (cdr args)))
+			  (set! temp-dir-arg (cadr args))
+			  (loop (cddr args)))
+			 (else 
+			  (display "error: --temp requires argument") (newline)
+			  (usage (car argl)))))
+		  ((equal? (car args) "--cc")
+		   (cond ((not (null? (cdr args)))
+			  (set! cc-command-arg (cadr args))
+			  (loop (cddr args)))
+			 (else 
+			  (display "error: --cc requires argument") (newline)
+			  (usage (car argl)))))
+		  ((equal? (car args) "--ld")
+		   (cond ((not (null? (cdr args)))
+			  (set! ld-command-arg (cadr args))
+			  (loop (cddr args)))
+			 (else 
+			  (display "error: --ld requires argument") (newline)
+			  (usage (car argl)))))
+		  ((equal? (car args) "--libs")
+		   (cond ((not (null? (cdr args)))
+			  (set! libraries-arg (cadr args))
+			  (loop (cddr args)))
+			 (else 
+			  (display "error: --libs requires argument") (newline)
+			  (usage (car argl)))))
+		  (else
+		   (format #t "error: unknown argument ~a" (car args)) 
+		   (newline)
+		   (usage (car argl)))))
+	  (let ((temp-dir		; place for intermediate .c .o files
+		 (or temp-dir-arg
+		     (getenv "TMPDIR") 
+		     "@TMPDIR@"))
+		(cc-command		; command to compile a .c file
+		 (or cc-command-arg
+		     (getenv "CC")
+		     "@CC@ @CFLAGS@"))
+		(ld-flags		; flags needed to link executible
+		 (or ld-flags-arg
+		     (getenv "LDFLAGS")
+		     "@LDFLAGS@"))
+		(libraries		; linbraries need to link executible
+		 (or libraries-arg
+		     (getenv "LIBS")
+		     "@LIBS@"))
+		(input-image		; the input scheme image file
+		 (cadr argl))
+		(output-executible	; the output executible file
+		 (caddr argl)))
+	    (static-heap-linker1 input-image temp-dir output-executible
+				 cc-command ld-flags libraries)
+	    (exit 0))))
+    
+    (define (usage program-name)
+      (format #t 
+	      (string-append
+	       "usage: ~a -i image -o executible~%" 
+	       "          [--temp directory]~%"
+	       "          [--cc command]~%"
+	       "          [--ld command]~%"
+	       "          [--libs libraries]~%")
+	      program-name)
+      (exit 1))
+	
 ;;; heap structure
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;