diff --git a/python/MergeBAMBatch.py b/python/MergeBAMBatch.py
index 20bcb3a8d..1facedfb4 100755
--- a/python/MergeBAMBatch.py
+++ b/python/MergeBAMBatch.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ bam_ext = '.bam'
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     usage = "usage: %prog [options]"
     parser = OptionParser(usage=usage)
-    parser.add_option("-f", "--farm", dest="farm_sub",
+    parser.add_option("-q", "--farm", dest="farm_sub",
                         type="string", default=None,
                         help="Farm queue to send processing jobs to")
     parser.add_option("-d", "--dir", dest="output_dir",
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         parser.error("incorrect number of arguments")
 
     directory = OPTIONS.output_dir
+    
+    if not os.path.exists(directory):
+        os.mkdir(directory)
+    
     today = date.today()
     time_stamp = today.isoformat()
     
@@ -41,7 +45,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
             sources = reduce( operator.__add__, map( glob.glob, s[1:] ), [] )
             
             if OPTIONS.ignoreExistingFiles or not os.path.exists(output_filename):
-                cmd = 'java -Xmx4096m -jar ' + MERGE_BIN + ' AS=true O=' + output_filename + ' VALIDATION_STRINGENCY=SILENT ' + ' I=' + (' I='.join(sources))
+                cmd = 'java -Xmx4096m -jar ' + MERGE_BIN + ' AS=true SO=coordinate O=' + output_filename + ' VALIDATION_STRINGENCY=SILENT ' + ' I=' + (' I='.join(sources))
                 print cmd
                 farm_commands.cmd(cmd, OPTIONS.farm_sub, output)
 
diff --git a/python/SAM.py b/python/SAM.py
index 4a2e03a3c..cfeb3c008 100644
--- a/python/SAM.py
+++ b/python/SAM.py
@@ -92,6 +92,18 @@ SAM_ISFIRSTREAD  = 0x0040 # the read is the first read in a pair 1,2
 SAM_ISSECONDREAD = 0x0080 # the read is the second read in a pair 1,2 
 SAM_NOTPRIMARY   = 0x0100 # the alignment is not primary (a read having split hits may have multiple primary alignment records) 
 
+SAM_FLAGS = {
+    SAM_SEQPAIRED       : 'the read is paired in sequencing, no matter whether it is mapped in a pair',
+    SAM_MAPPAIRED       : 'the read is mapped in a proper pair (depends on the protocol, normally inferred during alignment) 1', 
+    SAM_UNMAPPED        : 'the query sequence itself is unmapped',
+    SAM_MATEUNMAPPED    : 'the mate is unmapped 1', 
+    SAM_QUERYSTRAND     : 'strand of the query (0 for forward; 1 for reverse strand)' ,
+    SAM_MATESTRAND      : 'strand of the mate 1' ,
+    SAM_ISFIRSTREAD     : 'the read is the first read in a pair 1,2' ,
+    SAM_ISSECONDREAD    : 'the read is the second read in a pair 1,2',
+    SAM_NOTPRIMARY      : 'the alignment is not primary (a read having split hits may have multiple primary alignment records)'
+    }
+   
 def SAMRecordFromArgs( qname, flags, rname, pos, mapq, cigar, seq, quals, pairContig = '*', pairPos = 0, insertSize = 0 ):
     r = SAMRecord()
     r.setValuesFromArgs( qname, flags, rname, pos, mapq, cigar, seq, quals, pairContig, pairPos, insertSize )
@@ -104,9 +116,16 @@ def SAMRecordFromString( str ):
     
 def SAMFlagValue( flags, testFlag ):
     return testFlag & flags
+
 def SAMFlagIsSet( flags, testFlag ):
     return SAMFlagValue(flags, testFlag) <> 0
 
+def SAMFlagsDescs( flags ):
+    def keepMe(p):
+        flagKey, flagDesc = p
+        return [flagKey, SAMFlagIsSet(flags, flagKey), flagDesc]
+    return sorted(map( keepMe, SAM_FLAGS.iteritems() ))            
+
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # This is really the meat of the SAM I/O system.