diff --git a/lib/smd/.gitignore b/lib/smd/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4ab7a789ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/smd/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# ignore these entries with git
+/eigen.tar.gz
+/eigen-eigen-*
+/includelink
+/eigen3
diff --git a/lib/smd/Install.py b/lib/smd/Install.py
index 0fa05375db..18986b4477 100644
--- a/lib/smd/Install.py
+++ b/lib/smd/Install.py
@@ -11,30 +11,28 @@ except: from urllib import urlretrieve as geturl
 # help message
 
 help = """
-Syntax from src dir: make lib-smd args="-h hpath hdir -g -l"
-Syntax from lib dir: python Install.py -h hpath hdir -g -l
+Syntax from src dir: make lib-smd
+                 or: make lib-smd args="-p /usr/include/eigen3"
+
+Syntax from lib dir: python Install.py
+                 or: python Install.py -p /usr/include/eigen3"
+                 or: python Install.py -v 3.3.4 -b
 
 specify one or more options, order does not matter
 
-  -h = set home dir of Eigen to be hpath/hdir
-       hpath can be full path, contain '~' or '.' chars
-       default hpath = . = lib/smd
-       default hdir = "ee" = what tarball unpacks to (eigen-eigen-*)
-  -g = grab (download) tarball from http://eigen.tuxfamily.org website
-       unpack it to hpath/hdir
-       hpath must already exist
-       if hdir already exists, it will be deleted before unpack
-  -l = create softlink (includelink) in lib/smd to Eigen src dir
+  -b = download and unpack/configure the Eigen library (default)
+  -p = specify folder holding an existing installation of Eigen
+  -v = set version of Eigen library to download and set up (default = 3.3.4)
+
 
 Example:
 
-make lib-smd args="-g -l"   # download/build in default lib/smd/eigen-eigen-*
+make lib-smd args="-b"   # download/build in default lib/smd/eigen-eigen-*
 """
 
 # settings
 
 version = '3.3.4'
-url = "http://bitbucket.org/eigen/eigen/get/%s.tar.gz" % version
 tarball = "eigen.tar.gz"
 
 # print error message or help
@@ -46,59 +44,65 @@ def error(str=None):
 
 # expand to full path name
 # process leading '~' or relative path
-  
+
 def fullpath(path):
   return os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(path))
-  
+
 # parse args
 
 args = sys.argv[1:]
 nargs = len(args)
-if nargs == 0: error()
 
 homepath = "."
-homedir = "ee"
+homedir = "eigen3"
 
-grabflag = 0
-linkflag = 0
+grabflag = True
+buildflag = True
+pathflag = False
+linkflag = True
 
 iarg = 0
 while iarg < nargs:
-  if args[iarg] == "-h":
-    if iarg+3 > nargs: error()
-    homepath = args[iarg+1]
-    homedir = args[iarg+2]
-    iarg += 3
-  elif args[iarg] == "-g":
-    grabflag = 1
-    iarg += 1
-  elif args[iarg] == "-l":
-    linkflag = 1
+  if args[iarg] == "-v":
+    if iarg+2 > nargs: error()
+    version = args[iarg+1]
+    iarg += 2
+  elif args[iarg] == "-p":
+    if iarg+2 > nargs: error()
+    eigenpath = fullpath(args[iarg+1])
+    pathflag = True
+    buildflag = False
+    iarg += 2
+  elif args[iarg] == "-b":
+    buildflag = True
     iarg += 1
   else: error()
 
 homepath = fullpath(homepath)
-if not os.path.isdir(homepath): error("Eigen path does not exist")
+
+if (pathflag):
+  if not os.path.isdir(eigenpath): error("Eigen path does not exist")
+
+if (buildflag and pathflag):
+    error("Cannot use -b and -p flag at the same time")
 
 # download and unpack Eigen tarball
-# glob to find name of dir it unpacks to
+# use glob to find name of dir it unpacks to
 
-if grabflag:
+if buildflag:
   print("Downloading Eigen ...")
+  url = "http://bitbucket.org/eigen/eigen/get/%s.tar.gz" % version
   geturl(url,"%s/%s" % (homepath,tarball))
 
   print("Unpacking Eigen tarball ...")
   edir = glob.glob("%s/eigen-eigen-*" % homepath)
   for one in edir:
     if os.path.isdir(one):
-      subprocess.check_output("rm -rf %s" % one,shell=True)
+      subprocess.check_output("rm -rf %s" % one,stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,shell=True)
   cmd = 'cd "%s"; tar -xzvf %s' % (homepath,tarball)
-  subprocess.check_output(cmd,shell=True)
-  if homedir != "ee":
-    if os.path.exists(homedir):
-      subprocess.check_output("rm -rf %s" % homedir,shell=True)
-    edir = glob.glob("%s/eigen-eigen-*" % homepath)
-    os.rename(edir[0],"%s/%s" % (homepath,homedir))
+  subprocess.check_output(cmd,stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,shell=True)
+  edir = glob.glob("%s/eigen-eigen-*" % homepath)
+  os.rename(edir[0],"%s/%s" % (homepath,homedir))
 
 # create link in lib/smd to Eigen src dir
 
@@ -106,9 +110,7 @@ if linkflag:
   print("Creating link to Eigen files")
   if os.path.isfile("includelink") or os.path.islink("includelink"):
     os.remove("includelink")
-  if homedir == "ee":
-    edir = glob.glob("%s/eigen-eigen-*" % homepath)
-    linkdir = edir[0]
+  if pathflag: linkdir = eigenpath
   else: linkdir = "%s/%s" % (homepath,homedir)
   cmd = "ln -s %s includelink" % linkdir
-  subprocess.check_output(cmd,shell=True)
+  subprocess.check_output(cmd,stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,shell=True)
diff --git a/lib/voronoi/Install.py b/lib/voronoi/Install.py
index 285e11fb9a..9d6c58d273 100644
--- a/lib/voronoi/Install.py
+++ b/lib/voronoi/Install.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 # Install.py tool to download, unpack, build, and link to the Voro++ library
 # used to automate the steps described in the README file in this dir
+
 from __future__ import print_function
 import sys,os,re,subprocess
 try: from urllib.request import urlretrieve as geturl
@@ -21,8 +22,7 @@ specify one or more options, order does not matter
 
   -b = download and build the Voro++ library (default)
   -p = specify folder of existing Voro++ installation 
-  -v = version of Voro++ to download and build
-       default version = voro++-0.4.6 (current as of Jan 2015)
+  -v = set version of Voro++ to download and build (default voro++-0.4.6)
 
 Example:
 
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ def fullpath(path):
 
 args = sys.argv[1:]
 nargs = len(args)
-if nargs == 0: error()
 
 homepath = "."
 homedir = version