diff --git a/RunCPM/abstraction_vstudio.h b/RunCPM/abstraction_vstudio.h
index 7f53eee..fd55ad0 100644
--- a/RunCPM/abstraction_vstudio.h
+++ b/RunCPM/abstraction_vstudio.h
@@ -486,10 +486,92 @@ uint32 _HardwareIn(const uint32 Port) {
 /* Host initialization functions */
 /*===============================================================================*/
 
-void _host_init(int argc, char* argv[]) {
+#ifdef STREAMIO
+static void _abort_if_kbd_eof() {
+}
 
+static void _file_failure_exit(char *argv[], char* fmt, char* filename)
+{
+	fprintf(stderr, "%s: ", argv[0]);
+	fprintf(stderr, fmt, filename);
+	if (errno) {
+		fprintf(stderr, ": %s", strerror(errno));
+	}
+	fprintf(stderr, "\n");
+	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+}
+
+static void _usage(char *argv[]) {
+	fprintf(stderr,
+		"RunCPM - an emulator to run CP/M programs on modern hosts\n"
+		"usage: %s [-i input_file] [-o output_file] [-s]\n", argv[0]);
+	fprintf(stderr,
+		"  -i input_file: console input will be read from the file "
+		"with the\n     given name. "
+		"After input file's EOF, further console input\n     will be read "
+		"from the keyboard.\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,
+		"  -o output_file: console output will be written to the file "
+		"with the\n     given name, in addition to the screen.\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,
+		"  -s: console input and output is connected directly to "
+		"stdin and stdout.\n");
+}
+
+#define SET_OPTARG ++i; if (i >= argc) {++errflg; break;} optarg = argv[i];
+
+static void _parse_options(int argc, char *argv[]) {
+	int errflg = 0;
+	char *optarg;
+	for (int i = 1; i < argc && errflg == 0; ++i) {
+		if (strcmp("-i", argv[i]) == 0) {
+			/* ++i;
+			if (i >= argc) {
+				++errflg;
+				break;
+			}
+			optarg = argv[i]; */
+			SET_OPTARG
+			streamInputFile = fopen(optarg, "r");
+			if (NULL == streamInputFile) {
+				_file_failure_exit(argv,
+					"error opening console input file %s", optarg);
+			}
+			streamInputActive = TRUE;
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (strcmp("-o", argv[i]) == 0) {
+			SET_OPTARG
+			streamOutputFile = fopen(optarg, "w");
+			if (NULL == streamOutputFile) {
+				_file_failure_exit(argv,
+					"error opening console output file %s", optarg);
+			}
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (strcmp("-s", argv[i]) == 0) {
+			streamInputFile = stdin;
+			streamOutputFile = stdout;
+			streamInputActive = TRUE;
+			consoleOutputActive = FALSE;
+			continue;
+		}
+		fprintf(stderr,
+			"Unrecognized option: '%s'\n", argv[i]);
+		errflg++;
+	}
+	if (errflg) {
+		_usage(argv);
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
 }
+#endif
 
+void _host_init(int argc, char* argv[]) {
+#ifdef STREAMIO
+	_parse_options(argc, argv);
+#endif
+}
 
 /* Console abstraction functions */
 /*===============================================================================*/
@@ -512,11 +594,6 @@ void _console_init(void) {
 void _console_reset(void) {
 }
 
-#ifdef STREAMIO
-static void _abort_if_kbd_eof() {
-
-}
-#endif
 
 /* Implemented by conio.h
 int _kbhit(void)