Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/io/loadvars.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/io/loadvars.py	(revision 13949)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/io/loadvars.py	(revision 13950)
@@ -32,11 +32,12 @@
 
 	if   len(args) >= 2 and isinstance(args[1],(str,unicode)):    # (filename,name)
-		nvdict[args[1]]=None
+		for name in args[1:]:
+			nvdict[name]=None
 
-	elif len(args) >= 2 and isinstance(args[1],list):    # (filename,[names])
+	elif len(args) == 2 and isinstance(args[1],list):    # (filename,[names])
 		for name in args[1]:
 			nvdict[name]=None
 
-	elif len(args) >= 2 and isinstance(args[1],dict):    # (filename,{names:values})
+	elif len(args) == 2 and isinstance(args[1],dict):    # (filename,{names:values})
 		nvdict=args[1]
 
@@ -71,11 +72,12 @@
 
 	if   len(args) >= 2 and isinstance(args[1],(str,unicode)):    # (value)
-		return nvdict[args[1]]
+		value=[nvdict[name] for name in args[1:]]
+		return value
 
-	elif len(args) >= 2 and isinstance(args[1],list):    # ([values])
+	elif len(args) == 2 and isinstance(args[1],list):    # ([values])
 		value=[nvdict[name] for name in args[1]]
 		return value
 
-	elif (len(args) >= 2 and isinstance(args[1],dict)) or (len(args) == 1):    # ({names:values})
+	elif (len(args) == 2 and isinstance(args[1],dict)) or (len(args) == 1):    # ({names:values})
 		return nvdict
 
Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/io/savevars.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/io/savevars.py	(revision 13949)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/io/savevars.py	(revision 13950)
@@ -32,11 +32,12 @@
 
 	if   len(args) >= 3 and isinstance(args[1],(str,unicode)):    # (filename,name,value)
-		nvdict[args[1]]=args[2]
+		for i in xrange(1,len(args),2):
+			nvdict[args[i]]=args[i+1]
 
-	elif len(args) >= 3 and isinstance(args[1],list) and isinstance(args[2],list):    # (filename,[names],[values])
+	elif len(args) == 3 and isinstance(args[1],list) and isinstance(args[2],list):    # (filename,[names],[values])
 		for name,value in zip(args[1],args[2]):
 			nvdict[name]=value
 
-	elif len(args) >= 2 and isinstance(args[1],dict):    # (filename,{names:values})
+	elif len(args) == 2 and isinstance(args[1],dict):    # (filename,{names:values})
 		nvdict=args[1]