Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/damage.m
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/damage.m	(revision 17767)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/damage.m	(revision 17768)
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@
 	properties (SetAccess=public)  
 		%damage 
+		isdamage            = NaN;
 		D                   = NaN;
 		law                 = '';
@@ -100,4 +101,5 @@
 
 			%damage parameters: 
+			obj.isdamage=false;
 			obj.D=0;
 			obj.law='undamaged';
@@ -138,9 +140,10 @@
 		function md = checkconsistency(obj,md,solution,analyses) % {{{
 			
-			md = checkfield(md,'fieldname','damage.law','values',{'undamaged','pralong'});
-			if ~strcmpi(obj.law,'undamaged'),
+			md = checkfield(md,'fieldname','damage.isdamage','values',[1,0]);
+			if obj.isdamage,
+				md = checkfield(md,'fieldname','damage.law','values',{'undamaged','pralong'});
 				md = checkfield(md,'fieldname','damage.D','>=',0,'<=',obj.max_damage,'size',[md.mesh.numberofvertices 1]);
+				md = checkfield(md,'fieldname','damage.spcdamage','forcing',1);
 				md = checkfield(md,'fieldname','damage.max_damage','<',1,'>=',0);
-				md = checkfield(md,'fieldname','damage.spcdamage','forcing',1);
 				
 				md = checkfield(md,'fieldname','damage.stabilization','numel',[1],'values',[0 1 2]);
@@ -181,6 +184,7 @@
 			disp(sprintf('   Damage:\n'));
 
-			fielddisplay(obj,'law','damage law (string) from {''undamaged'',''pralong''}');
-			if ~strcmpi(obj.law,'undamaged'),
+			fielddisplay(obj,'isdamage','is damage mechanics being used? {true,false}');
+			if obj.isdamage,
+				fielddisplay(obj,'law','damage law (string) from {''undamaged'',''pralong''}');
 				fielddisplay(obj,'D','damage tensor (scalar)');
 				fielddisplay(obj,'spcdamage','damage constraints (NaN means no constraint)');
@@ -209,6 +213,7 @@
 		function marshall(obj,md,fid) % {{{
 		
-			WriteData(fid,'object',obj,'fieldname','law','format','String');
-			if ~strcmpi(obj.law,'undamaged'),
+			WriteData(fid,'object',obj,'fieldname','isdamage','format','Boolean');
+			if obj.isdamage,
+				WriteData(fid,'object',obj,'fieldname','law','format','String');
 				WriteData(fid,'object',obj,'fieldname','D','format','DoubleMat','mattype',1);
 				WriteData(fid,'object',obj,'fieldname','spcdamage','format','DoubleMat','mattype',1,'forcinglength',md.mesh.numberofvertices+1);