diff --git a/tools/README b/tools/README
index f0729b4e2b..15018d90cf 100644
--- a/tools/README
+++ b/tools/README
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ createatoms	       generate lattices of atoms within a geometry
 data2xmovie	       convert a data file to a snapshot that xmovie can viz
 eam_database	       one tool to generate EAM alloy potential files
 eam_generate	       2nd tool to generate EAM alloy potential files
-eff		       scripts for working with the EFF (electron force field)
+eff		       scripts for working with the eFF (electron force field)
+ipp		       input pre-processor Perl tool for creating input scripts
 lmp2arc		       convert LAMMPS output to Accelrys Insight format
 lmp2cfg		       convert LAMMPS output to CFG files for AtomEye viz
 lmp2traj	       convert LAMMPS output to contour, density profiles
diff --git a/tools/createatoms/README.txt b/tools/createatoms/README
similarity index 78%
rename from tools/createatoms/README.txt
rename to tools/createatoms/README
index 0da2cc2f09..2648172487 100644
--- a/tools/createatoms/README.txt
+++ b/tools/createatoms/README
@@ -11,5 +11,8 @@ The tool is authored by Xiaowang Zhou (Sandia) who can be contacted at
 xzhou at sandia.gov for questions.
 
 Sample build of program:
-
 gfortran createAtoms.f which produces a.out
+
+This tool can be used in conjunction with the ipp tool for creating
+its input commands.  See tools/ipp/README.txt for an example.
+
diff --git a/tools/ipp/README b/tools/ipp/README
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d2cca9d9c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ipp/README
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+Ipp is a Perl script for facilitating the creation of a complicated
+file (say, a lammps input file or tools/createatoms input file) using
+a template file.
+
+ipp was created and is maintained by Reese Jones (Sandia), rjones at
+sandia.gov.
+
+Example 1:
+
+If one has a template for a long lammps input file called
+"template_lammps.input" where a few parameters need to be changed. One
+can define these parameters in a short file called
+"fill_parameters_lammps.input" and execute "ipp -p
+fill_parameters_lammps.input template_lammps.input >
+lammps.input". The file "lammps.input" file will be the final lammps
+input file.
+
+Example 2:
+
+If one has a template for a long createAtoms input file called
+"template_createAtoms.input" that creates double elpasolite
+crystals. One wants to change the lattice constants and tilting angle
+of the octahedrons. One can define these parameters in a short file
+called "fill_parameters_createAtoms.input" and execute "ipp -p
+fill_parameters_createAtoms.input template_createAtoms.input >
+createAtoms.input". The "createAtoms.input" file will be the final
+createAtoms input file. If one has an excetable for createAtoms called
+"create", one can simply execute "create<createAtoms.input" to create
+the crystal that LAMMPS can read.
diff --git a/tools/ipp/fill_parameters_createAtoms.input b/tools/ipp/fill_parameters_createAtoms.input
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b8d6210cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ipp/fill_parameters_createAtoms.input
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+ amass1=  132.899994
+ amass2=  22.9899998
+ amass3=  138.899994
+ amass4=  126.900002
+ amass5=  1.
+ ielement1= 55
+ ielement2= 11
+ ielement3= 57
+ ielement4= 53
+ ielement5= 1
+ n1=3
+ n2=3
+ n3=3
+ a=11.0
+ theta=10.0
diff --git a/tools/ipp/fill_parameters_lammps.input b/tools/ipp/fill_parameters_lammps.input
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eefe5c30c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ipp/fill_parameters_lammps.input
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Tmid=300
+Tbnd=300
+NPTave=10000
diff --git a/tools/ipp/ipp b/tools/ipp/ipp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a7eac67247
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ipp/ipp
@@ -0,0 +1,290 @@
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+# ipp: a preprocessor script
+# author : Reese Jones rjones@sandia.gov (based on dprepro [Sandia])
+# to do :
+# priority (overide file defaults e.g. a=1 pfile a=2 -> a=2)
+#     also order precedence: a=10 -p p.file b=12
+# nested if/else/endif blocks
+
+# Regular expressions for numeric fields
+$e  = "-?(?:\\d+\\.?\\d*|\\.\\d+)[eEdD](?:\\+|-)?\\d+"; # exponential notation
+$f  = "-?\\d+\\.\\d*|-?\\.\\d+";                        # floating point
+$i  = "-?\\d+";                                         # integer
+$ui = "\\d+";                                           # unsigned integer
+$n  = "$e|$f|$i";                                       # numeric field
+
+# Read command line arguments
+while (scalar(@ARGV)) {
+  $arg = shift(@ARGV);
+  if    ($arg =~ /-p/) { $parameter_file = shift(@ARGV);
+    parse_parameter_file($parameter_file);
+  }
+  elsif ($arg =~ /-o/) { $new_file = shift(@ARGV); }
+  elsif ($arg =~ /=/)  { ($tag,$value) = split(/=/,$arg);
+    $values_p1{$tag}  = $value;
+  }
+  else                 { $template_file = $arg; }
+}
+
+# Check for correct command line arguments
+if( ! defined($template_file) ) {
+  print STDERR "Usage: ipp <-p parameters_file> <name=value> template_file <-o new_file>\n";
+  print STDERR "  note: \"value\" must be numeric (not a character string)\n";
+  print STDERR "  parameter file format :  name = value\n";
+  print STDERR "                    or  :  value name\n";
+  print STDERR "  template  file example:  modulus is {10.0*name +3.2}\n";
+  exit(-1);
+}
+
+
+# output
+$output_fh = \*STDOUT;
+if( defined($new_file) ) {
+  open(NEW,">$new_file");
+  $output_fh = \*NEW;
+}
+output($template_file,$output_fh);
+if( defined($new_file) ) { close(NEW); }
+
+# debug : print key--> value
+#foreach $key (sort keys %values_p1) {
+#  print "# $key ---> ",$values_p1{$key},"\n";
+#}
+
+
+###########################################################################
+# parse parameter file
+###########################################################################
+# Read parameters file, extract tags and corresponding values in either aprepro
+# "{ tag = value }" format or standard "value tag" format, and store the
+# tag/value pairs in %values_p1.  
+#  NOTE : compound expressions are not  currently allowed.
+
+sub parse_parameter_file {
+my $pfile = shift(@_);
+# (1) parse numerical values
+open (PARAMETERS, "<$pfile") || die "Can't open parameters file: $pfile: $!";
+while (<PARAMETERS>) { # read each line of file, one at a time
+  # extract tag/value fields allowing multiple matches per line in either format
+  foreach $field (m/(?:$n)\s+\w+|\s*\w+\s*=\s*(?:$n)\s*/go) {
+    # extract tag/value pair from each field NOTE () are memory
+    if ( ( ($value, $tag) = ($field =~ m/^($n)\s+(\w+)$/o) ) ||       # Standard
+         ( ($tag, $value) = ($field =~ m/^\s*(\w+)\s*=\s*($n)\s*$/o))){# Apr
+      $value =~ s/[dD]/e/o;      # convert any F77 dbl prec exponents
+      $values_p1{$tag} = $value; # store in hash
+    }
+  }
+}
+close (PARAMETERS);
+
+# (2) parse string values in dbl quotes
+open (PARAMETERS, "<$pfile") || die "Can't open parameters file: $pfile: $!";
+while (<PARAMETERS>) { # read each line of file, one at a time
+  # extract tag/value fields allowing multiple matches per line in either format
+  #if ( m/=/ && m/\"/ ){
+  if ( ($tag, $value) = ($_ =~ m/^\s*(\w+)\s*=\s*\"(.*)\"\s*$/o)){
+    $values_p1{$tag} = $value; # store in hash
+  }
+}
+close (PARAMETERS);
+}
+
+#################################################################
+# Process template simulation file and create new simulation file
+#################################################################
+# Read each line of template_file, find the {} fields, process any
+# assignments or expressions, and substitute the corresponding values.
+# Print each line with substitution to new_file.  The parameters
+# file assignments (%values_p1 = precedence 1) take precedence over any
+# duplicate template file assignments (%values_p2 = precedence 2) in
+# order to allow the flexibility to define defaults in the template
+# file which can then be overridden by a particular parameters file.
+
+sub output{
+my $tfile = shift (@_);
+# Open the template simulation file for input.
+open (TEMPLATE, "<$tfile") || die "Can't open template file $tfile: $!";
+# Open the new simulation file for output.
+#$print_to_file = 0;
+#if (defined($new_file)) {
+#open (NEW, ">$new_file") || die "Can't create instance file $new_file: $!";
+#$print_to_file = 1;
+#}
+$print_to_file = 1;
+$fh = shift (@_);
+
+$print = 1; # print line flag
+while (<TEMPLATE>) {
+
+  # Extract each {} match from this line
+  foreach $field (m/\{\s*(.+?)\s*\}/go) { # ".+?" provides a minimal match
+
+    # Case 1: test for simple tag match "{tag}"
+    if ($field =~ m/^\w+$/o) {
+      if ( defined ( $value = $values_p1{$field} ) ||
+           defined ( $value = $values_p2{$field} ) ) { # or exists $values{$tag}
+        s/\{\s*$field\s*\}/$value/;
+      }
+    }
+
+    # Case 2: test for assignment "{tag = field}"
+    elsif ( ($tag, $assign) = ($field =~ m/^(\w+)\s*=\s*(.+?)$/o) ) {
+
+      # Case 2a: assignment of numerical value
+      # ($n = exponential notation $e, floating point $f, or integer $i)
+      if ($assign =~ m/^($n)$/o) {
+        $assign =~ s/[dD]/e/o;               # convert F77 dbl prec exponents
+        $values_p2{$tag} = $assign;          # store in priority 2 hash
+        s/\{\s*$tag\s*=\s*.+?\s*\}/$assign/; # replace assignment with value
+      }
+
+      # Case 2b: assignment of expression.  Evaluate $assign by replacing any
+      # known tags with their values and then eval the remaining expression.
+      else {
+        foreach $exptag ($assign =~ m/\b(\w*[a-zA-Z_]+\w*)\b/go) {
+          if ( defined ( $value = $values_p1{$exptag} ) ||
+               defined ( $value = $values_p2{$exptag} ) ) {
+            $assign =~ s/$exptag/$value/;
+          }
+        }
+        $value = eval $assign;
+        if ($@) { die "Eval error: $@"; }
+        $values_p2{$tag} = $value;          # store in priority 2 hash
+        s/\{\s*$tag\s*=\s*.+?\s*\}/$value/; # replace assignment with value
+      }
+    }
+
+    # Case 3: assume general expression in all remaining $field matches.
+    # Evaluate $field by replacing any known tags with their values and
+    # then eval the remaining expression.
+    else {
+      foreach $tag ($field =~ m/\b(\w*[a-zA-Z_]+\w*)\b/go) {
+        if ( defined ( $value = $values_p1{$tag} ) ||
+             defined ( $value = $values_p2{$tag} ) ) {
+          $field =~ s/$tag/$value/;
+        }
+      }
+      s/\{\s*.+?\s*\}/eval $field/e;
+      if ($@) { die "Eval error: $@"; }
+    }
+  }
+
+  # if/else blocks
+  if ($_ =~ /#if/) {
+    $line = $_; chomp($line); $line =~ s/^\s+//; $line =~ s/\s+$//;
+    @items = split(/\s+/,$line);
+    if (eval($items[1])) {;}
+    else { $print = 0;}
+  }
+  elsif ($_ =~ /#else/) {
+    if ($print) {$print = 0;} else {$print = 1;}
+  }
+  elsif ($_ =~ /#endif/) {
+    $print = 1;
+  }
+  else { 
+    # output the processed line 
+    if ($print) { print $fh $_; }
+  }
+
+}
+close (TEMPLATE);
+if ($print_to_file ) { close (NEW); }
+}
+
+###########################################################################
+# math operators
+###########################################################################
+
+# Intrinsic numeric operators include +,-,*,/,**,%,<<,>>,sqrt(),abs(),
+# sin(),cos(),atan2(),exp(),log(),int(),hex(),oct(),rand(),srand().
+
+# Augment these with others (adapted/extended from bprepro by Bob Walton).
+# NOTE: convert from degs to rads by pi/180 = (pi/4)/45 = atan2(1,1)/45
+#       convert from rads to degs by 180/pi = 45/atan2(1,1)
+
+# additional logarithmic functions
+
+sub log10 { log($_[0])/log(10) }
+
+# additional trigonometric functions with radian input
+
+sub tan { sin($_[0])/cos($_[0]) }
+
+sub cot { cos($_[0])/sin($_[0]) }
+
+sub csc { 1/sin($_[0]) }
+
+sub sec { 1/cos($_[0]) }
+
+# trigonometric functions with degree input
+
+sub sind { sin($_[0]*atan2(1,1)/45) }
+
+sub cosd { cos($_[0]*atan2(1,1)/45) }
+
+sub tand { tan($_[0]*atan2(1,1)/45) }
+
+sub cotd { cot($_[0]*atan2(1,1)/45) }
+
+sub cscd { 1/sin($_[0]*atan2(1,1)/45) }
+
+sub secd { 1/cos($_[0]*atan2(1,1)/45) }
+
+# inverse trigonometric functions returning radians
+
+sub asin {
+  if (abs($_[0]) > 1) { die "input out of range in asin()\n"; }
+  atan2($_[0],sqrt(1-$_[0]**2));
+}
+
+sub acos {
+  if (abs($_[0]) > 1) { die "input out of range in acos()\n"; }
+  atan2(sqrt(1-$_[0]**2),$_[0]);
+}
+
+sub atan { atan2($_[0],1) }
+
+# inverse trigonometric functions returning degrees
+
+sub asind { asin($_[0])*45/atan2(1,1) }
+
+sub acosd { acos($_[0])*45/atan2(1,1) }
+
+sub atand { atan2($_[0],1)*45/atan2(1,1) }
+
+sub atan2d { atan2($_[0],$_[1])*45/atan2(1,1) }
+
+# hyperbolic functions
+
+sub sinh { (exp($_[0]) - exp(-$_[0]))/2 }
+
+sub cosh { (exp($_[0]) + exp(-$_[0]))/2 }
+
+sub tanh { sinh($_[0])/cosh($_[0]) }
+
+sub coth {
+  if ($_[0] == 0) { die "input out of range in coth()\n"; }
+  cosh($_[0])/sinh($_[0]);
+}
+
+sub csch {
+  if ($_[0] == 0) { die "input out of range in csch()\n"; }
+  1/sinh($_[0]);
+}
+
+sub sech { 1/cosh($_[0]) }
+
+# inverse hyperbolic functions
+
+sub asinh { log($_[0] + sqrt($_[0]**2 + 1)) }
+
+sub acosh {
+  if ($_[0] < 1) { die "input out of range in acosh()\n"; }
+  log($_[0] + sqrt($_[0]**2 - 1));
+}
+
+sub atanh {
+  if (abs($_[0]) >= 1) { die "input out of range in atanh()\n"; }
+  log((1+$_[0])/(1-$_[0]))/2;
+}
diff --git a/tools/ipp/template_createAtoms.input b/tools/ipp/template_createAtoms.input
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a32b46290
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ipp/template_createAtoms.input
@@ -0,0 +1,213 @@
+&maincard
+ ntypes=4
+ perub={n1*a-0.5},{n2*a-0.5},{n3*a/cos(3.14159265/180.0*theta)-0.5}
+ perlb=-0.5,-0.5,-0.5
+ ilatseed=0
+ amass={amass1},{amass2},{amass3},{amass4},{amass5}
+ ielement={ielement1},{ielement2},{ielement3},{ielement4},{ielement5}
+&end
+
+&latcard
+ lattype='sc'
+ alat={a},{a},{a/cos(3.14159265/180.0*theta)}
+ xrot=1.0 0.0 0.0
+ yrot=0.0 1.0 0.0
+ zrot=0.0,0.0,1.0
+ xbound=-0.5,{n1*a-0.5}
+ ybound=-0.5,{n2*a-0.5}
+ zbound=-0.5,{n3*a/cos(3.14159265/180.0*theta)-0.5}
+ periodicity=1.0,1.0,1.0
+ strain=0.0,0.0,0.0
+ delx=0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.250000,0.250000,0.250000
+ ccell=1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.000000,0.000000,0.000000
+ ccell=0.0,1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.250000,{0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.000000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell={1.0-0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.250000,0.000000 
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.000000,0.000000,0.250000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.750000,0.250000,0.250000
+ ccell=1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.500000,0.000000,0.000000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.750000,{1.0-0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.000000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell={0.5+0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.250000,0.000000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.500000,0.000000,0.250000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.750000,0.750000,0.250000
+ ccell=1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.500000,0.500000,0.000000
+ ccell=0.0,1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.750000,{0.5+0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.000000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell={0.5-0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.750000,0.000000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.500000,0.500000,0.250000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.250000,0.750000,0.250000
+ ccell=1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.000000,0.500000,0.000000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.250000,{0.5-0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.000000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell={0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.750000,0.000000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.000000,0.500000,0.250000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.250000,0.250000,0.750000
+ ccell=1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.000000,0.000000,0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.250000,{0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell={1.0-0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.250000,0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.000000,0.000000,0.750000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.750000,0.250000,0.750000
+ ccell=1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.500000,0.000000,0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.750000,{1.0-0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell={0.5+0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.250000,0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.500000,0.000000,0.750000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.750000,0.750000,0.750000
+ ccell=1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.500000,0.500000,0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.750000,{0.5+0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell={0.5-0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.750000,0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.500000,0.500000,0.750000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.250000,0.750000,0.750000
+ ccell=1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.000000,0.500000,0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,1.0,0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.250000,{0.5-0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell={0.5*tan(3.14159265/180.0*theta)},0.750000,0.500000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+ rcell=0.000000,0.500000,0.750000
+ ccell=0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0,0.0
+&end
+&subcard
+&end
+
+&defcard
+&end
+
+&latcard
+&end
+
+&hitcard
+&end
+
+&disturbcard
+ dismax=0.0
+ strain=0.0,0.0,0.0
+&end
+
+&shiftcard
+ mode=0
+&end
+
+&velcard
+&end
+
+&filecard
+ dynamo="none"
+ paradyn="none"
+ lammps="r0.lmp"
+ xyz="none"
+&end
diff --git a/tools/ipp/template_lammps.input b/tools/ipp/template_lammps.input
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a62ce069d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ipp/template_lammps.input
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+log		relax.log
+
+units		metal
+atom_style      atomic
+
+boundary	p p p
+
+lattice         diamond 4.511
+read_data       rout
+
+pair_style      sw
+pair_coeff      * * /ascldap/users/xzhou/2010/GaN/files/GaN1.sw Ga N Ga N Ga N
+
+neighbor	0.3 bin
+neigh_modify	delay 0
+
+variable        xlen equal lx
+variable        ylen equal ly
+variable        zlen equal lz
+variable        temper equal temp
+variable        Etot equal etotal
+
+timestep        0.001
+
+fix             temp all temp/rescale 1 {(Tmid+Tbnd)/2} {(Tmid+Tbnd)/2} 0.0 1.0
+fix             int all nph xyz 0.0 0.0 0.1
+fix             ave all ave/time 1 {NPTave} {2*NPTave} v_xlen v_ylen v_zlen v_temper v_Etot file avelen 
+
+run             {2*NPTave}