diff --git a/common/utils/LOG/log.c b/common/utils/LOG/log.c
index 2340c78bf1..9fd67a6dbb 100644
--- a/common/utils/LOG/log.c
+++ b/common/utils/LOG/log.c
@@ -88,16 +88,19 @@ int write_file_matlab(const char *fname,
 					  void *data,
 					  int length,
 					  int dec,
-					  char format)
+					  unsigned int format)
 {
   FILE *fp=NULL;
   int i;
 
+  AssertFatal((format&~MATLAB_RAW) <16,"");
+
   if (data == NULL)
     return -1;
 
   //printf("Writing %d elements of type %d to %s\n",length,format,fname);
 
+
   if (format == 10 || format ==11 || format == 12 || format == 13 || format == 14) {
     fp = fopen(fname,"a+");
   } else if (format != 10 && format !=11  && format != 12 && format != 13 && format != 14) {
@@ -109,6 +112,32 @@ int write_file_matlab(const char *fname,
     return(-1);
   }
 
+  if ( (format&MATLAB_RAW) == MATLAB_RAW ) {
+    int sz[16]={sizeof(short), 2*sizeof(short),
+		sizeof(int), 2*sizeof(int),
+		sizeof(char), 2*sizeof(char),
+		sizeof(long long), 
+		sizeof(double), 2*sizeof(double),
+		sizeof(unsigned char),
+		sizeof(short),
+		sizeof(short),
+		sizeof(short),
+		sizeof(short),
+		sizeof(short),
+		sizeof(short)
+    };
+    int eltSz= sz[format&~MATLAB_RAW];
+    if (dec==1) 
+      fwrite(data, eltSz, length, fp);
+    else 
+      for (i=0; i<length; i+=dec)
+	fwrite(data+i*eltSz, eltSz, 1, fp);
+    
+    fclose(fp);
+    return(0);	
+  }
+
+
   if (format != 10 && format !=11  && format != 12 && format != 13 && format != 14)
     fprintf(fp,"%s = [",vname);
 
@@ -214,6 +243,8 @@ int write_file_matlab(const char *fname,
     case 12 : // case eren for log2_maxh real unsigned 8 bit
       fprintf(fp,"%d \n",((unsigned char *)&data)[0]);
       break;
+  default:
+    AssertFatal(false, "unknown dump format: %d\n", format);
   }
 
   if (format != 10 && format !=11 && format !=12 && format != 13 && format != 15) {
diff --git a/common/utils/LOG/log.h b/common/utils/LOG/log.h
index d893708a8b..49c6bdfd4c 100644
--- a/common/utils/LOG/log.h
+++ b/common/utils/LOG/log.h
@@ -336,7 +336,25 @@ typedef struct {
 @param dec    decimation level
 @param format data format (0 = real 16-bit, 1 = complex 16-bit,2 real 32-bit, 3 complex 32-bit,4 = real 8-bit, 5 = complex 8-bit)
 */
-int32_t write_file_matlab(const char *fname, const char *vname, void *data, int length, int dec, char format);
+#define MATLAB_RAW (1<<31)
+#define MATLAB_SHORT 0
+#define MATLAB_CSHORT 1
+#define MATLAB_INT 2
+#define MATLAB_CINT 3
+#define MATLAB_INT8 4
+#define MATLAB_CINT8 5
+#define MATLAB_LLONG 6
+#define MATLAB_DOUBLE 7
+#define MATLAB_CDOUBLE 8
+#define MATLAB_UINT8 9
+#define MATLEB_EREN1 10
+#define MATLEB_EREN2 11
+#define MATLEB_EREN3 12
+#define MATLAB_CSHORT_BRACKET1 13
+#define MATLAB_CSHORT_BRACKET2 14
+#define MATLAB_CSHORT_BRACKET3 15
+  
+int32_t write_file_matlab(const char *fname, const char *vname, void *data, int length, int dec, unsigned int format);
 
 /*----------------macro definitions for reading log configuration from the config module */
 #define CONFIG_STRING_LOG_PREFIX                           "log_config"