diff --git a/src/fpga.c b/src/fpga.c
index e7bce9fe9..4b137f663 100644
--- a/src/fpga.c
+++ b/src/fpga.c
@@ -26,10 +26,12 @@ int fpga_benchmarks(int argc, char *argv[], struct fpga_card *c);
 
 void usage()
 {
-	printf("Usage: villas-fpga CONFIGFILE CARD [OPTIONS]\n\n");
-	printf("   Options:\n");
-	printf("      -d    Set log level\n\n");
-
+	printf("Usage: villas-fpga [OPTIONS] CONFIG CARD\n\n");
+	printf("  CONFIG  path to a configuration file\n");
+	printf("  CARD    name of the FPGA card\n");
+	printf("  OPTIONS is one or more of the following options:\n");
+	printf("     -d    Set log level\n");
+	printf("\n");
 	print_copyright();
 }
 
@@ -40,28 +42,33 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	struct super_node sn;
 	struct fpga_card *card;
 
-	if (argc < 3) {
-		usage(argv[0]);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-	}
-
 	/* Parse arguments */
 	char c, *endptr;
-	while ((c = getopt(argc-1, argv+1, "d:")) != -1) {
+	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "d:")) != -1) {
 		switch (c) {
 			case 'd':
 				sn.log.level = strtoul(optarg, &endptr, 10);
-				break;	
+				goto check;
 
 			case '?':
 			default:
 				usage();
 				exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 		}
+
+check:		if (optarg == endptr)
+			error("Failed to parse parse option argument '-%c %s'", c, optarg);
 	}
+	
+	if (argc != optind + 2) {
+		usage();
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+	
+	char *configfile = argv[optind];
 
 	super_node_init(&sn);
-	super_node_parse_uri(&sn, argv[1]);
+	super_node_parse_uri(&sn, configfile);
 	
 	log_init(&sn.log, sn.log.level, sn.log.facilities);
 	rt_init(sn.priority, sn.affinity);
diff --git a/src/hook.c b/src/hook.c
index 0d1273489..f0c35a273 100644
--- a/src/hook.c
+++ b/src/hook.c
@@ -75,14 +75,14 @@ static int hook_parse_cli(struct hook *h, char *params[], int paramlen)
 
 static void usage()
 {
-	printf("Usage: villas-hook [OPTIONS] NAME [PARAM] \n");
-	printf("  PARAM     a string of configuration settings for the hook\n");
-	printf("  OPTIONS are:\n");
+	printf("Usage: villas-hook [OPTIONS] NAME [[PARAM1] [PARAM2] ...]\n");
+	printf("  NAME      the name of the hook function\n");
+	printf("  PARAM*    a string of configuration settings for the hook\n");
+	printf("  OPTIONS is one or more of the following options:\n");
 	printf("    -h      show this help\n");
 	printf("    -d LVL  set debug level to LVL\n");
 	printf("    -v CNT  process CNT samples at once\n");
-	printf("  NAME      the name of the hook function\n\n");
-	
+	printf("\n");
 	printf("The following hook functions are supported:\n");
 	plugin_dump(PLUGIN_TYPE_HOOK);
 	printf("\n");
@@ -103,8 +103,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	level = V;
 	cnt = 1;
 	
-	char *name;
-	
 	struct log log;
 	struct plugin *p;
 	struct sample *samples[cnt];
@@ -133,6 +131,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 	
+	char *hookstr = argv[optind];
+	
 	if (cnt < 1)
 		error("Vectorize option must be greater than 0");
 	
@@ -145,11 +145,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (ret)
 		error("Failed to initilize memory pool");
 	
-	name = argv[optind];
+	
 
-	p = plugin_lookup(PLUGIN_TYPE_HOOK, name);
+	p = plugin_lookup(PLUGIN_TYPE_HOOK, hookstr);
 	if (!p)
-		error("Unknown hook function '%s'", name);
+		error("Unknown hook function '%s'", hookstr);
 
 	config_init(&cfg);
 	
diff --git a/src/pipe.c b/src/pipe.c
index 043c82476..8403c5051 100644
--- a/src/pipe.c
+++ b/src/pipe.c
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ static void quit(int signal, siginfo_t *sinfo, void *ctx)
 
 static void usage()
 {
-	printf("Usage: villas-pipe CONFIG NODE [OPTIONS]\n");
+	printf("Usage: villas-pipe [OPTIONS] CONFIG NODE\n");
 	printf("  CONFIG  path to a configuration file\n");
 	printf("  NODE    the name of the node to which samples are sent and received from\n");
 	printf("  OPTIONS are:\n");
@@ -220,25 +220,28 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 	}
 	
-	if (argc < optind + 2) {
+	if (argc != optind + 2) {
 		usage();
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 	
+	char *configfile = argv[optind];
+	char *nodestr    = argv[optind+1];
+
 	log_init(&sn.log, level, LOG_ALL);
 	log_start(&sn.log);
 	
 	super_node_init(&sn);
-	super_node_parse_uri(&sn, argv[optind]);
+	super_node_parse_uri(&sn, configfile);
 	
 	memory_init(sn.hugepages);
 	signals_init(quit);
 	rt_init(sn.priority, sn.affinity);
 
 	/* Initialize node */
-	node = list_lookup(&sn.nodes, argv[optind+1]);
+	node = list_lookup(&sn.nodes, nodestr);
 	if (!node)
-		error("Node '%s' does not exist!", argv[optind+1]);
+		error("Node '%s' does not exist!", nodestr);
 
 	if (node->_vt->start == websocket_start) {
 		web_start(&sn.web);
diff --git a/src/signal.c b/src/signal.c
index 6ed697d92..573951f99 100644
--- a/src/signal.c
+++ b/src/signal.c
@@ -46,16 +46,24 @@ enum SIGNAL_TYPE {
 
 void usage()
 {
-	printf("Usage: villas-signal SIGNAL [OPTIONS]\n");
-	printf("  SIGNAL   is on of: 'mixed', 'random', 'sine', 'triangle', 'square', 'ramp'\n");
-	printf("  -d LVL   set debug level\n");
-	printf("  -v NUM   specifies how many values a message should contain\n");
-	printf("  -r HZ    how many messages per second\n");
-	printf("  -n       non real-time mode. do not throttle output.\n");
-	printf("  -f HZ    the frequency of the signal\n");
-	printf("  -a FLT   the amplitude\n");
-	printf("  -D FLT   the standard deviation for 'random' signals\n");
-	printf("  -l NUM   only send LIMIT messages and stop\n\n");
+	printf("Usage: villas-signal [OPTIONS] SIGNAL\n");
+	printf("  SIGNAL   is on of the following signal types:\n");
+	printf("    mixed\n");
+	printf("    random\n");
+	printf("    sine\n");
+	printf("    triangle\n");
+	printf("    square\n");
+	printf("    ramp\n");
+	printf("\n");
+	printf("  OPTIONS is one or more of the following options:\n");
+	printf("    -d LVL   set debug level\n");
+	printf("    -v NUM   specifies how many values a message should contain\n");
+	printf("    -r HZ    how many messages per second\n");
+	printf("    -n       non real-time mode. do not throttle output.\n");
+	printf("    -f HZ    the frequency of the signal\n");
+	printf("    -a FLT   the amplitude\n");
+	printf("    -D FLT   the standard deviation for 'random' signals\n");
+	printf("    -l NUM   only send LIMIT messages and stop\n\n");
 
 	print_copyright();
 }
@@ -81,28 +89,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	int limit = -1;	
 	int counter, tfd, steps, level = V;
 
-	if (argc < 2) {
-		usage();
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-	}
-		
-	/* Parse signal type */
-	if      (!strcmp(argv[1], "random"))
-		type = TYPE_RANDOM;
-	else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "sine"))
-		type = TYPE_SINE;
-	else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "square"))
-		type = TYPE_SQUARE;
-	else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "triangle"))
-		type = TYPE_TRIANGLE;
-	else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "ramp"))
-		type = TYPE_RAMP;
-	else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "mixed"))
-		type = TYPE_MIXED;
-	
 	/* Parse optional command line arguments */
 	char c, *endptr;
-	while ((c = getopt(argc-1, argv+1, "hv:r:f:l:a:D:d:n")) != -1) {
+	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "hv:r:f:l:a:D:d:n")) != -1) {
 		switch (c) {
 			case 'd':
 				level = strtoul(optarg, &endptr, 10);
@@ -139,6 +128,29 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 check:		if (optarg == endptr)
 			error("Failed to parse parse option argument '-%c %s'", c, optarg);
 	}
+
+	if (argc != optind + 1) {
+		usage();
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+	
+	char *typestr = argv[optind];
+		
+	/* Parse signal type */
+	if      (!strcmp(typestr, "random"))
+		type = TYPE_RANDOM;
+	else if (!strcmp(typestr, "sine"))
+		type = TYPE_SINE;
+	else if (!strcmp(typestr, "square"))
+		type = TYPE_SQUARE;
+	else if (!strcmp(typestr, "triangle"))
+		type = TYPE_TRIANGLE;
+	else if (!strcmp(typestr, "ramp"))
+		type = TYPE_RAMP;
+	else if (!strcmp(typestr, "mixed"))
+		type = TYPE_MIXED;
+	else
+		error("Invalid signal type: %s", typestr);
 	
 	log_init(&log, level, LOG_ALL);
 
diff --git a/src/test-cmp.c b/src/test-cmp.c
index d8be78ea8..7c802c8ae 100644
--- a/src/test-cmp.c
+++ b/src/test-cmp.c
@@ -37,13 +37,21 @@
 
 void usage()
 {
-	printf("Usage: villas-test-cmp FILE1 FILE2 [OPTIONS]\n");
+	printf("Usage: villas-test-cmp [OPTIONS] FILE1 FILE2\n");
 	printf("  FILE1    first file to compare\n");
 	printf("  FILE2    second file to compare against\n");
-	printf("  OPTIONS  the following optional options:\n");
-	printf("   -h      print this usage information\n");
-	printf("   -d LVL  adjust the debug level\n");
-	printf("   -e EPS  set epsilon for floating point comparisons to EPS\n");
+	printf("  OPTIONS is one or more of the following options:\n");
+	printf("    -h      print this usage information\n");
+	printf("    -d LVL  adjust the debug level\n");
+	printf("    -e EPS  set epsilon for floating point comparisons to EPS\n");
+	printf("\n");
+	printf("Return codes:\n");
+	printf("  0   files are equal\n");
+	printf("  1   file length not equal\n");
+	printf("  2   sequence no not equal\n");
+	printf("  3   timestamp not equal\n");
+	printf("  4   number of values is not equal\n");
+	printf("  5   data is not equal\n");
 	printf("\n");
 
 	print_copyright();	
@@ -87,7 +95,7 @@ check:		if (optarg == endptr)
 			error("Failed to parse parse option argument '-%c %s'", c, optarg);
 	}
 	
-	if (argc < optind + 2) {
+	if (argc != optind + 2) {
 		usage();
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
diff --git a/src/test-rtt.c b/src/test-rtt.c
index 0079f0e9a..f92d8bd9b 100644
--- a/src/test-rtt.c
+++ b/src/test-rtt.c
@@ -67,16 +67,16 @@ void quit(int signal, siginfo_t *sinfo, void *ctx)
 
 void usage()
 {
-	printf("Usage: villas-test-rtt CONFIG NODE [ARGS]\n");
+	printf("Usage: villas-test-rtt [OPTIONS] CONFIG NODE\n");
 	printf("  CONFIG  path to a configuration file\n");
 	printf("  NODE    name of the node which shoud be used\n");
-	printf("  ARGS    the following optional options:\n");
-	printf("   -c CNT  send CNT messages\n");
-	printf("   -f FD   use file descriptor FD for result output instead of stdout\n");
-	printf("   -l LOW  smallest value for histogram\n");
-	printf("   -H HIGH largest value for histogram\n");
-	printf("   -r RES  bucket resolution for histogram\n");
-	printf("   -h      show this usage information\n");
+	printf("  OPTIONS is one or more of the following options:\n");
+	printf("    -c CNT  send CNT messages\n");
+	printf("    -f FD   use file descriptor FD for result output instead of stdout\n");
+	printf("    -l LOW  smallest value for histogram\n");
+	printf("    -H HIGH largest value for histogram\n");
+	printf("    -r RES  bucket resolution for histogram\n");
+	printf("    -h      show this usage information\n");
 	printf("\n");
 
 	print_copyright();
@@ -84,30 +84,9 @@ void usage()
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	if (argc < 4) {
-		usage();
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-	}
-
-	log_init(&sn.log, V, LOG_ALL);
-	
-	super_node_init(&sn);
-	super_node_parse_uri(&sn, argv[1]);
-	
-	signals_init(quit);
-	rt_init(sn.priority, sn.affinity);
-	memory_init(sn.hugepages);
-
-	node = list_lookup(&sn.nodes, argv[3]);
-	if (!node)
-		error("There's no node with the name '%s'", argv[3]);
-
-	node_type_start(node->_vt, &sn);
-	node_start(node);
-
 	/* Parse Arguments */
 	char c, *endptr;
-	while ((c = getopt (argc-3, argv+3, "l:hH:r:f:c:")) != -1) {
+	while ((c = getopt (argc, argv, "l:hH:r:f:c:")) != -1) {
 		switch (c) {
 			case 'c':
 				count = strtoul(optarg, &endptr, 10);
@@ -135,6 +114,30 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 check:		if (optarg == endptr)
 			error("Failed to parse parse option argument '-%c %s'", c, optarg);
 	}
+	
+	if (argc != optind + 2) {
+		usage();
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+	
+	char *configfile = argv[optind];
+	char *nodestr    = argv[optind + 1];
+	
+	log_init(&sn.log, V, LOG_ALL);
+	
+	super_node_init(&sn);
+	super_node_parse_uri(&sn, configfile);
+	
+	signals_init(quit);
+	rt_init(sn.priority, sn.affinity);
+	memory_init(sn.hugepages);
+
+	node = list_lookup(&sn.nodes, nodestr);
+	if (!node)
+		error("There's no node with the name '%s'", nodestr);
+
+	node_type_start(node->_vt, &sn);
+	node_start(node);
 
 	test_rtt();