diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 435bde2..1b4a46d 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ edition = "2021"
 # See more keys and their definitions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/manifest.html
 
 [dependencies]
+config = "0.13.3"
 ctrlc = "3.4.0"
 helios-dac = { version = "0.1", default-features = false, features = ["native"] }
 redis = "0.23.0"
diff --git a/src/conf.rs b/src/conf.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..871d044
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/conf.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+
+use config::Config;
+use serde::Deserialize;
+
+
+#[derive(Deserialize,Debug)]
+pub enum DacFamily {
+    Helios,
+    Etherdream
+    }
+
+#[derive(Deserialize,Debug)]
+pub struct Conf{
+    laser_id : u8,
+    debug : bool,
+    redis_url : String,
+    dac_family: DacFamily,
+    dac_id : Option<u8>,
+    dac_url : Option<String>
+}
+
+
+pub fn load_config( path : &str )-> Result<Conf, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> { 
+    
+    let conf_builder = Config::builder()
+        .add_source(config::File::with_name(path));
+        
+        
+    let settings = match conf_builder.build() {
+	   Ok(conf) => conf,
+	   Err(err) => {
+	       println!("Invalid configuration file / missing file: {:?}", err);
+	       return Err(Box::new(err))
+	   }
+	};
+            
+    let conf = settings
+            .try_deserialize::<Conf>()?;
+            // .try_deserialize::<HashMap<String, String>>()?;
+            
+    println!(
+        "{:?}",
+        conf
+    );
+    
+    Ok(conf)
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index ddf3328..b5ae005 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 ///
 
 mod redis_ctrl;
+mod conf;
 
 use helios_dac::{Frame,
 		 Point,
@@ -15,11 +16,15 @@ use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use redis_ctrl::{RedisCtrl,Order};
+use conf::{load_config};
+
 
 const CENTER : (u16,u16) = (2000, 2000);
 
-
 pub fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+
+    let config = load_config("Settings")?;
+           
     let running = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(true));
     let r = running.clone();