diff --git a/src/parse_mnesia.py b/src/parse_mnesia.py
index ec1bda4..360d760 100644
--- a/src/parse_mnesia.py
+++ b/src/parse_mnesia.py
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
 parser.add_argument('-file', help='choose file to parse', default='no file')
 parser.add_argument('-chunk', help='byte count for each file chunk to read (default=1028)', default=1028)
 parser.add_argument('-o', help='filename (no extension) for file; print for print to terminal', default='print')
+parser.add_argument('-be', help='byte endianess for lenght, e.g. big, little', default="big")
+parser.add_argument("-e", help="encoding, e.g. utf-8, ascii", default="utf-8")
+parser.add_argument("-ee", help="encoding errors, e.g. strict, ignore", default="strict")
 args = parser.parse_args()
 
 if args.file == 'no file':
@@ -32,6 +35,10 @@
 
 fileName = args.file
 
+endianness = args.be
+encoding = args.e
+encoding_errors = args.ee
+
 #fileName='/usr/local/var/lib/rabbitmq/mnesia/rabbit/msg_stores/vhosts/2KVL28AS0JEHD0UYQNDTX3QIO/queues/7NJWTXU5MSR21TJGJEOA2NPC2/0.idx'
 print('Reading file: ' + fileName)
 
@@ -48,19 +55,18 @@ def convert_hex(string):
 
 
 def extractString(data, hexString, byteLengthHex):
-	hexdata=convert_hex(data)
-	dataPos=hexdata.find(hexString.upper())
+	dataPos = data.find(bytes.fromhex(hexString))
 	if dataPos == -1:
 		found=False
 		unescapedData=''
 		endPosition = -1
 	else:
 		found=True
-		startofMatch=round(dataPos/2)
+		startofMatch=round(dataPos)
 		recordSize = data[startofMatch+byteLengthHex:startofMatch+byteLengthHex+2]
-		rdqEntryLength = int(convert_hex(recordSize), 16)
+		rdqEntryLength = int.from_bytes(recordSize, endianness)
 		dataMessage = data[startofMatch+byteLengthHex+2: startofMatch+byteLengthHex+2+rdqEntryLength]
-		unescapedData = dataMessage.decode('ascii', 'ignore')
+		unescapedData = dataMessage.decode(encoding, encoding_errors)
 		endPosition =  startofMatch+byteLengthHex+2+rdqEntryLength
 	return {"string": unescapedData, "endpos": endPosition, 'found':found}