diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..47f37f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+*.tok
+*.o
+alpha
+flex.h
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8164ae1..e912658 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,21 +1,20 @@
 CC := gcc
 FLEX := flex
 LEX := lexicalStructure.lex
-EXE := runner
+EXE := alpha
 CFLAGS := -std=c99 -Wall
 CPPFLAGS :=
 
-runner: flex.o runner.o
-	$(CC) -o runner runner.o flex.o
+build: lex.yy.c runner.o runner
+
+lex.yy.c: lexicalStructure.lex
+	$(FLEX) -o lex.yy.c $(LEX)
 
 runner.o: runner.c runner.h flex.h
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o runner.o -c runner.c
 
-flex.o: lex.yy.c typedefs.h
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o flex.o -c lex.yy.c
-
-lex.yy.c: lexicalStructure.lex
-	$(FLEX) -o lex.yy.c $(LEX)
+runner: lex.yy.c runner.o
+	$(CC) -o $(EXE) runner.o lex.yy.c
 
 debug: CFLAGS += -DDEBUG=1
 debug: clean runner
@@ -39,9 +38,14 @@ test:
 	./$(EXE) -tok ./tests/test_simpleLiterals.alpha
 	./$(EXE) -tok ./tests/test_real_alpha_file.alpha
 	./$(EXE) -tok ./tests/test_real_alpha_2.alpha
+	./$(EXE) -tok -st ./tests/test_real_alpha_2.alpha
+	./$(EXE) -st -tok ./tests/test_operators.alpha
+	./$(EXE) -st ./tests/test_keywords.alpha
+
 clean:
 	rm -f *.o
 	rm -f lex.yy.c
 	rm -f $(EXE)
 	rm -f flex.h
 	rm -f *.tok
+	rm -f *.st
diff --git a/runner.c b/runner.c
index 9a8e41c..85e8214 100644
--- a/runner.c
+++ b/runner.c
@@ -2,83 +2,151 @@
 
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
-    char *check_input;
-    int token;
-    FILE *output;
-
-    if (argc == 1 || argc > 3 || (argc == 2 && is_alpha_file(argv[1], strlen(argv[1])) != 0)) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "invalid input with 1, >3, or non .alpha arg \n");
-        return -1; //no alpha file or too many args
+    if (argc == 1) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "INVALID INPUT: Include a .alpha file or use -help for more inputs \n");
+        return -1;
     } else if (argc == 2) {
-        arg = NO_ARG;   //no argument but valid input
-        yyin = fopen(argv[1], "r");
+        //can be either -help or .alpha file
+        if (is_help(argv[1])) {
+            return 0;
+        } else if (is_alpha_file(argv[1], strlen(argv[1])) == 0) {
+            //run flex for now
+            no_flag = SET_FLAG;   //no argument but valid input
+            alpha_file = fopen(argv[1], "r");
+
+        } else {
+            fprintf(stderr, "INVALID INPUT: Include a .alpha file or use -help for more inputs\n");
+            return -1;
+        }
     } else {
-        check_input = is_tok(argc, argv);
-        if (strcmp(CHECK_OTHER, check_input) == 0 || strcmp(INVALID_ARG, check_input) == 0) {
-             fprintf(stderr, "check_other or invalid_arg \n");
-            return -1; //invalid argument (need to update as we add more valid arguments)
+        //last input must be .alpha
+        if (is_alpha_file(argv[argc - 1], strlen(argv[argc - 1])) != 0) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "INVALID INPUT: Include a .alpha file at end of input or use -help for more inputs \n");
+            return -1;
+        } else {
+            //now check that other args are valid (flags will not be null if flag is present)
+            for (int i = 1; i < argc - 1; i++) {
+                if (check_flag(argv[i], argv[argc - 1]) != 0) {
+                    fprintf(stderr, "INVALID FLAG(S): Use -help to view valid inputs \n");
+                    return -1;
+                }
+            }
+            alpha_file = fopen(argv[argc - 1], "r");
         }
-        output = fopen(check_input, "w");
-        arg = TOK_ARG; //it is a -tok arg with a valid alpha file at argv[2]
-        yyin = fopen(argv[2], "r");
     }
-    while (0 != (token = yylex())) {
-        if (arg == TOK_ARG) {
-            fprintf(output, "%d %d %3d \"%s\"\n", line_number, column_number, token, yytext);
+    return run(alpha_file);
+}
+
+int check_flag(char *arg, char* alpha) {
+    if (strcmp("-tok", arg) == 0) {
+        if (tok_flag == NULL) {
+            return new_file(arg, alpha);
         }
-	if(token == COMMENT){
-		for (int i = 0; i < yyleng; i++) {
-			if(yytext[i] == '\n'){
-				line_number++;
-				column_number = 0;
-			}
-			column_number++;
-		}
-		continue;
+        fprintf(stderr, "FLAGS REPEAT\n");
+        return -1;
+    } else if (strcmp("-st", arg) == 0) {
+        if (st_flag == NULL) {
+            return new_file(arg, alpha);
+        }
+        fprintf(stderr, "FLAGS REPEAT\n");
+        return -1;
+    } else {
+        fprintf(stderr, "INVALID FLAG: Use -help for valid inputs\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+}
+
+
+int run(FILE *alpha) {
+    int token;
+    //check that file exists
+    if (alpha == NULL) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "INPUT FILE NOT FOUND\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+    yyin = alpha;
+    while (0 != (token = yylex())) {
+        if (tok_flag != NULL) {
+            fprintf(tok_flag, "%d %d %3d \"%s\"\n", line_number, column_number, token, yytext);
+        }
+        if(token == COMMENT){
+	    for (int i = 0; i < yyleng; i++) {
+                if(yytext[i] == '\n'){
+                    line_number++;
+                    column_number = 0;
+                }
+                column_number++;
+            }
+            continue;
 	}
 	column_number += yyleng;
     }
 
+    if (st_flag != NULL) {
+        //output symbol table, file pointer is
+        fprintf(st_flag, "just checking that this works \n");
+    }
+
     if (yyin != NULL) {
         fclose(yyin);
     }
-    if (output != NULL && arg == TOK_ARG) {
-        fclose(output);
+    
+    if (tok_flag != NULL) {
+        fclose(tok_flag);
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
+
+bool is_help(char * input) {
+    if (strcmp(input, "-help") == 0) {
+        printf("%s", HELP);
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+int new_file(char *arg, char *alpha) {
+    int type_len;
+    const char *basename = alpha;
+    const char *slash = strchr(alpha, '/');
+    while (slash != NULL) {
+        basename = slash + 1;
+        slash = strchr(basename, '/');
+    }
+    if (strcmp(arg, "-tok") == 0) {
+        type_len = TOK_LEN;
+    } else if (strcmp(arg, "-st") == 0) {
+        type_len = ST_LEN;
+    } else {
+        fprintf(stderr, "INVALID FLAG: Use -help to view valid inputs\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+
+    // calculate lengths
+    int basename_len = strlen(basename);
+    char *file_name = calloc(basename_len - ALPHA_OFFSET + type_len + 2, sizeof(char));
+
+    //coy filename and add extension
+    strncpy(file_name, basename, basename_len - ALPHA_OFFSET);
+    strcat(file_name, ".");
+    strcat(file_name, arg + 1);
+
+    
+    if (strcmp(arg, "-tok") == 0) {
+        tok_flag = fopen(file_name, "w");
+    } else if (strcmp(arg, "-st") == 0) {
+        st_flag = fopen(file_name, "w");
     }
     return 0;
 }
 
-char *is_tok(int argc, char *argv[]) {
-    if (argc == 3 && strcmp("-tok", argv[1]) == 0) {
-        char *input_prog = argv[2];
-        int file_len = strlen(input_prog);
-        //check that input program is a .alpha file
-        if (is_alpha_file(input_prog, file_len) != 0) {
-            return INVALID_ARG;
-        }
 
-        const char *basename = input_prog;
-        const char *slash = strrchr(input_prog, '/');
-        if (slash != NULL) {
-            basename = slash + 1;
-        }
-
-        // Calculate lengths
-        int basename_len = strlen(basename);
-        char* FILE_tok = calloc(basename_len - ALPHA_OFFSET + TOK_LEN + 2, sizeof(char));
-
-        // Copy filename and add .tok extension
-        strncpy(FILE_tok, basename, basename_len - ALPHA_OFFSET);
-        //fprintf(stderr, "hello");
-        strcat(FILE_tok, ".tok");
-
-        return FILE_tok;
-    }
-    return CHECK_OTHER;
-}
-
-int is_alpha_file(char *file, int file_len) {
-    if (strcmp(".alpha", file + sizeof(char) * (file_len - ALPHA_OFFSET)) != 0) {
+int is_alpha_file(char *alpha, int file_len) {
+    if (strcmp(".alpha", alpha + sizeof(char) * (file_len - ALPHA_OFFSET)) != 0) {
         return -1; //not alpha file
     }
     return 0; //is alpha file
diff --git a/runner.h b/runner.h
index b7c7369..a5c12fb 100644
--- a/runner.h
+++ b/runner.h
@@ -1,26 +1,29 @@
 #define ALPHA_OFFSET 6
 #define TOK_LEN 3
-
-//returns for is_tok
-#define INVALID_ARG "invalid"
-#define CHECK_OTHER "diff"
-
-//argument type in main
-#define NO_ARG 0
-#define DIFF_ARG 1
-#define TOK_ARG 2
+#define ST_LEN 2
+#define HELP "HELP:\nHow to run the alpha compiler:\n./alpha [options] program\nValid options:\n-tok   output the token number, token, line number, and column number for each of the tokens to the .tok file\n-st    output the symbol table for the program to the .st file\n-help  print this message and exit the alpha compiler\n"
+//use to set flags for arg types
+#define SET_FLAG 1
 
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include "flex.h"
 #include "typedefs.h"
+#include <stdbool.h>
 
 extern int line_number, column_number;
 extern char *yytext;
 extern FILE *yyin;
 int arg;
+FILE *alpha_file;
+FILE *tok_flag = NULL;
+FILE *st_flag = NULL;
+int no_flag = 0;
 
 int main(int argc, char* argv[]);
-char *is_tok(int argc, char* argv[]);
-int is_alpha_file(char *file, int file_len);
+int new_file(char *arg, char *alpha);
+int is_alpha_file(char *alpha, int file_len);
+bool is_help(char * input);
+int run(FILE*alpha);
+int check_flag(char * arg, char* alpha);
diff --git a/symbol_table.c b/symbol_table.c
index 9cbdf90..9512b8f 100644
--- a/symbol_table.c
+++ b/symbol_table.c
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 //Defining a symbol table
 //Using a Linked List Structure. Head of linked List points to parent scope (if one exists)
+
 //Tail of Linked List points to a List of child scopes
 
+
 #include "symbol_table.h"
 
 SymbolTable* CreateScope(SymbolTable* ParentScope, int Line, int Column){
diff --git a/tests/test_wrong_type.txt b/tests/test_wrong_type.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29