diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 0c9ff0b0b..1312ac18d 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2009-08-15 Holger Vogt
+ * cpitf.c: MS Windows: search for spinit also in local (ngspice.exe) directory
+   cpextern.h: function parameters added in declaration
+   com_alias.h, init.c, cpitf.c, main.c: comments added
+
 2009-08-08 Paolo Nenzi
  * src/frontend/resource.c: applied patch from Thomas D. Dean to remove
    the limit warning.
diff --git a/src/frontend/com_alias.h b/src/frontend/com_alias.h
index 446117ba9..2861fc69a 100644
--- a/src/frontend/com_alias.h
+++ b/src/frontend/com_alias.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*************
- * Header file for alias.c
+ * Header file for com_alias.c
  * 1999 E. Rouat
  ************/
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/init.c b/src/frontend/init.c
index c6092a269..73b65d6ff 100644
--- a/src/frontend/init.c
+++ b/src/frontend/init.c
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ Copyright 1990 Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.
 Author: 1985 Wayne A. Christopher, U. C. Berkeley CAD Group
 **********/
 
-/* Initialize stuff. */
+/* Initialize io, cp_chars[], variable "history". */
 
 #include <ngspice.h>
 #include <cpdefs.h>
@@ -12,25 +12,35 @@ Author: 1985 Wayne A. Christopher, U. C. Berkeley CAD Group
 #include "variable.h"
 
 
-char cp_chars[128];
+char cp_chars[128]; /* used in fcn cp_lexer() from lexical.c */
 
 static char *singlec = "<>;&";
 
 void
 cp_init(void)
+/* called from ft_cpinit() in cpitf.c.
+   Uses global variables:
+   cp_chars[128]
+   cp_maxhistlength (set to 10000 in com_history.c)
+   cp_curin, cp_curout, cp_curerr (defined in streams.c)
+*/
 {
-    char *s, *getenv(const char *);
+    char *s;
 
     bzero(cp_chars, 128);
     for (s = singlec; *s; s++)
+        /* break word to right or left of characters <>;&*/
         cp_chars[(int) *s] = (CPC_BRR | CPC_BRL);
+
     cp_vset("history", VT_NUM, (char *) &cp_maxhistlength);
 
     cp_curin = stdin;
     cp_curout = stdout;
     cp_curerr = stderr;
 
-    cp_ioreset();
+    /* io redirection in streams.c: 
+       cp_in set to cp_curin etc. */
+    cp_ioreset(); 
 
     return;
 }
diff --git a/src/include/cpextern.h b/src/include/cpextern.h
index 4ba30d849..f2c9839d5 100644
--- a/src/include/cpextern.h
+++ b/src/include/cpextern.h
@@ -15,16 +15,16 @@ Modified: 2000  AlansFixes
 #include "bool.h"
 
 
-/* alias.c */
+/* com_alias.c */
 
 extern struct alias *cp_aliases;
-extern void com_alias();
-extern void com_unalias();
-extern void cp_paliases();
-extern void cp_setalias();
-extern void cp_unalias();
+extern void com_alias(wordlist *wl);
+extern void com_unalias(wordlist *wl);
+extern void cp_paliases(char *word);
+extern void cp_setalias(char *word, wordlist *wlist);
+extern void cp_unalias(char *word);
 
-extern wordlist *cp_doalias();
+extern wordlist *cp_doalias(wordlist *wlist);
 
 /* backquote.c */
 
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index df2d64616..913c863e9 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@ bool ft_setflag = FALSE;    /* TRUE = Don't abort simulation after an interrupt.
 char *ft_rawfile = "rawspice.raw";
 
 #ifdef HAS_WINDOWS
-extern void winmessage(char* new_msg);
+extern void winmessage(char* new_msg); /* display a message box */
 bool oflag = FALSE;         /* Output over redefined I/O functions */
-FILE *flogp;  /* hvogt 15.12.2001 */
+FILE *flogp;                /* log file ('-o logfile' command line option) */
 #endif /* HAS_WINDOWS */
 
 /* Frontend and circuit options */
@@ -107,9 +107,9 @@ IFsimulator *ft_sim = NULL;
 int ARCHme;
 int ARCHsize;
 
-char *errRtn;
-char *errMsg;
-char *cp_program;
+char *errRtn;     /* name of the routine declaring error */
+char *errMsg;     /* descriptive message about what went wrong */
+char *cp_program; /* program name 'ngspice' */
 
 
 /* Globals definitions for Machine Accuracy Limits
@@ -873,7 +873,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
         fprintf(stdout, "Comments and warnings go to log-file: %s\n\n", buf);
         /* Open the log file */
 #ifdef HAS_WINDOWS
-        /* flogp goes to winmain's putc and writes to file buf */
+        /* flogp used by winmain's putc which writes to file 'buf' */
         if (!(flogp = fopen(buf, "w"))) {   
 #else
         /* Connect stdout to file buf and log stdout */