diff --git a/src/ciderinit b/src/ciderinit
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..561633226
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ciderinit
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+*** This is a sample spice/cider initialization file.
+alias pl print line
+alias pc print col
+alias ds display
+alias hi history
+alias li listing
+alias p plot
+alias pr print
+alias q quit
+alias bye quit
+alias exit quit
+alias so source
+alias ld load
+alias xg xgraph tmp
+alias sp setplot
+alias dl devload
+alias dx devaxis
+set width = 80 height = 24 nosort noaskquit nobreak
+set xbrushheight = 3 xbrushwidth = 3
+set unixcom
+set hcopydevtype = postscript
+set pointstyle = markers
+set term = vt100
diff --git a/src/devaxis b/src/devaxis
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7b3d23f32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/devaxis
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+* initialize a device plot
+.control
+begin
+  unset axis
+  if $argc = 1
+    set axis = $argv[1]
+    strcmp flag $axis "x"
+    if ($flag = 0)
+      echo "setting axis to x"
+      strcmp flag "$?&devaxis" "0"
+      if ($flag = 0)
+	strcmp flag "$?&xaxis" "0"
+	if ($flag = 0)
+	  echo "Error: no x axis present"
+	else
+	  transpose all
+	  setscale xaxis
+	  let devaxis = 1
+	end
+      else
+	strcmp flag "$&devaxis" "-1"
+	if ($flag = 0)
+	  strcmp flag "$?&xaxis" "0"
+	  if ($flag = 0)
+	    echo "Error: no x axis present"
+	  else
+	    transpose all
+	    setscale xaxis
+	    let devaxis = 1
+	  end
+	end
+      end
+    else
+      strcmp flag $axis "y"
+      if ($flag = 0)
+	echo "setting axis to y"
+	strcmp flag "$?&devaxis" "0"
+	if ($flag = 0)
+	  strcmp flag "$?&yaxis" "0"
+	  if ($flag = 0)
+	    echo "Error: no y axis present"
+	  else
+	    setscale yaxis
+	    let devaxis = -1
+	  end
+	else
+	  strcmp flag "$&devaxis" "1"
+	  if ($flag = 0)
+	    strcmp flag "$?&yaxis" "0"
+	    if ($flag = 0)
+	      echo "Error: no y axis present"
+	    else
+	      transpose all
+	      setscale yaxis
+	      let devaxis = -1
+	    end
+	  end
+	end
+      else
+	echo "Error: unknown axis" $axis
+	echo "usage: devaxis <x|y>"
+      end
+    end
+  else
+    echo "usage: devaxis <x|y>"
+  end
+
+  unset axis flag
+end
diff --git a/src/devload b/src/devload
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d007fad5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/devload
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+* initialize a device plot
+.control
+begin
+  unset devfile
+  if $argc = 1
+    set devfile = $argv[1]
+    load $devfile
+    strcmp flag "$?&y" "1"
+    if ($flag = 0)
+      let yaxis = y[0]
+      transpose all
+      let xaxis = x[0]
+      transpose all
+      setscale yaxis
+    end
+  else
+    echo "usage: devload <filename>"
+  end
+
+  unset devfile flag
+end