--- trunk/src/brains/SimInfo.cpp	2006/09/22 22:19:59	1050
+++ trunk/src/brains/SimInfo.cpp	2006/11/01 22:22:44	1089
@@ -669,13 +669,14 @@ namespace oopse {
     // set the useRF logical
     useRF = 0;
     useSF = 0;
+    useSP = 0;
 
 
     if (simParams_->haveElectrostaticSummationMethod()) {
       std::string myMethod = simParams_->getElectrostaticSummationMethod();
       toUpper(myMethod);
       if (myMethod == "REACTION_FIELD"){
-        useRF=1;
+        useRF = 1;
       } else if (myMethod == "SHIFTED_FORCE"){
 	useSF = 1;
       } else if (myMethod == "SHIFTED_POTENTIAL"){
@@ -1125,7 +1126,10 @@ namespace oopse {
                      "\tA default value of %f (1/ang) will be used for the cutoff of\n\t%f (ang).\n", alphaVal, rcut_);
 	    painCave.isFatal = 0;
 	    simError();
+	  } else {
+	    alphaVal = simParams_->getDampingAlpha();
 	  }
+	  
 	} else {
 	  // throw error        
 	  sprintf( painCave.errMsg,