diff --git a/processing/pre/geom_translate.py b/processing/pre/geom_translate.py
index 0e1568694..8f3ba2783 100755
--- a/processing/pre/geom_translate.py
+++ b/processing/pre/geom_translate.py
@@ -142,9 +142,15 @@ for file in files:
 
   i = 0
   for line in content:  
-    d = map(int,line.split())
-    s = len(d)
-    microstructure[i:i+s] = d                                                                       # read microstructure indices
+    items = line.split()
+    if len(items) > 2:
+      if   items[1].lower() == 'of': items = [int(items[2])]*int(items[0])
+      elif items[1].lower() == 'to': items = xrange(int(items[0]),1+int(items[2]))
+      else:                            items = map(int,items)
+    else:                              items = map(int,items)
+
+    s = len(items)
+    microstructure[i:i+s] = items                                                                       # read microstructure indices
     i += s
 
   for i in xrange(N):