diff --git a/processing/post/permuteData.py b/processing/post/permuteData.py
index 485f44dc9..0b5760066 100755
--- a/processing/post/permuteData.py
+++ b/processing/post/permuteData.py
@@ -38,13 +38,14 @@ if len(options.label) == 0:
 
 # --- loop over input files -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-if filenames == []: filenames = ['STDIN']
+if filenames == []: filenames = [None]
 
 for name in filenames:
-  if not (name == 'STDIN' or os.path.exists(name)): continue
-  table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name, outname = name+'_tmp',
-                            buffered = False)
-  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name != 'STDIN' else ''))
+  try:
+    table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name,
+                              buffered = False)
+  except: continue
+  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name else ''))
 
 # ------------------------------------------ read header ------------------------------------------
 
@@ -94,4 +95,3 @@ for name in filenames:
 # ------------------------------------------ output finalization -----------------------------------  
 
   table.close()                                                                                     # close ASCII tables
-  if name != 'STDIN': os.rename(name+'_tmp',name)                                                   # overwrite old one with tmp new
diff --git a/processing/post/reLabel.py b/processing/post/reLabel.py
index 387a38b1e..ed8180a07 100755
--- a/processing/post/reLabel.py
+++ b/processing/post/reLabel.py
@@ -34,13 +34,14 @@ parser.set_defaults(label = [],
 
 # --- loop over input files -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-if filenames == []: filenames = ['STDIN']
+if filenames == []: filenames = [None]
 
 for name in filenames:
-  if not (name == 'STDIN' or os.path.exists(name)): continue
-  table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name, outname = name+'_tmp',
-                            buffered = False)
-  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name != 'STDIN' else ''))
+  try:
+    table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name,
+                              buffered = False)
+  except: continue
+  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name else ''))
 
 # ------------------------------------------ read header ------------------------------------------  
 
@@ -85,4 +86,3 @@ for name in filenames:
 # ------------------------------------------ output finalization -----------------------------------  
 
   table.close()                                                                                     # close ASCII tables
-  if name != 'STDIN': os.rename(name+'_tmp',name)                                                   # overwrite old one with tmp new
diff --git a/processing/post/rotateData.py b/processing/post/rotateData.py
index 947b1d9af..de56d331a 100755
--- a/processing/post/rotateData.py
+++ b/processing/post/rotateData.py
@@ -51,13 +51,14 @@ R = q.asMatrix()
 
 # --- loop over input files -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-if filenames == []: filenames = ['STDIN']
+if filenames == []: filenames = [None]
 
 for name in filenames:
-  if not (name == 'STDIN' or os.path.exists(name)): continue
-  table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name, outname = name+'_tmp',
-                            buffered = False)
-  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name != 'STDIN' else ''))
+  try:
+    table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name,
+                              buffered = False)
+  except: continue
+  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name else ''))
 
 # ------------------------------------------ read header ------------------------------------------
 
@@ -115,4 +116,3 @@ for name in filenames:
 # ------------------------------------------ output finalization -----------------------------------  
 
   table.close()                                                                                     # close ASCII tables
-  if name != 'STDIN': os.rename(name+'_tmp',name)                                                   # overwrite old one with tmp new
diff --git a/processing/post/scaleData.py b/processing/post/scaleData.py
index 19aa10d3a..0d95c8819 100755
--- a/processing/post/scaleData.py
+++ b/processing/post/scaleData.py
@@ -38,13 +38,14 @@ if len(options.label) != len(options.factor):
 
 # --- loop over input files -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-if filenames == []: filenames = ['STDIN']
+if filenames == []: filenames = [None]
 
 for name in filenames:
-  if not (name == 'STDIN' or os.path.exists(name)): continue
-  table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name, outname = name+'_tmp',
-                            buffered = False)
-  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name != 'STDIN' else ''))
+  try:
+    table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name,
+                              buffered = False)
+  except: continue
+  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name else ''))
 
 # ------------------------------------------ read header ------------------------------------------
 
@@ -86,4 +87,3 @@ for name in filenames:
 # ------------------------------------------ output finalization -----------------------------------  
 
   table.close()                                                                                     # close ASCII tables
-  if name != 'STDIN': os.rename(name+'_tmp',name)                                                   # overwrite old one with tmp new
diff --git a/processing/post/shiftData.py b/processing/post/shiftData.py
index 061334ef6..8a126dc30 100755
--- a/processing/post/shiftData.py
+++ b/processing/post/shiftData.py
@@ -38,13 +38,14 @@ if len(options.label) != len(options.delta):
 
 # --- loop over input files -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-if filenames == []: filenames = ['STDIN']
+if filenames == []: filenames = [None]
 
 for name in filenames:
-  if not (name == 'STDIN' or os.path.exists(name)): continue
-  table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name, outname = name+'_tmp',
-                            buffered = False)
-  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name != 'STDIN' else ''))
+  try:
+    table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name,
+                              buffered = False)
+  except: continue
+  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name else ''))
 
 # ------------------------------------------ read header ------------------------------------------
 
@@ -86,4 +87,3 @@ for name in filenames:
 # ------------------------------------------ output finalization -----------------------------------  
 
   table.close()                                                                                     # close ASCII tables
-  if name != 'STDIN': os.rename(name+'_tmp',name)                                                   # overwrite old one with tmp new
diff --git a/processing/post/showTable.py b/processing/post/showTable.py
index bf5b2955d..2320eefba 100755
--- a/processing/post/showTable.py
+++ b/processing/post/showTable.py
@@ -59,13 +59,14 @@ parser.set_defaults(head   = False,
 
 # --- loop over input files -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-if filenames == []: filenames = ['STDIN']
+if filenames == []: filenames = [None]
 
 for name in filenames:
-  if not (name == 'STDIN' or os.path.exists(name)): continue
-  table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name, outname = None,
-                            buffered = False, labeled = options.labeled, readonly = True)
-  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name != 'STDIN' else ''))
+  try:
+    table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name,
+                              buffered = False, labeled = options.labeled, readonly = True)
+  except: continue
+  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name else ''))
 
 # ------------------------------------------ output head ---------------------------------------  
 
diff --git a/processing/post/sortTable.py b/processing/post/sortTable.py
index 0915d5815..009d8d02b 100755
--- a/processing/post/sortTable.py
+++ b/processing/post/sortTable.py
@@ -43,13 +43,14 @@ options.keys.reverse()
 
 # --- loop over input files -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-if filenames == []: filenames = ['STDIN']
+if filenames == []: filenames = [None]
 
 for name in filenames:
-  if not (name == 'STDIN' or os.path.exists(name)): continue
-  table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name, outname = name+'_tmp',
-                            buffered = False)
-  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name != 'STDIN' else ''))
+  try:
+    table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name,
+                              buffered = False)
+  except: continue
+  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name else ''))
 
 # ------------------------------------------ assemble header ---------------------------------------  
 
@@ -77,5 +78,3 @@ for name in filenames:
   table.data = table.data[ind]
   table.data_writeArray()
   table.close()                                                                                     # close ASCII table
-
-  if name != 'STDIN': os.rename(name+'_tmp',name)                                                   # overwrite old one with tmp new