renamed subroutine "mesh_marc_get_mpieOptions" to "mesh_get_damaskOptions" which is now also used for abaqus and spectral input files. The only available option so far is "periodic", which allows for periodic fluxes in the specified direction. Examples for usage (add the following lines to the respective input file, in case of spectral file this goes into the header):

- periodicity in x and z direction for marc:
   $damask periodic x z  
- periodicity in y direction for abaqus:
   **damask periodic y
- periodicity in x and y direction for spectral:
   periodic y x

code/mesh.f90

@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@
 
  if (IO_open_inputFile(fileUnit,FEmodelGeometry)) then                         ! --- parse info from input file...
 
- select case (FEsolver)
+   select case (FEsolver)
      case ('Spectral')
                          call mesh_spectral_count_nodesAndElements(fileUnit)
                          call mesh_spectral_count_cpElements()
@@ -304,7 +304,6 @@
                          call mesh_marc_build_nodes(fileUnit)
                          call mesh_marc_count_cpSizes(fileunit)
                          call mesh_marc_build_elements(fileUnit)
-                         call mesh_marc_get_mpieOptions(fileUnit)
      case ('Abaqus')
                          noPart = IO_abaqus_hasNoPart(fileUnit)
                          call mesh_abaqus_count_nodesAndElements(fileUnit)
@@ -319,6 +318,7 @@
                          call mesh_abaqus_count_cpSizes(fileunit)
                          call mesh_abaqus_build_elements(fileUnit)
    end select
+   call mesh_get_damaskOptions(fileUnit)
    close (fileUnit)
    
    call mesh_build_subNodeCoords()
@@ -1393,12 +1393,13 @@ FE_ipNeighbor(:FE_NipNeighbors(8),:FE_Nips(8),8) = &  ! element 117
 
 
 !********************************************************************
-! get any additional mpie options from input file (Marc only)
+! get any additional damask options from input file
 !
 ! mesh_periodicSurface
 !********************************************************************
-subroutine mesh_marc_get_mpieOptions(myUnit)
+subroutine mesh_get_damaskOptions(myUnit)
 
+use DAMASK_interface, only: FEsolver
 use prec, only: pInt
 use IO
 implicit none
@@ -1407,33 +1408,61 @@ integer(pInt), intent(in) :: myUnit
 
 integer(pInt), parameter :: maxNchunks = 5
 integer(pInt), dimension (1+2*maxNchunks) :: myPos
-integer(pInt) chunk
+integer(pInt) chunk, Nchunks
 character(len=300) line
+character damaskOption, keyword
 
 mesh_periodicSurface = (/.false., .false., .false./)
 
 610 FORMAT(A300)
 
+select case (FEsolver)
+  case ('Spectral') ! no special keyword needed, the damask option directly goes into the header
+  case ('Marc')
+    keyword = '$damask'
+  case ('Abaqus')
+    keyword = '**damask'
+end select
+
 rewind(myUnit)
 do 
   read (myUnit,610,END=620) line
   myPos = IO_stringPos(line,maxNchunks)
-
-  if (IO_lc(IO_stringValue(line,myPos,1)) == '$mpie') then              ! found keyword for user defined input
-    if (IO_lc(IO_stringValue(line,myPos,2)) == 'periodic' &             ! found keyword 'periodic'
-        .and. myPos(1) > 2) then                                        ! and there is at least one more chunk to read
-      do chunk = 2,myPos(1)                                             ! loop through chunks (skipping the keyword)
-        select case(IO_stringValue(line,myPos,chunk))                   ! chunk matches keyvalues x,y or z?
-          case('x')
-            mesh_periodicSurface(1) = .true.
-          case('y')
-            mesh_periodicSurface(2) = .true.
-          case('z')
-            mesh_periodicSurface(3) = .true.
-        end select
-      enddo
-    endif
-  endif
+  Nchunks = myPos(1)
+  select case (FEsolver)
+    case ('Marc','Abaqus')
+      if (IO_lc(IO_stringValue(line,myPos,1)) == keyword .and. Nchunks > 1) then  ! found keyword for damask option and there is at least one more chunk to read
+        damaskOption = IO_lc(IO_stringValue(line,myPos,2))
+        select case(damaskOption)
+          case('periodic')                                                        ! damask Option that allows to specify periodic fluxes
+            do chunk = 3,Nchunks                                                  ! loop through chunks (skipping the keyword)
+              select case(IO_stringValue(line,myPos,chunk))                       ! chunk matches keyvalues x,y, or z?
+                case('x')
+                  mesh_periodicSurface(1) = .true.
+                case('y')
+                  mesh_periodicSurface(2) = .true.
+                case('z')
+                  mesh_periodicSurface(3) = .true.
+              end select
+            enddo
+        endselect
+      endif
+    case('Spectral')
+      damaskOption = IO_lc(IO_stringValue(line,myPos,1))
+      select case(damaskOption)
+        case('periodic')                                                        ! damask Option that allows to specify periodic fluxes
+          do chunk = 2,Nchunks                                                  ! loop through chunks (skipping the keyword)
+            select case(IO_stringValue(line,myPos,chunk))                       ! chunk matches keyvalues x,y, or z?
+              case('x')
+                mesh_periodicSurface(1) = .true.
+              case('y')
+                mesh_periodicSurface(2) = .true.
+              case('z')
+                mesh_periodicSurface(3) = .true.
+            end select
+          enddo
+      endselect
+  endselect
 enddo
 
 620 endsubroutine