function [outputdir,method_name,region_string,MODEL_NAME,EXP_NAME,HIST_NAME,VAR_NAME,VAR_MULT_OR_ADD,...
		OBS_COARSE_DIR,OBS_FINE_DIR,GCM_DIR,...
		COARSE_LON,COARSE_LAT,...
		FINE_LON_TARGET_BOUNDS,FINE_LAT_TARGET_BOUNDS,HISTORICAL_YEARS,FUTURE_YEARS,...
		EA_YR_WINDOW,EA_DAY_WINDOW,...
		BC_SEMI_DAY_WINDOW_MULT,BC_SEMI_DAY_WINDOW_ADD,...
		MACA_SEMI_DAY_WINDOW,MACA_NUM_BEST_MODELS,GRID_CHUNK_PTS,units,...
		RSDS_DIR,BC_MAX_PR_RATIO,EA_VARIABLES,DRY_DAY_THRES_COARSE,DRY_DAY_THRES_FINE,...
		VAR_OF_PREC,ERRORYES]=...
		parameters(MODEL_NUM,EXP_NUM,VAR_TO_RUN,outputdir,CMIP_NUM);
	%----------------------------------------------------
	% 	OBS/GCM DATA	
	%----------------------------------------------------
	VERS='NAMERICA';  

	OBS_COARSE_DIR=['/data/obs/obs/gridded/livneh/',VERS,'/'];
	OBS_FINE_DIR = OBS_COARSE_DIR;
	GCM_DIR=['/data/rcm/wrf/',num2str(CMIP_NUM),'/8thdeg/daily/'];
	RSDS_DIR=[''];

	region_string='NAMERICA'; 
   	MODEL_NAME={'ECHAM5';'CCSM3';'CCSM4';'NNRP';'gfdl-cm3';'access1-0'}; %mix of CMIP3/5 models
        EXP_NAME={'SRESA1B';'HISTORICAL';'rcp85';'rcp45'}; %mix of CMIP3/5 scenariosME

        HIST_NAME={'20C3M';'historical';'HISTORICAL';}; %mix of CMIP3/5 scenarios

        VAR_NAME = {'tasmax';'tasmin';'';'';'pr';'rsds';'uas';'vas';'huss';'was';}; %make sure pr is var 5,huss is var 9
	VAR_OF_PREC = 5; 
        VAR_MULT_OR_ADD =[0;0;0;0;1;0;0;0;1;1;]; %multiplicative(1) or additive(0)
        units = {'K';'K';'%';'%';'in';'W m-2';'m s-1';'m s-1';'kg kg-1';'m s-1';};

	
        %need target fine lat/lon (go with integers here.. so corresponds to coarse grid)
	COARSE_LAT=[41:1:53];  %needs to be between 41:53(obs)
	COARSE_LON=360+[-125: -108];  %needs to be between -125:-108(obs)
	FINE_LAT_TARGET_BOUNDS=[41 53];          %data: 41.0312:.0625:52.8438 (obs) 38.0865:52.4511(rcm)
	FINE_LON_TARGET_BOUNDS=360+[-125 -108];  %data: -124.59375:.0625: -108.0312(obs) -134.1685:-105.1835 (rcm)

        if(strcmp(CMIP_NUM,'cmip5'));
		HISTORICAL_YEARS = [1950:2005];
		if(strcmp(MODEL_NAME{MODEL_NUM},'HadGEM2-ES')||...
		   strcmp(MODEL_NAME{MODEL_NUM},'HadGEM2-CC')||...);
		   strcmp(MODEL_NAME{MODEL_NUM},'HadGEM2-ES365')||...
		   strcmp(MODEL_NAME{MODEL_NUM},'HadGEM2-CC365'));
			FUTURE_YEARS=[2006:2099];
		else
			FUTURE_YEARS=[2006:2100];
		end
		if(strcmp(MODEL_NAME{MODEL_NUM},'gfdl-cm3') || strcmp(MODEL_NAME{MODEL_NUM},'access1-0'));
			HISTORICAL_YEARS = [1970:1999];
			FUTURE_YEARS=[2000:2099];
		end;
	elseif(strcmp(CMIP_NUM,'cmip3'));
		HISTORICAL_YEARS = [1970:1999];
		FUTURE_YEARS=[2000:2069];
	elseif(strcmp(CMIP_NUM,'reanalysis'));
		HISTORICAL_YEARS = [1950:2010];
		FUTURE_YEARS=[2011]; %1 fake year so program doesn't crash
	end;
	
	%----------------------------------------------------
	%	CHOICES ON HOW PROGRAM RUNS
	%----------------------------------------------------
	%EPOCH ADJUSTMENT
	EA_DAY_WINDOW= 21;%needs to be odd
	EA_YR_WINDOW= 31; %needs to be odd
	EA_VARIABLES=[1;1;0;0;1;1;1;1;1;1;]; %apply EA(1) or don't apply EA(0)


	%BC %BC_DAY_WINDOW =1+2*BC_SEMI_WINDOW
	%BC_SEMI_DAY_WINDOW_MULT = 45; 
	BC_SEMI_DAY_WINDOW_MULT = 15;  %right now.. full window in BC is saved
	BC_SEMI_DAY_WINDOW_ADD = 15; %was 5 %only this window is saved in BC.. but window 3 times as large is used for CDF
	%BC_SEMI_DAY_WINDOW_ADD = 45; %right now
	BC_MAX_PR_RATIO = 5.0;

	%MACA  
	MACA_SEMI_DAY_WINDOW = 45; %MACA_DAY_WINDOW=1+2*MACA_SEMI_DAY_WINDOW
	MACA_NUM_BEST_MODELS=10;   %was 30
	ERRORYES = 1;

	%PARALLELIZATION
	GRID_CHUNK_PTS = 50; %pixel size of each grid chunk to run in parallel

	%PRECIPITATION
	%DRY_DAY_THRES_COARSE= 0.0; %only correct for neg. precipitation
	%CUTOFF =0.001; %inches
	CUTOFF =0.0039; %inches from livneh_CONUS
	if(strcmp(units{VAR_OF_PREC},'in'))
		DRY_DAY_THRES_COARSE= CUTOFF/5.; 
		DRY_DAY_THRES_FINE=CUTOFF;   %correct for precip below measurable
	elseif(strcmp(units{VAR_OF_PREC},'mm'))
		DRY_DAY_THRES_COARSE=CUTOFF/5.*25.4; 
		DRY_DAY_THRES_FINE=CUTOFF*25.4;   %correct for precip below measurable
	end
	%if huss is a variable, change the threshold
	f9=find(VAR_TO_RUN==9);
	if(~isempty(f9));
		%min for HUSS in multiplicative mode
		DRY_DAY_THRES_COARSE= 6.6e-5;
		DRY_DAY_THRES_FINE=6.6e-5;
	end
	%if was is a variable, change the threshold
	f10=find(VAR_TO_RUN==10);
	if(~isempty(f10));
		%min for WAS in multiplicative mode
		DRY_DAY_THRES_COARSE= 0.01;
		DRY_DAY_THRES_FINE=0.01;
	end

	%method_name=['sdbc_livneh',VERS,'_',num2str(length(VAR_TO_RUN)),'var_',num2str(MACA_NUM_BEST_MODELS),'pat_',region_string];
	method_name=['sdbc_livneh',VERS,'_',num2str(length(VAR_TO_RUN)),'var_100percentiles_',region_string];
end %of .m 
