Index: trunk/LMDZ.PLUTO/libf/phypluto/inifis_mod.F90
===================================================================
--- trunk/LMDZ.PLUTO/libf/phypluto/inifis_mod.F90	(revision 3763)
+++ trunk/LMDZ.PLUTO/libf/phypluto/inifis_mod.F90	(revision 3765)
@@ -18,5 +18,5 @@
   use comgeomfi_h, only: totarea, totarea_planet
   use comsoil_h, only: ini_comsoil_h, nsoilmx, lay1_soil, alpha_soil
-  use time_phylmdz_mod, only: diagfi_output_rate, &
+  use time_phylmdz_mod, only: diagfi_output_rate,startfi_output_rate, &
                               init_time, daysec, dtphys
   use comcstfi_mod, only: rad, cpp, g, r, rcp, &
@@ -180,4 +180,11 @@
 
      if (is_master) write(*,*) trim(rname)//&
+       ": Output rate for start/startfi.nc files (in physics steps) ?"
+     startfi_output_rate=0 !default value
+     call getin_p("startfi_output_rate",startfi_output_rate)
+     if (is_master) write(*,*) trim(rname)//": startfi_output_rate = ",&
+                               startfi_output_rate
+
+     if (is_master) write(*,*) trim(rname)//&
        ": Run with or without atm mass update "//&
        " due to tracer evaporation/condensation?"
Index: trunk/LMDZ.PLUTO/libf/phypluto/physiq_mod.F90
===================================================================
--- trunk/LMDZ.PLUTO/libf/phypluto/physiq_mod.F90	(revision 3763)
+++ trunk/LMDZ.PLUTO/libf/phypluto/physiq_mod.F90	(revision 3765)
@@ -35,5 +35,5 @@
                           alpha_lift, alpha_devil, qextrhor, &
                           nesp, is_chim
-      use time_phylmdz_mod, only: diagfi_output_rate, nday
+      use time_phylmdz_mod, only: diagfi_output_rate, startfi_output_rate, nday
       use phyetat0_mod, only: phyetat0,tab_cntrl_mod
       use wstats_mod, only: callstats, wstats, mkstats
@@ -2108,6 +2108,8 @@
       endif ! end of 'lastcall'
 
-      if(mod(icount,diagfi_output_rate).eq.0) then
-         write_restartfi = .true.
+      if(startfi_output_rate.ne.0)then
+         if (mod(icount,startfi_output_rate).eq.0) then
+            write_restartfi = .true.
+         endif
       endif
 !----------------------------------------------------------------------
Index: trunk/LMDZ.PLUTO/libf/phypluto/time_phylmdz_mod.F90
===================================================================
--- trunk/LMDZ.PLUTO/libf/phypluto/time_phylmdz_mod.F90	(revision 3763)
+++ trunk/LMDZ.PLUTO/libf/phypluto/time_phylmdz_mod.F90	(revision 3765)
@@ -12,5 +12,6 @@
 
     INTEGER,SAVE :: diagfi_output_rate  ! for diagfi.nc outputs, write every diagfi_output_rate physical steps (set via inifis)
-!$OMP THREADPRIVATE(diagfi_output_rate)
+    INTEGER,SAVE :: startfi_output_rate ! mainly for debugging
+!$OMP THREADPRIVATE(diagfi_output_rate,startfi_output_rate)
 
 CONTAINS