diff --git a/QtPyLoT.py b/QtPyLoT.py
index fa68fbb2..0927fcea 100755
--- a/QtPyLoT.py
+++ b/QtPyLoT.py
@@ -170,6 +170,11 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
             settings.setValue("data/dataRoot", dirname)
         if settings.value('compclass', None) is None:
             settings.setValue('compclass', SetChannelComponents())
+        if settings.value('output/Format', None) is None:
+            outformat = QInputDialog.getText(self,
+                                             "Enter output format (*.xml, *.cnv, *.obs):",
+                                             "Format")
+            settings.setValue("output/Format", outformat)
         settings.sync()
 
         # setup UI
@@ -1040,9 +1045,16 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
             eventname = self.get_current_event_name()
             filename = 'PyLoT_'+eventname
             outpath = os.path.join(directory, filename)
-            file_filter = "QuakeML file (*.xml);;VELEST observation file " \
-                          "format (*.cnv);;NonLinLoc observation file (*.obs)"
             title = 'Save pick data ...'
+            outformat = settings.value('output/Format')
+            outformat = outformat[0:4]
+            if outformat == '.obs':
+               file_filter = "NonLinLoc observation file (*.obs)"
+            elif outformat == '.cnv':
+               file_filter = "VELEST observation file format (*.cnv)"
+            elif outformat == '.xml':
+               file_filter = "QuakeML file (*.xml)"
+             
             fname, selected_filter = QFileDialog.getSaveFileName(self,
                                                                  title,
                                                                  outpath,
diff --git a/pylot/core/util/widgets.py b/pylot/core/util/widgets.py
index fe4bc44e..01c631f0 100644
--- a/pylot/core/util/widgets.py
+++ b/pylot/core/util/widgets.py
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ from PySide.QtGui import QAction, QApplication, QCheckBox, QComboBox, \
 from PySide.QtCore import QSettings, Qt, QUrl, Signal, Slot
 from PySide.QtWebKit import QWebView
 from obspy import Stream, UTCDateTime
-from obspy.core.util import AttribDict
 from pylot.core.io.data import Data
 from pylot.core.io.inputs import FilterOptions, PylotParameter
 from pylot.core.pick.utils import getSNR, earllatepicker, getnoisewin, \
@@ -1361,11 +1360,9 @@ class PickDlg(QDialog):
             'S': ('m', 'm--', 'r-', 'rv', 'r^', 'r', 'm:')
         }
         if self.getPicks(picktype):
-            if phase is not None:
-                if (type(self.getPicks(picktype)[phase]) is dict
-                    or type(self.getPicks(picktype)[phase]) is AttribDict):
-                    picks = self.getPicks(picktype)[phase]
-                    colors = phase_col[phase[0].upper()]
+            if phase is not None and type(self.getPicks(picktype)[phase]) is dict:
+                picks = self.getPicks(picktype)[phase]
+                colors = phase_col[phase[0].upper()]
             elif phase is None:
                 for phase in self.getPicks(picktype):
                     self.drawPicks(phase, picktype)
@@ -2464,6 +2461,7 @@ class PropertiesDlg(QDialog):
                 elif setting.startswith('Channel N'):
                     component = 'N'
                     compclass.setCompPosition(value, component, False)
+                    
         settings.sync()
 
 
@@ -2555,7 +2553,7 @@ class OutputsTab(PropTab):
         settings = QSettings()
         curval = settings.value("output/Format", None)
 
-        eventOutputLabel = QLabel("event ouput format")
+        eventOutputLabel = QLabel("event/picks ouput format")
         self.eventOutputComboBox = QComboBox()
         eventoutputformats = OUTPUTFORMATS.keys()
         self.eventOutputComboBox.addItems(eventoutputformats)