diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fc7accf..a0ea95a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ control your blinkstick via http requests
 
 ## requirements
 
-- nodejs
+- nodejs 8.x
 - yarn / npm
 - node-gyp (probably; to build the node-hid module)
 
diff --git a/blinky.js b/blinky.js
index d9b6d74..81ad62f 100644
--- a/blinky.js
+++ b/blinky.js
@@ -1,23 +1,41 @@
 // requirements
-const blinkstick = require('./libs/blinkstick');
-const server = require('./libs/server');
-const logger = require('./libs/logger');
+const server = require('./libs/server.js');
+const util = require('./libs/util.js');
+const logger = require('./libs/logger.js');
 const packageJSON = require('./package');
 
+const INTERRUPTS = ['SIGINT', 'SIGTERM'];
+
+global.config = process.argv[2] || __dirname + '/config.json';
+
+// handle interrupts
+handleInterrupts();
+
 // start the application
 main();
 
 // main - let's get this party started
 function main() {
-    server.start()
-    .then(logger.info)
-    .then(server.handleRequests)
-    .catch(exit);
+    util.fileExists(global.config)
+        .then((result) => {
+            global.config = require(result.path);
+            global.config.path = result.path;
+        })
+        .then(logger.initialize)
+        .then(server.start)
+        .then(logger.info)
+        .then(server.handleRequests)
+        .catch(exit);
 }
 
 // ... and it all comes crashing down
-function exit(err) {
-    let code = 0;
+function exit(err, code) {
+    if (code == undefined) {
+        code = 0;
+        if (err != undefined) {
+            code = 1;
+        }
+    }
     if (err) {
         logger.error(err);
         logger.error(packageJSON.name + " ended due to an error");
@@ -26,3 +44,11 @@ function exit(err) {
     }
     process.exit(code);
 }
+
+function handleInterrupts() {
+    for (var index = 0; index < INTERRUPTS.length; index++) {
+        process.once(INTERRUPTS[index], (code) => {
+            exit(null, code);
+        });
+    }
+}
diff --git a/config.json b/config.json
index fda54cc..7710b7f 100644
--- a/config.json
+++ b/config.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
   "server": {
     "listen": "0.0.0.0",
-    "port": 3000,
-    "timestamp": "DD.MM.YYYY HH:mm:ss:SS"
+    "port": 3000
   },
   "log": {
-    "level": "info"
+    "level": "debug",
+    "timestamp": "DD.MM.YYYY HH:mm:ss:SS"
   },
   "api": {
     "get": {
diff --git a/libs/blinkstick.js b/libs/blinkstick.js
index 5508017..dc6d052 100644
--- a/libs/blinkstick.js
+++ b/libs/blinkstick.js
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ const blinkstick = require('blinkstick');
 const hexcolor = require('hex-color-regex');
 
 // constants
-const RANDOM = "random"
-const ANIMATION_STATE_INFINITE = 2;
+const RANDOM = 'random'
 const ANIMATION_STATE_INPROGRESS = 1;
 const ANIMATION_STATE_FINISH = 0;
 
@@ -17,19 +16,27 @@ let led;
 let animation = {};
 
 function findBlinkstick() {
-    return new Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
         led = blinkstick.findFirst();
         if (led !== undefined && led !== null) {
             return resolve(led);
         }
-        return reject("could not find any blinkstick");
+        return reject('could not find any blinkstick');
     });
 }
 
 // turn the blinkstick off 
 function powerOff() {
-    led.turnOff();
-    logger.info("blinkstick powered off");
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        findBlinkstick()
+            .then((led) => {
+                led.stop();
+                led.turnOff();
+                logger.info('blinkstick powered off');
+                resolve();
+            })
+            .catch(reject);
+    })
 }
 
 // parse a color object from given request arguments
@@ -42,17 +49,17 @@ function parseColor(value) {
         parsedColor = parseHexColor(value);
     }
     return parsedColor || function () {
-        logger.warn("could not parse color value '" + value + "', defaulting to '" + config.api.post.color.default + "'");
+        logger.warn('could not parse color value \'' + value + '\', defaulting to \'' + config.api.post.color.default + '\'');
         return config.api.post.color.default;
     }();
 }
 
 // parse rgb color values
 function parseRGBColor(value) {
-    if (value.indexOf(",") == -1 && isRGBValue(value)) {
+    if (value.indexOf(',') == -1 && isRGBValue(value)) {
         return convertRGBToHex(parseInt(value) || 0, 0, 0);
     } else {
-        const splittedValues = value.split(",");
+        const splittedValues = value.split(',');
         let color = {};
         for (let index = 0; index < splittedValues.length; index++) {
             const value = splittedValues[index];
@@ -77,7 +84,7 @@ function isRGBValue(value) {
 
 // convert rgb to hex color values
 function convertRGBToHex(red, green, blue) {
-    return "#" + ((1 << 24) + (red << 16) + (green << 8) + blue).toString(16).slice(1);
+    return '#' + ((1 << 24) + (red << 16) + (green << 8) + blue).toString(16).slice(1);
 }
 
 // parse hex color values
@@ -99,10 +106,10 @@ function illuminate(blinkstickConfig) {
         findBlinkstick()
             .then(function () {
                 switch (blinkstickConfig.mode) {
-                    case "morph":
+                    case 'morph':
                         morph(blinkstickConfig, resolve, reject);
                         break;
-                    case "pulse":
+                    case 'pulse':
                         startPulsing(blinkstickConfig, resolve, reject);
                         break;
                     default:
@@ -119,13 +126,13 @@ function setColor(blinkstickConfig, resolve, reject) {
     stopAnimation()
         .then(function () {
             setAnimationProperties(blinkstickConfig);
-            logger.debug("setting color to '" + blinkstickConfig.color + "'...");
+            logger.debug('setting color to \'' + blinkstickConfig.color + '\'...');
             led.setColor(blinkstickConfig.color, blinkstickConfig.options, function (err) {
                 clearAnimationProperties();
                 if (err) {
-                    return reject("error setting color '" + blinkstickConfig.color + "' (" + err + ")");
+                    return reject('error setting color \'' + blinkstickConfig.color + '\' (' + err + ')');
                 }
-                return resolve("set color to '" + blinkstickConfig.color + "'");
+                return resolve('set color to \'' + blinkstickConfig.color + '\'');
             });
         });
 }
@@ -135,22 +142,23 @@ function morph(blinkstickConfig, resolve, reject) {
     stopAnimation()
         .then(function () {
             setAnimationProperties(blinkstickConfig);
-            logger.debug("morphing color to '" + blinkstickConfig.color + "'...");
+            logger.debug('morphing color to \'' + blinkstickConfig.color + '\'...');
+            logger.debug('OPTS: ' + JSON.stringify(blinkstickConfig.options));
             led.morph(blinkstickConfig.color, blinkstickConfig.options, function (err) {
                 clearAnimationProperties();
                 if (err) {
-                    return reject("error morphing color to '" + blinkstickConfig.color + "' (" + err + ")");
+                    return reject('error morphing color to \'' + blinkstickConfig.color + '\' (' + err + ')');
                 }
-                return resolve("morphed color to '" + blinkstickConfig.color + "'");
+                return resolve('morphed color to \'' + blinkstickConfig.color + '\'');
             });
         });
 }
 
 // start pulsing
 function startPulsing(blinkstickConfig, resolve, reject) {
-    if (animation.state == ANIMATION_STATE_FINISH || (blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.max > 0 && (blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.done && blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.done < blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.max))) {
+    if (animation.state == ANIMATION_STATE_FINISH || (blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.max > 0 && (blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.done && blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.done == blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.max))) {
         clearAnimationProperties();
-        return resolve("finished pulsing color '" + blinkstickConfig.color + "'");
+        return resolve('finished pulsing color \'' + blinkstickConfig.color + '\'');
     }
     if (animation.id && animation.id != blinkstickConfig.id) {
         stopAnimation()
@@ -165,10 +173,10 @@ function startPulsing(blinkstickConfig, resolve, reject) {
     led.pulse(blinkstickConfig.color, blinkstickConfig.options, function (err) {
         if (err) {
             clearAnimationProperties();
-            return reject("error pulsing color '" + blinkstickConfig.color + "' (" + err + ")");
+            return reject('error pulsing color \'' + blinkstickConfig.color + '\' (' + err + ')');
         }
         blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.done++;
-        logger.debug("pulsed color '" + blinkstickConfig.color + "' " + blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.done + "/" + blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.max + " times");
+        logger.debug('pulsed color \'' + blinkstickConfig.color + '\' ' + blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.done + '/' + blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.max + ' times');
         startPulsing(blinkstickConfig, resolve, reject);
     });
 }
@@ -180,11 +188,7 @@ function setAnimationProperties(blinkstickConfig) {
     }
     led.animationsEnabled = true;
     animation.id = blinkstickConfig.id;
-    if (blinkstickConfig.options.pulse && blinkstickConfig.options.pulse.max === 0) {
-        animation.state = ANIMATION_STATE_INFINITE;
-    } else {
-        animation.state = ANIMATION_STATE_INPROGRESS;
-    }
+    animation.state = ANIMATION_STATE_INPROGRESS;
 }
 
 // clear properties for the current animation
@@ -219,11 +223,6 @@ function isAnimationInProgress() {
     return animation != undefined && animation.state != undefined;
 }
 
-// is currently an infinite animation in progress
-function isInfiniteAnimationInProgress() {
-    return isAnimationInProgress() && animation.state == ANIMATION_STATE_INFINITE;
-}
-
 // exports
 module.exports = {
     parseColor,
diff --git a/libs/logger.js b/libs/logger.js
index 9e17daf..118d410 100644
--- a/libs/logger.js
+++ b/libs/logger.js
@@ -1,21 +1,35 @@
-// requirements
-const config = require("../config.json");
-// third party requirements
-const moment = require("moment");
+const moment = require('moment');
 
 // constants
-const LOG_PREFIX_DEBUG = "debug";
-const LOG_PREFIX_INFO = "info";
-const LOG_PREFIX_WARNING = "warning";
-const LOG_PREFIX_ERROR = "error";
+const LOG_PREFIX_DEBUG = 'debug';
+const LOG_PREFIX_INFO = 'info';
+const LOG_PREFIX_WARNING = 'warning';
+const LOG_PREFIX_ERROR = 'error';
 const LOGLEVEL_DEBUG = 0;
 const LOGLEVEL_INFO = 1;
 const LOGLEVEL_WARNING = 2;
 const LOGLEVEL_ERROR = 3;
 
-// set loglevel on "require"
-const loglevel = function() {
-    switch (config.log.level) {
+var loglevel = getLogLevel();
+var timestamp = getTimestamp();
+
+function initialize() {
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        if (global.config == undefined) {
+            reject('could not initialize logger, config is undefined');
+        }
+        loglevel = getLogLevel();
+        timestamp = getTimestamp();
+        resolve();
+    });
+}
+
+// get the loglevel
+function getLogLevel() {
+    if (global.config == undefined || global.config.log == undefined || global.config.log.level == undefined) {
+        return LOGLEVEL_INFO;
+    }
+    switch (global.config.log.level) {
         case LOG_PREFIX_DEBUG:
         case LOGLEVEL_DEBUG:
             return LOGLEVEL_DEBUG;
@@ -31,20 +45,31 @@ const loglevel = function() {
         default:
             return LOGLEVEL_INFO;
     }
-}();
+}
+
+// get the timestamp format
+function getTimestamp() {
+    if (global.config != undefined && global.config.log != undefined && global.config.log.format != undefined) {
+        return global.config.log.timestamp;
+    }
+    return "DD.MM.YYYY HH:mm:ss:SS";
+}
 
 // log a http request
-function logRequest(request) {
-    let message = "[" + request.method + "] url: \"" + request.url + "\"";
+function http(request) {
+    if (request == undefined) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let message = '[' + request.method + '] url: \'' + request.url + '\'';
     let counter = 1;
     for (let param in request.body) {
-        message += ", parameter " + counter + ": \"" + param + "=" + request.body[param] + "\"";
+        message += ', parameter ' + counter + ': \'' + param + '=' + request.body[param] + '\'';
         counter++;
     }
     debug(message.trim());
 }
 
-// prefix log with "info"
+// prefix log with 'info'
 function info(message) {
     if (loglevel > LOGLEVEL_INFO) {
         return;
@@ -52,28 +77,34 @@ function info(message) {
     trace(message);
 }
 
-// prefix log with "info"
+// prefix log with 'info'
 function warn(message) {
     if (loglevel > LOGLEVEL_WARNING) {
         return;
     }
-    trace(message, "warning");
+    trace(message, 'warning');
 }
 
-// prefix log with "debug"
+// prefix log with 'debug'
 function debug(message) {
     if (loglevel > LOGLEVEL_DEBUG) {
         return;
     }
-    trace(message, "debug");
+    trace(message, 'debug');
 }
 
-// prefix log with "error"
+// prefix log with 'error'
 function error(message) {
     if (loglevel > LOGLEVEL_ERROR) {
         return;
     }
-    trace(message, "error");
+    if (message.errors != undefined) {
+        for (var index = 0; index < message.errors.length; index++) {
+            trace(message.errors[index], 'error');
+        }
+        return;
+    }
+    trace(message, 'error');
 }
 
 // default logging function
@@ -82,31 +113,32 @@ function trace(message, prefix) {
         return;
     }
     if (prefix === undefined || prefix === null || prefix.length === 0) {
-        prefix = "info";
+        prefix = 'info';
     }
     let print;
     switch (prefix) {
-        case "error":
+        case 'error':
             print = console.error;
             break;
-        case "debug":
+        case 'debug':
             print = console.debug;
             break;
-        case "warning":
+        case 'warning':
             print = console.warn;
             break;
         default:
             print = console.log;
     }
-    message = moment().format(config.server.timestamp) + " | " + prefix + " > " + message;
+    message = moment().format(timestamp) + ' | ' + prefix + ' > ' + message;
     print(message);
 }
 
 // exports
 module.exports = {
+    initialize,
     info,
     warn,
     debug,
     error,
-    logRequest
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+    http
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/libs/server.js b/libs/server.js
index e22c5b3..5ec0085 100644
--- a/libs/server.js
+++ b/libs/server.js
@@ -77,19 +77,23 @@ function start() {
 
 function handleRequests() {
     // GET methods
-    app.get('*', function (request, response) {
-        logger.logRequest(request);
+    app.get('*', (request, response) => {
+        logger.http(request);
         response.send(getHTML());
         response.end();
     });
+    app.post('/off', (request, response) => {
+        logger.http(request);
+        response.end();
+        blinkstick.powerOff();
+    });
     // POST methods
-    app.post('*', function (request, response) {
-        logger.logRequest(request);
-            response.end();
-            blinkstick.illuminate(parseRequest(request.body))
-                .then(logger.info)
-                .catch(logger.error);
-            return;
+    app.post('*', (request, response) => {
+        logger.http(request);
+        response.end();
+        blinkstick.illuminate(parseRequest(request.body))
+            .then(logger.info)
+            .catch(logger.error);
     });
 }
 
@@ -97,20 +101,26 @@ function handleRequests() {
 function parseRequest(data) {
     let blinkstickConfig = {
         "id": Math.random(),
-        "mode": data["mode"] || config.api.post.mode.default,
-        "color": blinkstick.parseColor(data["color"]),
+        "mode": data.mode || config.api.post.mode.default,
+        "color": blinkstick.parseColor(data.color),
         "options": {
-            "duration": data["duration"] || config.api.post.duration.default,
+            "steps": data.steps,
+            "duration": data.duration || config.api.post.duration.default,
             "pulse": {
-                "max": data["pulses"] || 0,
+                "max": data.pulses || 0,
                 "done": 0
             }
         }
     };
-    blinkstickConfig.options.steps = blinkstickConfig.options.duration / 10;
+    if (data.index != undefined) {
+        blinkstickConfig.options.index = data.index;
+    }
     if (blinkstickConfig.options.duration < 100) {
         blinkstickConfig.options.duration = 100;
     }
+    if (blinkstickConfig.options.steps == undefined || blinkstickConfig.options.steps == 0) {
+        blinkstickConfig.options.steps = blinkstickConfig.options.duration / 10;
+    }
     return blinkstickConfig;
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/util.js b/libs/util.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5dc77d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/util.js
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+const realpath = require('fs').realpath;
+const stat = require('fs').stat;
+
+function fileExists(file) {
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        if (file == undefined) {
+            reject('can not check the existence of an undefined file');
+        }
+        resolvePath(file)
+            .then((path) => {
+                stat(path, (err, stats) => {
+                    if (err) {
+                        reject(err);
+                    }
+                    resolve({ path, stats });
+                })
+            })
+            .catch(reject);
+    });
+}
+
+function resolvePath(file) {
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        if (file == undefined) {
+            reject('can not resolve a path to an undefined file');
+        }
+        realpath(file, (err, resolvedPath) => {
+            if (err) {
+                reject('resolving path \'' + file + '\' encountered an error >>> ' + err);
+            }
+            resolve(resolvedPath);
+        })
+    });
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+    fileExists,
+    resolvePath
+}
\ No newline at end of file