diff --git a/src/com/coder/client/CoderClient.java b/src/com/coder/client/CoderClient.java
index 26b0b96..fffe39e 100644
--- a/src/com/coder/client/CoderClient.java
+++ b/src/com/coder/client/CoderClient.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import com.coder.server.CoderServer;
 import com.coder.server.message.CoderMessage;
 import com.coder.server.message.ProjectListData;
 
+import zutil.log.CompactLogFormatter;
 import zutil.log.LogUtil;
 
 public class CoderClient extends Thread{
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ public class CoderClient extends Thread{
 	private int port;
 	private Session session;
 	private ProjectEditorWindow projectEditorWindow;
+	private String username = null;
+	private char[] password = null;
 	
 	public CoderClient(String url, int port) {
 		this.url = url;
@@ -28,12 +31,10 @@ public class CoderClient extends Thread{
 		
 		this.projectEditorWindow = new ProjectEditorWindow("CoderClient");
 		
-		super.start();
+        LogUtil.setGlobalFormatter(new CompactLogFormatter());
 	}
 	
 	public void run(){
-		//save the previously typed user name
-		String username = "";
 		//keep track of the number of connection retries to the server
 		int connectionRetries = 0;
 		while(true){
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ public class CoderClient extends Thread{
 			if(connectionRetries > 0){
 				logger.info("This is reconnection try number: " + connectionRetries);
 			}
+			logger.info("Setting up a connected session");
 			this.session = Session.setupConnection(url, port);
 			if(session == null){
 				logger.info("Could not setup a connection to " + url + ":" + port);
@@ -64,18 +66,26 @@ public class CoderClient extends Thread{
 				}
 			}
 			
-			//ask for username and password in a dialog window
-			LoginDialog loginDialog = new LoginDialog(username, null);
-			loginDialog.setVisible(true);	//blocking
-			loginDialog.dispose();
-			if(loginDialog.getAction() == LoginDialogAction.CANCEL){
-				logger.info("Login dialog closed or canceled by the user. terminating.");
-				break;
+			//get user credentials
+			if(username != null && !username.isEmpty() && password != null && password.length > 0){
+				//do nothing, already have all credentials we need
+				logger.info("All login credentials have already been given. No need for a login dialog.");
+			}else{
+				//ask for username and password in a dialog window
+				logger.info("All or some login credentials have not been given. Using a ogin dialog for input.");
+				LoginDialog loginDialog = new LoginDialog(username, null);
+				loginDialog.setVisible(true);	//blocking
+				loginDialog.dispose();
+				if(loginDialog.getAction() == LoginDialogAction.CANCEL){
+					logger.info("Login dialog closed or canceled by the user. terminating.");
+					break;
+				}
+				username = loginDialog.getUsername();
+				password = loginDialog.getPassword();
 			}
+			logger.info("The username: \"" + username + "\" will be used as the credential holder");
 			
 			//authenticate the user
-			username = loginDialog.getUsername();
-			String password = new String(loginDialog.getPassword());
 			boolean authenticated = session.authenticate(username, password);
 			if(!authenticated){
 				JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "Wrong username or password", "Authentication Failed", JOptionPane.INFORMATION_MESSAGE);
@@ -132,10 +142,41 @@ public class CoderClient extends Thread{
 			session = null;
 		}
 	}
+
+	private void setPassword(char[] password) {
+		this.password = password;
+	}
+
+	private void setUsername(String username) {
+		this.username = username;
+	}
 	
 	public static void main(String[] args){
 		int port = CoderServer.SERVER_PORT;
-		new CoderClient("127.0.0.1", port);
+		CoderClient client = new CoderClient("127.0.0.1", port);
+		
+		for(int i = 0; i < args.length; ++i){
+			String arg = args[i];
+			if(arg.equals("-u") || arg.equals("--username")){
+				i++;
+				if(i < args.length){
+					client.setUsername(args[i]);
+				}else{
+					System.err.println("missing username argument");
+					System.exit(1);
+				}
+			}else if(arg.equals("-p") || arg.equals("--password")){
+				i++;
+				if(i < args.length){
+					client.setPassword(args[i].toCharArray());
+				}else{
+					System.err.println("missing password argument");
+					System.exit(1);
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		
+		client.start();
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/src/com/coder/client/ProjectEditorWindow.java b/src/com/coder/client/ProjectEditorWindow.java
index 011486f..f0c0185 100644
--- a/src/com/coder/client/ProjectEditorWindow.java
+++ b/src/com/coder/client/ProjectEditorWindow.java
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ public class ProjectEditorWindow extends JFrame implements TreeSelectionListener
 	private JTextArea codingArea;
 	private JButton compileButton;
 	private JButton runButton;
-	private HashSet<GUIMessageSentListener> GUIMessageSentListeners;
+	private HashSet<GUIMessageSentListener> GUIMessageSentListeners = new HashSet<GUIMessageSentListener>();
 
 	public ProjectEditorWindow(String title){
 		super(title);
diff --git a/src/com/coder/client/Session.java b/src/com/coder/client/Session.java
index d25cef8..58d65d5 100644
--- a/src/com/coder/client/Session.java
+++ b/src/com/coder/client/Session.java
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ public class Session extends Thread {
 		return new String[]{};
 	}
 	
-	public boolean authenticate(String username, String clearTextPassword) {
+	public boolean authenticate(String username, char[] clearTextPassword) {
 		logger.info("Authenticating session");
 		
 		if(socket == null){
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ public class Session extends Thread {
 			// Setting up encryption
 			/*
 			logger.info("Setting up encryption");
-			String hashedPassword = Hasher.PBKDF2(clearTextPassword, username, AUTH_HASH_ITERATIONS);
+			String hashedPassword = Hasher.PBKDF2(new String(clearTextPassword), username, AUTH_HASH_ITERATIONS);
 			String key = Hasher.PBKDF2(hashedPassword, msg.AuthenticationChallenge.salt, AUTH_HASH_ITERATIONS);
 	        Encrypter crypto;
 			try {