diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 24331ab..c1f8cf2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -275,9 +275,13 @@ to simply extract all data of the TDM datatset and dump it to files in a given
 ```Python
 import tdm_reaper
 jack = tdm_reaper.tdmreaper(b'samples/SineData.tdm',b'samples/SineData.tdx')
-jack.write_all(b"./my_tdm_data/")
+jack.write_all(b"./my_tdm_data_directory/")
 ```
 
+The interface allows to construct customized file/column headers from any
+meta-data and provide these headers for usage in file output (for an example
+see [customized filehader](python/custom.py)).
+
 ## References
 
 ### TDM
diff --git a/cython/py_tdm_reaper.pyx b/cython/py_tdm_reaper.pyx
index 89badb4..3866db3 100644
--- a/cython/py_tdm_reaper.pyx
+++ b/cython/py_tdm_reaper.pyx
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ cdef class tdmreaper:
     return jn.loads(chnstr.decode())
 
   # print a channel(-group)
-  def print_channelgroup(self, string id, const char* filename,
-                               bool include_meta, char delimiter):
-    self.cpp_tdm.print_group(id,filename,include_meta,delimiter)
+  def print_channelgroup(self, string id, const char* filename, bool include_meta,
+                               char delimiter, string column_header):
+    self.cpp_tdm.print_group(id,filename,include_meta,delimiter,column_header)
   def print_channel(self, string id, const char* filename,
                           bool include_meta):
     self.cpp_tdm.print_channel(id,filename,include_meta)
@@ -48,4 +48,4 @@ cdef class tdmreaper:
     grpids = self.cpp_tdm.get_channelgroup_ids()
     for id in grpids :
       grpfile = outputdir.decode() + "/channelgroup_" + id.decode() + ".csv"
-      self.cpp_tdm.print_group(id,grpfile.encode(),True,ord(','))
+      self.cpp_tdm.print_group(id,grpfile.encode(),True,ord(','),"".encode())
diff --git a/cython/tdm_reaper.pxd b/cython/tdm_reaper.pxd
index 6288235..7ff4352 100644
--- a/cython/tdm_reaper.pxd
+++ b/cython/tdm_reaper.pxd
@@ -24,5 +24,6 @@ cdef extern from "tdm_reaper.hpp":
     string get_channelgroup_info(string id) except+
     string get_channel_info(string id) except+
     # print a channel(-group)
-    void print_group(string id, const char* filename, bool include_meta, char delimiter) except+
+    void print_group(string id, const char* filename, bool include_meta,
+                     char delimiter, string column_header) except+
     void print_channel(string id, const char* filename, bool include_meta) except+
diff --git a/lib/tdm_reaper.cpp b/lib/tdm_reaper.cpp
index 87ccbee..8078c2d 100644
--- a/lib/tdm_reaper.cpp
+++ b/lib/tdm_reaper.cpp
@@ -698,7 +698,8 @@ void tdm_reaper::print_channel(std::string &id, const char* filename, bool inclu
   }
 }
 
-void tdm_reaper::print_group(std::string &id, const char* filename, bool include_meta, char sep)
+void tdm_reaper::print_group(std::string &id, const char* filename, bool include_meta,
+                             char sep, std::string column_header)
 {
   // check required path
   this->check_filename_path(filename);
@@ -724,6 +725,7 @@ void tdm_reaper::print_group(std::string &id, const char* filename, bool include
 
     int width = 25;
 
+    // file header
     if ( include_meta )
     {
       // group meta data
@@ -781,6 +783,30 @@ void tdm_reaper::print_group(std::string &id, const char* filename, bool include
       allchns.push_back(chndat);
     }
 
+    // provide column header (with channel ids)
+    if ( column_header.empty() )
+    {
+      for ( std::string chn: chngrp.channels_ )
+      {
+        // use given csv separator token
+        if ( sep == ' ' )
+        {
+          fou<<std::setw(width)<<std::left<<chn;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          fou<<chn;
+        }
+        if ( chn != chngrp.channels_.back() && sep != ' ' ) fou<<sep;
+      }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      fou<<column_header;
+    }
+    fou<<"\n";
+
+    // write data
     for ( unsigned int row = 0; row < maxrows; row++ )
     {
       for ( unsigned int chi = 0; chi < chngrp.channels_.size(); chi++ )
diff --git a/lib/tdm_reaper.hpp b/lib/tdm_reaper.hpp
index 08ee199..9e219ac 100644
--- a/lib/tdm_reaper.hpp
+++ b/lib/tdm_reaper.hpp
@@ -239,7 +239,8 @@ public:
 
   // dump a single channel/entire group (identified by id) to file
   void print_channel(std::string &id, const char* filename, bool include_meta = true);
-  void print_group(std::string &id, const char* filename, bool include_meta = true, char sep = ' ');
+  void print_group(std::string &id, const char* filename, bool include_meta = true,
+                   char sep = ' ', std::string column_header = std::string(""));
   void check_filename_path(const char* filename);
 
   // check machine's datatypes
diff --git a/python/custom.py b/python/custom.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..faa86b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/custom.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+
+import tdm_reaper
+import json
+import re
+
+# create 'tdm_reaper' instance object
+try :
+    jack = tdm_reaper.tdmreaper(b'samples/SineData.tdm',b'samples/SineData.tdx')
+except RuntimeError as e :
+    print("failed to load/decode TDM files: " + str(e))
+
+# list ids of channelgroups
+grpids = jack.get_channelgroup_ids()
+
+# iterate through group-ids
+for grp in grpids[0:2] :
+
+    # obtain meta data of channelgroups
+    grpinfo = jack.get_channelgroup_info(grp)
+    print( json.dumps(grpinfo,sort_keys=False,indent=4) )
+
+    # get channel meta-data and compose header
+    column_header = ""
+    chns = grpinfo['channels'].split(' ')
+    for chn in chns :
+        # obtain channel's meta-data as dictionary (JSON)
+        chninfo = jack.get_channel_info(chn.encode())
+        # print( json.dumps(chninfo,sort_keys=False,indent=4) )
+        # choose e.g. channel-id and name to compose column header
+        chnhead = ( str(chninfo['channel-id']) + "("
+                  + str(chninfo['name']).replace(',',' ') + ")" )
+        # append to full header
+        column_header = column_header + chnhead + ","
+    # remove last comma
+    column_header = column_header[0:-1]
+
+    print("column_header:\n"+column_header+"\n")
+
+    # write channelgroup to file
+    try :
+        grpname = re.sub('[^A-Za-z0-9]','',grpinfo['name'])
+        grpfile = str("./channelgroup_") + str(grp.decode()) + "_" + str(grpname) + str(".csv")
+        jack.print_channelgroup(grp,                   # id of group to be written
+                                grpfile.encode(),      # filename
+                                False,                 # no meta-data header
+                                ord(','),              # csv separator character
+                                column_header.encode() # provide column header
+                                )
+    except RuntimeError as e :
+        print("failed to print channelgroup: " + str(grp) + " : " + str(e))
diff --git a/python/minimal.py b/python/minimal.py
index cf949a5..8a86d3c 100644
--- a/python/minimal.py
+++ b/python/minimal.py
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ try :
     for grp in grpids :
         # write channelgroup to file (prepend './' for local directory!!)
         grpfile = "./channelgroup_" + str(grp.decode()) + ".csv"
-        jack.print_channelgroup(grp,grpfile.encode(),True,ord(' '))
+        jack.print_channelgroup(grp,              # id of group to be written
+                                grpfile.encode(), # filename
+                                False,            # include meta-data fileheader?
+                                ord(','),         # csv separator character
+                                b""               # (empty=default) column header
+                                )
 except RuntimeError as e :
     print("failed to load/decode/write TDM files: " + str(e))
diff --git a/python/usage.py b/python/usage.py
index 5447ae0..465297e 100644
--- a/python/usage.py
+++ b/python/usage.py
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ for grp in grpids[0:2] :
     # write channelgroup to file
     try :
         grpname = re.sub('[^A-Za-z0-9]','',grpinfo['name'])
-        grpfile = "channelgroup_" + str(grp) + "_" + str(grpname) + ".csv"
-        jack.print_channelgroup(grp.encode(),grpfile.encode(),True,ord(' '))
+        grpfile = "./channelgroup_" + str(grp) + "_" + str(grpname) + ".csv"
+        jack.print_channelgroup(grp.encode(),grpfile.encode(),True,ord(' '),b'')
     except RuntimeError as e :
         print("failed to print channelgroup: " + str(grp) + " : " + str(e))
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ for chn in chnids[0:2] :
     print(str(chndata[0:6]) + " ...")
 
     # write channel to file
-    chnfile = "channel_" + str(chn) + ".csv"
+    chnfile = "./channel_" + str(chn) + ".csv"
     try :
         jack.print_channel(chn.encode(),chnfile.encode(),True)
     except RuntimeError as e :