diff --git a/pyfpdb/FulltiltToFpdb.py b/pyfpdb/FulltiltToFpdb.py
index 4fb0e8b3..3b8026bf 100755
--- a/pyfpdb/FulltiltToFpdb.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/FulltiltToFpdb.py
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ follow :  whether to tail -f the input"""
         if not m: 
             return None
         mg = m.groupdict()
-        
+
         # translations from captured groups to our info strings
         limits = { 'No Limit':'nl', 'Pot Limit':'pl', 'Limit':'fl' }
         games = {              # base, category
@@ -142,6 +142,24 @@ follow :  whether to tail -f the input"""
         # NB: SB, BB must be interpreted as blinds or bets depending on limit type.
         return info
 
+    #Following function is a hack, we should be dealing with this in readFile (i think correct codepage....)
+    # Same function as parent class, removing the 2 end characters. - CG
+    def allHandsAsList(self):
+        """Return a list of handtexts in the file at self.in_path"""
+        #TODO : any need for this to be generator? e.g. stars support can email one huge file of all hands in a year. Better to read bit by bit than all at once.
+        self.readFile()
+
+        # FIXME: it's a hack
+        if self.obs[:2] == u'\xff\xfe':
+            self.obs = self.obs[2:].replace('\x00', '')
+
+        self.obs = self.obs.strip()
+        self.obs = self.obs.replace('\r\n', '\n')
+        if self.obs == "" or self.obs == None:
+            logging.info("Read no hands.")
+            return
+        return re.split(self.re_SplitHands,  self.obs)
+
     def readHandInfo(self, hand):
         m =  self.re_HandInfo.search(hand.handText,re.DOTALL)
         if(m == None):
diff --git a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
index f5d46034..2ded2c50 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ class HandHistoryConverter():
             self.out_fh = sys.stdout
         else:
             # TODO: out_path should be sanity checked.
+            out_dir = os.path.dirname(self.out_path)
+            if not os.path.isdir(out_dir):
+                logging.info("Creatin directory '%s'" % out_dir)
+                os.makedirs(out_dir)
             self.out_fh = open(self.out_path, 'w')
 
         self.sitename  = sitename