diff --git a/storage.py b/storage.py
index f363fb3..4e8ecd1 100644
--- a/storage.py
+++ b/storage.py
@@ -8,14 +8,15 @@ import h5py
 import collections
 
 import logging
-log = logging.getLogger(__name__)  # __name__ is "foo.bar" here
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__) 
 
 def unwrapArray(a,recursive=True,readH5pyDataset=True):
   """ This function takes an object (like a dictionary) and recursively
-      unwraps it solving many issues like the fact that many objects are 
-      packaged as 0d array
-      This funciton has also some specific hack for handling h5py limit to 
-      handle for example the None object or the numpy unicode ...
+      unwraps it solving issues like:
+        * the fact that many objects are packaged as 0d array
+      This funciton has also some specific hack for handling h5py limits:
+        * handle the None python object
+        * numpy unicode ...
   """
   # is h5py dataset convert to array
   if isinstance(a,h5py.Dataset) and readH5pyDataset: a = a[...]
@@ -140,11 +141,16 @@ class DataStorage(dict):
 
       To initialize it:
 
-        data = DataStorage( dict( a=(1,2,3),b="add"),filename='store.npz' )
+        data = DataStorage( a=(1,2,3),b="add",filename='store.npz' )
 
-        data = DataStorage( a=(1,2,3), b="add" )
+        # recursively by default
+        # data.a will be a DataStorage instance
+        data = DataStorage( a=dict( b = 1)) );
 
-        reads from file if it exists
+        # data.a will be a dictionary
+        data = DataStorage( a=dict( b = 1),recursive=False )
+
+        # reads from file if it exists
         data = DataStorage( 'mysaveddata.npz' ) ;
 
         DOES NOT READ FROM FILE (even if it exists)!!
@@ -156,6 +162,7 @@ class DataStorage(dict):
   def __init__(self,*args,filename='data_storage.npz',recursive=True,**kwargs):
 #    self.filename = kwargs.pop('filename',"data_storage.npz")
     self.filename = filename
+    self._recursive = recursive
     # interpret kwargs as dict if there are
     if len(kwargs) != 0:
       fileOrDict = dict(kwargs)
@@ -164,6 +171,7 @@ class DataStorage(dict):
     else:
       fileOrDict = dict()
 
+
     d = dict(); # data dictionary
     if isinstance(fileOrDict,dict):
       d = fileOrDict
@@ -194,8 +202,9 @@ class DataStorage(dict):
 
   def __setattr__(self, key, value):
     """ allows to add fields with data.test=4 """
-    #print("__setattr__")
-    if isinstance(value,(dict,collections.OrderedDict)): value = DataStorage(value)
+    # check if attr exists is essential (or it fails when defining an instance)
+    if hasattr(self,"_recursive") and self._recursive and \
+      isinstance(value,(dict,collections.OrderedDict)): value = DataStorage(value)
     super().__setitem__(key, value)
     super().__setattr__(key,value)
 
@@ -216,6 +225,7 @@ class DataStorage(dict):
     fmt = "%%%ds %%s" % (nchars)
     s = ["DataStorage obj containing (sorted): ",]
     for k in keys:
+      if k[0] == "_": continue
       obj = self[k]
       if isinstance(obj,np.ndarray):
         value_str = "array, size %s, type %s"% ("x".join(map(str,obj.shape)),obj.dtype)
@@ -236,6 +246,7 @@ class DataStorage(dict):
   def keys(self):
     keys = list(super().keys())
     keys = [k for k in keys if k != 'filename' ]
+    keys = [k for k in keys if k[0] != '_' ]
     return keys
 
   def save(self,fname=None):