new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/progs/Get_image_offset/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------
+#
+# MINC Makefile
+#
+
+ROOT = ../..
+include $(ROOT)/Makefile_machine_specific
+include $(ROOT)/Makefile_configuration
+
+NETCDF_SOURCE_DIR = $(ROOT)/../netcdf/libsrc
+
+# Executable names
+PROGS    = get_image_offset
+EXTRA_OBJS = 
+HEADERS  = #$(PROGS:=.h)
+MANSECT  = 1
+CDEFINES = -DDEBUG#                        cpp defines
+LDOPT    = $(PROG_LDOPT)
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+CFLAGS    = $(CDEFINES) $(INCLUDES) $(OPT)# CFLAGS and LINTFLAGS should
+LINTFLAGS = $(CDEFINES) $(INCLUDES)#        be same, except for -g/-O
+
+PROG_OBJ  = $(PROGS:=.o)#                 list of objects
+LINT_LIST = $(PROG_OBJ:.o=.ln)
+LINT_EXTRA= $(EXTRA_OBJS:.o=.ln)
+LINT_LIST_EXE = $(LINT_LIST:.ln=.)#       list of executable names to lint
+MANPAGES = #$(PROGS).$(MANSECT)
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#Suffixes for man pages
+.SUFFIXES: .1 .man1 .3 .man3
+
+default: build
+
+all: build lint
+
+build: $(PROGS) man
+
+man: $(MANPAGES)
+
+#Dependency on Makefile
+$(PROG_OBJ) $(LINT_LIST) $(EXTRA_OBJS) $(LINT_EXTRA) : Makefile
+
+.c.ln:#                                   defines the rule for creating .ln
+	lint $(LINTFLAGS) -I$(NETCDF_SOURCE_DIR) -c $< -o $@
+
+.c.o:#                                    defines the rule for creating .o
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -I$(NETCDF_SOURCE_DIR) -c $< -o $@
+
+#Dependency of .o and .ln on .h
+$(PROG_OBJ) $(EXTRA_OBJS) : $(HEADERS)
+
+$(LINT_LIST) $(LINT_EXTRA) : $(HEADERS)
+
+# How to make executables
+$(PROGS) : $$@.o $(EXTRA_OBJS) $(CC_PROG_LIB) $(CC_MINC_LIB)
+	$(CC) -o $@ $@.o $(EXTRA_OBJS) $(LDOPT)
+
+#  how to lint the executable source
+lint: $(LINT_LIST_EXE)
+
+$(LINT_LIST_EXE) : $$@ln $(LINT_EXTRA) $(LINT_PROG_LIB) $(LINT_MINC_LIB)
+	lint -u $(LINTFLAGS) $@ln $(LINT_EXTRA) $(LINT_PROG_LIB) $(LINT_MINC_LIB)
+
+# how to make man pages
+.man1.1:
+	$(NROFF) $(NROFF_FLAGS) $< > $@
+
+# Remove all derived files in this directory
+clean:
+	$(RM) $(RM_FLAGS) $(LINT_LIST) $(PROGS) $(PROG_OBJ) \
+	            $(EXTRA_OBJS) $(LINT_EXTRA) $(MANPAGES)
+
+install:
+	$(CP) $(CP_FLAGS) $(PROGS) $(INSTALL_BINDIR)
+	$(CP) $(CP_FLAGS) $(MANPAGES) $(INSTALL_MANDIR)$(MANSECT)
+

new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/progs/Get_image_offset/get_image_offset.c
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+#include <minc.h>
+#include <local_nc.h>
+
+#define public
+
+public long get_image_offset(int cdfid);
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+   int cdfid;
+   long offset;
+
+   /* Check arguments */
+   if (argc != 2) {
+      (void) fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s <filename.mnc>\n", argv[0]);
+      return -1;
+   }
+
+   /* Open minc file */
+   cdfid = ncopen(argv[1], NC_NOWRITE);
+
+   /* Get the offset */
+   offset = get_image_offset(cdfid);
+   if (offset == -1) {
+      (void) fprintf(stderr, "Error getting offset to image in file %s\n",
+                     argv[1]);
+      return -1;
+   }
+
+   (void) printf("%ld\n", offset);
+
+   return 0;
+}
+
+/* ----------------------------- MNI Header -----------------------------------
+@NAME       : get_image_offset
+@INPUT      : path - name of minc file
+@OUTPUT     : (none)
+@RETURNS    : offset to image data in minc file or MI_ERROR (-1) if an
+              error occurs.
+@DESCRIPTION: Function to return the offset to the image data in a minc file.
+              WARNING: This function may be hazardous to your health since
+              it directly accesses NetCDF internals!!!!! Use at your own
+              risk.
+@METHOD     : 
+@GLOBALS    : 
+@CALLS      : 
+@CREATED    : September 9, 1994 (Peter Neelin)
+@MODIFIED   : 
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+public long get_image_offset(int cdfid)
+{
+   int imgid;
+   NC *handle;
+   NC_var *vp;
+
+   imgid = ncvarid(cdfid, MIimage);
+   if (imgid == MI_ERROR) return MI_ERROR;
+
+   handle = NC_check_id(cdfid);
+   if (handle == NULL) return MI_ERROR;
+
+   vp = NC_hlookupvar(handle, imgid);
+   if (vp == NULL) return MI_ERROR;
+
+   return (long) vp->begin;
+}
+