diff -r b6358ed2548d -r 5e27fa988c5c bookloupe/bookloupe.c
--- a/bookloupe/bookloupe.c	Mon Sep 30 07:37:36 2013 +0100
+++ b/bookloupe/bookloupe.c	Mon Sep 30 08:18:42 2013 +0100
@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@
 void config_file_update(GKeyFile *kf)
 {
     int i;
+    const char *s;
     gboolean sw;
     for(i=0;options[i].long_name;i++)
     {
@@ -329,6 +330,13 @@
 		sw=!sw;
 	    g_key_file_set_boolean(kf,"options",options[i].long_name,sw);
 	}
+	else if (options[i].arg==G_OPTION_ARG_STRING)
+	{
+	    s=*(gchar **)options[i].arg_data;
+	    if (!s)
+		s="auto";
+	    g_key_file_set_string(kf,"options",options[i].long_name,s);
+	}
 	else
 	    g_assert_not_reached();
     }
@@ -425,7 +433,7 @@
 void parse_config_file(void)
 {
     int i,j;
-    gchar *path;
+    gchar *path,*s;
     gchar **keys;
     gboolean sw;
     GError *err=NULL;
@@ -454,9 +462,35 @@
 			      path,keys[i],err->message);
 			    g_clear_error(&err);
 			}
-			if (options[j].flags&G_OPTION_FLAG_REVERSE)
-			    sw=!sw;
-			*(gboolean *)options[j].arg_data=sw;
+			else
+			{
+			    if (options[j].flags&G_OPTION_FLAG_REVERSE)
+				sw=!sw;
+			    *(gboolean *)options[j].arg_data=sw;
+			}
+			break;
+		    }
+		    else if (options[j].arg==G_OPTION_ARG_STRING)
+		    {
+			s=g_key_file_get_string(config,"options",keys[i],
+			  &err);
+			if (err)
+			{
+			    g_printerr("Bookloupe: %s: options.%s: %s\n",
+			      path,keys[i],err->message);
+			    g_clear_error(&err);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+			    g_free(*(gchar **)options[j].arg_data);
+			    if (!g_strcmp0(s,"auto"))
+			    {
+				*(gchar **)options[j].arg_data=NULL;
+				g_free(s);
+			    }
+			    else
+				*(gchar **)options[j].arg_data=s;
+			}
 			break;
 		    }
 		    else
@@ -530,13 +564,13 @@
 	g_printerr("%s\n",err->message);
 	exit(1);
     }
-    g_free(opt_charset);
-    opt_charset=NULL;
     if (pswit[DUMP_CONFIG_SWITCH])
     {
 	dump_config();
 	exit(0);
     }
+    g_free(opt_charset);
+    opt_charset=NULL;
     if (pswit[OVERVIEW_SWITCH])
 	/* just print summary; don't echo */
 	pswit[ECHO_SWITCH]=FALSE;