diff --git a/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/distance_lcc.cmd b/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/distance_lcc.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 5cea844d830..00000000000
--- a/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/distance_lcc.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-cube.off
diff --git a/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/incident_vertices_lcc.cmd b/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/incident_vertices_lcc.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 5cea844d830..00000000000
--- a/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/incident_vertices_lcc.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-cube.off
diff --git a/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/normals_lcc.cmd b/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/normals_lcc.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 5cea844d830..00000000000
--- a/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/normals_lcc.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-cube.off
diff --git a/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/range_lcc.cmd b/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/range_lcc.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 5cea844d830..00000000000
--- a/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/range_lcc.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-cube.off
diff --git a/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/transform_iterator_lcc.cmd b/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/transform_iterator_lcc.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 5cea844d830..00000000000
--- a/BGL/examples/BGL_LCC/transform_iterator_lcc.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-cube.off
diff --git a/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/distance.cmd b/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/distance.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 5cea844d830..00000000000
--- a/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/distance.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-cube.off
diff --git a/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/incident_vertices.cmd b/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/incident_vertices.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 5cea844d830..00000000000
--- a/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/incident_vertices.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-cube.off
diff --git a/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/normals.cmd b/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/normals.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 5cea844d830..00000000000
--- a/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/normals.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-cube.off
diff --git a/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/range.cmd b/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/range.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 5cea844d830..00000000000
--- a/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/range.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-cube.off
diff --git a/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/transform_iterator.cmd b/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/transform_iterator.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 5cea844d830..00000000000
--- a/BGL/examples/BGL_polyhedron_3/transform_iterator.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-cube.off
diff --git a/BGL/examples/BGL_surface_mesh/prim.cmd b/BGL/examples/BGL_surface_mesh/prim.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index b8f7806a12c..00000000000
--- a/BGL/examples/BGL_surface_mesh/prim.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/prim.off
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Classification/examples/Classification/gis_tutorial_example.cmd b/Classification/examples/Classification/gis_tutorial_example.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 3ee28617055..00000000000
--- a/Classification/examples/Classification/gis_tutorial_example.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/b9_training.ply
diff --git a/Classification/examples/Classification/gis_tutorial_example.cpp b/Classification/examples/Classification/gis_tutorial_example.cpp
index 65bc65b0a2e..007d2728981 100644
--- a/Classification/examples/Classification/gis_tutorial_example.cpp
+++ b/Classification/examples/Classification/gis_tutorial_example.cpp
@@ -188,17 +188,18 @@ using CTP = CGAL::Constrained_triangulation_plus_2<CDT>;
 
 int main (int argc, char** argv)
 {
+  const std::string fname = argc != 2 ? "data/b9_training.ply" : argv[1];
   if (argc != 2)
   {
     std::cerr << "Usage: " << argv[0] << " points.ply" << std::endl;
-    return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    std::cerr << "Running with default value " << fname << "\n";
   }
 
   ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
   //! [Init DSM]
 
   // Read points
-  std::ifstream ifile (argv[1], std::ios_base::binary);
+  std::ifstream ifile (fname, std::ios_base::binary);
   CGAL::Point_set_3<Point_3> points;
   ifile >> points;
   std::cerr << points.size() << " point(s) read" << std::endl;
diff --git a/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/compute_cones.cmd b/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/compute_cones.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 1e8b3149621..00000000000
--- a/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/compute_cones.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-6
diff --git a/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/compute_cones.cpp b/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/compute_cones.cpp
index 99da5246f11..59f11e78482 100644
--- a/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/compute_cones.cpp
+++ b/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/compute_cones.cpp
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ typedef Kernel::Direction_2               Direction_2;
 
 int main(int argc, char ** argv) {
 
+  unsigned int k = argc < 2 ? 6 : atoi(argv[1]);
   if (argc < 2) {
     std::cout << "Usage: " << argv[0] << " <no. of cones> [<direction-x> <direction-y>]" << std::endl;
-    return 1;
+    std::cout << "Using default value " << k << "\n";
   }
 
-  unsigned int k = atoi(argv[1]);
   if (k<2) {
     std::cout << "The number of cones should be larger than 1!" << std::endl;
     return 1;
diff --git a/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/dijkstra_theta.cmd b/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/dijkstra_theta.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 5ab823290b4..00000000000
--- a/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/dijkstra_theta.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-6 data/n20.cin
diff --git a/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/dijkstra_theta.cpp b/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/dijkstra_theta.cpp
index da7a8678009..52f382fa608 100644
--- a/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/dijkstra_theta.cpp
+++ b/Cone_spanners_2/examples/Cone_spanners_2/dijkstra_theta.cpp
@@ -32,18 +32,20 @@ typedef boost::adjacency_list<boost::listS,
 
 int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 {
+  const std::string fname = argc!=3 ? "data/n20.cin" : argv[2];
+  unsigned int k = argc!=3 ? 6 : atoi(argv[1]);
 
   if (argc != 3) {
     std::cout << "Usage: " << argv[0] << " <no. of cones> <input filename>" << std::endl;
-    return 1;
+    std::cout << "Using default values " << k << " " << fname << "\n";
   }
-  unsigned int k = atoi(argv[1]);
+
   if (k<2) {
     std::cout << "The number of cones should be larger than 1!" << std::endl;
     return 1;
   }
   // open the file containing the vertex list
-  std::ifstream inf(argv[2]);
+  std::ifstream inf(fname);
   if (!inf) {
     std::cout << "Cannot open file " << argv[1] << "!" << std::endl;
     return 1;
diff --git a/Mesh_3/examples/Mesh_3/mesh_3D_gray_image_multiple_values.cmd b/Mesh_3/examples/Mesh_3/mesh_3D_gray_image_multiple_values.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index d70c103fded..00000000000
--- a/Mesh_3/examples/Mesh_3/mesh_3D_gray_image_multiple_values.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/skull_2.9.inr 1.5 2.9 3.5
diff --git a/Mesh_3/examples/Mesh_3/mesh_3D_gray_image_multiple_values.cpp b/Mesh_3/examples/Mesh_3/mesh_3D_gray_image_multiple_values.cpp
index bb476fea566..bd75587d29d 100644
--- a/Mesh_3/examples/Mesh_3/mesh_3D_gray_image_multiple_values.cpp
+++ b/Mesh_3/examples/Mesh_3/mesh_3D_gray_image_multiple_values.cpp
@@ -52,8 +52,10 @@ int main(int argc, char*argv[])
 
   typedef boost::container::flat_set<float> Flat_set;
   Flat_set iso_values;
-  if(argc < 3) {
+  if(argc < 2) {
+    iso_values.insert(1.5f);
     iso_values.insert(2.9f);
+    iso_values.insert(3.5f);
   } else {
     for(int i = 2; i < argc; ++i) {
       iso_values.insert(static_cast<float>(std::atof(argv[i])));
diff --git a/Point_set_processing_3/examples/Point_set_processing_3/normal_estimation.cmd b/Point_set_processing_3/examples/Point_set_processing_3/normal_estimation.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index c9111081b04..00000000000
--- a/Point_set_processing_3/examples/Point_set_processing_3/normal_estimation.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/ChineseDragon-10kv.off ChineseDragon-10kv.pwn -nb_neighbors_jet_fitting 10 -nb_neighbors_mst 10
diff --git a/Point_set_processing_3/examples/Point_set_processing_3/normal_estimation.cpp b/Point_set_processing_3/examples/Point_set_processing_3/normal_estimation.cpp
index bd4847a22e4..8ed93712684 100644
--- a/Point_set_processing_3/examples/Point_set_processing_3/normal_estimation.cpp
+++ b/Point_set_processing_3/examples/Point_set_processing_3/normal_estimation.cpp
@@ -184,7 +184,8 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
       std::cerr << "  using a Minimum Spanning Tree (default=MST)\n";
       std::cerr << "  -nb_neighbors_mst <int>              Number of neighbors\n";
       std::cerr << "  to compute the MST (default=18)\n";
-      return EXIT_FAILURE;
+      std::cerr << "Running with " << argv[0] << "data/ChineseDragon-10kv.off ChineseDragon-10kv.pwn"
+                                   << " -nb_neighbors_jet_fitting 10 -nb_neighbors_mst 10\n";
     }
 
     // Normals Computing options
@@ -197,8 +198,14 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
     std::string orient = "MST"; // orient normals using a Minimum Spanning Tree
 
     // decode parameters
-    std::string input_filename  = argv[1];
-    std::string output_filename = argv[2];
+    std::string input_filename  = argc == 1 ?  "data/ChineseDragon-10kv.off" : argv[1];
+    std::string output_filename = argc == 1 ?  "ChineseDragon-10kv.pwn" : argv[2];
+    if (argc==1)
+    {
+      nb_neighbors_jet_fitting_normals = 10;
+      nb_neighbors_mst = 10
+    }
+
     for (int i=3; i+1<argc ; ++i)
     {
       if (std::string(argv[i])=="-estimate") {
diff --git a/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction.cmd b/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 62b25c5f0dd..00000000000
--- a/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/kitten.xyz kitten_poisson-20-100-0.5.off -sm_distance 0.5
diff --git a/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction.cpp b/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction.cpp
index b958d1a23d3..16d34e5b201 100644
--- a/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction.cpp
+++ b/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction.cpp
@@ -115,8 +115,7 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
       std::cerr << "Options:\n";
       std::cerr << "  -sm_radius <float>     Radius upper bound (default=100 * average spacing)\n";
       std::cerr << "  -sm_distance <float>   Distance upper bound (default=0.25 * average spacing)\n";
-
-      return EXIT_FAILURE;
+      std::cerr << "Running " << argv[0] << "data/kitten.xyz kitten_poisson-20-100-0.5.off -sm_distance 0.5\n";
     }
 
     // Poisson options
@@ -128,8 +127,8 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
     double average_spacing_ratio = 5;
 
     // decode parameters
-    std::string input_filename  = argv[1];
-    std::string output_filename = argv[2];
+    std::string input_filename  = argc == 1 ? "data/kitten.xyz" : argv[1];
+    std::string output_filename = argc == 1 ? "kitten_poisson-20-100-0.5.off" : argv[2];
     for (int i=3; i+1<argc ; ++i)
     {
       if (std::string(argv[i])=="-sm_radius")
@@ -148,6 +147,8 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
       }
     }
 
+    if (argc == 1) sm_distance = 0.5;
+
     CGAL::Timer task_timer; task_timer.start();
 
     //***************************************
diff --git a/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/tutorial_example.cmd b/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/tutorial_example.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 12b759aa160..00000000000
--- a/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/tutorial_example.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-data/kitten.xyz
-data/kitten.xyz 1
-data/kitten.xyz 2
diff --git a/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/tutorial_example.cpp b/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/tutorial_example.cpp
index 183e8beddfa..6a1bf64c69f 100644
--- a/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/tutorial_example.cpp
+++ b/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Poisson_surface_reconstruction_3/tutorial_example.cpp
@@ -37,17 +37,17 @@ int main(int argc, char*argv[])
 
   Point_set points;
 
+  std::string fname = argc==1?"data/kitten.xyz" : argv[1];
   if (argc < 2)
   {
     std::cerr << "Usage: " << argv[0] << " [input.xyz/off/ply/las]" << std::endl;
-    return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    std::cerr <<"Running " << argv[0] << " data/kitten.xyz -1\n";
   }
 
-  const char* input_file = argv[1];
-  std::ifstream stream (input_file, std::ios_base::binary);
+  std::ifstream stream (fname, std::ios_base::binary);
   if (!stream)
   {
-    std::cerr << "Error: cannot read file " << input_file << std::endl;
+    std::cerr << "Error: cannot read file " << fname << std::endl;
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
@@ -104,10 +104,10 @@ int main(int argc, char*argv[])
   //! [Smoothing]
   ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-  unsigned int reconstruction_choice
-    = (argc < 3 ? 0 : atoi(argv[2]));
+  int reconstruction_choice
+    = argc==1? -1 : (argc < 3 ? 0 : atoi(argv[2]));
 
-  if (reconstruction_choice == 0) // Poisson
+  if (reconstruction_choice == 0 || reconstruction_choice==-1) // Poisson
   {
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     //! [Normal estimation]
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ int main(int argc, char*argv[])
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     //! [Output poisson]
 
-    std::ofstream f ("out.ply", std::ios_base::binary);
+    std::ofstream f ("out_poisson.ply", std::ios_base::binary);
     CGAL::IO::set_binary_mode (f);
     CGAL::IO::write_PLY(f, output_mesh);
     f.close ();
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ int main(int argc, char*argv[])
     //! [Output poisson]
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
   }
-  else if (reconstruction_choice == 1) // Advancing front
+  if (reconstruction_choice == 1 || reconstruction_choice==-1) // Advancing front
   {
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     //! [Advancing front reconstruction]
@@ -176,14 +176,14 @@ int main(int argc, char*argv[])
 
     CGAL::Surface_mesh<Point_3> output_mesh;
     CGAL::Polygon_mesh_processing::polygon_soup_to_polygon_mesh (vertices, facets, output_mesh);
-    std::ofstream f ("out.off");
+    std::ofstream f ("out_af.off");
     f << output_mesh;
     f.close ();
 
     //! [Output advancing front]
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
   }
-  else if (reconstruction_choice == 2) // Scale space
+  if (reconstruction_choice == 2 || reconstruction_choice==-1) // Scale space
   {
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     //! [Scale space reconstruction]
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ int main(int argc, char*argv[])
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     //! [Output scale space]
 
-    std::ofstream f ("out.off");
+    std::ofstream f ("out_sp.off");
     f << "OFF" << std::endl << points.size () << " "
       << reconstruct.number_of_facets() << " 0" << std::endl;
     for (Point_set::Index idx : points)
diff --git a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space.cmd b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 545777e7e60..00000000000
--- a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/kitten.off
diff --git a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space.cpp b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space.cpp
index 26952258243..2bc7d617259 100644
--- a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space.cpp
+++ b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space.cpp
@@ -16,15 +16,13 @@ typedef Reconstruction::Facet_const_iterator                    Facet_iterator;
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
-  if (argc != 2)
-  {
-    std::cerr << "Error, no input file provided\n";
-    return 1;
-  }
+  // Read the data.
+  std::vector<Point> points;
+  std::std::string fname = argc==1?"data/kitten.off":argv[1];
 
   std::cerr << "Reading " << std::flush;
   std::vector<Point> points;
-  if(!CGAL::IO::read_points(argv[1], std::back_inserter(points)))
+  if(!CGAL::IO::read_points(fname, std::back_inserter(points)))
   {
     std::cerr << "Error: cannot read file" << std::endl;
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
diff --git a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_advancing_front.cmd b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_advancing_front.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 545777e7e60..00000000000
--- a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_advancing_front.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/kitten.off
diff --git a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_advancing_front.cpp b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_advancing_front.cpp
index aa34edd6441..a297048ae8d 100644
--- a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_advancing_front.cpp
+++ b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_advancing_front.cpp
@@ -23,16 +23,12 @@ typedef Reconstruction::Facet_const_iterator                   Facet_iterator;
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
-  if (argc != 2)
-  {
-    std::cerr << "Error, no input file provided\n";
-    return 1;
-  }
-
   // Read the data.
+  Point_set points;
+  std::string fname = argc==1?"data/kitten.off":argv[1];
   std::cerr << "Reading " << std::flush;
   Point_set points;
-  if(!CGAL::IO::read_point_set(argv[1], points))
+  if(!CGAL::IO::read_point_set(fname, points))
   {
     std::cerr << "Error: cannot read file" << std::endl;
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
diff --git a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_incremental.cmd b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_incremental.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 545777e7e60..00000000000
--- a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_incremental.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/kitten.off
diff --git a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_incremental.cpp b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_incremental.cpp
index ce2aa4d670c..214a1aa03d8 100644
--- a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_incremental.cpp
+++ b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_incremental.cpp
@@ -32,15 +32,13 @@ void dump_reconstruction(const Reconstruction& reconstruct, std::string name)
 
 int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 {
-    if (argc != 2)
-    {
-      std::cerr << "Error, no input file provided\n";
-      return 1;
-    }
+    // Read the data.
+    std::vector<Point> points;
 
+    std::string fname = argc==1?"data/kitten.off":argv[1];
     std::cout << "Reading " << std::flush;
     std::vector<Point> points;
-    if(!CGAL::IO::read_points(argv[1], std::back_inserter(points)))
+    if(!CGAL::IO::read_points(fname, std::back_inserter(points)))
     {
       std::cerr << "Error: cannot read file" << std::endl;
       return EXIT_FAILURE;
diff --git a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_manifold.cmd b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_manifold.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 545777e7e60..00000000000
--- a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_manifold.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/kitten.off
diff --git a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_manifold.cpp b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_manifold.cpp
index abf1920fcd7..4466bd7980a 100644
--- a/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_manifold.cpp
+++ b/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/examples/Scale_space_reconstruction_3/scale_space_manifold.cpp
@@ -20,17 +20,14 @@ typedef Reconstruction::Facet_const_iterator                    Facet_iterator;
 typedef Mesher::Facet_const_iterator                            Mesher_iterator;
 typedef CGAL::Timer Timer;
 
-int main(int argc, char* argv[])
-{
-  if(argc != 2)
-  {
-    std::cerr << "Error, no input file provided\n";
-    return 1;
-  }
+int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
+  // Read the data.
+  std::vector<Point> points;
+  std::string fname = argc==1?"data/kitten.off":argv[1];
 
   std::cerr << "Reading " << std::flush;
   std::vector<Point> points;
-  if(!CGAL::IO::read_points(argv[1], std::back_inserter(points)))
+  if(!CGAL::IO::read_points(fname, std::back_inserter(points)))
   {
     std::cerr << "Error: cannot read file" << std::endl;
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
diff --git a/Shape_detection/examples/Shape_detection/efficient_RANSAC_basic.cmd b/Shape_detection/examples/Shape_detection/efficient_RANSAC_basic.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index c88b03fae6c..00000000000
--- a/Shape_detection/examples/Shape_detection/efficient_RANSAC_basic.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-data/cube.pwn
--r data/cube.pwn
diff --git a/Shape_detection/examples/Shape_detection/efficient_RANSAC_with_callback.cmd b/Shape_detection/examples/Shape_detection/efficient_RANSAC_with_callback.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index c88b03fae6c..00000000000
--- a/Shape_detection/examples/Shape_detection/efficient_RANSAC_with_callback.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-data/cube.pwn
--r data/cube.pwn
diff --git a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_bgl.cmd b/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_bgl.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index b21c2fd0954..00000000000
--- a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_bgl.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/knot1.off
diff --git a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_bgl.cpp b/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_bgl.cpp
index b069f1528f1..0ffa474b508 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_bgl.cpp
+++ b/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_bgl.cpp
@@ -15,10 +15,11 @@ typedef CGAL::Surface_mesh<Point>                            Mesh;
 
 typedef boost::graph_traits<Mesh>::vertex_descriptor vertex_descriptor;
 
-int main(int /* argc */, char* argv[])
+int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 {
   Mesh sm;
-  if(!CGAL::IO::read_polygon_mesh(argv[1], sm))
+  std::string fname = argc==1?"data/knot1.off":argv[1];
+  if(!CGAL::IO::read_polygon_mesh(fname, sm))
   {
     std::cerr << "Invalid input file." << std::endl;
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
diff --git a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_do_intersect.cmd b/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_do_intersect.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index eeb9498ab32..00000000000
--- a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_do_intersect.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/knot1.off data/elephant.off
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_do_intersect.cpp b/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_do_intersect.cpp
index 974394a27dc..31acdac03d0 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_do_intersect.cpp
+++ b/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_do_intersect.cpp
@@ -104,16 +104,16 @@ unsigned int intersect(const Mesh& P, const Mesh& Q) {
 
 int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 {
-  if(argc < 3)
-  {
+  Mesh P, Q;
+  std::string P_name = argc==1?"data/knot1.off" : argv[1];
+  std::string Q_name = argc<3 ?"data/elephant.off" : argv[2];
+  if(argc < 3) {
     std::cerr << "Usage: do_intersect <mesh_1.off> <mesh_2.off>" << std::endl;
-    return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    std::cerr << "Running with data/knot1.off and data/elephant.off\n";
   }
 
-  std::cout.precision(17);
-
   Mesh P, Q;
-  if(!CGAL::IO::read_polygon_mesh(argv[1], P) || !CGAL::IO::read_polygon_mesh(argv[2], Q))
+  if(!CGAL::IO::read_polygon_mesh(P_name, P) || !CGAL::IO::read_polygon_mesh(Q_name], Q))
   {
     std::cerr << "Invalid input files." << std::endl;
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
diff --git a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_kruskal.cmd b/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_kruskal.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index b21c2fd0954..00000000000
--- a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_kruskal.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/knot1.off
diff --git a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_kruskal.cpp b/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_kruskal.cpp
index b18beb032da..10f14bbf60a 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_kruskal.cpp
+++ b/Surface_mesh/examples/Surface_mesh/sm_kruskal.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ void kruskal(const Mesh& sm)
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
   Mesh sm;
-  if(argc < 2 || !CGAL::IO::read_polygon_mesh(argv[1], sm))
+  std::string fname = argc==1?"data/knot1.off":argv[1];
+  if(argc < 2 || !CGAL::IO::read_polygon_mesh(fname, sm))
   {
     std::cerr << "Invalid input file." << std::endl;
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
diff --git a/Surface_mesh_deformation/examples/Surface_mesh_deformation/deform_mesh_for_botsch08_format_sre_arap.cmd b/Surface_mesh_deformation/examples/Surface_mesh_deformation/deform_mesh_for_botsch08_format_sre_arap.cmd
deleted file mode 100644
index 949693c38fd..00000000000
--- a/Surface_mesh_deformation/examples/Surface_mesh_deformation/deform_mesh_for_botsch08_format_sre_arap.cmd
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-data/cactus.off data/cactus.sel data/cactus.def
diff --git a/Surface_mesh_deformation/examples/Surface_mesh_deformation/deform_mesh_for_botsch08_format_sre_arap.cpp b/Surface_mesh_deformation/examples/Surface_mesh_deformation/deform_mesh_for_botsch08_format_sre_arap.cpp
index eb528ee2c80..4c141a2bf38 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh_deformation/examples/Surface_mesh_deformation/deform_mesh_for_botsch08_format_sre_arap.cpp
+++ b/Surface_mesh_deformation/examples/Surface_mesh_deformation/deform_mesh_for_botsch08_format_sre_arap.cpp
@@ -16,15 +16,25 @@ typedef CGAL::Surface_mesh_deformation<Polyhedron,CGAL::Default, CGAL::Default,
 
 int main(int argc,char** argv)
 {
+  std::string off_name="input.off", sel_name="input.sel", def_name="input.def";
   if  ( argc!=4){
     std::cerr <<"Usage " << argv[0] << " input.off input.sel input.def\n";
     return 1;
   }
+  else
+  {
+    off_name=argv[1];
+    sel_name=argv[2];
+    def_name=argv[3];
+  }
+
   Polyhedron mesh;
-  std::ifstream input(argv[1]);
+  std::ifstream input(off_name);
 
   if ( !input || !(input >> mesh) || mesh.empty() ) {
-    std::cerr<< argv[1] << " is not a valid off file" << std::endl;
+    std::cerr<< off_name << " is not a valid off file" << std::endl;
+    data/cactus.off data/cactus.sel data/cactus.def
+
     return 1;
   }
   input.close();
@@ -44,7 +54,7 @@ int main(int argc,char** argv)
   boost::tie(vb, ve) = vertices(mesh);
 
   //the selection is set by a file
-  input.open(argv[2]);
+  input.open(sel_name);
   std::string line;
   std::vector<vertex_descriptor> control_vertices;
   while(getline(input, line))
@@ -69,7 +79,7 @@ int main(int argc,char** argv)
   }
 
   //define the transformation
-  input.open(argv[3]);
+  input.open(def_name);
   double m00, m01, m02, m03, m10, m11, m12, m13, m20, m21, m22, m23, hw, sink;
   getline(input, line); // skip first comment line
   input >> m00 >> m01 >> m02 >> m03;