diff --git a/definitions/create_def.pl b/definitions/create_def.pl
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 81409432e..8d3178d24
--- a/definitions/create_def.pl
+++ b/definitions/create_def.pl
@@ -21,15 +21,15 @@ my $dbh  = DBI->connect("dbi:mysql(RaiseError=>1):database=$db;host=$host",$user
 my $tarfilesflag = 0;
 
 sub create_def {
-	my $p; my %seen; 
-	my ($key) =@_;
-	my $field=$key;
+    my $p; my %seen; 
+    my ($key) =@_;
+    my $field=$key;
 
-	if ($key =~ /paramId/) { $field="param.id"; } 
-	if ($key =~ /name/) { $field="param.name"; } 
-	if ($key =~ /units/) { $field="units.name"; } 
+    if ($key =~ /paramId/) { $field="param.id"; } 
+    if ($key =~ /name/) { $field="param.name"; } 
+    if ($key =~ /units/) { $field="units.name"; } 
 
-	my $query= <<"EOF";
+    my $query= <<"EOF";
 	select $field,force128,edition,
 		centre.abbreviation,param_id,attribute.name,attribute_value,param.name,param.shortName
 	from param,grib,attribute,centre,units where param.hide_def=0 and param.id=grib.param_id 
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ sub create_def {
 	order by edition,centre,param.o,param.id,grib.param_version,attribute.o;
 EOF
 
-	my $qh=$dbh->prepare($query);
-	$qh->execute();
+    my $qh=$dbh->prepare($query);
+    $qh->execute();
 
     # file containing the list of grib api parameters files we want to tar and 
     # distribute to users for them to download and update their list of parameter
@@ -46,13 +46,13 @@ EOF
     open(TAR,$tarfilesflag ? ">>" : ">","tarfiles.txt") or die "Count not open file tarfiles.txt: $!";
     $tarfilesflag=1;
 
-	while (my ($keyval,$force128,$edition,$centre,$paramId,$attribute,$value,$name,$shortName)=$qh->fetchrow_array )
-	{
-		if ($centre eq "all" ) { $conceptDir=""; }
+    while (my ($keyval,$force128,$edition,$centre,$paramId,$attribute,$value,$name,$shortName)=$qh->fetchrow_array )
+    {
+        if ($centre eq "all" ) { $conceptDir=""; }
         else { $conceptDir="/localConcepts/$centre"; }
-		#if ($key =~ /paramId/ && $force128==1 && $keyval >1000) {
-		#	$keyval= $keyval % 1000;
-		#}
+        #if ($key =~ /paramId/ && $force128==1 && $keyval >1000) {
+        #  $keyval= $keyval % 1000;
+        #}
 
         if ($filebase ne "$basedir/grib$edition$conceptDir") {
             if ($filebase) {
@@ -60,35 +60,35 @@ EOF
                 close $out;
             }
             $filebase="$basedir/grib$edition$conceptDir";
-			mkpath($filebase); 
+            mkpath($filebase); 
 
             #copy("$filebase/$key.def","$filebase/$key.def.bkp") 
-			#	or die ("unable to copy $filebase/$key.def");
+            #  or die ("unable to copy $filebase/$key.def");
 
             print TAR "grib$edition$conceptDir/$key.def\n";
-
-			system("p4 edit $filebase/$key.def");
+            system("cp -f $filebase/$key.def $filebase/$key.def.orig");
+            #system("p4 edit $filebase/$key.def");
             open($out,"> $filebase/$key.def")
                 or die "unable to open $filebase/$key.def";
             print $out "# Automatically generated by $0 from database $db\@$host, do not edit\n";
             $p=();
         }
-		if ($p ne $paramId || exists($seen{$attribute}) ) {
-			if ($p) { print $out "\t}\n"; }
-			print $out "#$name\n" ;
-			print $out "\'".$keyval."\' = {\n" ;
-			$p=$paramId;
-			%seen=();
-		}
-		$seen{$attribute}=1;
-		print "($key=$keyval) $edition,$centre,$shortName,$paramId,$name,$attribute,$value\n";
-		# we need to allow strings in the attribute_value field 
-		# for the moment we apply a patch here
-		if ($attribute =~ /stepType/ ) {
-			$value="\"accum\"";
-		}
-		print $out "\t $attribute = $value ;\n" ;
-	}
+        if ($p ne $paramId || exists($seen{$attribute}) ) {
+           if ($p) { print $out "\t}\n"; }
+           print $out "#$name\n" ;
+           print $out "\'".$keyval."\' = {\n" ;
+           $p=$paramId;
+           %seen=();
+        }
+        $seen{$attribute}=1;
+        print "($key=$keyval) $edition,$centre,$shortName,$paramId,$name,$attribute,$value\n";
+        # we need to allow strings in the attribute_value field 
+        # for the moment we apply a patch here
+        if ($attribute =~ /stepType/ ) {
+            $value="\"accum\"";
+        }
+        print $out "\t $attribute = $value ;\n" ;
+    }
     if ($filebase) {
        print $out "}\n";
        close $out;