diff --git a/fishbook/backend/database.py b/fishbook/backend/database.py
index dbc989f..ce847bf 100644
--- a/fishbook/backend/database.py
+++ b/fishbook/backend/database.py
@@ -6,10 +6,13 @@ import glob
 import socket
 from fishbook.backend.util import read_info_file, read_dataset_info, read_stimuli_file
 from fishbook.backend.util import find_key_recursive, deep_get, find_mtags_for_tag
-from fishbook.backend.util import mtag_settings_to_yaml, nix_metadata_to_yaml, progress
+from fishbook.backend.util import mtag_settings_to_yaml, nix_metadata_to_yaml, mtag_features_to_yaml, progress
 import uuid
 import yaml
 
+from IPython import embed
+
+dj.config["enable_python_native_blobs"] = True
 schema = dj.schema("fish_book", locals())
 
 
@@ -129,6 +132,7 @@ class SubjectProperties(dj.Manual):
     eod_frequency : float
     """
 
+    @staticmethod
     def get_template_tuple(id=None):
         tup = dict(id=None, subject_id=None, recording_date=None, weight=0.0, size=0.0,
                    eod_frequency=0.0)
@@ -316,8 +320,11 @@ def populate_cells(data_path):
     cell_info = deep_get(info, p)
 
     p = []
-    find_key_recursive(info, "Firing Rate1", p)
-    firing_rate = deep_get(info, p, default=0.0)
+    res = find_key_recursive(info, "Firing Rate1", p)
+    if res:
+        firing_rate = deep_get(info, p, default=0.0)
+    else:    
+        firing_rate = 0.0
     if isinstance(firing_rate, str):
         firing_rate = float(firing_rate[:-2])
 
@@ -356,7 +363,6 @@ def populate_cells(data_path):
         cell_props["lateral_pos"] = float(cell_info["Lateral position"][:-2])
     if "Transverse section" in cell_info.keys():
         cell_props["transversal_section"] = float(cell_info["Transverse section"])
-
     Cells.insert1(cell_props, skip_duplicates=True)
 
     # multi match entry
@@ -377,12 +383,13 @@ def scan_nix_file_for_repros(dataset):
         repro_runs = [t for t in b.tags if "relacs.repro_run" in t.type]
         total = len(repro_runs)
         for i, t in enumerate(repro_runs):
-            progress(i+1, total, "Scanning repro run %s" % rs["RePro"]) 
             rs = t.metadata.find_sections(lambda x: "Run" in x.props)
+            rs = rs[0]
             if len(rs) == 0:
                 continue
-            rs = rs[0]
 
+            progress(i+1, total, "Scanning repro run %s" % rs["RePro"]) 
+           
             rp = Repros.get_template_tuple()
             rp["run"] = rs["Run"]
             rp["repro_name"] = rs["RePro"]
@@ -405,11 +412,24 @@ def scan_nix_file_for_repros(dataset):
             repro.pop("duration")
 
             mtags, positions = find_mtags_for_tag(b, t)
-            for i, mt in enumerate(mtags):
-                mt_positions = np.atleast_2d(mt.positions[:]).T
-                mt_extents = np.atleast_2d(mt.extents[:]).T
-                for p in positions[i]:
-                    settings = mtag_settings_to_yaml(mt, p)
+            mt_settings_dict = {}
+            positions_dict = {}
+            extents_dict = {}
+            for j, mt in enumerate(mtags):
+                if mt.id in positions_dict.keys():
+                    mt_positions = positions_dict[mt.id]
+                    mt_extents = extents_dict[mt.id]
+                    mdata_yaml = mt_settings_dict[mt.id]
+                else:
+                    mdata_yaml = nix_metadata_to_yaml(mt.metadata)
+                    mt_settings_dict[mt.id] = mdata_yaml
+                    mt_positions = np.atleast_2d(mt.positions[:])
+                    mt_extents = np.atleast_2d(mt.extents[:])
+                    if mt.positions.shape[0] != mt_positions.shape[0]:
+                        mt_positions = mt_positions.T
+                        mt_extents = mt_extents.T
+                for p in positions[j]:
+                    settings = mtag_features_to_yaml(mt, p, mdata_yaml)
                     stim_start = mt_positions[p, 0]
                     stim_duration = mt_extents[p, 0]
 
@@ -424,6 +444,7 @@ def scan_nix_file_for_repros(dataset):
                     stim["stimulus_name"] = mt.name
                     stim.update(repro)
                     Stimuli.insert1(stim, skip_duplicates=True)
+            print(" " * 120, end="\r")
         print("\n")
         f.close()
         f = None
@@ -434,7 +455,7 @@ def scan_folder_for_repros(dataset):
     repro_settings, stim_indices = read_stimuli_file(dataset["data_source"])
     repro_counts = {}
     cell_id = (Cells * CellDatasetMap * (Datasets & "dataset_id = '%s'" % dataset["dataset_id"])).fetch("cell_id", limit=1)[0]
-    for i, (rs, si) in enumerate(zip(repro_settings, stim_indices)):
+    for rs, si in zip(repro_settings, stim_indices):
         rp = Repros.get_template_tuple()
         path = []
         if not find_key_recursive(rs, "run", path):