diff --git a/capture.c b/capture.c
index dfee5f82b7..c29447b4fc 100644
--- a/capture.c
+++ b/capture.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 #define O_BINARY	0
 #endif
 
-static gboolean normal_do_capture(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean is_tempfile);
+/*static gboolean normal_do_capture(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean is_tempfile);*/
 static void stop_capture_signal_handler(int signo);
 
 
@@ -92,8 +92,16 @@ capture_open_output(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean *is_tempfile) {
     capfile_name = g_strdup(capture_opts->save_file);
     if (capture_opts->multi_files_on) {
       /* ringbuffer is enabled */
-      capture_opts->save_file_fd = ringbuf_init(capfile_name,
-          (capture_opts->has_ring_num_files) ? capture_opts->ring_num_files : 0);
+/*      capture_opts->save_file_fd = ringbuf_init(capfile_name,
+          (capture_opts->has_ring_num_files) ? capture_opts->ring_num_files : 0);*/
+    /* XXX - this is a hack, we need to find a way to move this whole function to capture_loop.c */
+      capture_opts->save_file_fd = -1;
+      if(capture_opts->save_file != NULL) {
+        g_free(capture_opts->save_file);
+      }
+      capture_opts->save_file = capfile_name;
+      *is_tempfile = FALSE;
+      return TRUE;
     } else {
       /* Try to open/create the specified file for use as a capture buffer. */
       capture_opts->save_file_fd = open(capfile_name, O_RDWR|O_BINARY|O_TRUNC|O_CREAT,
@@ -115,7 +123,7 @@ capture_open_output(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean *is_tempfile) {
 	"could not be opened: %s.", capfile_name, strerror(errno));
     } else {
       if (capture_opts->multi_files_on) {
-        ringbuf_error_cleanup();
+/*        ringbuf_error_cleanup();*/
       }
       open_failure_alert_box(capfile_name, errno, TRUE);
     }
@@ -134,17 +142,19 @@ capture_open_output(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean *is_tempfile) {
 }
 
 
+#if 0
 /* close the output file (NOT the capture file) */
 static void
 capture_close_output(capture_options *capture_opts)
 {
     if (capture_opts->multi_files_on) {
-        ringbuf_free();
+/*        ringbuf_free();*/
     } else {
         g_free(capture_opts->save_file);
     }
     capture_opts->save_file = NULL;
 }
+#endif
 
 
 /* Open a specified file, or create a temporary file, and start a capture
@@ -173,17 +183,19 @@ do_capture(capture_options *capture_opts)
    * If this is fixed, we could always use the sync mode, throwing away the 
    * normal mode completely and doing some more cleanup. */
 /*  if (TRUE) {*/
-  if (capture_opts->sync_mode) {
+/*  if (capture_opts->sync_mode) {*/
     /* sync mode: do the capture in a child process */
     ret = sync_pipe_do_capture(capture_opts, is_tempfile);
     /* capture is still running */
     cf_callback_invoke(cf_cb_live_capture_prepare, capture_opts);
+#if 0
   } else {
     /* normal mode: do the capture synchronously */
     cf_callback_invoke(cf_cb_live_capture_prepare, capture_opts);
     ret = normal_do_capture(capture_opts, is_tempfile);
     /* capture is finished here */
   }
+#endif
 
   return ret;
 }
@@ -268,6 +280,7 @@ guint32 drops)
 }
 
 
+#if 0
 /* start a normal capture session */
 static gboolean
 normal_do_capture(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean is_tempfile)
@@ -292,6 +305,7 @@ normal_do_capture(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean is_tempfile)
     capture_close_output(capture_opts);
     return succeeded;
 }
+#endif
 
 
 static void
@@ -304,7 +318,7 @@ stop_capture_signal_handler(int signo _U_)
 int  
 capture_child_start(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean *stats_known, struct pcap_stat *stats)
 {
-  gchar *err_msg;
+/*  gchar *err_msg;*/
 
   g_assert(capture_opts->capture_child);
 
@@ -316,6 +330,7 @@ capture_child_start(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean *stats_known, struct
     signal(SIGUSR1, stop_capture_signal_handler);
 #endif
 
+#if 0
     /* parent must have send us a file descriptor for the opened output file */
     if (capture_opts->save_file_fd == -1) {
       /* send this to the standard output as something our parent
@@ -325,6 +340,7 @@ capture_child_start(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean *stats_known, struct
       g_free(err_msg);
       return FALSE;
     }
+#endif
 
   return capture_loop_start(capture_opts, stats_known, stats);
 }
diff --git a/capture_loop.c b/capture_loop.c
index 1f947fa6f1..32771d5c04 100644
--- a/capture_loop.c
+++ b/capture_loop.c
@@ -1027,6 +1027,26 @@ capture_loop_start(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean *stats_known, struct
   /* We haven't yet gotten the capture statistics. */
   *stats_known      = FALSE;
 
+  /*g_warning("capture_loop_start");
+  capture_opts_info(capture_opts);*/
+
+  /*_asm {int 3};*/
+
+  if (capture_opts->multi_files_on) {
+      /* ringbuffer is enabled */
+      capture_opts->save_file_fd = ringbuf_init(capture_opts->save_file,
+          (capture_opts->has_ring_num_files) ? capture_opts->ring_num_files : 0);
+      if (capture_opts->save_file_fd == -1) {
+        ringbuf_error_cleanup();
+        goto error;
+      }
+
+      /* replace save_file by current ringbuffer filename */
+      if(capture_opts->save_file) {
+          g_free(capture_opts->save_file);
+      }
+      capture_opts->save_file = g_strdup(ringbuf_current_filename());  
+  }
 
   /* open the "input file" from network interface or capture pipe */
   if (!capture_loop_open_input(capture_opts, &ld, errmsg, sizeof(errmsg))) {
@@ -1123,6 +1143,9 @@ capture_loop_start(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean *stats_known, struct
             if (cnd_file_duration) {
               cnd_reset(cnd_file_duration);
             }
+            if (capture_opts->capture_child) {
+                sync_pipe_filename_to_parent(capture_opts->save_file);
+            }
           } else {
             /* File switch failed: stop here */
             ld.go = FALSE;
@@ -1191,6 +1214,9 @@ capture_loop_start(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean *stats_known, struct
             cnd_reset(cnd_file_duration);
             if(cnd_autostop_size)
               cnd_reset(cnd_autostop_size);
+            if (capture_opts->capture_child) {
+                sync_pipe_filename_to_parent(capture_opts->save_file);
+            }
           } else {
             /* File switch failed: stop here */
 	        ld.go = FALSE;
diff --git a/capture_opts.c b/capture_opts.c
index f2bdc06900..ccf73f62bb 100644
--- a/capture_opts.c
+++ b/capture_opts.c
@@ -85,6 +85,39 @@ capture_opts_init(capture_options *capture_opts, void *cfile)
   capture_opts->fork_child              = -1;               /* invalid process handle */
 }
 
+
+/* debug only: print content of capture_opts to console */
+void
+capture_opts_info(capture_options *capture_opts) {
+    g_warning("CAPTURE OPTIONS    :");
+    g_warning("File               : %s", capture_opts->cf);
+    g_warning("Filter             : %s", capture_opts->cfilter);
+    g_warning("Interface          : %s", capture_opts->iface);
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    g_warning("BufferSize         : %u (MB)", capture_opts->buffer_size);
+#endif
+    g_warning("SnapLen         (%u): %u", capture_opts->has_snaplen, capture_opts->snaplen);
+    g_warning("Promisc            : %u", capture_opts->promisc_mode);
+    g_warning("LinkType           : %d", capture_opts->linktype);
+    g_warning("Child              : %u", capture_opts->capture_child);
+    g_warning("SaveFile           : %s", capture_opts->save_file);
+    g_warning("SaveFileFd         : %d", capture_opts->save_file_fd);
+    g_warning("SyncMode           : %u", capture_opts->sync_mode);
+    g_warning("ShowInfo           : %u", capture_opts->show_info);
+    g_warning("QuitAfterCap       : %u", capture_opts->quit_after_cap);
+
+    g_warning("MultiFilesOn       : %u", capture_opts->multi_files_on);
+    g_warning("FileDuration    (%u): %u", capture_opts->has_file_duration, capture_opts->file_duration);
+    g_warning("RingNumFiles    (%u): %u", capture_opts->has_ring_num_files, capture_opts->ring_num_files);
+
+    g_warning("AutostopFiles   (%u): %u", capture_opts->has_autostop_files, capture_opts->autostop_files);
+    g_warning("AutostopPackets (%u): %u", capture_opts->has_autostop_packets, capture_opts->autostop_packets);
+    g_warning("AutostopFilesize(%u): %u", capture_opts->has_autostop_filesize, capture_opts->autostop_filesize);
+    g_warning("AutostopDuration(%u): %u", capture_opts->has_autostop_duration, capture_opts->autostop_duration);
+
+    g_warning("ForkChild          : %d", capture_opts->fork_child);
+}
+
 /*
  * Given a string of the form "<autostop criterion>:<value>", as might appear
  * as an argument to a "-a" option, parse it and set the criterion in
@@ -148,18 +181,12 @@ get_ring_arguments(capture_options *capture_opts, const char *appname, const cha
   gchar *p = NULL, *colonp;
 
   colonp = strchr(arg, ':');
-
-  if (colonp != NULL) {
-    p = colonp;
-    *p++ = '\0';
-  }
-
-  capture_opts->ring_num_files = 
-    get_natural_int(appname, arg, "number of ring buffer files");
-
   if (colonp == NULL)
     return TRUE;
 
+  p = colonp;
+  *p++ = '\0';
+
   /*
    * Skip over any white space (there probably won't be any, but
    * as we allow it in the preferences file, we might as well
@@ -177,9 +204,16 @@ get_ring_arguments(capture_options *capture_opts, const char *appname, const cha
     return FALSE;
   }
 
-  capture_opts->has_file_duration = TRUE;
-  capture_opts->file_duration = get_positive_int(appname, p,
-						      "ring buffer duration");
+  if (strcmp(arg,"files") == 0) {
+    capture_opts->has_ring_num_files = TRUE;
+    capture_opts->ring_num_files = get_natural_int(appname, p, "number of ring buffer files");
+  } else if (strcmp(arg,"filesize") == 0) {
+    capture_opts->has_autostop_filesize = TRUE;
+    capture_opts->autostop_filesize = get_positive_int(appname, p, "ring buffer filesize");
+  } else if (strcmp(arg,"duration") == 0) {
+    capture_opts->has_file_duration = TRUE;
+    capture_opts->file_duration = get_positive_int(appname, p, "ring buffer duration");
+  }
 
   *colonp = ':';	/* put the colon back */
   return TRUE;
@@ -202,7 +236,6 @@ capture_opts_add_opt(capture_options *capture_opts, const char *appname, int opt
         break;
     case 'b':        /* Ringbuffer option */
         capture_opts->multi_files_on = TRUE;
-        capture_opts->has_ring_num_files = TRUE;
         if (get_ring_arguments(capture_opts, appname, optarg) == FALSE) {
           fprintf(stderr, "%s: Invalid or unknown -b arg \"%s\"\n", appname, optarg);
           exit(1);
diff --git a/capture_sync.c b/capture_sync.c
index 092cce08d5..9cb7a12e4f 100644
--- a/capture_sync.c
+++ b/capture_sync.c
@@ -221,7 +221,11 @@ sync_pipe_do_capture(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean is_tempfile) {
     char *msg;
     int  err;
     char ssnap[24];
-    char scount[24];			/* need a constant for len of numbers */
+    char scount[24];			    /* need a constant for len of numbers */
+    char sfilesize[24];	            /* need a constant for len of numbers */
+    char sfile_duration[24];	    /* need a constant for len of numbers */
+    char sring_num_files[24];	    /* need a constant for len of numbers */
+    char sautostop_files[24];	    /* need a constant for len of numbers */
     char sautostop_filesize[24];	/* need a constant for len of numbers */
     char sautostop_duration[24];	/* need a constant for len of numbers */
     char save_file_fd_str[24];
@@ -239,6 +243,10 @@ sync_pipe_do_capture(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean is_tempfile) {
     enum PIPES { PIPE_READ, PIPE_WRITE };   /* Constants 0 and 1 for PIPE_READ and PIPE_WRITE */
     int sync_pipe[2];                       /* pipes used to sync between instances */
 
+
+    /*g_warning("sync_pipe_do_capture");
+    capture_opts_info(capture_opts);*/
+
     capture_opts->fork_child = -1;
 
     /* Allocate the string pointer array with enough space for the
@@ -260,12 +268,6 @@ sync_pipe_do_capture(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean is_tempfile) {
     sprintf(save_file_fd_str,"%d",capture_opts->save_file_fd);	/* in lieu of itoa */
     argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, save_file_fd_str);
 
-    if (capture_opts->has_autostop_packets) {
-      argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, "-c");
-      sprintf(scount,"%d",capture_opts->autostop_packets);
-      argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, scount);
-    }
-
     if (capture_opts->has_snaplen) {
       argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, "-s");
       sprintf(ssnap,"%d",capture_opts->snaplen);
@@ -283,10 +285,42 @@ sync_pipe_do_capture(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean is_tempfile) {
       argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, ssnap);
     }
 
-    if (capture_opts->has_autostop_filesize) {
-      argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, "-a");
-      sprintf(sautostop_filesize,"filesize:%d",capture_opts->autostop_filesize);
-      argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, sautostop_filesize);
+    if(capture_opts->multi_files_on) {
+      if (capture_opts->has_autostop_filesize) {
+        argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, "-b");
+        sprintf(sfilesize,"filesize:%d",capture_opts->autostop_filesize);
+        argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, sfilesize);
+      }
+
+      if (capture_opts->has_file_duration) {
+        argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, "-b");
+        sprintf(sfile_duration,"duration:%d",capture_opts->file_duration);
+        argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, sfile_duration);
+      }
+
+      if (capture_opts->has_ring_num_files) {
+        argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, "-b");
+        sprintf(sring_num_files,"files:%d",capture_opts->ring_num_files);
+        argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, sring_num_files);
+      }
+
+      if (capture_opts->has_autostop_files) {
+        argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, "-a");
+        sprintf(sautostop_files,"files:%d",capture_opts->autostop_files);
+        argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, sautostop_files);
+      }
+    } else {
+        if (capture_opts->has_autostop_filesize) {
+          argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, "-a");
+          sprintf(sautostop_filesize,"filesize:%d",capture_opts->autostop_filesize);
+          argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, sautostop_filesize);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (capture_opts->has_autostop_packets) {
+      argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, "-c");
+      sprintf(scount,"%d",capture_opts->autostop_packets);
+      argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, scount);
     }
 
     if (capture_opts->has_autostop_duration) {
@@ -304,7 +338,6 @@ sync_pipe_do_capture(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean is_tempfile) {
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
     /* Create a pipe for the child process */
-
     if(_pipe(sync_pipe, 512, O_BINARY) < 0) {
       /* Couldn't create the pipe between parent and child. */
       error = errno;
@@ -402,7 +435,9 @@ sync_pipe_do_capture(capture_options *capture_opts, gboolean is_tempfile) {
 
     /* Close the save file FD, as we won't be using it - we'll be opening
        it and reading the save file through Wiretap. */
-    close(capture_opts->save_file_fd);
+    if(capture_opts->save_file_fd != -1) {
+      close(capture_opts->save_file_fd);
+    }
 
     if (capture_opts->fork_child == -1) {
       /* We couldn't even create the child process. */
@@ -676,10 +711,6 @@ sync_pipe_input_cb(gint source, gpointer user_data)
       }
       *r = '\0';
 
-      /* currently, both filenames must be equal */
-      /* (this will change, when multiple files together with sync_mode are captured) */
-      g_assert(strcmp(capture_opts->save_file, msg) == 0);
-
       /* save the new filename */
       if(capture_opts->save_file != NULL) {
         g_free(capture_opts->save_file);
diff --git a/gtk/main.c b/gtk/main.c
index 327f257a21..a269d867d0 100644
--- a/gtk/main.c
+++ b/gtk/main.c
@@ -2070,12 +2070,12 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	fprintf(stderr, "ethereal: Ring buffer requested, but capture isn't being saved to a permanent file.\n");
 	capture_opts->multi_files_on = FALSE;
       }
-      if (capture_opts->sync_mode) {
+/*      if (capture_opts->sync_mode) {
 	fprintf(stderr, "ethereal: Ring buffer requested, but an \"Update list of packets in real time\" capture is being done.\n");
 	capture_opts->multi_files_on = FALSE;
-      }
-      if (!capture_opts->has_autostop_filesize) {
-	fprintf(stderr, "ethereal: Ring buffer requested, but no maximum capture file size was specified.\n");
+      }*/
+      if (!capture_opts->has_autostop_filesize && !capture_opts->has_file_duration) {
+	fprintf(stderr, "ethereal: Ring buffer requested, but no maximum capture file size or duration were specified.\n");
 	capture_opts->multi_files_on = FALSE;
       }
     }
diff --git a/ringbuffer.c b/ringbuffer.c
index 1a89e6d4bb..4cfc637a3c 100644
--- a/ringbuffer.c
+++ b/ringbuffer.c
@@ -232,6 +232,12 @@ ringbuf_init(const char *capfile_name, guint num_files)
   return rb_data.fd;
 }
 
+
+const gchar *ringbuf_current_filename(void)
+{
+  return rb_data.files[rb_data.curr_file_num % rb_data.num_files].name;
+}
+
 /*
  * Calls wtap_dump_fdopen() for the current ringbuffer file
  */
diff --git a/ringbuffer.h b/ringbuffer.h
index b5904053e3..8962cf1dac 100644
--- a/ringbuffer.h
+++ b/ringbuffer.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #define RINGBUFFER_MAX_NUM_FILES 1024
 
 int ringbuf_init(const char *capture_name, guint num_files);
+const gchar *ringbuf_current_filename(void);
 wtap_dumper* ringbuf_init_wtap_dump_fdopen(int filetype, int linktype,
   int snaplen, int *err);
 gboolean ringbuf_switch_file(wtap_dumper **pdh, gchar **save_file, int *save_file_fd, int *err);