diff --git a/libCacheSim/bin/traceAnalyzer/cli_parser.cpp b/libCacheSim/bin/traceAnalyzer/cli_parser.cpp
index 588e4866..e3d62c80 100644
--- a/libCacheSim/bin/traceAnalyzer/cli_parser.cpp
+++ b/libCacheSim/bin/traceAnalyzer/cli_parser.cpp
@@ -74,11 +74,13 @@ static struct argp_option options[] = {
      "enable popularity analysis, output freq:cnt in dataname.popularity file, "
      "and prints the skewness to stdout and stat file",
      3},
-    {"popularityDacay", OPTION_ENABLE_POPULARITY_DECAY, NULL,
+    {"popularityDecay", OPTION_ENABLE_POPULARITY_DECAY, NULL,
      OPTION_ARG_OPTIONAL,
      "enable popularity decay analysis, this calculates popularity fade as a "
      "heatmap. It is an expensive analysis, enable only when needed.",
      3},
+    {"popularityDacay", OPTION_ENABLE_POPULARITY_DECAY, NULL,
+     OPTION_ARG_OPTIONAL | OPTION_HIDDEN, NULL, 3},
     {"reuse", OPTION_ENABLE_REUSE, NULL, OPTION_ARG_OPTIONAL,
      "reuse analysis, output a reuse distribution (both real time and virtual "
      "time) in dataname.reuse file",
@@ -110,8 +112,8 @@ static struct argp_option options[] = {
 
     {NULL, 0, NULL, 0, "common parameters:", 0},
 
-    {"output", OPTION_OUTPUT_PATH, "", OPTION_ARG_OPTIONAL, "Output path", 8},
-    {"verbose", OPTION_VERBOSE, NULL, OPTION_ARG_OPTIONAL,
+    {"output", OPTION_OUTPUT_PATH, "PATH", 0, "Output path prefix", 8},
+    {"verbose", OPTION_VERBOSE, NULL, 0,
      "Produce verbose output", 8},
     {NULL, 0, NULL, 0, NULL, 0}};
 
@@ -128,6 +130,10 @@ static error_t parse_opt(int key, char *arg, struct argp_state *state) {
       arguments->trace_type_params = arg;
       break;
     case OPTION_OUTPUT_PATH:
+      if (arg == nullptr) {
+        argp_usage(state);
+        exit(1);
+      }
       strncpy(arguments->ofilepath, arg, OFILEPATH_LEN - 1);
       arguments->ofilepath[OFILEPATH_LEN - 1] = '\0';
       break;
@@ -149,6 +155,9 @@ static error_t parse_opt(int key, char *arg, struct argp_state *state) {
     case OPTION_TRACK_N_HIT:
       arguments->analysis_param.track_n_hit = atoi(arg);
       break;
+    case OPTION_TRACK_N_POPULAR:
+      arguments->analysis_param.track_n_popular = atoi(arg);
+      break;
     case OPTION_ENABLE_ALL:
       arguments->analysis_option.req_rate = true;
       arguments->analysis_option.access_pattern = true;
@@ -187,7 +196,7 @@ static error_t parse_opt(int key, char *arg, struct argp_state *state) {
       break;
 
     case OPTION_VERBOSE:
-      arguments->verbose = is_true(arg) ? true : false;
+      arguments->verbose = true;
       break;
     case ARGP_KEY_ARG:
       if (state->arg_num >= N_ARGS) {
@@ -236,7 +245,6 @@ static void init_arg(struct arguments *args) {
 
   args->trace_path = NULL;
   args->trace_type_params = NULL;
-  args->verbose = true;
   memset(args->ofilepath, 0, OFILEPATH_LEN);
   args->n_req = -1;
   args->verbose = false;
diff --git a/libCacheSim/bin/traceAnalyzer/main.cpp b/libCacheSim/bin/traceAnalyzer/main.cpp
index de7e4c6e..afa28994 100644
--- a/libCacheSim/bin/traceAnalyzer/main.cpp
+++ b/libCacheSim/bin/traceAnalyzer/main.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
       args.reader, args.ofilepath, args.analysis_option, args.analysis_param);
   stat->run();
 
-  ofstream ofs("traceStat", ios::out | ios::app);
+  ofstream ofs(args.ofilepath + string(".traceStat"), ios::out | ios::app);
   ofs << *stat << endl;
   ofs.close();
   cout << *stat;
diff --git a/libCacheSim/traceAnalyzer/analyzer.cpp b/libCacheSim/traceAnalyzer/analyzer.cpp
index 2ec5a4a9..e7129bc5 100644
--- a/libCacheSim/traceAnalyzer/analyzer.cpp
+++ b/libCacheSim/traceAnalyzer/analyzer.cpp
@@ -89,8 +89,76 @@ void traceAnalyzer::TraceAnalyzer::cleanup() {
 void traceAnalyzer::TraceAnalyzer::run() {
   if (has_run_) return;
 
+  auto dump_outputs = [&]() {
+    ofstream ofs(output_path_ + ".stat", ios::out | ios::app);
+    ofs << gen_stat_str() << endl;
+    ofs.close();
+
+    if (ttl_stat_ != nullptr) {
+      ttl_stat_->dump(output_path_);
+    }
+
+    if (req_rate_stat_ != nullptr) {
+      req_rate_stat_->dump(output_path_);
+    }
+
+    if (reuse_stat_ != nullptr) {
+      reuse_stat_->dump(output_path_);
+    }
+
+    if (size_stat_ != nullptr) {
+      size_stat_->dump(output_path_);
+    }
+
+    if (access_stat_ != nullptr) {
+      access_stat_->dump(output_path_);
+    }
+
+    if (popularity_stat_ != nullptr) {
+      popularity_stat_->dump(output_path_);
+    }
+
+    if (popularity_decay_stat_ != nullptr) {
+      popularity_decay_stat_->dump(output_path_);
+    }
+
+    if (prob_at_age_ != nullptr) {
+      prob_at_age_->dump(output_path_);
+    }
+
+    if (lifetime_stat_ != nullptr) {
+      lifetime_stat_->dump(output_path_);
+    }
+
+    if (create_future_reuse_ != nullptr) {
+      create_future_reuse_->dump(output_path_);
+    }
+
+    // if (write_reuse_stat_ != nullptr) {
+    //   write_reuse_stat_->dump(output_path_);
+    // }
+
+    // if (write_future_reuse_stat_ != nullptr) {
+    //   write_future_reuse_stat_->dump(output_path_);
+    // }
+
+    if (scan_detector_ != nullptr) {
+      scan_detector_->dump(output_path_);
+    }
+
+    has_run_ = true;
+  };
+
   request_t *req = new_request();
   read_one_req(reader_, req);
+  if (!req->valid) {
+    start_ts_ = 0;
+    end_ts_ = 0;
+    post_processing();
+    free_request(req);
+    dump_outputs();
+    return;
+  }
   start_ts_ = req->clock_time;
   int32_t curr_time_window_idx = 0;
   int next_time_window_ts = time_window_;
@@ -226,67 +294,35 @@ void traceAnalyzer::TraceAnalyzer::run() {
 
   free_request(req);
 
-  ofstream ofs("stat", ios::out | ios::app);
-  ofs << gen_stat_str() << endl;
-  ofs.close();
-
-  if (ttl_stat_ != nullptr) {
-    ttl_stat_->dump(output_path_);
-  }
-
-  if (req_rate_stat_ != nullptr) {
-    req_rate_stat_->dump(output_path_);
-  }
-
-  if (reuse_stat_ != nullptr) {
-    reuse_stat_->dump(output_path_);
-  }
-
-  if (size_stat_ != nullptr) {
-    size_stat_->dump(output_path_);
-  }
-
-  if (access_stat_ != nullptr) {
-    access_stat_->dump(output_path_);
-  }
-
-  if (popularity_stat_ != nullptr) {
-    popularity_stat_->dump(output_path_);
-  }
-
-  if (popularity_decay_stat_ != nullptr) {
-    popularity_decay_stat_->dump(output_path_);
-  }
-
-  if (prob_at_age_ != nullptr) {
-    prob_at_age_->dump(output_path_);
-  }
-
-  if (lifetime_stat_ != nullptr) {
-    lifetime_stat_->dump(output_path_);
-  }
-
-  if (create_future_reuse_ != nullptr) {
-    create_future_reuse_->dump(output_path_);
-  }
-
-  // if (write_reuse_stat_ != nullptr) {
-  //   write_reuse_stat_->dump(output_path_);
-  // }
-
-  // if (write_future_reuse_stat_ != nullptr) {
-  //   write_future_reuse_stat_->dump(output_path_);
-  // }
-
-  if (scan_detector_ != nullptr) {
-    scan_detector_->dump(output_path_);
-  }
-
-  has_run_ = true;
+  dump_outputs();
 }
 
 string traceAnalyzer::TraceAnalyzer::gen_stat_str() {
   stat_ss_.clear();
+  if (n_req_ == 0) {
+    stat_ss_ << setprecision(4) << fixed << "dat: " << reader_->trace_path
+             << "\n"
+             << "number of requests: 0, number of objects: 0\n"
+             << "number of req GiB: 0.0000, number of obj GiB: 0.0000\n"
+             << "compulsory miss ratio (req/byte): 0.0000/0.0000\n"
+             << "object size weighted by req/obj: 0/0\n"
+             << "frequency mean: 0.0000\n"
+             << "time span: 0(0.0000 day)\n"
+             << "write: 0(0.0000), overwrite: 0(0.0000), del:0(0.0000)\n"
+             << "X-hit (number of obj accessed X times): ";
+    for (int i = 0; i < track_n_hit_; i++) {
+      stat_ss_ << "0(0.0000), ";
+    }
+    stat_ss_ << "\n";
+
+    stat_ss_ << "freq (fraction) of the most popular obj: ";
+    for (int i = 0; i < track_n_popular_; i++) {
+      stat_ss_ << "0(0.0000), ";
+    }
+    stat_ss_ << "\n";
+    return stat_ss_.str();
+  }
+
   double cold_miss_ratio = (double)obj_map_.size() / (double)n_req_;
   double byte_cold_miss_ratio =
       (double)sum_obj_size_obj / (double)sum_obj_size_req;
@@ -354,7 +390,7 @@ void traceAnalyzer::TraceAnalyzer::post_processing() {
     }
   }
 
-  if (option_.popularity) {
+  if (option_.popularity && !obj_map_.empty()) {
     popularity_stat_ = new Popularity(obj_map_);
     auto &sorted_freq = popularity_stat_->get_sorted_freq();
     int n = std::min(track_n_popular_, (int)sorted_freq.size());
diff --git a/libCacheSim/traceReader/reader.c b/libCacheSim/traceReader/reader.c
index 7705e57b..e3f9d14f 100644
--- a/libCacheSim/traceReader/reader.c
+++ b/libCacheSim/traceReader/reader.c
@@ -241,7 +241,8 @@ int read_one_req(reader_t *const reader, request_t *const req) {
     return 1;
   }
 
-  if (reader->cap_at_n_req > 1 && reader->n_read_req >= reader->cap_at_n_req) {
+  if (reader->cap_at_n_req >= 0 &&
+      reader->n_read_req >= reader->cap_at_n_req) {
     DEBUG("read_one_req: processed %ld requests capped by the user\n",
           (long)reader->n_read_req);
     req->valid = false;
diff --git a/scripts/run_traceAnalyzer.sh b/scripts/run_traceAnalyzer.sh
index a1c545e8..4896dbce 100644
--- a/scripts/run_traceAnalyzer.sh
+++ b/scripts/run_traceAnalyzer.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+set -euo pipefail
+
 function help() {
     echo "Usage: $0 <tracepath> <trace_format> [<trace_format_parameters>]"
 }
@@ -9,20 +11,33 @@ if [ $# -lt 2 ]; then
     exit 1;
 fi
 
-CURR_DIR=$(cd $(dirname $0); pwd)
+CURR_DIR=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")"; pwd)
+REPO_DIR=$(cd "${CURR_DIR}/.."; pwd)
+TRACE_ANALYZER="${REPO_DIR}/_build/bin/traceAnalyzer"
+
+if [ ! -x "${TRACE_ANALYZER}" ]; then
+    echo "traceAnalyzer binary not found at ${TRACE_ANALYZER}; build the project first" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 tracepath=$1
 trace_format=$2
-trace_format_parameters=${@:3}
+shift 2
+
+analyzer_args=("${tracepath}" "${trace_format}" "--common")
+if [ $# -gt 0 ]; then
+    analyzer_args+=("--trace-type-params" "$*")
+fi
 
-./_build/bin/traceAnalyzer ${tracepath} ${trace_format} ${trace_format_parameters} --common
+"${TRACE_ANALYZER}" "${analyzer_args[@]}"
 
-dataname=$(basename ${tracepath})
-python3 ${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/access_pattern.py ${dataname}.accessRtime
-python3 ${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/access_pattern.py ${dataname}.accessVtime
-python3 ${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/req_rate.py ${dataname}.reqRate_w300
-python3 ${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/size.py ${dataname}.size
-python3 ${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/reuse.py ${dataname}.reuse
-python3 ${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/popularity.py ${dataname}.popularity
+dataname=$(basename "${tracepath}")
+python3 "${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/access_pattern.py" "${dataname}.accessRtime"
+python3 "${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/access_pattern.py" "${dataname}.accessVtime"
+python3 "${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/req_rate.py" "${dataname}.reqRate_w300"
+python3 "${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/size.py" "${dataname}.size"
+python3 "${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/reuse.py" "${dataname}.reuse"
+python3 "${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/popularity.py" "${dataname}.popularity"
 # python3 ${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/requestAge.py ${dataname}.requestAge
 # python3 ${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/size_heatmap.py ${dataname}.sizeWindow_w300
 # python3 ${CURR_DIR}/traceAnalysis/futureReuse.py ${dataname}.access