diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5dde9c9..689707e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,7 +30,14 @@ The EEPROM uid should end with '23'. You may have to reverse the byte order. Say
 If you provide the '-r' option, arguments to pass to stratasys-cli will be printed
 to help you recreate the cartridge.
 
-The input file must be a binary file.
+If you provide the '-D' option, the input file will be interpreted as an ASCII formatted file,
+containing lines of the form produced by the printers 'er' command, namely:
+
+```
+000096: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 53 54 52 41 54 41 53 59   ........STRATASY
+```
+
+Otherwise, the input file must be a binary file.
 
 ### Create your own cartridge
 
@@ -50,7 +57,10 @@ The EEPROM uid use to end with '23'. You may have to reverse it. Say you have
 `233a38b1020000c0`, you should reverse it to be `c0000002b1383a23`.
 
 The generated file will be 113 bytes in size. You can complete the file with zeroes
-if you want to make it 512 bytes long, the usual EEPROM size.
+if you want to make it 512 bytes long, the usual EEPROM size.a
+
+Supplying the '-D' option will result in an output file containing a double-quoted string
+of space delimited bytes, expressed in hexadecimal. Otherwise, the output will be a binary file.
 
 ### List supported material
 
diff --git a/stratasys-cli.py b/stratasys-cli.py
index 557ef9a..e3c17ec 100755
--- a/stratasys-cli.py
+++ b/stratasys-cli.py
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@
 from stratasys import manager
 from stratasys import crypto
 from stratasys import checksum
+from stratasys.formatter import DiagnosticPort_Formatter
 from stratasys.setupcode import *
 
 class StratasysConsoleApp():
     def __init__(self):
         self.argparse = self.build_argparser()
+        self.diag_formatter = DiagnosticPort_Formatter()
 
     def run(self):
         args = self.argparse.parse_args()
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ def build_argparser(self):
         # Options used for both reading / writing eeprom
         eeprom_parser.add_argument("-t", "--machine-type", action="store", choices=["fox", "fox2", "prodigy", "quantum", "uprint", "uprintse"], help="Machine type (Fox T-class, Prodigy P-class, Quantum, uPrint, uPrint SE)", required=True)
         eeprom_parser.add_argument("-e", "--eeprom-uid", action="store", dest="eeprom_uid", required=True, help="Format: [a-f0-9]{14}23, example: 11010a01ba325d23")
+        eeprom_parser.add_argument("-D", "--diag-format", action="store_true", dest="diag_format", help="Read input/produce output in the ASCII format used over the printer diagnostic port")
 
         # Input or output options
         io_group = eeprom_parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group(required=True)
@@ -196,15 +199,19 @@ def _eeprom_create(self, args):
         if args.use_ascii == True: eeprom = self._make_ascii(args, cart, eeprom, machine_number)
         else: mode += "b"
 
-        f = open(args.output_file, mode)
-        f.write(eeprom)
-        f.close()
+        with open(args.output_file, mode) as f:
+            if(args.diag_format and (not args.use_ascii)):
+                f.write(self.diag_formatter.to_destination(eeprom))
+            else:
+                f.write(eeprom)
         return
 
     def _eeprom_info(self, args):
-        f = open(args.input_file, "rb")
-        cartridge_crypted = bytearray(f.read())
-        f.close()
+        with open(args.input_file, "rb") as f:
+            if(args.diag_format):
+                cartridge_crypted = bytearray(self.diag_formatter.from_source(f.read()))
+            else:
+                cartridge_crypted = bytearray(f.read())
 
         m = manager.Manager(crypto.Desx_Crypto(), checksum.Crc16_Checksum())
         machine_number = machine.get_number_from_type(args.machine_type)
diff --git a/stratasys/formatter.py b/stratasys/formatter.py
index fe186bb..2e79121 100644
--- a/stratasys/formatter.py
+++ b/stratasys/formatter.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #
 # See the LICENSE file
 #
+import re
+import binascii
 
 class Formatter:
     def __init__(self):
@@ -14,19 +16,31 @@ def to_destination(self, data):
 
 class DiagnosticPort_Formatter(Formatter):
     def __init__(self):
-        pass
+        self.rx = re.compile('^[0-9]{6}: ((?:[0-9a-f-A-F]{2} ?)+).*?$',re.MULTILINE)
 
-    def from_source(self, data):
-        formatted = ""
+#Reads a series of newline delimited lines of the format:
+#000096: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 53 54 52 41 54 41 53 59   ........STRATASY
 
-        # TODO - implements me
+    def from_source(self, data):
+        formatted = b''
+        idx = 1
+        for match in self.rx.finditer(data):
+            try:
+                #Get a line of data with whitespace removed
+                line = match.group(1).replace(' ', '')
+                formatted += binascii.unhexlify(line)
+                idx=idx+1
+            except IndexError:
+                print("Error on line %s when reading diag port formatted data" % (idx,))
+                raise
 
         return formatted
 
+#Produces a double-quoted, space separated string suitable for providing to the uPrint's 'ew' diagnostic command
     def to_destination(self, data):
-        formatted = ""
+        formatted = "\""
 
         for b in data:
-            formatted += binascii.hexlify(b) + ", "
+            formatted += binascii.hexlify(chr(b)) + " "
 
-        return formatted[0:-2]
+        return formatted[0:-1] + "\""