diff --git a/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_field.f90 b/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_field.f90
index d1276e6811b8c1c49c39bc5d13956a7d8ceb6a0e..f29484af76e02c334deaca4aa44d2cb4230e8a28 100644
--- a/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_field.f90
+++ b/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_field.f90
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CMNHNAME   = 'BUGFIX'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CLONGNAME  = 'MesoNH bugfix number'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CUNITS     = ''
-TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = ''
+TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = '--'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CCOMMENT   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NGRID      = 0
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NTYPE      = TYPEINT
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CMNHNAME   = 'BIBUSER'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CLONGNAME  = 'MesoNH: user binary library'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CUNITS     = ''
-TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = ''
+TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = '--'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CCOMMENT   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NGRID      = 0
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NTYPE      = TYPECHAR
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CMNHNAME   = 'BUG'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CLONGNAME  = 'SURFEX bugfix number'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CUNITS     = ''
-TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = ''
+TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = '--'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CCOMMENT   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NGRID      = 0
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NTYPE      = TYPEINT
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CMNHNAME   = 'PROGRAM'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CLONGNAME  = 'MesoNH family: used program'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CUNITS     = ''
-TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = ''
+TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = '--'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CCOMMENT   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NGRID      = 0
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NTYPE      = TYPECHAR
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CMNHNAME   = 'FILETYPE'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CLONGNAME  = 'MesoNH: type of this file'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CUNITS     = ''
-TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = ''
+TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = '--'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CCOMMENT   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NGRID      = 0
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NTYPE      = TYPECHAR
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CMNHNAME   = 'MY_NAME'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CLONGNAME  = 'MesoNH: filename (no extension)'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CUNITS     = ''
-TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = ''
+TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = '--'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CCOMMENT   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NGRID      = 0
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NTYPE      = TYPECHAR
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CMNHNAME   = 'DAD_NAME'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CLONGNAME  = 'MesoNH: filename of the dad file'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CUNITS     = ''
-TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = ''
+TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = '--'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CCOMMENT   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NGRID      = 0
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NTYPE      = TYPECHAR
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ IDX = IDX+1
 !
 IF(IDX>MAXFIELDS) CALL ERR_INI_FIELD_LIST()
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CMNHNAME   = 'ZS'
-TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = 'ground_level_altitude'
+TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = 'surface_altitude'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CLONGNAME  = 'MesoNH: ZS'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CUNITS     = 'm'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = 'XY'