diff --git a/src/wireviz/build_examples.py b/src/wireviz/build_examples.py
index b7be539..fc04fce 100755
--- a/src/wireviz/build_examples.py
+++ b/src/wireviz/build_examples.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ if demos:
     for i in range(1,demos+1):
         fn = '../../examples/demo{:02d}.yml'.format(i)
         print(fn)
-        wireviz.parse(fn, generate_bom=True)
+        wireviz.parse_file(fn, generate_bom=True)
 
 if examples:
     with open(os.path.abspath('../../examples/readme.md'), 'w') as file:
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ if examples:
         for i in range(1,examples+1):
             fn = '../../examples/ex{:02d}.yml'.format(i)
             print(fn)
-            wireviz.parse(fn, generate_bom=True)
+            wireviz.parse_file(fn, generate_bom=True)
 
             file.write('## Example {:02d}\n'.format(i))
             file.write('![](ex{:02d}.png)\n\n'.format(i))
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ if tutorials:
         for i in range(1,tutorials+1):
             fn = '../../tutorial/tutorial{:02d}.yml'.format(i)
             print(fn)
-            wireviz.parse(fn, generate_bom=True)
+            wireviz.parse_file(fn, generate_bom=True)
 
             with open(os.path.abspath('../../tutorial/tutorial{:02d}.md'.format(i)), 'r') as info:
                 for line in info:
diff --git a/src/wireviz/wireviz.py b/src/wireviz/wireviz.py
index fddbdd1..85a0361 100755
--- a/src/wireviz/wireviz.py
+++ b/src/wireviz/wireviz.py
@@ -618,6 +618,18 @@ def parse(yaml_input, file_out=None, generate_bom=False):
 
     h.output(filename=file_out, format=('png','svg'), gen_bom=generate_bom, view=False)
 
+def parse_file(yaml_file, file_out=None, generate_bom=False):
+    with open(yaml_file, 'r') as file:
+        yaml_input = file.read()
+
+    if not file_out:
+        fn, fext = os.path.splitext(yaml_file)
+        file_out = fn
+    file_out = os.path.abspath(file_out)
+
+    parse(yaml_input, file_out=file_out, generate_bom=generate_bom)
+
+
 def parse_cmdline():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
             description='Generate cable and wiring harness documentation from YAML descriptions'