jsonfile = outfile.split(".")[0]+".json"
        else:
            jsonfile = outfile
        print("INFO: Writing mean configuration to", jsonfile, file=stderr)
        with open(jsonfile, "w") as file:
            file.write(mean_file)
    
    if outoxdna:
        #save output as oxDNA .dat format
        if outjson == True:
            #if making both outputs, automatically set file extensions.
            outname = outfile.split(".")[0]+".dat"
        else:
            outname = outfile
        from mean2dat import make_dat
        make_dat(loads(mean_file), outname)

    #If requested, run compute_deviations.py using the output from this script.
    if dev_file:
        print("INFO: launching compute_deviations.py", file=stderr)
        #fire up a subprocess running compute_deviations.py
        import subprocess
        from sys import executable, path
        launchargs = [executable, path[0]+"/compute_deviations.py", jsonfile, traj_file, top_file, "-o {}".format(dev_file)]
        if parallel:
            launchargs.append("-p {}".format(n_cpus))
        
        subprocess.run(launchargs)

        #compute_deviations needs the json meanfile, but its not useful for visualization
        #so we dump it
        a1s = []
        a3s = []
        ts = []
        out = parallelize_erik_onefile.fire_multiprocess(
            traj_file, compute_centroid, num_confs, n_cpus, mean_structure)
        [candidates.append(i[0]) for i in out]
        [rmsfs.append(i[3]) for i in out]
        [a1s.append(i[1]) for i in out]
        [a3s.append(i[2]) for i in out]
        [ts.append(i[4]) for i in out]
        min_id = rmsfs.index(min(rmsfs))
        centroid = candidates[min_id]
        centroid_a1s = a1s[min_id]
        centroid_a3s = a3s[min_id]
        centroid_time = ts[min_id]
        centroid_rmsf = rmsfs[min_id]

    print(
        "INFO: Centroid configuration found at configuration t = {}, RMSF = {}"
        .format(centroid_time, centroid_rmsf),
        file=stderr)

    from mean2dat import make_dat

    make_dat(
        {
            'g_mean': centroid,
            'a1_mean': centroid_a1s,
            'a3_mean': centroid_a3s
        }, outfile)