diff --git a/client/qldbtools/.vscode/launch.json b/client/qldbtools/.vscode/launch.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bfb877f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/qldbtools/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+{
+    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
+    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
+    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
+    "version": "0.2.0",
+    "configurations": [
+        
+           {
+            "name": "Python Debugger: Current File with Arguments",
+            "type": "debugpy",
+            "request": "launch",
+            "program": "${file}",
+            "console": "integratedTerminal",
+            "args": [
+                "--db_collection_dir",
+                "db-collection-py",
+                "--starting_path",
+                "$HOME/work-gh/mrva/mrva-open-source-download"
+            ],
+            "justMyCode": true,
+            "stopOnEntry": false
+        }
+    ]
+}
diff --git a/client/qldbtools/bin/hepc-init b/client/qldbtools/bin/hepc-init
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index f263665..7399358
--- a/client/qldbtools/bin/hepc-init
+++ b/client/qldbtools/bin/hepc-init
@@ -1,144 +1,115 @@
-#!/bin/bash
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
-#* Utility functions
-log() {
-    local level="$1"
-    shift
-    local color_reset="\033[0m"
-    local color_info="\033[1;34m"
-    local color_warn="\033[1;33m"
-    local color_error="\033[1;31m"
+import json
+import hashlib
+import yaml
+import sys
+from plumbum import cli, local
+from plumbum.cmd import find, mkdir, ln, rm, mktemp, unzip, date, env
 
-    local color
-    case "$level" in
-        INFO) color="$color_info" ;;
-        WARN) color="$color_warn" ;;
-        ERROR) color="$color_error" ;;
-        *) color="$color_reset" ;;
-    esac
-
-    echo -e "${color}[$(date +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")] [$level] $*${color_reset}" >&2
-}
-usage() {
-    echo "Usage: $0 --db_collection_dir <directory> --starting_path <path> [-h]"
-    echo
-    echo "Options:"
-    echo "  --db_collection_dir <directory>  Specify the database collection directory."
-    echo "  --starting_path <path>           Specify the starting path."
-    echo "  -h                               Show this help message."
-    exit 1
-}
-
-
-#* Initialize and parse arguments
-set -euo pipefail               # exit on error, unset var, pipefail
-trap 'rm -fR /tmp/hepc.$$-*' EXIT
-
-starting_dir=$(pwd)
-db_collection_dir=""
-starting_path=""
-
-# Parse arguments
-while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
-    case "$1" in
-        --db_collection_dir)
-            shift
-            if [[ -z "$1" || "$1" == -* ]]; then
-                echo "Error: --db_collection_dir requires a directory as an argument."
-                usage
-            fi
-            db_collection_dir="$1"
-            ;;
-        --starting_path)
-            shift
-            if [[ -z "$1" || "$1" == -* ]]; then
-                echo "Error: --starting_path requires a path as an argument."
-                usage
-            fi
-            starting_path="$1"
-            ;;
-        -h)
-            usage
-            ;;
-        *)
-            echo "Error: Unknown option '$1'."
-            usage
-            ;;
-    esac
-    shift
-done
-
-# Check if required arguments were provided
-if [[ -z "$db_collection_dir" ]]; then
-    echo "Error: --db_collection_dir is required."
-    usage
-fi
-
-if [[ -z "$starting_path" ]]; then
-    echo "Error: --starting_path is required."
-    usage
-fi
-
-#* Find all DBs
-log INFO "searching for db.zip files"
-find ${starting_path} -type f -name "db.zip" -size +0c > /tmp/hepc.$$-paths
-
-#* Collect detailed information from the database files
-# Don't assume they are unique.
-log INFO "collecting information from db.zip files"
-mkdir -p $db_collection_dir
-cat /tmp/hepc.$$-paths | while read -r zip_path
-do
-    log INFO "Extracting from ${zip_path}"
-    zip_dir=$(dirname ${zip_path})
-    zip_file=$(basename ${zip_path})
-    unzip -o -q ${zip_path} '*codeql-database.yml' -d /tmp/hepc.$$-zip 
-    # The content may be LANGUAGE/codeql-database.yml
-
-    #* For every database, create a metadata record.
-    mkdir -p /tmp/hepc.$$-zip
-    cd /tmp/hepc.$$-zip/*
-
-    # Information from codeql-database.yml
-    primaryLanguage=$(yq '.primaryLanguage' codeql-database.yml)
-    sha=$(yq '.creationMetadata.sha' codeql-database.yml)
-    cliVersion=$(yq '.creationMetadata.cliVersion' codeql-database.yml)
-    creationTime=$(yq '.creationMetadata.creationTime' codeql-database.yml)
-    sourceLocationPrefix=$(yq '.sourceLocationPrefix' codeql-database.yml)
-    repo=${sourceLocationPrefix##*/}   # keep only last component
-    # Get sourceLocationPrefix[-2]
-    owner="${sourceLocationPrefix%/*}" # strip last component
-    owner="${owner##*/}"               # keep only last component
-
-    # cid for repository / db
-    cid=$(echo  "${cliVersion} ${creationTime} ${primaryLanguage} ${sha}" | b2sum |\
-              awk '{print substr($1, 1, 6)}')
-
-    # Prepare the metadata record for this DB.
-    new_db_fname="${owner}-${repo}-ctsj-${cid}.zip"
-    result_url="http://hepc/${db_collection_dir}/${new_db_fname}"
-    record='
-    {
-        "git_branch": "HEAD",
-        "git_commit_id": "'${sha}'",
-        "git_repo": "'${repo}'",
-        "ingestion_datetime_utc": "'${creationTime}'",
-        "result_url": "'${result_url}'",
-        "tool_id": "9f2f9642-febb-4435-9204-fb50bbd43de4",
-        "tool_name": "codeql-'${primaryLanguage}'",
-        "tool_version": "'${cliVersion}'",
-        "projname": "'${owner}/${repo}'"
+# Logging function
+def log(level, message):
+    colors = {
+        "INFO": "\033[1;34m",
+        "WARN": "\033[1;33m",
+        "ERROR": "\033[1;31m",
+        "RESET": "\033[0m",
     }
-'
-    cd "$starting_dir"
-    rm -fR /tmp/hepc.$$-zip 
-    echo "$record" >> $db_collection_dir/metadata.json
+    timestamp = date("+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S").strip()
+    print(f"{colors[level]}[{timestamp}] [{level}] {message}{colors['RESET']}", file=sys.stderr)
 
-    #* Link original file path to collection directory for serving.  Use name including
-    # the cid and field separator ctsj 
-    cd ${db_collection_dir}
-    [ -L ${new_db_fname} ] || ln -s ${zip_path} ${new_db_fname}
+# Generate a CID
+def generate_cid(cli_version, creation_time, primary_language, sha):
+    hash_input = f"{cli_version} {creation_time} {primary_language} {sha}".encode()
+    return hashlib.sha256(hash_input).hexdigest()[:6]
 
-    # Interim cleanup
-    rm -fR "/tmp/hepc.$$-*"    
-done
+# Expand environment variables in paths
+def expand_path(path):
+    return local.env.expand(path)
+
+# Process a single db.zip file
+def process_db_file(zip_path, db_collection_dir):
+    temp_dir = mktemp("-d").strip()
+    try:
+        unzip("-o", "-q", zip_path, "*codeql-database.yml", "-d", temp_dir)
+
+        # Locate the YAML file regardless of its depth
+        yaml_files = list(local.path(temp_dir).walk(
+            filter=lambda p: p.name == "codeql-database.yml"))
+        if not yaml_files:
+            log("WARN", f"No codeql-database.yml found in {zip_path}")
+            return
+
+        yaml_path = yaml_files[0]
+        with yaml_path.open("r") as f:
+            yaml_data = yaml.safe_load(f)
+
+        primary_language = yaml_data["primaryLanguage"]
+        creation_metadata = yaml_data["creationMetadata"]
+        sha = creation_metadata["sha"]
+        cli_version = creation_metadata["cliVersion"]
+        creation_time = creation_metadata["creationTime"]
+        source_location_prefix = local.path(yaml_data["sourceLocationPrefix"])
+
+        repo = source_location_prefix.name
+        owner = source_location_prefix.parent.name
+        cid = generate_cid(cli_version, creation_time, primary_language, sha)
+        new_db_fname = f"{owner}-{repo}-ctsj-{cid}.zip"
+        result_url = f"http://hepc/{db_collection_dir}/{new_db_fname}"
+
+        metadata = {
+            "git_branch": "HEAD",
+            "git_commit_id": sha,
+            "git_repo": repo,
+            "ingestion_datetime_utc": str(creation_time),
+            "result_url": result_url,
+            "tool_id": "9f2f9642-febb-4435-9204-fb50bbd43de4",
+            "tool_name": f"codeql-{primary_language}",
+            "tool_version": cli_version,
+            "projname": f"{owner}/{repo}",
+        }
+
+        metadata_file = local.path(db_collection_dir) / "metadata.json"
+        with metadata_file.open("a") as f:
+            json.dump(metadata, f)
+            f.write("\n")
+
+        link_path = local.path(db_collection_dir) / new_db_fname
+        if not link_path.exists():
+            ln("-sf", zip_path, link_path)
+
+    except Exception as e:
+        log("WARN", f"Error processing {zip_path}: {e}")
+    finally:
+        rm("-rf", temp_dir)
+
+# Main application class
+class DBProcessor(cli.Application):
+    db_collection_dir = cli.SwitchAttr(
+        "--db_collection_dir", str, mandatory=True, help="Specify the database collection directory"
+    )
+    starting_path = cli.SwitchAttr(
+        "--starting_path", str, mandatory=True, help="Specify the starting path"
+    )
+
+    def main(self):
+        db_collection_dir = expand_path(self.db_collection_dir)
+        starting_path = expand_path(self.starting_path)
+
+        mkdir("-p", db_collection_dir)
+        log("INFO", f"Searching for db.zip files in {starting_path}")
+
+        db_files = find(starting_path, "-type", "f", "-name", "db.zip",
+                        "-size", "+0c").splitlines()
+
+        if not db_files:
+            log("WARN", "No db.zip files found in the specified starting path.")
+            return
+
+        for zip_path in db_files:
+            process_db_file(zip_path, db_collection_dir)
+
+        log("INFO", "Processing completed.")
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    DBProcessor.run()
diff --git a/client/qldbtools/bin/hepc-init.sh b/client/qldbtools/bin/hepc-init.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..f263665
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/qldbtools/bin/hepc-init.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+#* Utility functions
+log() {
+    local level="$1"
+    shift
+    local color_reset="\033[0m"
+    local color_info="\033[1;34m"
+    local color_warn="\033[1;33m"
+    local color_error="\033[1;31m"
+
+    local color
+    case "$level" in
+        INFO) color="$color_info" ;;
+        WARN) color="$color_warn" ;;
+        ERROR) color="$color_error" ;;
+        *) color="$color_reset" ;;
+    esac
+
+    echo -e "${color}[$(date +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")] [$level] $*${color_reset}" >&2
+}
+usage() {
+    echo "Usage: $0 --db_collection_dir <directory> --starting_path <path> [-h]"
+    echo
+    echo "Options:"
+    echo "  --db_collection_dir <directory>  Specify the database collection directory."
+    echo "  --starting_path <path>           Specify the starting path."
+    echo "  -h                               Show this help message."
+    exit 1
+}
+
+
+#* Initialize and parse arguments
+set -euo pipefail               # exit on error, unset var, pipefail
+trap 'rm -fR /tmp/hepc.$$-*' EXIT
+
+starting_dir=$(pwd)
+db_collection_dir=""
+starting_path=""
+
+# Parse arguments
+while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+    case "$1" in
+        --db_collection_dir)
+            shift
+            if [[ -z "$1" || "$1" == -* ]]; then
+                echo "Error: --db_collection_dir requires a directory as an argument."
+                usage
+            fi
+            db_collection_dir="$1"
+            ;;
+        --starting_path)
+            shift
+            if [[ -z "$1" || "$1" == -* ]]; then
+                echo "Error: --starting_path requires a path as an argument."
+                usage
+            fi
+            starting_path="$1"
+            ;;
+        -h)
+            usage
+            ;;
+        *)
+            echo "Error: Unknown option '$1'."
+            usage
+            ;;
+    esac
+    shift
+done
+
+# Check if required arguments were provided
+if [[ -z "$db_collection_dir" ]]; then
+    echo "Error: --db_collection_dir is required."
+    usage
+fi
+
+if [[ -z "$starting_path" ]]; then
+    echo "Error: --starting_path is required."
+    usage
+fi
+
+#* Find all DBs
+log INFO "searching for db.zip files"
+find ${starting_path} -type f -name "db.zip" -size +0c > /tmp/hepc.$$-paths
+
+#* Collect detailed information from the database files
+# Don't assume they are unique.
+log INFO "collecting information from db.zip files"
+mkdir -p $db_collection_dir
+cat /tmp/hepc.$$-paths | while read -r zip_path
+do
+    log INFO "Extracting from ${zip_path}"
+    zip_dir=$(dirname ${zip_path})
+    zip_file=$(basename ${zip_path})
+    unzip -o -q ${zip_path} '*codeql-database.yml' -d /tmp/hepc.$$-zip 
+    # The content may be LANGUAGE/codeql-database.yml
+
+    #* For every database, create a metadata record.
+    mkdir -p /tmp/hepc.$$-zip
+    cd /tmp/hepc.$$-zip/*
+
+    # Information from codeql-database.yml
+    primaryLanguage=$(yq '.primaryLanguage' codeql-database.yml)
+    sha=$(yq '.creationMetadata.sha' codeql-database.yml)
+    cliVersion=$(yq '.creationMetadata.cliVersion' codeql-database.yml)
+    creationTime=$(yq '.creationMetadata.creationTime' codeql-database.yml)
+    sourceLocationPrefix=$(yq '.sourceLocationPrefix' codeql-database.yml)
+    repo=${sourceLocationPrefix##*/}   # keep only last component
+    # Get sourceLocationPrefix[-2]
+    owner="${sourceLocationPrefix%/*}" # strip last component
+    owner="${owner##*/}"               # keep only last component
+
+    # cid for repository / db
+    cid=$(echo  "${cliVersion} ${creationTime} ${primaryLanguage} ${sha}" | b2sum |\
+              awk '{print substr($1, 1, 6)}')
+
+    # Prepare the metadata record for this DB.
+    new_db_fname="${owner}-${repo}-ctsj-${cid}.zip"
+    result_url="http://hepc/${db_collection_dir}/${new_db_fname}"
+    record='
+    {
+        "git_branch": "HEAD",
+        "git_commit_id": "'${sha}'",
+        "git_repo": "'${repo}'",
+        "ingestion_datetime_utc": "'${creationTime}'",
+        "result_url": "'${result_url}'",
+        "tool_id": "9f2f9642-febb-4435-9204-fb50bbd43de4",
+        "tool_name": "codeql-'${primaryLanguage}'",
+        "tool_version": "'${cliVersion}'",
+        "projname": "'${owner}/${repo}'"
+    }
+'
+    cd "$starting_dir"
+    rm -fR /tmp/hepc.$$-zip 
+    echo "$record" >> $db_collection_dir/metadata.json
+
+    #* Link original file path to collection directory for serving.  Use name including
+    # the cid and field separator ctsj 
+    cd ${db_collection_dir}
+    [ -L ${new_db_fname} ] || ln -s ${zip_path} ${new_db_fname}
+
+    # Interim cleanup
+    rm -fR "/tmp/hepc.$$-*"    
+done
diff --git a/client/qldbtools/qldbtools.code-workspace b/client/qldbtools/qldbtools.code-workspace
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..87966b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/qldbtools/qldbtools.code-workspace
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+	"folders": [
+		{
+			"path": "."
+		}
+    ],
+    "settings": {
+        "git.ignoreLimitWarning": true,
+        "makefile.configureOnOpen": false
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file