diff --git a/src/toolbox_scs/load.py b/src/toolbox_scs/load.py
index 68cca3960239556e017107d67d62ab73e6ddfa72..0e6d5c029dbb12b85b9e72c67ca884d392fe764e 100644
--- a/src/toolbox_scs/load.py
+++ b/src/toolbox_scs/load.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def load(proposalNB=None, runNB=None,
          subFolder='raw',
          display=False,
          validate=False,
-         subset=ed.by_index[:],
+         subset=None,
          rois={},
          extract_adq412=True,
          extract_fadc=True,
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ def load(proposalNB=None, runNB=None,
          laser_bp=None,
          ):
     """
-    Load a run and extract the data. Output is an xarray with aligned
+    Load a run and extract the data. Output is an xarray with align
+    
     trainIds
 
     Parameters
@@ -79,9 +80,9 @@ def load(proposalNB=None, runNB=None,
         whether to show the run.info or not
     validate: bool
         whether to run extra-data-validate or not
-    subset:
-        a subset of train that can be load with by_index[:5] for the first 5
-        trains
+    subset: slice or extra_data.by_index or numpy.s_
+        a subset of train that can be loaded with extra_data.by_index[:5] for
+        the first 5 trains. If None, all trains are retrieved.
     rois: dict
         a dictionnary of mnemonics with a list of rois definition and
         the desired names, for example:
@@ -136,7 +137,9 @@ def load(proposalNB=None, runNB=None,
 
     """
     runFolder = find_run_path(proposalNB, runNB, subFolder)
-    run = ed.RunDirectory(runFolder).select_trains(subset)
+    run = ed.RunDirectory(runFolder)
+    if subset is not None:
+        run = run.select_trains(subset)
     if fields is None:
         return run, xr.Dataset()
     if isinstance(fields, str):
@@ -301,7 +304,7 @@ def find_run_path(proposalNB, runNB, data='raw'):
     return os.path.join(find_proposal(proposalNB), data, runNB)
 
 
-def open_run(proposalNB, runNB, subset=ed.by_index[:], **kwargs):
+def open_run(proposalNB, runNB, subset=None, **kwargs):
     """
     Get extra_data.DataCollection in a given proposal.
     Wraps the extra_data open_run routine and adds subset selection, out of
@@ -314,9 +317,9 @@ def open_run(proposalNB, runNB, subset=ed.by_index[:], **kwargs):
         proposal number e.g. 'p002252' or 2252
     runNB: (str, int)
         run number e.g. 17 or 'r0017'
-    subset:
-        a subset of train that can be load with by_index[:5] for the first 5
-        trains
+    subset: slice or extra_data.by_index or numpy.s_
+        a subset of train that can be loaded with extra_data.by_index[:5] for
+        the first 5 trains. If None, all trains are retrieved.
 
     **kwargs
     --------
@@ -331,11 +334,14 @@ def open_run(proposalNB, runNB, subset=ed.by_index[:], **kwargs):
         DataCollection object containing information about the specified
         run. Data can be loaded using built-in class methods.
     """
-    return ed.open_run(proposalNB, runNB, **kwargs).select_trains(subset)
+    run = ed.open_run(proposalNB, runNB, **kwargs)
+    if subset is not None:
+        run = run.select_trains(subset)
+    return run
 
 
 def get_array(run=None, mnemonic=None, stepsize=None,
-              subset=ed.by_index[:], subFolder='raw',
+              subset=None, subFolder='raw',
               proposalNB=None, runNB=None):
     """
     Loads one data array for the specified mnemonic and rounds its values to
@@ -354,9 +360,9 @@ def get_array(run=None, mnemonic=None, stepsize=None,
     stepsize : float
         nominal stepsize of the array data - values will be rounded to integer
         multiples of this value.
-    subset:
-        a subset of train that can be load with by_index[:5] for the first 5
-        trains
+    subset: slice or extra_data.by_index or numpy.s_
+        a subset of train that can be loaded with extra_data.by_index[:5] for
+        the first 5 trains. If None, all trains are retrieved.
     subFolder: (str)
         sub-folder from which to load the data. Use 'raw' for raw data
         or 'proc' for processed data.