diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index d3e298f..dfeffe3 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ fn main() {
     let threads = get_threads(cli.threads);
     let config = util::config::parse_config(cli.config_file);
 
-    //parse the config file
-    // let config = parse_config(cli.config_file);
+    assert!(threads > 0);
 
     match &cli.command {
         Command::Validate => validate::validate(verbosity, config),
diff --git a/src/validate.rs b/src/validate.rs
index fb88886..c8f4ecb 100644
--- a/src/validate.rs
+++ b/src/validate.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,27 @@
+use std::{path::PathBuf, fs};
+
 use crate::util;
 
 pub fn validate(verbosity: u8, config: util::config::Config) {
     println!("Validating");
+
+    // get list of all file names in input/output
+    let in_files: Vec<PathBuf>;
+    let out_files: Vec<PathBuf>;
+
+    // check if they end in .in or .out respectively
+
+    // make sure each has a match
+}
+
+fn get_dir_files(path: PathBuf) -> Result<Vec<PathBuf>, &'static str>  {}
+
+fn check_suffix(path: PathBuf, suf: String) -> bool {
+    return
+}
+
+fn check_match(path1: PathBuf, path2: PathBuf, in_suf: String, out_suf: String) -> bool {
+
 }