diff --git a/OMPython/__init__.py b/OMPython/__init__.py
index 0f9baf85..f3090287 100755
--- a/OMPython/__init__.py
+++ b/OMPython/__init__.py
@@ -1564,9 +1564,9 @@ def __setValue(self, nameVal, namesList, valuesList, quantity, index):
                     for l in self.quantitiesList:
                         if (l.name == n):
                             if l.changable == 'false':
-                                print("!!! value cannot be set for " + n)
+                                print('Error: value cannot be set for ' + n)
                             else:
-                                l.start = float(nameVal.get(n))
+                                l.start = nameVal.get(n)
                                 index_ = namesList.index(n)
                                 valuesList[index_] = l.start
 
@@ -1575,7 +1575,7 @@ def __setValue(self, nameVal, namesList, valuesList, quantity, index):
                                     if paramVar.get('name') == str(n):
                                         c = paramVar.getchildren()
                                         for attr in c:
-                                            val = float(nameVal.get(n))
+                                            val = nameVal.get(n)
                                             attr.set('start', str(val))
                                             self.tree.write(self.xmlFile, encoding='UTF-8', xml_declaration=True)
                                 index = index + 1
@@ -1583,7 +1583,7 @@ def __setValue(self, nameVal, namesList, valuesList, quantity, index):
                     print('Error: ' + n + ' is not ' + quantity)
 
         except Exception as e:
-            print(e)
+            print('Error: ' + e)
 
     # to set simulation options values
     def setSimulationOptions(self, **simOptions):  # 16