diff --git a/src/wireviz/wireviz.py b/src/wireviz/wireviz.py
index 032afca7..636e57a6 100755
--- a/src/wireviz/wireviz.py
+++ b/src/wireviz/wireviz.py
@@ -21,58 +21,17 @@
 )
 
 
-def parse_text(
-    yaml_str: str,
-    file_out: (str, Path) = None,
-    output_formats: (None, str, Tuple[str]) = ("html", "png", "svg", "tsv"),
-    return_types: (None, str, Tuple[str]) = None,
-    image_paths: List = [],
-) -> Any:
-    """
-    Parses a YAML input string and does the high-level harness conversion
-
-    :param yaml_input: a string containing the YAML input data
-    :param file_out:
-    :param output_formats:
-    :param return_types: if None, then returns None; if the value is a string, then a
-        corresponding data format will be returned; if the value is a tuple of strings,
-        then for every valid format in the `return_types` tuple, another return type
-        will be generated and returned in the same order; currently supports:
-         - "png" - will return the PNG data
-         - "svg" - will return the SVG data
-         - "harness" - will return the `Harness` instance
-    """
-    yaml_data = yaml.safe_load(yaml_str)
-    return parse(
-        yaml_data=yaml_data,
-        file_out=file_out,
-        output_formats=output_formats,
-        return_types=return_types,
-        image_paths=image_paths,
-    )
-
-
 def parse(
-    yaml_data: Dict,
-    file_out: (str, Path) = None,
-    output_formats: (None, str, Tuple[str]) = ("html", "png", "svg", "tsv"),
+    inp: (str, Path, Dict),
+    output_formats: (None, str, Tuple[str]) = None,
+    output_path: (str, Path) = None,
     return_types: (None, str, Tuple[str]) = None,
     image_paths: List = [],
 ) -> Any:
-    """
-    Parses a YAML dictionary and does the high-level harness conversion
-
-    :param yaml_data: a dictionary containing the YAML data
-    :param file_out:
-    :param output_formats:
-    :param return_types: if None, then returns None; if the value is a string, then a
-        corresponding data format will be returned; if the value is a tuple of strings,
-        then for every valid format in the `return_types` tuple, another return type
-        will be generated and returned in the same order; currently supports:
-         - "png" - will return the PNG data
-         - "svg" - will return the SVG data
-         - "harness" - will return the `Harness` instance
-    """
+
+    yaml_data, yaml_path = get_yaml_data_and_path(inp)
+    if output_formats:  # need to write data to file, determine output path
+        output_path = get_output_path(yaml_path, output_path)
 
     # define variables =========================================================
     # containers for parsed component data and connection sets
@@ -91,8 +50,8 @@ def parse(
     # keep track of auto-generated designators to avoid duplicates
     autogenerated_designators = {}
 
-    if "title" not in harness.metadata:
-        harness.metadata["title"] = Path(file_out).stem
+    # if "title" not in harness.metadata:
+    #     harness.metadata["title"] = Path(yaml_path).stem
 
     # add items
     # parse YAML input file ====================================================
@@ -337,10 +296,10 @@ def alternate_type():  # flip between connector and cable/arrow
         for line in yaml_data["additional_bom_items"]:
             harness.add_bom_item(line)
 
-    if file_out is not None:
+    if output_formats:
         harness.output(filename=file_out, fmt=output_formats, view=False)
 
-    if return_types is not None:
+    if return_types:
         returns = []
         if isinstance(return_types, str):  # only one return type speficied
             return_types = [return_types]
@@ -358,18 +317,39 @@ def alternate_type():  # flip between connector and cable/arrow
         return tuple(returns) if len(returns) != 1 else returns[0]
 
 
-def parse_file(yaml_file: str, file_out: (str, Path) = None) -> None:
-    yaml_file = Path(yaml_file)
-    with open_file_read(yaml_file) as file:
-        yaml_str = file.read()
-
-    if file_out:
-        file_out = Path(file_out)
+def get_yaml_data_and_path(inp: (str, Path, Dict)) -> (Dict, Path):
+    # determine whether inp is a file path, a YAML string, or a Dict
+    if not isinstance(inp, Dict):  # received a str or a Path
+        try:
+            yaml_path = Path(inp).expanduser().resolve(strict=True)
+            # if no FileNotFoundError exception happens, get file contents
+            yaml_str = open_file_read(yaml_path).read()
+        except (FileNotFoundError, OSError) as e:
+            # if inp is a long YAML string, Pathlib will raise OSError: [Errno 63]
+            # when trying to expand and resolve it as a path.
+            # Catch this error, but raise any others
+            if type(e) is OSError and e.errno != 63:
+                raise e
+            # file does not exist; assume inp is a YAML string
+            yaml_str = inp
+            yaml_path = None
+        yaml_data = yaml.safe_load(yaml_str)
     else:
-        file_out = yaml_file.parent / yaml_file.stem
-    file_out = file_out.resolve()
-
-    parse_text(yaml_str, file_out=file_out, image_paths=[Path(yaml_file).parent])
+        # received a Dict, use as-is
+        yaml_data = inp
+        yaml_path = None
+    return yaml_data, yaml_path
+
+
+def get_output_path(input_path: Path, default_output_path: Path) -> Path:
+    if default_output_path:  # user-specified output path
+        output_path = Path(default_output_path)
+    else:  # auto-determine appropriate output path
+        if input_path:  # input comes from a file; place output in same directory
+            output_path = input_path.parent
+        else:  # input comes from str or dict, fall back to cwd
+            output_path = Path.cwd()
+    return output_path.resolve()
 
 
 def main():
diff --git a/src/wireviz/wv_cli.py b/src/wireviz/wv_cli.py
index 65a20a6f..472c0894 100644
--- a/src/wireviz/wv_cli.py
+++ b/src/wireviz/wv_cli.py
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ def wireviz(file, format, prepend, output_file, version):
 
         yaml_input = prepend_input + yaml_input
 
-        wv.parse_text(
+        wv.parse(
             yaml_input,
             file_out=file_out,
             output_formats=output_formats,