diff --git a/python/obitools3/obicount.py b/python/obitools3/obicount.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ccbcf7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/obitools3/obicount.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import sys
+import argparse
+
+
+from obitools3.obidms.obidmscolumn.capidmscolumn import OBIDMS_column
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__': 
+    
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Computes the sum of a column.')
+    
+    parser.add_argument('-d', '--dms', dest='dms_name', type=str,
+                       help='Name of the OBIDMS containing the column')
+    parser.add_argument('-c', '--column', dest='column_name', type=str, default='count',
+                       help="Name of the OBIDMS column (default: 'count')")
+    parser.add_argument('-v', '--version', dest='version_number', type=int, default=-1,
+                       help='Version number of the column (default: latest version)')
+    
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+   
+    c = OBIDMS_column.open(args.dms_name, args.column_name, version_number=args.version_number)
+    
+    # check that 1 element / line and summable type?
+
+    total = 0    
+    
+    for count in c :
+        total+=count
+    
+    print("Total count = ", total)    
+