diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index f30b5d75..c156b0ba 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 - added matio as a dependency
 - added Matlab save file read
 - added Radiance file read
+- better file-not-found messages
 
 11/9/08 started 7.16.3
 - oop typo in manpage for im_project()
diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index ec2c1f81..960c81d6 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 
 
+- im_rad2vips should be radiance.c? same for im_mat2vips? new naming
+  convention
+
 - move im_shrink & friends to resample?
 
   match_linear, match_linear_search?
@@ -22,11 +25,6 @@
 
 - update the Portfiles on the mac and on the website from the macports ones
 
-- try
-
-	vips im_copy skdjjfhwlfj t.v
-
-  stupid error message (does not say "file not found")
 
 
 
diff --git a/libsrc/format/format.c b/libsrc/format/format.c
index 3737c0ae..0c2165a0 100644
--- a/libsrc/format/format.c
+++ b/libsrc/format/format.c
@@ -265,16 +265,16 @@ vips_format_for_file( const char *name )
 	im_filename_split( name, filename, options );
 
 	if( !im_existsf( "%s", filename ) ) {
-		im_error( "vips_format_for_file", 
-			_( "\"%s\" is not readable" ), filename );
+		im_error( "format_for_file", 
+			_( "file \"%s\" not found" ), filename );
 		return( NULL );
 	}
 
 	if( !(format = (VipsFormatClass *) vips_format_map( 
 		(VSListMap2Fn) format_for_file_sub, 
 		(void *) name, (void *) filename )) ) {
-		im_error( "vips_format_for_file", 
-			_( "\"%s\" is not in a supported format" ), filename );
+		im_error( "format_for_file", 
+			_( "file \"%s\" not a known format" ), filename );
 		return( NULL );
 	}
 
diff --git a/libsrc/iofuncs/error_exit.c b/libsrc/iofuncs/error_exit.c
index da2a3064..370c848d 100644
--- a/libsrc/iofuncs/error_exit.c
+++ b/libsrc/iofuncs/error_exit.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ error_exit( const char *fmt, ... )
 	va_end( ap );
 
 	fprintf( stderr, "\n" );
-	fprintf( stderr, "%s", im_errorstring() );
+	fprintf( stderr, "%s", im_error_buffer() );
 
 	exit( 1 );
 }
diff --git a/libsrc/iofuncs/im_open.c b/libsrc/iofuncs/im_open.c
index 3cd0da81..9c7bd4b0 100644
--- a/libsrc/iofuncs/im_open.c
+++ b/libsrc/iofuncs/im_open.c
@@ -380,12 +380,8 @@ im_open( const char *filename, const char *mode )
 				format->header, format->load, filename )) )
 				return( NULL );
 		}
-		else {
-			im_error( "im_open", 
-				_( "\"%s\" is not in a recognised format" ),
-				filename );
+		else 
 			return( NULL );
-		}
         	break;
 
 	case 'w':
diff --git a/libsrc/iofuncs/object.c b/libsrc/iofuncs/object.c
index 48db8c49..a68d7442 100644
--- a/libsrc/iofuncs/object.c
+++ b/libsrc/iofuncs/object.c
@@ -999,10 +999,8 @@ vips_object_new_from_string_set( VipsObject *object, void *a, void *b )
 VipsObject *
 vips_object_new_from_string( const char *basename, const char *p )
 {
-	VipsToken token;
 	char string[PATH_MAX];
 	GType type;
-	VipsObject *object;
 
 	if( !(p = vips__token_need( p, VIPS_TOKEN_STRING, string, PATH_MAX )) ||
 		!(type = vips_type_find( basename, string )) ) 
diff --git a/src/iofuncs/header.c b/src/iofuncs/header.c
index 8a0cdbf3..27cc9168 100644
--- a/src/iofuncs/header.c
+++ b/src/iofuncs/header.c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ print_error( const char *fmt, ... )
         va_start( ap, fmt );
         vfprintf( stderr, fmt, ap );
         va_end( ap );
-        fprintf( stderr, "\n%s\n", im_error_buffer() );
+        fprintf( stderr, "\n%s", im_error_buffer() );
 	im_error_clear();
 }