diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 0db8a3220..b26845663 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2011-08-10 Holger Vogt
+ * evtplot.c: initilize 'value' to 0
+ * xpressn.c: improved error message
+ * misccoms.c, main.c, error.c, fteext.h: flag ft_pipemode set
+   in main.c, used to optimize or suppress output messages
+   
 2011-08-09 Holger Vogt
  * inp2dot.c: align spaces and braces
  * inp2dot.c, examples/pss/*.cir: uic for pss to end of line
diff --git a/src/frontend/error.c b/src/frontend/error.c
index 49f8b8777..d7741f7e7 100644
--- a/src/frontend/error.c
+++ b/src/frontend/error.c
@@ -26,11 +26,18 @@ void winmessage(char* new_msg);
 void 
 controlled_exit(int status)
 {
+  if (status != 0)
 #ifdef HAS_WINDOWS
-  winmessage("Fatal error in NGSPICE");
+    winmessage("Fatal error in NGSPICE");
 #else
-  fprintf(stderr, "Fatal error in NGSPICE - Return");
-  getc(stdin);
+  {
+    if (!ft_pipemode) {
+      fprintf(stderr, " Fatal error in NGSPICE - Press Return to exit\n");       
+      getc(stdin);
+    }
+    else
+    fprintf(stderr, " Fatal error in NGSPICE - Exit\n");      
+  }
 #endif
   exit(status);
 }
@@ -73,7 +80,7 @@ void
 internalerror(char *message)
 {
 
-    fprintf(stderr, "internal error:  %s\n", message);
+    fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: (internal)  %s\n", message);
 
 }
 
@@ -82,6 +89,6 @@ void
 externalerror(char *message)
 {
 
-    fprintf(stderr, "external error:  %s\n", message);
+    fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: (external)  %s\n", message);
 
 }
diff --git a/src/frontend/misccoms.c b/src/frontend/misccoms.c
index d1a52a885..a3b7466a9 100644
--- a/src/frontend/misccoms.c
+++ b/src/frontend/misccoms.c
@@ -144,18 +144,23 @@ com_bug(wordlist *wl)
 {
     NG_IGNORE(wl);
 
-    fprintf(cp_out, "Send mail to the address ngspice-devel@lists.sourceforge.net\n");
+    fprintf(cp_out, "Please use the ngspice bug tracker at:\n");
+    fprintf(cp_out, "http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=38962&atid=423915\n");
     return;
 }
 
 #endif /* SYSTEM_MAIL */
 
+/* printout upon startup or 'version' command. options to version are -s (short)
+   or -f (full). 'version' with options may also be used in ngspice pipe mode. */ 
 void
 com_version(wordlist *wl)
 {
     char *s;
 
     if (!wl) {
+    /* no printout in pipe mode (-p) */
+    if (ft_pipemode) return;
 	fprintf(cp_out, "******\n");
 
 	fprintf(cp_out, "** %s-%s : %s\n", ft_sim->simulator,
@@ -204,6 +209,18 @@ com_version(wordlist *wl)
             fprintf(cp_out,"** XSPICE extensions included\n");
 #endif
             fprintf(cp_out,"** Relevant compilation options (refer to user's manual):\n");
+#ifdef NGDEBUG
+            fprintf(cp_out,"** Debugging option (-g) enabled\n");
+#endif
+#ifdef ADMS
+            fprintf(cp_out,"** Adms interface enabled\n");
+#endif
+#ifdef USE_OMP
+            fprintf(cp_out,"** OpenMP multithreading for BSIM3, BSIM4 enabled\n");
+#endif
+#if defined(X_DISPLAY_MISSING) && !defined(HAS_WINDOWS)
+            fprintf(cp_out,"** X11 interface not compiled into ngspice\n");
+#endif               
 #ifdef NOBYPASS
             fprintf(cp_out,"** --enable-nobypass\n");
 #endif   
diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
index d339a893e..1103d4039 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "dvec.h"
 #include "../frontend/variable.h"
 #include "compatmode.h"
+#include "error.h"
 
 /* random numbers in /maths/misc/randnumb.c */
 extern double gauss0(void);
@@ -1394,8 +1395,8 @@ evaluate (tdico * dico, SPICE_DSTRINGPTR qstr_p, char *t, unsigned char mode)
 
         char buf[17+1];
         if(snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "% 17.9le", u) != 17) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "internal ERROR in %s(%d)\n", __FUNCTION__, __LINE__);
-            exit(1);
+            fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: xpressn.c, %s(%d)\n", __FUNCTION__, __LINE__);
+            controlled_exit(1);
         }
         scopys(qstr_p, buf);
     }
diff --git a/src/include/fteext.h b/src/include/fteext.h
index 6bffa2fa1..318ac7a6c 100644
--- a/src/include/fteext.h
+++ b/src/include/fteext.h
@@ -147,7 +147,8 @@ extern void fperror(char *mess, int code);
 extern void ft_sperror(int code, char *mess);
 extern char ErrorMessage[];
 extern void internalerror(char *); 
-extern void externalerror(char *); 
+extern void externalerror(char *);
+extern bool ft_pipemode;
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 09e7959ce..f82335b1c 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@
 /* Main options */
 static bool ft_servermode = FALSE;
 bool ft_batchmode = FALSE;
+bool ft_pipemode = FALSE;
 bool rflag = FALSE; /* has rawfile */
 
 /* Frontend options */
@@ -946,6 +947,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
             case 'p':       /* Run in pipe mode */
               iflag = TRUE;
               istty = TRUE;
+              ft_pipemode = TRUE;
               break;
 
             case 'q':       /* Command completion */
diff --git a/src/xspice/evt/evtplot.c b/src/xspice/evt/evtplot.c
index 1119dca86..2ff86f2ab 100755
--- a/src/xspice/evt/evtplot.c
+++ b/src/xspice/evt/evtplot.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ struct dvec *EVTfindvec(
 
   double *anal_point_vec;
   double *value_vec;
-  double value;
+  double value = 0;
 
   struct dvec *d;
   struct dvec *scale;