diff --git a/include/osgDB/Registry b/include/osgDB/Registry
index ba1255e91..2ee58e882 100644
--- a/include/osgDB/Registry
+++ b/include/osgDB/Registry
@@ -73,14 +73,14 @@ class OSGDB_EXPORT Registry
         bool                 writeObject(const osg::Object& obj,Output& fw);
 
         
-        osg::Object* readObject(const std::string& fileName);
-        bool         writeObject(const osg::Object& obj, const std::string& fileName);
+        ReaderWriter::ReadResult readObject(const std::string& fileName);
+        ReaderWriter::WriteResult writeObject(const osg::Object& obj, const std::string& fileName);
 
-        osg::Image*  readImage(const std::string& fileName);
-        bool         writeImage(const osg::Image& obj, const std::string& fileName);
+        ReaderWriter::ReadResult readImage(const std::string& fileName);
+        ReaderWriter::WriteResult writeImage(const osg::Image& obj, const std::string& fileName);
 
-        osg::Node*   readNode(const std::string& fileName);
-        bool         writeNode(const osg::Node& node, const std::string& fileName);
+        ReaderWriter::ReadResult readNode(const std::string& fileName);
+        ReaderWriter::WriteResult writeNode(const osg::Node& node, const std::string& fileName);
         
         void setCreateNodeFromImage(bool flag) { _createNodeFromImage = flag; }
         bool getCreateNodeFromImage() const { return _createNodeFromImage; }
diff --git a/src/Demos/hangglide/ReaderWriterFLY.cpp b/src/Demos/hangglide/ReaderWriterFLY.cpp
index 3821ccee7..971f8972a 100644
--- a/src/Demos/hangglide/ReaderWriterFLY.cpp
+++ b/src/Demos/hangglide/ReaderWriterFLY.cpp
@@ -50,11 +50,11 @@ class ReaderWriterFLY : public osgDB::ReaderWriter
             return osgDB::equalCaseInsensitive(extension,"fly");
         }
 
-        virtual Node* readNode(const std::string& fileName,const osgDB::ReaderWriter::Options*)
+        virtual ReadResult readNode(const std::string& fileName,const osgDB::ReaderWriter::Options*)
         {
         
             std::string ext = osgDB::getFileExtension(fileName);
-            if (!acceptsExtension(ext)) return NULL;
+            if (!acceptsExtension(ext)) return ReadResult::FILE_NOT_HANDLED;
 
             char buff[256];
 
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class ReaderWriterFLY : public osgDB::ReaderWriter
 
 };
 
-// now register with osg::Registry to instantiate the above
+// now register with osgDB::Registry to instantiate the above
 // reader/writer.
 osgDB::RegisterReaderWriterProxy<ReaderWriterFLY> g_readerWriter_FLY_Proxy;
 
diff --git a/src/osg/Matrix.cpp b/src/osg/Matrix.cpp
index 4eba808aa..e018e3deb 100644
--- a/src/osg/Matrix.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Matrix.cpp
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ bool Matrix::invertAffine( const Matrix& _m )
 
     det_1 = pos + neg;
 
-    if( (det_1 == 0.0) || (abs(det_1/(pos-neg)) < PRECISION_LIMIT )) {
+    if( (det_1 == 0.0) || (fabs(det_1/(pos-neg)) < PRECISION_LIMIT )) {
         // _m has no inverse
         notify(WARN) << "Matrix::invert(): Matrix has no inverse." << endl;
         return false;
diff --git a/src/osgDB/Input.cpp b/src/osgDB/Input.cpp
index 82db0d2b1..d4f03256a 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/Input.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/Input.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <osg/Object>
 
 #include <osgDB/Registry>
+#include <osgDB/ReadFile>
 #include <osgDB/Input>
 
 using namespace osgDB;
@@ -62,15 +63,15 @@ osg::Node* Input::readNode()
 
 osg::Object* Input::readObject(const std::string& fileName)
 {
-    return Registry::instance()->readObject(fileName);
+    return readObjectFile(fileName);
 }
 
 osg::Image*  Input::readImage(const std::string& fileName)
 {
-    return Registry::instance()->readImage(fileName);
+    return readImageFile(fileName);
 }
 
 osg::Node* Input::readNode(const std::string& fileName)
 {
-    return Registry::instance()->readNode(fileName);
+    return readNodeFile(fileName);
 }
diff --git a/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp b/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp
index f6e375697..7ac947d99 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp
@@ -11,17 +11,26 @@ using namespace osgDB;
 
 Object* osgDB::readObjectFile(const std::string& filename)
 {
-    return Registry::instance()->readObject(filename);
+    ReaderWriter::ReadResult rr = Registry::instance()->readObject(filename);
+    if (rr.validObject()) return rr.takeObject();
+    if (rr.error()) notify(WARN) << rr.message() << endl;
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 
-Image*  osgDB::readImageFile(const std::string& filename)
+Image* osgDB::readImageFile(const std::string& filename)
 {
-    return Registry::instance()->readImage(filename);
+    ReaderWriter::ReadResult rr = Registry::instance()->readImage(filename);
+    if (rr.validImage()) return rr.takeImage();
+    if (rr.error()) notify(WARN) << rr.message() << endl;
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 
-Node*   osgDB::readNodeFile(const std::string& filename)
+Node* osgDB::readNodeFile(const std::string& filename)
 {
-    return Registry::instance()->readNode(filename);
+    ReaderWriter::ReadResult rr = Registry::instance()->readNode(filename);
+    if (rr.validNode()) return rr.takeNode();
+    if (rr.error()) notify(WARN) << rr.message() << endl;
+    return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp b/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
index 24f7f895a..33d5cbd8d 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
@@ -553,10 +553,10 @@ bool Registry::writeObject(const osg::Object& obj,Output& fw)
 //
 // read object from specified file.
 //
-Object* Registry::readObject(const std::string& fileName)
+ReaderWriter::ReadResult Registry::readObject(const std::string& fileName)
 {
     char *file = findFile( fileName.c_str() );
-    if (file==NULL) return NULL;
+    if (file==NULL) return ReaderWriter::ReadResult("Warning: file \""+fileName+"\" not found.");
 
     // record the existing reader writer.
     std::set<ReaderWriter*> rwOriginal;
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ Object* Registry::readObject(const std::string& fileName)
     {
         rwOriginal.insert(itr->get());
         ReaderWriter::ReadResult rr = (*itr)->readObject(file,_options.get());
-        if (rr.validObject()) return rr.takeObject();
+        if (rr.validObject()) return rr;
         else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
     }
 
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ Object* Registry::readObject(const std::string& fileName)
             if (rwOriginal.find(itr->get())==rwOriginal.end())
             {
                 ReaderWriter::ReadResult rr = (*itr)->readObject(file,_options.get());
-                if (rr.validObject()) return rr.takeObject();
+                if (rr.validObject()) return rr;
                 else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
             }
         }
@@ -595,24 +595,16 @@ Object* Registry::readObject(const std::string& fileName)
     
     if (results.empty())
     {
-        notify(NOTICE)<<"Warning: Could not find plugin to read file with extension ."
-            <<getLowerCaseFileExtension(fileName)<<endl;
+        return ReaderWriter::ReadResult("Warning: Could not find plugin to read objects from file \""+fileName+"\".");
     }
     else
     {
-        for(Results::iterator itr=results.begin();
-            itr!=results.end();
-            ++itr)
-        {
-            notify(NOTICE)<<itr->message()<<endl;
-        }
+        return results.front();
     }
-
-    return NULL;
 }
 
 
-bool Registry::writeObject(const Object& obj,const std::string& fileName)
+ReaderWriter::WriteResult Registry::writeObject(const Object& obj,const std::string& fileName)
 {
     // record the existing reader writer.
     std::set<ReaderWriter*> rwOriginal;
@@ -628,7 +620,7 @@ bool Registry::writeObject(const Object& obj,const std::string& fileName)
     {
         rwOriginal.insert(itr->get());
         ReaderWriter::WriteResult rr = (*itr)->writeObject(obj,fileName,_options.get());
-        if (rr.success()) return true;
+        if (rr.success()) return rr;
         else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
     }
 
@@ -643,7 +635,7 @@ bool Registry::writeObject(const Object& obj,const std::string& fileName)
             if (rwOriginal.find(itr->get())==rwOriginal.end())
             {
                 ReaderWriter::WriteResult rr = (*itr)->writeObject(obj,fileName,_options.get());
-                if (rr.success()) return true;
+                if (rr.success()) return rr;
                 else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
             }
         }
@@ -651,28 +643,20 @@ bool Registry::writeObject(const Object& obj,const std::string& fileName)
 
     if (results.empty())
     {
-        notify(NOTICE)<<"Warning: Could not find plugin to write file with extension ."
-            <<getLowerCaseFileExtension(fileName)<<endl;
+        return ReaderWriter::WriteResult("Warning: Could not find plugin to write objects to file \""+fileName+"\".");
     }
     else
     {
-        for(Results::iterator itr=results.begin();
-            itr!=results.end();
-            ++itr)
-        {
-            notify(NOTICE)<<itr->message()<<endl;
-        }
+        return results.front();
     }
-
-    return false;
 }
 
 
 
-Image* Registry::readImage(const std::string& fileName)
+ReaderWriter::ReadResult Registry::readImage(const std::string& fileName)
 {
     char *file = findFile( fileName.c_str() );
-    if (file==NULL) return NULL;
+    if (file==NULL) return ReaderWriter::ReadResult("Warning: file \""+fileName+"\" not found.");
 
     // record the existing reader writer.
     std::set<ReaderWriter*> rwOriginal;
@@ -688,7 +672,7 @@ Image* Registry::readImage(const std::string& fileName)
     {
         rwOriginal.insert(itr->get());
         ReaderWriter::ReadResult rr = (*itr)->readImage(file,_options.get());
-        if (rr.validImage()) return rr.takeImage();
+        if (rr.validImage()) return rr;
         else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
     }
 
@@ -703,7 +687,7 @@ Image* Registry::readImage(const std::string& fileName)
             if (rwOriginal.find(itr->get())==rwOriginal.end())
             {
                 ReaderWriter::ReadResult rr = (*itr)->readImage(file,_options.get());
-                if (rr.validImage()) return rr.takeImage();
+                if (rr.validImage()) return rr;
                 else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
             }
         }
@@ -711,24 +695,16 @@ Image* Registry::readImage(const std::string& fileName)
 
     if (results.empty())
     {
-        notify(NOTICE)<<"Warning: Could not find plugin to read file with extension ."
-            <<getLowerCaseFileExtension(fileName)<<endl;
+        return ReaderWriter::ReadResult("Warning: Could not find plugin to read image from file \""+fileName+"\".");
     }
     else
     {
-        for(Results::iterator itr=results.begin();
-            itr!=results.end();
-            ++itr)
-        {
-            notify(NOTICE)<<itr->message()<<endl;
-        }
+        return results.front();
     }
-
-    return NULL;
 }
 
 
-bool Registry::writeImage(const Image& image,const std::string& fileName)
+ReaderWriter::WriteResult Registry::writeImage(const Image& image,const std::string& fileName)
 {
     // record the existing reader writer.
     std::set<ReaderWriter*> rwOriginal;
@@ -744,7 +720,7 @@ bool Registry::writeImage(const Image& image,const std::string& fileName)
     {
         rwOriginal.insert(itr->get());
         ReaderWriter::WriteResult rr = (*itr)->writeImage(image,fileName,_options.get());
-        if (rr.success()) return true;
+        if (rr.success()) return rr;
         else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
     }
 
@@ -759,7 +735,7 @@ bool Registry::writeImage(const Image& image,const std::string& fileName)
             if (rwOriginal.find(itr->get())==rwOriginal.end())
             {
                 ReaderWriter::WriteResult rr = (*itr)->writeImage(image,fileName,_options.get());
-                if (rr.success()) return true;
+                if (rr.success()) return rr;
                 else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
             }
         }
@@ -767,28 +743,20 @@ bool Registry::writeImage(const Image& image,const std::string& fileName)
 
     if (results.empty())
     {
-        notify(NOTICE)<<"Warning: Could not find plugin to write file with extension ."
-            <<getLowerCaseFileExtension(fileName)<<endl;
+        return ReaderWriter::WriteResult("Warning: Could not find plugin to write image to file \""+fileName+"\".");
     }
     else
     {
-        for(Results::iterator itr=results.begin();
-            itr!=results.end();
-            ++itr)
-        {
-            notify(NOTICE)<<itr->message()<<endl;
-        }
+        return results.front();
     }
-
-    return false;
 }
 
 
-Node* Registry::readNode(const std::string& fileName)
+ReaderWriter::ReadResult Registry::readNode(const std::string& fileName)
 {
 
     char *file = findFile( fileName.c_str() );
-    if (file==NULL) return NULL;
+    if (file==NULL) return ReaderWriter::ReadResult("Warning: file \""+fileName+"\" not found.");
 
     // record the existing reader writer.
     std::set<ReaderWriter*> rwOriginal;
@@ -804,12 +772,10 @@ Node* Registry::readNode(const std::string& fileName)
     {
         rwOriginal.insert(itr->get());
         ReaderWriter::ReadResult rr = (*itr)->readNode(file,_options.get());
-        if (rr.validNode()) return rr.takeNode();
+        if (rr.validNode()) return rr;
         else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
     }
 
-    bool couldNotFindPlugin = false;
-
     // now look for a plug-in to load the file.
     std::string libraryName = createLibraryNameForFile(fileName);
     notify(INFO) << "Now checking for plug-in "<<libraryName<<endl;
@@ -822,54 +788,32 @@ Node* Registry::readNode(const std::string& fileName)
             if (rwOriginal.find(itr->get())==rwOriginal.end())
             {
                 ReaderWriter::ReadResult rr = (*itr)->readNode(file,_options.get());
-                if (rr.validNode()) return rr.takeNode();
+                if (rr.validNode()) return rr;
                 else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
             }
         }
     }
-    else
-    {
-        couldNotFindPlugin = true;
-    }
 
-// 
-//     if (_createNodeFromImage)
-//     {
-//         ref_ptr<Image> image = readImage(fileName);
-//         if (image.valid())
-//         {
-//             return createGeodeForImage(image.get());
-//         }
-//     }
-// 
-//     if (couldNotFindPlugin)
-//     {
-//         notify(NOTICE)<<"Warning: Could not find plugin to read file with extension ."
-//             <<getLowerCaseFileExtension(fileName)<<endl;
-//     }
-// 
-//     notify(NOTICE)<<"Warning: Unable to read file "<<fileName<<endl;
+
+    if (_createNodeFromImage)
+    {
+        ReaderWriter::ReadResult rr = readImage(file);
+        if (rr.validImage()) return createGeodeForImage(rr.takeImage());
+        else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
+    }
 
     if (results.empty())
     {
-        notify(NOTICE)<<"Warning: Could not find plugin to read file with extension ."
-            <<getLowerCaseFileExtension(fileName)<<endl;
+        return ReaderWriter::ReadResult("Warning: Could not find plugin to read nodes from file \""+fileName+"\".");
     }
     else
     {
-        for(Results::iterator itr=results.begin();
-            itr!=results.end();
-            ++itr)
-        {
-            notify(NOTICE)<<itr->message()<<endl;
-        }
+        return results.front();
     }
-
-    return NULL;
 }
 
 
-bool Registry::writeNode(const Node& node,const std::string& fileName)
+ReaderWriter::WriteResult Registry::writeNode(const Node& node,const std::string& fileName)
 {
     // record the existing reader writer.
     std::set<ReaderWriter*> rwOriginal;
@@ -885,7 +829,7 @@ bool Registry::writeNode(const Node& node,const std::string& fileName)
     {
         rwOriginal.insert(itr->get());
         ReaderWriter::WriteResult rr = (*itr)->writeNode(node,fileName,_options.get());
-        if (rr.success()) return true;
+        if (rr.success()) return rr;
         else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
     }
 
@@ -900,7 +844,7 @@ bool Registry::writeNode(const Node& node,const std::string& fileName)
             if (rwOriginal.find(itr->get())==rwOriginal.end())
             {
                 ReaderWriter::WriteResult rr = (*itr)->writeNode(node,fileName,_options.get());
-                if (rr.success()) return true;
+                if (rr.success()) return rr;
                 else if (rr.error()) results.push_back(rr);
             }
         }
@@ -908,18 +852,10 @@ bool Registry::writeNode(const Node& node,const std::string& fileName)
 
     if (results.empty())
     {
-        notify(NOTICE)<<"Warning: Could not find plugin to write file with extension ."
-            <<getLowerCaseFileExtension(fileName)<<endl;
+        return ReaderWriter::WriteResult("Warning: Could not find plugin to write nodes to file \""+fileName+"\".");
     }
     else
     {
-        for(Results::iterator itr=results.begin();
-            itr!=results.end();
-            ++itr)
-        {
-            notify(NOTICE)<<itr->message()<<endl;
-        }
+        return results.front();
     }
-
-    return false;
 }
diff --git a/src/osgDB/WriteFile.cpp b/src/osgDB/WriteFile.cpp
index 7bb4a39e7..b966a7728 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/WriteFile.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/WriteFile.cpp
@@ -14,17 +14,23 @@ using namespace osgDB;
 
 bool osgDB::writeObjectFile(const Object& object,const std::string& filename)
 {
-    return Registry::instance()->writeObject(object,filename);
+    ReaderWriter::WriteResult wr = Registry::instance()->writeObject(object,filename);
+    if (wr.error()) notify(WARN) << wr.message() << endl;
+    return wr.success();
 }
 
 
 bool osgDB::writeImageFile(const Image& image,const std::string& filename)
 {
-    return Registry::instance()->writeImage(image,filename);
+    ReaderWriter::WriteResult wr = Registry::instance()->writeImage(image,filename);
+    if (wr.error()) notify(WARN) << wr.message() << endl;
+    return wr.success();
 }
 
 
 bool osgDB::writeNodeFile(const Node& node,const std::string& filename)
 {
-    return Registry::instance()->writeNode(node,filename);
+    ReaderWriter::WriteResult wr = Registry::instance()->writeNode(node,filename);
+    if (wr.error()) notify(WARN) << wr.message() << endl;
+    return wr.success();
 }