Merge from dev of tools changes

24 files changed, 1242 insertions, 1457 deletions

diff --git a/tools/src/h5copy/h5copy.c b/tools/src/h5copy/h5copy.c
index e1370e2..5b19ae7 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5copy/h5copy.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5copy/h5copy.c
@@ -207,10 +207,6 @@ static int parse_flag(const char* s_flag, unsigned *flag)
 int
 main (int argc, const char *argv[])
 {
-    H5E_auto2_t         func;
-    H5E_auto2_t         tools_func;
-    void               *edata;
-    void               *tools_edata;
     hid_t        fid_src = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     hid_t        fid_dst = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     unsigned     flag = 0;
@@ -226,17 +222,9 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
-    /* Disable error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, &func, &edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* Initialize h5tools lib */
     h5tools_init();
 
-    /* Disable tools error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, &tools_func, &tools_edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* init linkinfo struct */
     HDmemset(&linkinfo, 0, sizeof(h5tool_link_info_t));
 
@@ -330,10 +318,8 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
         leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
-    if (enable_error_stack > 0) {
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, tools_func, tools_edata);
-    }
+    /* enable error reporting if command line option */
+    h5tools_error_report();
 
    /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
     * open output file
@@ -342,13 +328,13 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     /* Attempt to open an existing HDF5 file first. Need to open the dst file
        before the src file just in case that the dst and src are the same file
      */
-    fid_dst = h5tools_fopen(fname_dst, H5F_ACC_RDWR, H5P_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL, 0);
+    fid_dst = h5tools_fopen(fname_dst, H5F_ACC_RDWR, H5P_DEFAULT, FALSE, NULL, 0);
 
    /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
     * open input file
     *-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-    fid_src = h5tools_fopen(fname_src, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, H5P_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL, 0);
+    fid_src = h5tools_fopen(fname_src, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, H5P_DEFAULT, FALSE, NULL, 0);
 
    /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
     * test for error in opening input file
diff --git a/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_common.c b/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_common.c
index e05a8e3..327be71 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_common.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_common.c
@@ -25,22 +25,23 @@ static int check_d_input(const char*);
  * Command-line options: The user can specify short or long-named
  * parameters.
  */
-static const char *s_opts = "hVrv:qn:d:p:NcelxE:S";
+static const char *s_opts = "hVrv:qn:d:p:NcelxE:A:S";
 static struct long_options l_opts[] = {
-    { "help", no_arg, 'h' },
-    { "version", no_arg, 'V' },
-    { "report", no_arg, 'r' },
-    { "verbose", optional_arg, 'v' },
-    { "quiet", no_arg, 'q' },
-    { "count", require_arg, 'n' },
-    { "delta", require_arg, 'd' },
-    { "relative", require_arg, 'p' },
-    { "nan", no_arg, 'N' },
-    { "compare", no_arg, 'c' },
+    { "help",               no_arg, 'h' },
+    { "version",            no_arg, 'V' },
+    { "report",             no_arg, 'r' },
+    { "verbose",            optional_arg, 'v' },
+    { "quiet",              no_arg, 'q' },
+    { "count",              require_arg, 'n' },
+    { "delta",              require_arg, 'd' },
+    { "relative",           require_arg, 'p' },
+    { "nan",                no_arg, 'N' },
+    { "compare",            no_arg, 'c' },
     { "use-system-epsilon", no_arg, 'e' },
-    { "follow-symlinks", no_arg, 'l' },
-    { "no-dangling-links", no_arg, 'x' },
-    { "exclude-path", require_arg, 'E' },
+    { "follow-symlinks",    no_arg, 'l' },
+    { "no-dangling-links",  no_arg, 'x' },
+    { "exclude-path",       require_arg, 'E' },
+    { "exclude-attribute",  require_arg, 'A' },
     { "enable-error-stack", no_arg, 'S' },
     { NULL, 0, '\0' }
 };
@@ -49,7 +50,6 @@ static struct long_options l_opts[] = {
  * Function: check_options
  *
  * Purpose: parse command line input
- *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 static void check_options(diff_opt_t* opts)
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ static void check_options(diff_opt_t* opts)
     /* check between -d , -p, --use-system-epsilon.
      * These options are mutually exclusive.
      */
-    if ((opts->d + opts->p + opts->use_system_epsilon) > 1) {
+    if ((opts->delta_bool + opts->percent_bool + opts->use_system_epsilon) > 1) {
         HDprintf("%s error: -d, -p and --use-system-epsilon options are mutually-exclusive;\n", PROGRAMNAME);
         HDprintf("use no more than one.\n");
         HDprintf("Try '-h' or '--help' option for more information or see the %s entry in the 'HDF5 Reference Manual'.\n", PROGRAMNAME);
@@ -69,29 +69,140 @@ static void check_options(diff_opt_t* opts)
     }
 }
 
+/*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Function:    parse_hsize_list
+ *
+ * Purpose:     Parse a list of comma or space separated integers and return
+ *              them in a list. The string being passed into this function
+ *              should be at the start of the list you want to parse. You are
+ *              responsible for freeing the array returned from here.
+ *
+ *              Lists in the so-called "terse" syntax are separated by
+ *              semicolons (;). The lists themselves can be separated by
+ *              either commas (,) or white spaces.
+ *
+ * Return:      <none>
+ *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ */
+static void
+parse_hsize_list(const char *h_list, subset_d *d)
+{
+    hsize_t        *p_list;
+    const char     *ptr;
+    unsigned int    size_count = 0;
+    unsigned int    i = 0;
+    unsigned int    last_digit = 0;
+
+    if (!h_list || !*h_list || *h_list == ';')
+        return;
+
+    H5TOOLS_START_DEBUG(" - h_list:%s", h_list);
+    /* count how many integers do we have */
+    for (ptr = h_list; ptr && *ptr && *ptr != ';' && *ptr != ']'; ptr++)
+        if (HDisdigit(*ptr)) {
+            if (!last_digit)
+                /* the last read character wasn't a digit */
+                size_count++;
+
+            last_digit = 1;
+        }
+        else
+            last_digit = 0;
+
+    if (size_count == 0) {
+        /* there aren't any integers to read */
+        H5TOOLS_ENDDEBUG("No integers to read");
+        return;
+    }
+    H5TOOLS_DEBUG("Number integers to read=%ld", size_count);
+
+    /* allocate an array for the integers in the list */
+    if((p_list = (hsize_t *)HDcalloc(size_count, sizeof(hsize_t))) == NULL)
+        H5TOOLS_INFO("Unable to allocate space for subset data");
+
+    for (ptr = h_list; i < size_count && ptr && *ptr && *ptr != ';' && *ptr != ']'; ptr++)
+        if(HDisdigit(*ptr)) {
+            /* we should have an integer now */
+            p_list[i++] = (hsize_t)HDstrtoull(ptr, NULL, 0);
+
+            while (HDisdigit(*ptr))
+                /* scroll to end of integer */
+                ptr++;
+        }
+    d->data = p_list;
+    d->len = size_count;
+    H5TOOLS_ENDDEBUG("");
+}
+
+/*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Function:    parse_subset_params
+ *
+ * Purpose:     Parse the so-called "terse" syntax for specifying subsetting parameters.
+ *
+ * Return:      Success:    struct subset_t object
+ *              Failure:    NULL
+ *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ */
+static struct subset_t *
+parse_subset_params(const char *dset)
+{
+    struct subset_t *s = NULL;
+    char   *brace;
+
+    H5TOOLS_START_DEBUG(" - dset:%s", dset);
+    if ((brace = HDstrrchr(dset, '[')) != NULL) {
+        *brace++ = '\0';
+
+        s = (struct subset_t *)HDcalloc(1, sizeof(struct subset_t));
+        parse_hsize_list(brace, &s->start);
+
+        while (*brace && *brace != ';')
+            brace++;
+
+        if (*brace)
+            brace++;
+
+        parse_hsize_list(brace, &s->stride);
+
+        while (*brace && *brace != ';')
+            brace++;
+
+        if (*brace)
+            brace++;
+
+        parse_hsize_list(brace, &s->count);
+
+        while (*brace && *brace != ';')
+            brace++;
+
+        if (*brace)
+            brace++;
+
+        parse_hsize_list(brace, &s->block);
+    }
+    H5TOOLS_ENDDEBUG("");
+
+    return s;
+}
+
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Function: parse_command_line
  *
  * Purpose: parse command line input
- *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
-void parse_command_line(int argc,
-                        const char* argv[],
-                        const char** fname1,
-                        const char** fname2,
-                        const char** objname1,
-                        const char** objname2,
-                        diff_opt_t* opts)
+void parse_command_line(int argc, const char* argv[], const char** fname1, const char** fname2, const char** objname1, const char** objname2, diff_opt_t* opts)
 {
     int i;
     int opt;
     struct exclude_path_list *exclude_head, *exclude_prev, *exclude_node;
+    struct exclude_path_list *exclude_attr_head, *exclude_attr_prev, *exclude_attr_node;
 
+    H5TOOLS_START_DEBUG("");
     /* process the command-line */
-    memset(opts, 0, sizeof (diff_opt_t));
+    HDmemset(opts, 0, sizeof (diff_opt_t));
 
     /* assume equal contents initially */
     opts->contents = 1;
@@ -100,15 +211,18 @@ void parse_command_line(int argc,
     opts->do_nans = 1;
 
     /* not Listing objects that are not comparable */
-    opts->m_list_not_cmp = 0;
+    opts->mode_list_not_cmp = 0;
 
     /* initially no not-comparable. */
     /**this is bad in mixing option with results**/
-    opts->not_cmp=0;
+    opts->not_cmp = 0;
 
     /* init for exclude-path option */
     exclude_head = NULL;
 
+    /* init for exclude-attribute option */
+    exclude_attr_head = NULL;
+
     /* parse command line options */
     while ((opt = get_option(argc, argv, s_opts, l_opts)) != EOF) {
         switch ((char)opt) {
@@ -128,7 +242,7 @@ void parse_command_line(int argc,
             break;
 
         case 'v':
-            opts->m_verbose = 1;
+            opts->mode_verbose = 1;
             /* This for loop is for handling style like
              * -v, -v1, --verbose, --verbose=1.
              */
@@ -138,11 +252,11 @@ void parse_command_line(int argc,
                  */
                 if (!strcmp (argv[i], "-v")) {  /* no arg */
                     opt_ind--;
-                    opts->m_verbose_level = 0;
+                    opts->mode_verbose_level = 0;
                     break;
                 }
                 else if (!strncmp (argv[i], "-v", (size_t)2)) {
-                    opts->m_verbose_level = atoi(&argv[i][2]);
+                    opts->mode_verbose_level = atoi(&argv[i][2]);
                     break;
                 }
 
@@ -150,11 +264,11 @@ void parse_command_line(int argc,
                  * long opt
                  */
                 if (!strcmp (argv[i], "--verbose")) {  /* no arg */
-                    opts->m_verbose_level = 0;
+                    opts->mode_verbose_level = 0;
                     break;
                 }
-                else if ( !strncmp (argv[i], "--verbose", (size_t)9) && argv[i][9]=='=') {
-                    opts->m_verbose_level = atoi(&argv[i][10]);
+                else if (!strncmp (argv[i], "--verbose", (size_t)9) && argv[i][9]=='=') {
+                    opts->mode_verbose_level = atoi(&argv[i][10]);
                     break;
                 }
             }
@@ -162,11 +276,11 @@ void parse_command_line(int argc,
 
         case 'q':
             /* use quiet mode; supress the message "0 differences found" */
-            opts->m_quiet = 1;
+            opts->mode_quiet = 1;
             break;
 
         case 'r':
-            opts->m_report = 1;
+            opts->mode_report = 1;
             break;
 
         case 'l':
@@ -191,7 +305,7 @@ void parse_command_line(int argc,
             }
 
             /* init */
-            exclude_node->obj_path = (char*)opt_arg;
+            exclude_node->obj_path = opt_arg;
             exclude_node->obj_type = H5TRAV_TYPE_UNKNOWN;
             exclude_prev = exclude_head;
 
@@ -201,45 +315,69 @@ void parse_command_line(int argc,
             }
             else {
                 while(NULL != exclude_prev->next)
-                    exclude_prev=exclude_prev->next;
+                    exclude_prev = exclude_prev->next;
 
                 exclude_node->next = NULL;
                 exclude_prev->next = exclude_node;
             }
             break;
 
+        case 'A':
+            opts->exclude_attr_path = 1;
+
+            /* create linked list of excluding objects */
+            if( (exclude_attr_node = (struct exclude_path_list*) HDmalloc(sizeof(struct exclude_path_list))) == NULL) {
+                HDprintf("Error: lack of memory!\n");
+                h5diff_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            }
+
+            /* init */
+            exclude_attr_node->obj_path = opt_arg;
+            exclude_attr_node->obj_type = H5TRAV_TYPE_UNKNOWN;
+            exclude_attr_prev = exclude_attr_head;
+
+            if (NULL == exclude_attr_head) {
+                exclude_attr_head = exclude_attr_node;
+                exclude_attr_head->next = NULL;
+            }
+            else {
+                while(NULL != exclude_attr_prev->next)
+                    exclude_attr_prev = exclude_attr_prev->next;
+
+                exclude_attr_node->next = NULL;
+                exclude_attr_prev->next = exclude_attr_node;
+            }
+            break;
+
         case 'd':
-            opts->d=1;
+            opts->delta_bool = 1;
 
-            if (check_d_input(opt_arg) == - 1) {
+            if (check_d_input(opt_arg) == -1) {
                 HDprintf("<-d %s> is not a valid option\n", opt_arg);
                 usage();
                 h5diff_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
-            opts->delta = atof(opt_arg);
-
-            /* -d 0 is the same as default */
-            if (H5_DBL_ABS_EQUAL(opts->delta, (double)0.0F))
-                opts->d=0;
+            opts->delta = HDatof(opt_arg);
+            /* do not check against default, the DBL_EPSILON is being replaced by user */
             break;
 
         case 'p':
-            opts->p=1;
+            opts->percent_bool = 1;
             if (check_p_input(opt_arg) == -1) {
                 HDprintf("<-p %s> is not a valid option\n", opt_arg);
                 usage();
                 h5diff_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
-            opts->percent = atof(opt_arg);
+            opts->percent = HDatof(opt_arg);
 
             /* -p 0 is the same as default */
             if (H5_DBL_ABS_EQUAL(opts->percent, (double)0.0F))
-                opts->p = 0;
+                opts->percent_bool = 0;
             break;
 
         case 'n':
-            opts->n=1;
-            if ( check_n_input(opt_arg) == -1) {
+            opts->count_bool = 1;
+            if (check_n_input(opt_arg) == -1) {
                 HDprintf("<-n %s> is not a valid option\n", opt_arg);
                 usage();
                 h5diff_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
@@ -252,7 +390,7 @@ void parse_command_line(int argc,
             break;
 
         case 'c':
-            opts->m_list_not_cmp = 1;
+            opts->mode_list_not_cmp = 1;
             break;
 
         case 'e':
@@ -268,30 +406,46 @@ void parse_command_line(int argc,
     if (opts->exclude_path)
         opts->exclude = exclude_head;
 
+    /* if exclude-attribute option is used, keep the exclude attr list */
+    if (opts->exclude_attr_path)
+        opts->exclude_attr = exclude_attr_head;
+
     /* check for file names to be processed */
-    if (argc <= opt_ind || argv[ opt_ind + 1 ] == NULL) {
+    if (argc <= opt_ind || argv[opt_ind + 1] == NULL) {
         error_msg("missing file names\n");
         usage();
         h5diff_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
-    *fname1 = argv[ opt_ind ];
-    *fname2 = argv[ opt_ind + 1 ];
-    *objname1 = argv[ opt_ind + 2 ];
+    *fname1 = argv[opt_ind];
+    *fname2 = argv[opt_ind + 1];
+    *objname1 = argv[opt_ind + 2];
+    H5TOOLS_DEBUG("file1 = %s", *fname1);
+    H5TOOLS_DEBUG("file2 = %s", *fname2);
 
     if (*objname1 == NULL) {
         *objname2 = NULL;
+        H5TOOLS_ENDDEBUG("No obj names");
         return;
     }
+    H5TOOLS_DEBUG("objname1 = %s", *objname1);
 
-    if (argv[ opt_ind + 3 ] != NULL) {
-        *objname2 = argv[ opt_ind + 3 ];
+    if (argv[opt_ind + 3] != NULL) {
+        *objname2 = argv[opt_ind + 3];
     }
     else {
         *objname2 = *objname1;
     }
+    H5TOOLS_DEBUG("objname2 = %s", *objname2);
 
+    /*
+     * TRILABS-227 is complete except for an issue with printing indices
+     * the following calls will enable subsetting
+    opts->sset[0] = parse_subset_params(*objname1);
 
+    opts->sset[1] = parse_subset_params(*objname2);
+    */
+    H5TOOLS_ENDDEBUG("");
 }
 
 
@@ -299,26 +453,25 @@ void parse_command_line(int argc,
  * Function: print_info
  *
  * Purpose: print several information messages after h5diff call
- *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 void print_info(diff_opt_t* opts)
 {
-    if (opts->m_quiet || opts->err_stat)
+    if (opts->mode_quiet || opts->err_stat)
         return;
 
     if (opts->cmn_objs == 0) {
         HDprintf("No common objects found. Files are not comparable.\n");
-        if (!opts->m_verbose)
+        if (!opts->mode_verbose)
             HDprintf("Use -v for a list of objects.\n");
     }
 
     if (opts->not_cmp == 1) {
-        if (opts->m_list_not_cmp == 0) {
+        if (opts->mode_list_not_cmp == 0) {
             HDprintf("--------------------------------\n");
             HDprintf("Some objects are not comparable\n");
             HDprintf("--------------------------------\n");
-            if (opts->m_verbose)
+            if (opts->mode_verbose)
                 HDprintf("Use -c for a list of objects without details of differences.\n");
             else
                 HDprintf("Use -c for a list of objects.\n");
@@ -332,19 +485,10 @@ void print_info(diff_opt_t* opts)
  * Purpose: check for valid input
  *
  * Return: 1 for ok, -1 for fail
- *
- * Programmer: Pedro Vicente, pvn@ncsa.uiuc.edu
- *
- * Date: May 9, 2003
- *
- * Comments:
- *
- * Modifications:
- *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 H5_ATTR_PURE static int
-check_n_input( const char *str )
+check_n_input(const char *str)
 {
     unsigned i;
     char c;
@@ -368,28 +512,21 @@ check_n_input( const char *str )
  * Purpose: check for a valid p option input
  *
  * Return: 1 for ok, -1 for fail
- *
- * Date: May 9, 2003
- *
- * Comments:
- *
- * Modifications:
- *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 static int
-check_p_input( const char *str )
+check_p_input(const char *str)
 {
     double x;
 
     /*
-    the atof return value on a hexadecimal input is different
-    on some systems; we do a character check for this
-    */
+     * the atof return value on a hexadecimal input is different
+     * on some systems; we do a character check for this
+     */
     if (HDstrlen(str) > 2 && str[0] == '0' && str[1] == 'x')
         return -1;
 
-    x = atof(str);
+    x = HDatof(str);
     if (x < 0)
         return -1;
 
@@ -402,28 +539,21 @@ check_p_input( const char *str )
  * Purpose: check for a valid d option input
  *
  * Return: 1 for ok, -1 for fail
- *
- * Date: November 11, 2007
- *
- * Comments:
- *
- * Modifications:
- *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 static int
-check_d_input( const char *str )
+check_d_input(const char *str)
 {
     double x;
 
     /*
-    the atof return value on a hexadecimal input is different
-    on some systems; we do a character check for this
-    */
+     * the atof return value on a hexadecimal input is different
+     * on some systems; we do a character check for this
+     */
     if (HDstrlen(str) > 2 && str[0] == '0' && str[1] == 'x')
         return -1;
 
-    x = atof(str);
+    x = HDatof(str);
     if (x < 0)
         return -1;
 
@@ -436,7 +566,6 @@ check_d_input( const char *str )
  * Purpose: print a usage message
  *
  * Return: void
- *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
@@ -461,10 +590,9 @@ void usage(void)
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "         Verbose mode with level. Print differences and list of objects.\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "         Level of detail depends on value of N:\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "          0 : Identical to '-v' or '--verbose'.\n");
- PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "          1 : All level 0 information plus one-line attribute\n");
- PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "              status summary.\n");
- PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "          2 : All level 1 information plus extended attribute\n");
- PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "              status report.\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "          1 : All level 0 information plus one-line attribute status summary.\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "          2 : All level 1 information plus extended attribute status report.\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "          3 : All level 2 information plus file names.\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "   -q, --quiet\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "         Quiet mode. Do not produce output.\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "   --enable-error-stack\n");
@@ -541,7 +669,14 @@ void usage(void)
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "         excluded.\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "         This option can be used repeatedly to exclude multiple paths.\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
-
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "   --exclude-attribute \"path/to/object/with/attribute\"\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "         Exclude attributes on the specified path to an object when comparing files or groups.\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "         If there are multiple paths to an object, only the specified path(s)\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "         will be excluded; the comparison will include any path not explicitly\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "         excluded.\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "         This option can be used repeatedly to exclude multiple paths.\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, " Modes of output:\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "  Default mode: print the number of differences found and where they occured\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "  -r Report mode: print the above plus the differences\n");
@@ -572,7 +707,22 @@ void usage(void)
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "      (The option --follow-symlinks overrides the default behavior when\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "       symbolic links are compared.).\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
-
+ /*
+  * TRILABS-227 is complete except for an issue with printing indices
+  * the following will be needed for subsetting
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, " Subsetting options:\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "  Subsetting is available by using the fcompact form of subsetting, as follows:\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "    obj1 /foo/mydataset[START;STRIDE;COUNT;BLOCK]\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "  It is not required to use all parameters, but until the last parameter value used,\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "  all of the semicolons (;) are required, even when a parameter value is not specified. Example:\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "    obj1 /foo/mydataset[START;;COUNT;BLOCK]\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "    obj1 /foo/mydataset[START]\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "  The STRIDE, COUNT, and BLOCK parameters are optional and will default to 1 in\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "  each dimension. START is optional and will default to 0 in each dimension.\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "  Each of START, STRIDE, COUNT, and BLOCK must be a comma-separated list of integers with\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "  one integer for each dimension of the dataset.\n");
+ PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
+*/
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, " Exit code:\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "  0 if no differences, 1 if differences found, 2 if error\n");
  PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
diff --git a/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_main.c b/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_main.c
index c5a0cbf..33d6570 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_main.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_main.c
@@ -69,10 +69,7 @@
 int main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 {
     int        ret;
-    H5E_auto2_t         func;
-    H5E_auto2_t         tools_func;
-    void               *edata;
-    void               *tools_edata;
+    int        i;
     const char *fname1 = NULL;
     const char *fname2 = NULL;
     const char *objname1  = NULL;
@@ -83,27 +80,17 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[])
     h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
-    /* Disable error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, &func, &edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* Initialize h5tools lib */
     h5tools_init();
 
-    /* Disable tools error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, &tools_func, &tools_edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, NULL, NULL);
-
     /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
     * process the command-line
     *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
     */
     parse_command_line(argc, argv, &fname1, &fname2, &objname1, &objname2, &opts);
 
-    if (enable_error_stack > 0) {
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, tools_func, tools_edata);
-    }
+    /* enable error reporting if command line option */
+    h5tools_error_report();
 
     /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
     * do the diff
@@ -130,6 +117,23 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[])
     if (opts.err_stat)
         ret = 2;
 
+    /* free any buffers */
+    for (i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
+        if (opts.sset[i]) {
+            if(opts.sset[i]->start.data)
+                HDfree(opts.sset[i]->start.data);
+            if(opts.sset[i]->stride.data)
+                HDfree(opts.sset[i]->stride.data);
+            if(opts.sset[i]->count.data)
+                HDfree(opts.sset[i]->count.data);
+            if(opts.sset[i]->block.data)
+                HDfree(opts.sset[i]->block.data);
+
+            HDfree(opts.sset[i]);
+            opts.sset[i]=NULL;
+        }
+    }
+
     h5diff_exit(ret);
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/src/h5dump/CMakeLists.txt b/tools/src/h5dump/CMakeLists.txt
index e02fe68..cae7212 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5dump/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tools/src/h5dump/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ if (NOT ONLY_SHARED_LIBS)
   )
   target_include_directories (h5dump PRIVATE "${HDF5_TOOLS_DIR}/lib;${HDF5_SRC_DIR};${HDF5_BINARY_DIR};$<$<BOOL:${HDF5_ENABLE_PARALLEL}>:${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS}>")
   target_compile_options(h5dump PRIVATE "${HDF5_CMAKE_C_FLAGS}")
+  #target_compile_definitions(h5dump PRIVATE H5_TOOLS_DEBUG)
   TARGET_C_PROPERTIES (h5dump STATIC)
   target_link_libraries (h5dump PRIVATE ${HDF5_TOOLS_LIB_TARGET} ${HDF5_LIB_TARGET})
-  #target_compile_definitions(h5dump PRIVATE H5_TOOLS_DEBUG)
   set_target_properties (h5dump PROPERTIES FOLDER tools)
   set_global_variable (HDF5_UTILS_TO_EXPORT "${HDF5_UTILS_TO_EXPORT};h5dump")
 
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ if (BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
   )
   target_include_directories (h5dump-shared PRIVATE "${HDF5_TOOLS_DIR}/lib;${HDF5_SRC_DIR};${HDF5_BINARY_DIR};$<$<BOOL:${HDF5_ENABLE_PARALLEL}>:${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS}>")
   target_compile_options(h5dump-shared PRIVATE "${HDF5_CMAKE_C_FLAGS}")
+  #target_compile_definitions(h5dump-shared PRIVATE H5_TOOLS_DEBUG)
   TARGET_C_PROPERTIES (h5dump-shared SHARED)
   target_link_libraries (h5dump-shared PRIVATE ${HDF5_TOOLS_LIBSH_TARGET} ${HDF5_LIBSH_TARGET})
-  #target_compile_definitions(h5dump-shared PRIVATE H5_TOOLS_DEBUG)
   set_target_properties (h5dump-shared PROPERTIES FOLDER tools)
   set_global_variable (HDF5_UTILS_TO_EXPORT "${HDF5_UTILS_TO_EXPORT};h5dump-shared")
 
diff --git a/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump.c b/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump.c
index 731fcd7..f30d8fd 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump.c
@@ -18,30 +18,32 @@
 /* Name of tool */
 #define PROGRAMNAME "h5dump"
 
-static const char   *driver = NULL;      /* The driver to open the file with. */
-const char          *outfname=NULL;
-static int           doxml = 0;
-static int           useschema = 1;
-static const char   *xml_dtd_uri = NULL;
+static const char   *driver_name_g = NULL;  /* The driver to open the file with. */
+const char          *outfname_g = NULL;
+static hbool_t      doxml_g = FALSE;
+static hbool_t      useschema_g = TRUE;
+static const char   *xml_dtd_uri_g = NULL;
 
 #ifdef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
-static H5FD_ros3_fapl_t ros3_fa = {
-    1,     /* version           */
-    false, /* authenticate      */
-    "",    /* aws region        */
-    "",    /* access key id     */
-    "",    /* secret access key */
+/* Default "anonymous" S3 configuration */
+static H5FD_ros3_fapl_t ros3_fa_g = {
+    1,     /* Structure Version */
+    false, /* Authenticate?     */
+    "",    /* AWS Region        */
+    "",    /* Access Key ID     */
+    "",    /* Secret Access Key */
 };
 #endif /* H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD */
 
 #ifdef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
-static H5FD_hdfs_fapl_t hdfs_fa = {
-    1,           /* fapl version          */
-    "localhost", /* namenode name         */
-    0,           /* namenode port         */
-    "",          /* kerberos ticket cache */
-    "",          /* user name             */
-    2048,        /* stream buffer size    */
+/* "Default" HDFS configuration */
+static H5FD_hdfs_fapl_t hdfs_fa_g = {
+    1,           /* Structure Version     */
+    "localhost", /* Namenode Name         */
+    0,           /* Namenode Port         */
+    "",          /* Kerberos ticket cache */
+    "",          /* User name             */
+    2048,        /* Stream buffer size    */
 };
 #endif /* H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS */
 
@@ -641,12 +643,12 @@ parse_hsize_list(const char *h_list, subset_d *d)
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 static struct subset_t *
-parse_subset_params(char *dset)
+parse_subset_params(const char *dset)
 {
     struct subset_t *s = NULL;
     char   *brace;
 
-    if (!disable_compact_subset && ((brace = HDstrrchr(dset, '[')) != NULL)) {
+    if (!dump_opts.disable_compact_subset && ((brace = HDstrrchr(dset, '[')) != NULL)) {
         *brace++ = '\0';
 
         s = (struct subset_t *)HDcalloc(1, sizeof(struct subset_t));
@@ -861,14 +863,14 @@ parse_command_line(int argc, const char *argv[])
     int                 opt;
     int                 last_was_dset = FALSE;
 
-     /* no arguments */
+    /* no arguments */
     if (argc == 1) {
         usage(h5tools_getprogname());
         goto error;
     }
 
     /* this will be plenty big enough to hold the info */
-    if((hand = (struct handler_t *)HDcalloc((size_t)argc, sizeof(struct handler_t)))==NULL) {
+    if((hand = (struct handler_t *)HDcalloc((size_t)argc, sizeof(struct handler_t))) == NULL) {
         goto error;
     }
 
@@ -877,50 +879,50 @@ parse_command_line(int argc, const char *argv[])
 parse_start:
         switch ((char)opt) {
         case 'R':
-            display_region = TRUE;
+            dump_opts.display_region = TRUE;
             region_output = TRUE;
             break;
         case 'B':
-            display_bb = TRUE;
+            dump_opts.display_bb = TRUE;
             last_was_dset = FALSE;
             break;
         case 'n':
-            display_fi = TRUE;
+            dump_opts.display_fi = TRUE;
             last_was_dset = FALSE;
             if (opt_arg != NULL)
                 h5trav_set_verbose(HDatoi(opt_arg));
             break;
         case 'p':
-            display_dcpl = TRUE;
+            dump_opts.display_dcpl = TRUE;
             break;
         case 'y':
-            display_ai = FALSE;
+            dump_opts.display_ai = FALSE;
             break;
         case 'e':
-            display_escape = TRUE;
+            dump_opts.display_escape = TRUE;
             break;
         case 'H':
-            display_data = FALSE;
-            display_attr_data = FALSE;
+            dump_opts.display_data = FALSE;
+            dump_opts.display_attr_data = FALSE;
             last_was_dset = FALSE;
             break;
         case 'A':
             if (opt_arg != NULL) {
                 if(0 == HDatoi(opt_arg))
-                    include_attrs = FALSE;
+                    dump_opts.include_attrs = FALSE;
             }
             else {
-                display_data = FALSE;
-                display_attr_data = TRUE;
+                dump_opts.display_data = FALSE;
+                dump_opts.display_attr_data = TRUE;
                 last_was_dset = FALSE;
             }
             break;
         case 'i':
-            display_oid = TRUE;
+            dump_opts.display_oid = TRUE;
             last_was_dset = FALSE;
             break;
         case 'r':
-            display_char = TRUE;
+            dump_opts.display_char = TRUE;
             break;
         case 'V':
             print_version(h5tools_getprogname());
@@ -941,7 +943,7 @@ parse_start:
             }
             break;
         case 'N':
-            display_all = 0;
+            dump_opts.display_all = 0;
 
             for (i = 0; i < argc; i++)
                 if (!hand[i].func) {
@@ -953,7 +955,7 @@ parse_start:
             last_was_dset = FALSE;
             break;
         case 'a':
-            display_all = 0;
+            dump_opts.display_all = 0;
 
             for (i = 0; i < argc; i++)
                 if (!hand[i].func) {
@@ -965,7 +967,7 @@ parse_start:
             last_was_dset = FALSE;
             break;
         case 'd':
-            display_all = 0;
+            dump_opts.display_all = 0;
 
             for (i = 0; i < argc; i++)
                 if (!hand[i].func) {
@@ -979,10 +981,10 @@ parse_start:
             last_was_dset = TRUE;
             break;
         case 'f':
-            driver = opt_arg;
+            driver_name_g = opt_arg;
             break;
         case 'g':
-            display_all = 0;
+            dump_opts.display_all = 0;
 
             for (i = 0; i < argc; i++)
                 if (!hand[i].func) {
@@ -994,7 +996,7 @@ parse_start:
             last_was_dset = FALSE;
             break;
         case 'l':
-            display_all = 0;
+            dump_opts.display_all = 0;
 
             for (i = 0; i < argc; i++)
                 if (!hand[i].func) {
@@ -1006,7 +1008,7 @@ parse_start:
             last_was_dset = FALSE;
             break;
         case 't':
-            display_all = 0;
+            dump_opts.display_all = 0;
 
             for (i = 0; i < argc; i++)
                 if (!hand[i].func) {
@@ -1033,13 +1035,13 @@ parse_start:
                 }
             }
             else {
-                if(display_attr_data && !display_data) {
+                if(dump_opts.display_attr_data && !dump_opts.display_data) {
                     if (h5tools_set_attr_output_file(opt_arg, 0) < 0) {
                         usage(h5tools_getprogname());
                         goto error;
                     }
                 }
-                if(display_data || display_all) {
+                if(dump_opts.display_data || dump_opts.display_all) {
                     if (h5tools_set_data_output_file(opt_arg, 0) < 0) {
                         usage(h5tools_getprogname());
                         goto error;
@@ -1047,9 +1049,9 @@ parse_start:
                 }
             }
 
-            usingdasho = TRUE;
+            dump_opts.usingdasho = TRUE;
             last_was_dset = FALSE;
-            outfname = opt_arg;
+            outfname_g = opt_arg;
             break;
 
         case 'b':
@@ -1061,8 +1063,8 @@ parse_start:
                 }
             }
             bin_output = TRUE;
-            if (outfname!=NULL) {
-                if (h5tools_set_data_output_file(outfname, 1) < 0)  {
+            if (outfname_g != NULL) {
+                if (h5tools_set_data_output_file(outfname_g, 1) < 0)  {
                     /* failed to set output file */
                     usage(h5tools_getprogname());
                     goto error;
@@ -1097,14 +1099,14 @@ parse_start:
                 usage(h5tools_getprogname());
                 goto error;
             }
-            display_packed_bits = TRUE;
+            dump_opts.display_packed_bits = TRUE;
             break;
         case 'v':
-            display_vds_first = TRUE;
+            dump_opts.display_vds_first = TRUE;
             break;
         case 'G':
-            vds_gap_size = HDatoi(opt_arg);
-            if (vds_gap_size < 0) {
+            dump_opts.vds_gap_size = HDatoi(opt_arg);
+            if (dump_opts.vds_gap_size < 0) {
                 usage(h5tools_getprogname());
                 goto error;
             }
@@ -1113,15 +1115,15 @@ parse_start:
         /** begin XML parameters **/
         case 'x':
             /* select XML output */
-            doxml = TRUE;
-            useschema = TRUE;
+            doxml_g = TRUE;
+            useschema_g = TRUE;
             h5tools_dump_header_format = NULL;
             dump_function_table = &xml_function_table;
             h5tools_nCols = 0;
             break;
         case 'u':
-            doxml = TRUE;
-            useschema = FALSE;
+            doxml_g = TRUE;
+            useschema_g = FALSE;
             xmlnsprefix = "";
             h5tools_dump_header_format = NULL;
             dump_function_table = &xml_function_table;
@@ -1130,7 +1132,7 @@ parse_start:
         case 'D':
             /* specify alternative XML DTD or schema */
             /* To Do: check format of this value?  */
-            xml_dtd_uri = opt_arg;
+            xml_dtd_uri_g = opt_arg;
             h5tools_nCols = 0;
             break;
 
@@ -1143,7 +1145,7 @@ parse_start:
         case 'X':
             /* specify XML namespace (default="hdf5:"), or none */
             /* To Do: check format of this value?  */
-            if (!useschema) {
+            if (!useschema_g) {
                 usage(h5tools_getprogname());
                 goto error;
             }
@@ -1241,7 +1243,7 @@ end_collect:
                 enable_error_stack = 1;
             break;
         case 'C':
-            disable_compact_subset = TRUE;
+            dump_opts.disable_compact_subset = TRUE;
             break;
         case 'h':
             usage(h5tools_getprogname());
@@ -1251,106 +1253,37 @@ end_collect:
             goto done;
 
         case '$':
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
+            if (h5tools_parse_ros3_fapl_tuple(opt_arg, ',', &ros3_fa_g) < 0) {
+                error_msg("failed to parse S3 VFD credential info\n");
+                usage(h5tools_getprogname());
+                free_handler(hand, argc);
+                hand = NULL;
+                h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+                goto done;
+            }
+#else
             error_msg("Read-Only S3 VFD not enabled.\n");
             h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
             goto done;
-#else
-            /* s3 credential */
-            {
-                char       **s3_cred = NULL;
-                char        *s3_cred_string = NULL;
-                const char  *ccred[3];
-                unsigned     nelems = 0;
-                if (FAIL == parse_tuple(opt_arg, ',', &s3_cred_string, &nelems, &s3_cred)) {
-                    error_msg("unable to parse malformed s3 credentials\n");
-                    usage(h5tools_getprogname());
-                    free_handler(hand, argc);
-                    hand = NULL;
-                    h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                    goto done;
-                }
-                if (nelems != 3) {
-                    error_msg("s3 credentials expects 3 elements\n");
-                    usage(h5tools_getprogname());
-                    free_handler(hand, argc);
-                    hand = NULL;
-                    h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                    goto done;
-                }
-                ccred[0] = (const char *)s3_cred[0];
-                ccred[1] = (const char *)s3_cred[1];
-                ccred[2] = (const char *)s3_cred[2];
-                if (0 == h5tools_populate_ros3_fapl(&ros3_fa, ccred)) {
-                    error_msg("Invalid S3 credentials\n");
-                    usage(h5tools_getprogname());
-                    free_handler(hand, argc);
-                    hand = NULL;
-                    h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                    goto done;
-                }
-                HDfree(s3_cred);
-                HDfree(s3_cred_string);
-            } /* s3 credential block */
+#endif
             break;
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD */
 
         case '#':
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
-            error_msg("HDFS VFD is not enabled.\n");
-            goto error;
-#else
-            {
-                /* read hdfs properties tuple and store values in `hdfs_fa` */
-                unsigned         nelems    = 0;
-                char            *props_src = NULL;
-                char           **props     = NULL;
-                unsigned long    k         = 0;
-                if (FAIL == parse_tuple((const char *)opt_arg, ',', &props_src, &nelems, &props)) {
-                    error_msg("unable to parse hdfs properties tuple\n");
-                    goto error;
-                }
-                /* sanity-check tuple count
-                 */
-                if (nelems != 5) {
-                    h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                    goto error;
-                }
-                /* Populate fapl configuration structure with given
-                 * properties.
-                 * WARNING: No error-checking is done on length of input
-                 *          strings... Silent overflow is possible, albeit
-                 *          unlikely.
-                 */
-                if (strncmp(props[0], "", 1))
-                    HDstrncpy(hdfs_fa.namenode_name, (const char *)props[0], HDstrlen(props[0]));
-
-                if (strncmp(props[1], "", 1)) {
-                    k = strtoul((const char *)props[1], NULL, 0);
-                    if (errno == ERANGE) {
-                        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                        goto error;
-                    }
-                    hdfs_fa.namenode_port = (int32_t)k;
-                }
-                if (strncmp(props[2], "", 1))
-                    HDstrncpy(hdfs_fa.kerberos_ticket_cache, (const char *)props[2], HDstrlen(props[2]));
-
-                if (strncmp(props[3], "", 1))
-                    HDstrncpy(hdfs_fa.user_name, (const char *)props[3], HDstrlen(props[3]));
-
-                if (strncmp(props[4], "", 1)) {
-                    k = strtoul((const char *)props[4], NULL, 0);
-                    if (errno == ERANGE) {
-                        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                        goto error;
-                    }
-                    hdfs_fa.stream_buffer_size = (int32_t)k;
-                }
-                HDfree(props);
-                HDfree(props_src);
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
+            if (h5tools_parse_hdfs_fapl_tuple(opt_arg, ',', &hdfs_fa_g) < 0) {
+                error_msg("failed to parse HDFS VFD configuration info\n");
+                usage(h5tools_getprogname());
+                free_handler(hand, argc);
+                hand = NULL;
+                h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+                goto done;
             }
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS */
+#else
+            error_msg("HDFS VFD not enabled.\n");
+            h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            goto done;
+#endif
             break;
 
         case '?':
@@ -1396,14 +1329,10 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
     hid_t               fid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     hid_t               gid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     hid_t               fapl_id = H5P_DEFAULT;
-    H5E_auto2_t         func;
-    H5E_auto2_t         tools_func;
     H5O_info_t          oi;
     struct handler_t   *hand = NULL;
     int                 i;
     unsigned            u;
-    void               *edata;
-    void               *tools_edata;
     char               *fname = NULL;
 
     h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
@@ -1412,63 +1341,50 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
     dump_function_table = &ddl_function_table;
     dump_indent = 0;
 
-    /* Disable error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, &func, &edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* Initialize h5tools lib */
     h5tools_init();
 
-    /* Disable tools error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, &tools_func, &tools_edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, NULL, NULL);
-
     if((hand = parse_command_line(argc, argv))==NULL) {
         goto done;
     }
 
-    if (bin_output && outfname == NULL) {
+    if (bin_output && outfname_g == NULL) {
         error_msg("binary output requires a file name, use -o <filename>\n");
         h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
         goto done;
     }
 
-    if (enable_error_stack > 0) {
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, tools_func, tools_edata);
-    }
-
     /* Check for conflicting options */
-    if (doxml) {
-        if (!display_all) {
+    if (doxml_g) {
+        if (!dump_opts.display_all) {
             error_msg("option \"%s\" not available for XML\n", "to display selected objects");
             h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
             goto done;
         }
-        else if (display_bb) {
+        else if (dump_opts.display_bb) {
             error_msg("option \"%s\" not available for XML\n", "--boot-block");
             h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
             goto done;
         }
-        else if (display_oid == 1) {
+        else if (dump_opts.display_oid == 1) {
             error_msg("option \"%s\" not available for XML\n", "--object-ids");
             h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
             goto done;
         }
-        else if (display_char == TRUE) {
+        else if (dump_opts.display_char == TRUE) {
             error_msg("option \"%s\" not available for XML\n", "--string");
             h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
             goto done;
         }
-        else if (usingdasho) {
+        else if (dump_opts.usingdasho) {
             error_msg("option \"%s\" not available for XML\n", "--output");
             h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
             goto done;
         }
     }
     else {
-        if (xml_dtd_uri) {
-            warn_msg("option \"%s\" only applies with XML: %s\n", "--xml-dtd", xml_dtd_uri);
+        if (xml_dtd_uri_g) {
+            warn_msg("option \"%s\" only applies with XML: %s\n", "--xml-dtd", xml_dtd_uri_g);
         }
     }
 
@@ -1478,57 +1394,50 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
         h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
         goto done;
     }
+
+    /* enable error reporting if command line option */
+    h5tools_error_report();
+
     /* Initialize indexing options */
     h5trav_set_index(sort_by, sort_order);
 
-    if (driver != NULL) {
-        void *conf_fa = NULL;
+    if (driver_name_g != NULL) {
+        h5tools_vfd_info_t vfd_info;
+
+        vfd_info.info       = NULL;
+        vfd_info.name       = driver_name_g;
 
-        if (!strcmp(driver, "ros3")) {
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
+        if (!HDstrcmp(driver_name_g, drivernames[ROS3_VFD_IDX])) {
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
+            vfd_info.info = (void *)&ros3_fa_g;
+#else
             error_msg("Read-Only S3 VFD not enabled.\n");
             h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
             goto done;
-#else
-            conf_fa = (void *)&ros3_fa;
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD */
+#endif
         }
-        else if (!HDstrcmp(driver, "hdfs")) {
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
-            error_msg("HDFS VFD is not enabled.\n");
+        else if (!HDstrcmp(driver_name_g, drivernames[HDFS_VFD_IDX])) {
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
+            vfd_info.info = (void *)&hdfs_fa_g;
+#else
+            error_msg("The HDFS VFD is not enabled.\n");
             h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
             goto done;
-#else
-            conf_fa = (void *)&hdfs_fa;
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS */
+#endif
         }
 
-        if (conf_fa != NULL) {
-            fapl_id = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS);
-            if (fapl_id < 0) {
-                error_msg("unable to create fapl entry\n");
-                h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                goto done;
-            }
-            /* driver guaranteed "ros3" or "hdfs" */
-            /* conf_fa appropriate to driver */
-            if (0 == h5tools_set_configured_fapl(fapl_id, driver, conf_fa)) {
-                error_msg("unable to set fapl\n");
-                h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                goto done;
-            }
+        if ((fapl_id = h5tools_get_fapl(H5P_DEFAULT, &vfd_info)) < 0) {
+            error_msg("unable to create FAPL for file access\n");
+            h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            goto done;
         }
-    } /* driver defined */
+    } /* driver name defined */
 
     while(opt_ind < argc) {
         fname = HDstrdup(argv[opt_ind++]);
 
-        if (fapl_id != H5P_DEFAULT) {
-            fid = H5Fopen(fname, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, fapl_id);
-        }
-        else {
-            fid = h5tools_fopen(fname, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, H5P_DEFAULT, driver, NULL, 0);
-        }
+        fid = h5tools_fopen(fname, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, fapl_id,
+                (fapl_id == H5P_DEFAULT) ? FALSE : TRUE, NULL, 0);
 
         if (fid < 0) {
             error_msg("unable to open file \"%s\"\n", fname);
@@ -1542,23 +1451,23 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
         /* Prepare to find objects that might be targets of a reference */
         fill_ref_path_table(fid);
 
-        if(doxml) {
+        if(doxml_g) {
             /* initialize XML */
             /* reset prefix! */
             HDstrcpy(prefix, "");
 
             /* make sure the URI is initialized to something */
-            if (xml_dtd_uri == NULL) {
-                if (useschema) {
-                    xml_dtd_uri = DEFAULT_XSD;
+            if (xml_dtd_uri_g == NULL) {
+                if (useschema_g) {
+                    xml_dtd_uri_g = DEFAULT_XSD;
                 }
                 else {
-                    xml_dtd_uri = DEFAULT_DTD;
+                    xml_dtd_uri_g = DEFAULT_DTD;
                     xmlnsprefix = "";
                 }
             }
             else {
-                if (useschema && HDstrcmp(xmlnsprefix,"")) {
+                if (useschema_g && HDstrcmp(xmlnsprefix,"")) {
                     error_msg("Cannot set Schema URL for a qualified namespace--use -X or -U option with -D \n");
                     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
                     goto done;
@@ -1591,16 +1500,16 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
             } /* end if */
 
         /* start to dump - display file header information */
-        if (!doxml) {
+        if (!doxml_g) {
             begin_obj(h5tools_dump_header_format->filebegin, fname, h5tools_dump_header_format->fileblockbegin);
         }
         else {
             PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\n");
 
             /* alternative first element, depending on schema or DTD. */
-            if (useschema) {
+            if (useschema_g) {
                 if (HDstrcmp(xmlnsprefix,"") == 0) {
-                    PRINTSTREAM(rawoutstream, "<HDF5-File xmlns:xsi=\"http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance\" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation=\"%s\">\n", xml_dtd_uri);
+                    PRINTSTREAM(rawoutstream, "<HDF5-File xmlns:xsi=\"http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance\" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation=\"%s\">\n", xml_dtd_uri_g);
                 }
                 else {
                     /*  TO DO: make -url option work in this case (may need new option) */
@@ -1620,13 +1529,13 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
                 }
             }
             else {
-                PRINTSTREAM(rawoutstream, "<!DOCTYPE HDF5-File PUBLIC \"HDF5-File.dtd\" \"%s\">\n", xml_dtd_uri);
+                PRINTSTREAM(rawoutstream, "<!DOCTYPE HDF5-File PUBLIC \"HDF5-File.dtd\" \"%s\">\n", xml_dtd_uri_g);
                 PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "<HDF5-File>\n");
             }
         }
 
-        if (!doxml) {
-            if (display_fi) {
+        if (!doxml_g) {
+            if (dump_opts.display_fi) {
                 PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
                 dump_fcontents(fid);
                 end_obj(h5tools_dump_header_format->fileend,h5tools_dump_header_format->fileblockend);
@@ -1634,20 +1543,20 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
                 goto done;
             }
 
-            if (display_bb)
+            if (dump_opts.display_bb)
                 dump_fcpl(fid);
         }
 
-        if(display_all) {
+        if(dump_opts.display_all) {
             if((gid = H5Gopen2(fid, "/", H5P_DEFAULT)) < 0) {
                 error_msg("unable to open root group\n");
                 h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
             else {
-                if (!doxml)
+                if (!doxml_g)
                     dump_indent += COL;
                 dump_function_table->dump_group_function(gid, "/" );
-                if (!doxml)
+                if (!doxml_g)
                     dump_indent -= COL;
                 PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
             }
@@ -1660,7 +1569,7 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
         }
         else {
             /* Note: this option is not supported for XML */
-            if(doxml) {
+            if(doxml_g) {
                 error_msg("internal error (file %s:line %d)\n", __FILE__, __LINE__);
                 h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
                 goto done;
@@ -1674,7 +1583,7 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
             PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
         }
 
-        if (!doxml) {
+        if (!doxml_g) {
             end_obj(h5tools_dump_header_format->fileend, h5tools_dump_header_format->fileblockend);
             PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
         }
@@ -1703,8 +1612,6 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 
     /* To Do:  clean up XML table */
 
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
-
     leave(h5tools_getstatus());
 
 done:
@@ -1734,8 +1641,6 @@ done:
 
     /* To Do:  clean up XML table */
 
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
-
     leave(h5tools_getstatus());
 } /* main */
 
diff --git a/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump.h b/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump.h
index 801f60d..548af09 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump.h
+++ b/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ typedef struct h5dump_table_items_t {
     table_t         *dset_table;    /* Table of datasets */
     table_t         *type_table;    /* Table of datatypes */
 } h5dump_table_items_t;
+
 typedef struct h5dump_table_list_t {
     size_t                  nalloc;
     size_t                  nused;
@@ -51,8 +52,8 @@ typedef struct h5dump_table_list_t {
 
 h5dump_table_list_t  table_list = {0, 0, NULL};
 table_t             *group_table = NULL, *dset_table = NULL, *type_table = NULL;
-unsigned            dump_indent = 0;              /*how far in to indent the line         */
 
+unsigned     dump_indent = 0;    /* how far in to indent the line */
 int          unamedtype = 0;     /* shared datatype with no name */
 hbool_t      hit_elink = FALSE;  /* whether we have traversed an external link */
 size_t       prefix_len = 1024;
@@ -60,23 +61,26 @@ char         *prefix = NULL;
 const char   *fp_format = NULL;
 
 /* things to display or which are set via command line parameters */
-int          display_all       = TRUE;
-int          display_oid       = FALSE;
-int          display_data      = TRUE;
-int          display_attr_data = TRUE;
-int          display_char      = FALSE; /*print 1-byte numbers as ASCII */
-int          usingdasho        = FALSE;
-int          display_bb        = FALSE; /*superblock */
-int          display_dcpl      = FALSE; /*dcpl */
-int          display_fi        = FALSE; /*file index */
-int          display_ai        = TRUE;  /*array index */
-int          display_escape    = FALSE; /*escape non printable characters */
-int          display_region    = FALSE; /*print region reference data */
-int          disable_compact_subset= FALSE; /* disable compact form of subset notation */
-int          display_packed_bits = FALSE; /*print 1-8 byte numbers as packed bits*/
-int          include_attrs     = TRUE; /* Display attributes */
-int          display_vds_first = FALSE; /* vds display to all by default*/
-int          vds_gap_size       = 0; /* vds skip missing files default is none */
+typedef struct {
+    int          display_all;
+    int          display_oid;
+    int          display_data;
+    int          display_attr_data;
+    int          display_char;           /* print 1-byte numbers as ASCII */
+    int          usingdasho;
+    int          display_bb;             /* superblock */
+    int          display_dcpl;           /* dcpl */
+    int          display_fi;             /* file index */
+    int          display_ai;             /* array index */
+    int          display_escape;         /* escape non printable characters */
+    int          display_region;         /* print region reference data */
+    int          disable_compact_subset; /* disable compact form of subset notation */
+    int          display_packed_bits;    /* print 1-8 byte numbers as packed bits */
+    int          include_attrs;          /* Display attributes */
+    int          display_vds_first;      /* vds display to all by default */
+    int          vds_gap_size;           /* vds skip missing files default is none */
+} dump_opt_t;
+dump_opt_t dump_opts = {TRUE, FALSE, TRUE, TRUE, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, TRUE, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, TRUE, FALSE, 0};
 
 #define PACKED_BITS_MAX         8  /* Maximum number of packed-bits to display */
 #define PACKED_BITS_SIZE_MAX    (8*sizeof(long long))  /* Maximum bits size of integer types of packed-bits */
diff --git a/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_ddl.c b/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_ddl.c
index 64ccfe0..c752fbb 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_ddl.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_ddl.c
@@ -103,13 +103,13 @@ dump_attr_cb(hid_t oid, const char *attr_name, const H5A_info_t H5_ATTR_UNUSED *
     HDmemset(&ctx, 0, sizeof(ctx));
     ctx.indent_level = dump_indent / COL;
     ctx.cur_column = dump_indent;
-    ctx.display_index = display_ai;
-    ctx.display_char = display_char;
+    ctx.display_index = dump_opts.display_ai;
+    ctx.display_char = dump_opts.display_char;
 
     attr_id = H5Aopen(oid, attr_name, H5P_DEFAULT);
-    oid_output = display_oid;
-    data_output = display_data;
-    attr_data_output = display_attr_data;
+    oid_output = dump_opts.display_oid;
+    data_output = dump_opts.display_data;
+    attr_data_output = dump_opts.display_attr_data;
 
     string_dataformat = *outputformat;
 
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ dump_attr_cb(hid_t oid, const char *attr_name, const H5A_info_t H5_ATTR_UNUSED *
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     h5dump_type_table = type_table;
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ dump_all_cb(hid_t group, const char *name, const H5L_info_t *linfo, void H5_ATTR
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     /* Build the object's path name */
@@ -242,16 +242,16 @@ dump_all_cb(hid_t group, const char *name, const H5L_info_t *linfo, void H5_ATTR
             break;
 
         case H5O_TYPE_DATASET:
-            if(display_data) {
+            if(dump_opts.display_data) {
                 if ((dapl_id = H5Pcreate(H5P_DATASET_ACCESS)) < 0) {
                     error_msg("error in creating default access property list ID\n");
                 }
-                if (display_vds_first) {
+                if (dump_opts.display_vds_first) {
                     if(H5Pset_virtual_view(dapl_id, H5D_VDS_FIRST_MISSING) < 0)
                         error_msg("error in setting access property list ID, virtual_view\n");
                 }
-                if (vds_gap_size > 0) {
-                    if(H5Pset_virtual_printf_gap(dapl_id, (hsize_t)vds_gap_size) < 0)
+                if (dump_opts.vds_gap_size > 0) {
+                    if(H5Pset_virtual_printf_gap(dapl_id, (hsize_t)dump_opts.vds_gap_size) < 0)
                         error_msg("error in setting access property list ID, virtual_printf_gap\n");
                 }
             }
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ attr_iteration(hid_t gid, unsigned attr_crt_order_flags)
 {
     /* attribute iteration: if there is a request to do H5_INDEX_CRT_ORDER and tracking order is set
        in the group for attributes, then, sort by creation order, otherwise by name */
-    if(include_attrs) {
+    if(dump_opts.include_attrs) {
         if((sort_by == H5_INDEX_CRT_ORDER) && (attr_crt_order_flags & H5P_CRT_ORDER_TRACKED)) {
             if(H5Aiterate2(gid, sort_by, sort_order, NULL, dump_attr_cb, NULL) < 0) {
                 error_msg("error getting attribute information\n");
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ dump_named_datatype(hid_t tid, const char *name)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     if ((tcpl_id = H5Tget_create_plist(tid)) < 0) {
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ dump_group(hid_t gid, const char *name)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     ctx.need_prefix = TRUE;
@@ -824,7 +824,7 @@ dump_group(hid_t gid, const char *name)
             }
     } /* end if */
 
-    if(display_oid)
+    if(dump_opts.display_oid)
         h5tools_dump_oid(rawoutstream, outputformat, &ctx, gid);
 
     h5tools_dump_comment(rawoutstream, outputformat, &ctx, gid);
@@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ dump_dataset(hid_t did, const char *name, struct subset_t *sset)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     if ((dcpl_id = H5Dget_create_plist(did)) < 0) {
@@ -960,11 +960,11 @@ dump_dataset(hid_t did, const char *name, struct subset_t *sset)
     h5tools_dump_dataspace(rawoutstream, outputformat, &ctx, space);
     H5Sclose(space);
 
-    if(display_oid) {
+    if(dump_opts.display_oid) {
         h5tools_dump_oid(rawoutstream, outputformat, &ctx, did);
     }
 
-    if(display_dcpl) {
+    if(dump_opts.display_dcpl) {
         h5dump_type_table = type_table;
         h5tools_dump_dcpl(rawoutstream, outputformat, &ctx, dcpl_id, type, did);
         h5dump_type_table = NULL;
@@ -972,16 +972,16 @@ dump_dataset(hid_t did, const char *name, struct subset_t *sset)
     H5Pclose(dcpl_id);
 
     ctx.sset = sset;
-    ctx.display_index = display_ai;
-    ctx.display_char = display_char;
-    if(display_data) {
+    ctx.display_index = dump_opts.display_ai;
+    ctx.display_char = dump_opts.display_char;
+    if(dump_opts.display_data) {
         unsigned  data_loop = 1;
         unsigned  u;
 
-        if(display_packed_bits)
+        if(dump_opts.display_packed_bits)
             data_loop = packed_bits_num;
         for(u = 0; u < data_loop; u++) {
-            if(display_packed_bits) {
+            if(dump_opts.display_packed_bits) {
                 ctx.need_prefix = TRUE;
                 h5tools_simple_prefix(rawoutstream, outputformat, &ctx, (hsize_t)0, 0);
                 /* Render the element */
@@ -1084,7 +1084,7 @@ dump_data(hid_t obj_id, int obj_data, struct subset_t *sset, int display_index)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     HDmemset(&ctx, 0, sizeof(ctx));
@@ -1092,7 +1092,7 @@ dump_data(hid_t obj_id, int obj_data, struct subset_t *sset, int display_index)
     ctx.cur_column = dump_indent;
     ctx.sset = sset;
     ctx.display_index = display_index;
-    ctx.display_char = display_char;
+    ctx.display_char = dump_opts.display_char;
 
     if(obj_data == DATASET_DATA)
         print_dataset = TRUE;
@@ -1502,8 +1502,8 @@ handle_attributes(hid_t fid, const char *attr, void H5_ATTR_UNUSED *data, int H5
     HDmemset(&ctx, 0, sizeof(ctx));
     ctx.indent_level = dump_indent / COL;
     ctx.cur_column = dump_indent;
-    ctx.display_index = display_ai;
-    ctx.display_char = display_char;
+    ctx.display_index = dump_opts.display_ai;
+    ctx.display_char = dump_opts.display_char;
 
     string_dataformat = *outputformat;
 
@@ -1519,7 +1519,7 @@ handle_attributes(hid_t fid, const char *attr, void H5_ATTR_UNUSED *data, int H5
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     attr_name = h5tools_str_replace(attr + j + 1, "\\/", "/");
@@ -1558,9 +1558,9 @@ handle_attributes(hid_t fid, const char *attr, void H5_ATTR_UNUSED *data, int H5
     } /* end if */
 
     attr_id = H5Aopen(oid, attr_name, H5P_DEFAULT);
-    oid_output = display_oid;
-    data_output = display_data;
-    attr_data_output = display_attr_data;
+    oid_output = dump_opts.display_oid;
+    data_output = dump_opts.display_data;
+    attr_data_output = dump_opts.display_attr_data;
 
     h5dump_type_table = type_table;
     h5tools_dump_attribute(rawoutstream, outputformat, &ctx, attr_name, attr_id);
@@ -1612,16 +1612,16 @@ handle_datasets(hid_t fid, const char *dset, void *data, int pe, const char *dis
     struct subset_t *sset = (struct subset_t *)data;
     const char      *real_name = display_name ? display_name : dset;
 
-    if(display_data) {
+    if(dump_opts.display_data) {
         if ((dapl_id = H5Pcreate(H5P_DATASET_ACCESS)) < 0) {
             error_msg("error in creating default access property list ID\n");
         }
-        if (display_vds_first) {
+        if (dump_opts.display_vds_first) {
             if(H5Pset_virtual_view(dapl_id, H5D_VDS_FIRST_MISSING) < 0)
                 error_msg("error in setting access property list ID, virtual_view\n");
         }
-        if (vds_gap_size > 0) {
-            if(H5Pset_virtual_printf_gap(dapl_id, (hsize_t)vds_gap_size) < 0)
+        if (dump_opts.vds_gap_size > 0) {
+            if(H5Pset_virtual_printf_gap(dapl_id, (hsize_t)dump_opts.vds_gap_size) < 0)
                 error_msg("error in setting access property list ID, virtual_printf_gap\n");
         }
     }
diff --git a/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_extern.h b/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_extern.h
index 00d3bd2..c615621 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_extern.h
+++ b/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_extern.h
@@ -50,32 +50,35 @@ typedef struct h5dump_table_list_t {
 
 extern h5dump_table_list_t  table_list;
 extern table_t             *group_table, *dset_table, *type_table;
-extern unsigned                  dump_indent;              /*how far in to indent the line         */
 
-extern int          unamedtype;     /* shared datatype with no name */
-extern hbool_t      hit_elink;  /* whether we have traversed an external link */
+extern unsigned     dump_indent;  /* how far in to indent the line */
+extern int          unamedtype;   /* shared datatype with no name */
+extern hbool_t      hit_elink;    /* whether we have traversed an external link */
 extern size_t       prefix_len;
 extern char         *prefix;
 extern const char   *fp_format;
 
 /* things to display or which are set via command line parameters */
-extern int          display_all;
-extern int          display_oid;
-extern int          display_data;
-extern int          display_attr_data;
-extern int          display_char; /*print 1-byte numbers as ASCII */
-extern int          usingdasho;
-extern int          display_bb; /*superblock */
-extern int          display_dcpl; /*dcpl */
-extern int          display_fi; /*file index */
-extern int          display_ai;  /*array index */
-extern int          display_escape; /*escape non printable characters */
-extern int          display_region; /*print region reference data */
-extern int          disable_compact_subset; /* disable compact form of subset notation */
-extern int          display_packed_bits; /*print 1-8 byte numbers as packed bits*/
-extern int          include_attrs; /* Display attributes */
-extern int          display_vds_first; /* vds display to first missing */
-extern int          vds_gap_size; /* vds skip missing files */
+typedef struct {
+    int          display_all;
+    int          display_oid;
+    int          display_data;
+    int          display_attr_data;
+    int          display_char;           /* print 1-byte numbers as ASCII */
+    int          usingdasho;
+    int          display_bb;             /* superblock */
+    int          display_dcpl;           /* dcpl */
+    int          display_fi;             /* file index */
+    int          display_ai;             /* array index */
+    int          display_escape;         /* escape non printable characters */
+    int          display_region;         /* print region reference data */
+    int          disable_compact_subset; /* disable compact form of subset notation */
+    int          display_packed_bits;    /* print 1-8 byte numbers as packed bits */
+    int          include_attrs;          /* Display attributes */
+    int          display_vds_first;      /* vds display to all by default */
+    int          vds_gap_size;           /* vds skip missing files default is none */
+} dump_opt_t;
+extern dump_opt_t dump_opts;
 
 #define PACKED_BITS_MAX         8  /* Maximum number of packed-bits to display */
 #define PACKED_BITS_SIZE_MAX    8*sizeof(long long)  /* Maximum bits size of integer types of packed-bits */
diff --git a/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_xml.c b/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_xml.c
index ae8b9c7..f2cca21 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_xml.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5dump/h5dump_xml.c
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ xml_dump_all_cb(hid_t group, const char *name, const H5L_info_t *linfo, void H5_
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     /* Build the object's path name */
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ xml_name_to_XID(const char *str , char *outstr, int outlen, int gen)
 
     HDsprintf(outstr, "xid_"H5_PRINTF_HADDR_FMT, objno);
 
-    return(0);
+    return 0;
 }
 
 static const char      *quote = "&quot;";
@@ -719,15 +719,15 @@ xml_escape_the_name(const char *str)
  * Programmer:  REMcG
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
-static char                   *
+static char *
 xml_escape_the_string(const char *str, int slen)
 {
     size_t      extra;
     size_t      len;
     size_t      i;
-    const char *cp;
-    char       *ncp;
-    char       *rcp;
+    const char *cp = NULL;
+    char       *ncp = NULL;
+    char       *rcp = NULL;
     size_t      ncp_len;
 
     if (!str)
@@ -770,29 +770,31 @@ xml_escape_the_string(const char *str, int slen)
 
         if (*cp == '\\') {
             *ncp++ = '\\';
+            ncp_len--;
             *ncp = *cp;
             esc_len = 1;
         }
         else if (*cp == '\"') {
             *ncp++ = '\\';
+            ncp_len--;
             *ncp = *cp;
             esc_len = 1;
         }
         else if (*cp == '\'') {
+            HDstrncpy(ncp, apos, ncp_len);
             esc_len = HDstrlen(apos);
-            HDstrncpy(ncp, apos, esc_len);
         }
         else if (*cp == '<') {
+            HDstrncpy(ncp, lt, ncp_len);
             esc_len = HDstrlen(lt);
-            HDstrncpy(ncp, lt, esc_len);
         }
         else if (*cp == '>') {
+            HDstrncpy(ncp, gt, ncp_len);
             esc_len = HDstrlen(gt);
-            HDstrncpy(ncp, gt, esc_len);
         }
         else if (*cp == '&') {
+            HDstrncpy(ncp, amp, ncp_len);
             esc_len = HDstrlen(amp);
-            HDstrncpy(ncp, amp, esc_len);
         }
         else {
             *ncp = *cp;
@@ -873,7 +875,7 @@ xml_print_datatype(hid_t type, unsigned in_group)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     if(!in_group && H5Tcommitted(type) > 0) {
@@ -1523,7 +1525,7 @@ xml_dump_datatype(hid_t type)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     ctx.indent_level++;
@@ -1654,7 +1656,7 @@ xml_dump_dataspace(hid_t space)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     ctx.indent_level++;
@@ -1977,7 +1979,7 @@ xml_dump_attr(hid_t attr, const char *attr_name, const H5A_info_t H5_ATTR_UNUSED
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     ctx.need_prefix = TRUE;
@@ -1999,7 +2001,7 @@ xml_dump_attr(hid_t attr, const char *attr_name, const H5A_info_t H5_ATTR_UNUSED
         ctx.indent_level++;
         dump_indent += COL;
 
-        if (display_attr_data && space_type != H5S_NULL) {
+        if (dump_opts.display_attr_data && space_type != H5S_NULL) {
             switch (H5Tget_class(type)) {
             case H5T_INTEGER:
             case H5T_FLOAT:
@@ -2278,7 +2280,7 @@ xml_dump_named_datatype(hid_t type, const char *name)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     dtxid = (char *)HDmalloc((size_t)100);
@@ -2491,7 +2493,7 @@ xml_dump_group(hid_t gid, const char *name)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     if(HDstrcmp(name, "/") == 0) {
@@ -2867,7 +2869,7 @@ xml_print_refs(hid_t did, int source)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     for (i = 0; i < (hsize_t)ssiz; i++) {
@@ -3015,7 +3017,7 @@ xml_print_strs(hid_t did, int source)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     for (i = 0; i < (hsize_t)ssiz; i++) {
@@ -3127,7 +3129,7 @@ check_filters(hid_t dcpl)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     nfilt = H5Pget_nfilters(dcpl);
@@ -3263,7 +3265,7 @@ xml_dump_fill_value(hid_t dcpl, hid_t type)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     ctx.indent_level++;
@@ -3601,7 +3603,7 @@ xml_dump_dataset(hid_t did, const char *name, struct subset_t H5_ATTR_UNUSED *ss
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     xml_name_to_XID(tmp, rstr, 100, 1);
@@ -3890,7 +3892,7 @@ xml_dump_dataset(hid_t did, const char *name, struct subset_t H5_ATTR_UNUSED *ss
     dump_indent -= COL;
     tempi = H5Dget_storage_size(did);
 
-    if (display_data && (tempi > 0)) {
+    if (dump_opts.display_data && (tempi > 0)) {
         switch (H5Tget_class(type)) {
         case H5T_INTEGER:
         case H5T_FLOAT:
@@ -4146,7 +4148,7 @@ xml_print_enum(hid_t type)
     else
         string_dataformat.line_ncols = h5tools_nCols;
 
-    string_dataformat.do_escape = display_escape;
+    string_dataformat.do_escape = dump_opts.display_escape;
     outputformat = &string_dataformat;
 
     nmembs = (unsigned)H5Tget_nmembers(type);
diff --git a/tools/src/h5format_convert/h5format_convert.c b/tools/src/h5format_convert/h5format_convert.c
index ccea78d..fda5fe9 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5format_convert/h5format_convert.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5format_convert/h5format_convert.c
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ static int verbose_g = 0;
 static const char *s_opts = "hVvd:n";
 static struct long_options l_opts[] = {
         { "help", no_arg, 'h' },
-	{ "hel", no_arg, 'h'},
-	{ "he", no_arg, 'h'},
+        { "hel", no_arg, 'h'},
+        { "he", no_arg, 'h'},
         { "version", no_arg, 'V' },
-	{ "version", no_arg, 'V' },
-	{ "versio", no_arg, 'V' },
-	{ "versi", no_arg, 'V' },
-	{ "vers", no_arg, 'V' },
+        { "version", no_arg, 'V' },
+        { "versio", no_arg, 'V' },
+        { "versi", no_arg, 'V' },
+        { "vers", no_arg, 'V' },
         { "verbose", no_arg, 'v' },
         { "verbos", no_arg, 'v' },
         { "verbo", no_arg, 'v' },
@@ -60,10 +60,11 @@ static struct long_options l_opts[] = {
         { "noop", no_arg, 'n' },
         { "noo", no_arg, 'n' },
         { "no", no_arg, 'n' },
+        { "enable-error-stack", no_arg, 'E' },
         { NULL, 0, '\0' }
 };
 
-
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Function: usage
  *
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ static void usage(const char *prog)
  * Purpose: parse command line input
  *
  * Return: Success: 0
- *  	   Failure: 1
+ *         Failure: 1
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
@@ -120,55 +121,59 @@ parse_command_line(int argc, const char **argv)
      /* no arguments */
     if (argc == 1) {
         usage(h5tools_getprogname());
-	h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
         goto error;
     }
 
     /* parse command line options */
     while ((opt = get_option(argc, argv, s_opts, l_opts)) != EOF) {
-	switch((char) opt) {
-	    case 'h':
-		usage(h5tools_getprogname());
-		h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
-		goto error;
-
-	    case 'V':
-		print_version(h5tools_getprogname());
-		h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
-		goto error;
-
-	    case 'v':
-		verbose_g = TRUE;
-		break;
-
-	    case 'd': /* -d dname */
-		if(opt_arg != NULL && *opt_arg)
-		    dname_g = HDstrdup(opt_arg);
-		if(dname_g == NULL) {
-		    h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-		    error_msg("No dataset name\n", opt_arg);
-		    usage(h5tools_getprogname());
-		    goto error;
-		}
-		dset_g = TRUE;
-		break;
-
-	    case 'n': /* -n */
-		noop_g = TRUE;
-		break;
-
-	    default:
-		h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-		usage(h5tools_getprogname());
-		goto error;
-		break;
-	} /* switch */
+        switch((char) opt) {
+            case 'h':
+                usage(h5tools_getprogname());
+                h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
+                goto error;
+
+            case 'V':
+                print_version(h5tools_getprogname());
+                h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
+                goto error;
+
+            case 'v':
+                verbose_g = TRUE;
+                break;
+
+            case 'd': /* -d dname */
+                if(opt_arg != NULL && *opt_arg)
+                    dname_g = HDstrdup(opt_arg);
+                if(dname_g == NULL) {
+                    h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+                    error_msg("No dataset name\n", opt_arg);
+                    usage(h5tools_getprogname());
+                    goto error;
+                }
+                dset_g = TRUE;
+                break;
+
+            case 'n': /* -n */
+                noop_g = TRUE;
+                break;
+
+            case 'E':
+                enable_error_stack = 1;
+                break;
+
+            default:
+                h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+                usage(h5tools_getprogname());
+                goto error;
+                break;
+        } /* switch */
     } /* while */
 
     if (argc <= opt_ind) {
         error_msg("missing file name\n");
         usage(h5tools_getprogname());
-	h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
         goto error;
     }
 
@@ -180,7 +185,7 @@ error:
     return(-1); ;
 } /* parse_command_line() */
 
-
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Function: leave
  *
@@ -202,17 +207,17 @@ leave(int ret)
  * Function: convert()
  *
  * Purpose: To downgrade a dataset's indexing type or layout version:
- *		For chunked:
- *		  Downgrade the chunk indexing type to version 1 B-tree
- *	    	  If type is already version 1 B-tree, no further action
- *		For compact/contiguous:
- *		  Downgrade the layout version from 4 to 3
- *		  If version is already <= 3, no further action
- *		For virtual:
- *		  No further action
+ *        For chunked:
+ *          Downgrade the chunk indexing type to version 1 B-tree
+ *              If type is already version 1 B-tree, no further action
+ *        For compact/contiguous:
+ *          Downgrade the layout version from 4 to 3
+ *          If version is already <= 3, no further action
+ *        For virtual:
+ *          No further action
  *
  * Return: Success: 0
- *  	   Failure: 1
+ *         Failure: 1
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
@@ -307,7 +312,7 @@ convert(hid_t fid, const char *dname)
     }
 
     if(verbose_g)
-	HDfprintf(stdout, "Converting the dataset...\n");
+        HDfprintf(stdout, "Converting the dataset...\n");
 
     /* Downgrade the dataset */
     if(H5Dformat_convert(did) < 0) {
@@ -372,7 +377,7 @@ convert_dsets_cb(const char *path, const H5O_info_t *oi, const char *already_vis
             if(verbose_g)
                 HDfprintf(stdout, "Going to process dataset:%s...\n", path);
             if(convert(fid, path) < 0)
-            goto error;
+                goto error;
         } /* end if */
     } /* end if */
 
@@ -382,62 +387,61 @@ error:
     return -1;
 } /* end convert_dsets_cb() */
 
-
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Function: main
  *
  * Purpose: To convert the chunk indexing type of a dataset in a file to
- *	    version 1 B-tree.
+ *        version 1 B-tree.
  *
  * Return: Success: 0
- *  	   Failure: 1
+ *         Failure: 1
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 int
 main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 {
-    H5E_auto2_t func;
-    void *edata;
     hid_t fid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
 
     h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
-    /* Disable error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, &func, &edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* Initialize h5tools lib */
     h5tools_init();
 
     /* Parse command line options */
     if(parse_command_line(argc, argv) < 0)
-	goto done;
+        goto done;
     else if(verbose_g)
-	HDfprintf(stdout, "Process command line options\n");
+        HDfprintf(stdout, "Process command line options\n");
 
     if(noop_g && verbose_g)
-	HDfprintf(stdout, "It is noop...\n");
+        HDfprintf(stdout, "It is noop...\n");
+
+    /* enable error reporting if command line option */
+    h5tools_error_report();
 
     /* Open the HDF5 file */
-    if((fid = h5tools_fopen(fname_g, H5F_ACC_RDWR, H5P_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL, 0)) < 0) {
-	error_msg("unable to open file \"%s\"\n", fname_g);
-	h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-	goto done;
-    } else if(verbose_g)
-	HDfprintf(stdout, "Open the file %s\n", fname_g);
+    if((fid = h5tools_fopen(fname_g, H5F_ACC_RDWR, H5P_DEFAULT, FALSE, NULL, 0)) < 0) {
+        error_msg("unable to open file \"%s\"\n", fname_g);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
+    }
+    else if(verbose_g)
+        HDfprintf(stdout, "Open the file %s\n", fname_g);
 
     if(dset_g) { /* Convert a specified dataset in the file */
-	if(verbose_g)
-	    HDfprintf(stdout, "Going to process dataset: %s...\n", dname_g);
-	if(convert(fid, dname_g) < 0)
-	    goto done;
-    } else { /* Convert all datasets in the file */
-	if(verbose_g)
-	    HDfprintf(stdout, "Processing all datasets in the file...\n");
-	if(h5trav_visit(fid, "/", TRUE, TRUE, convert_dsets_cb, NULL, &fid, H5O_INFO_BASIC) < 0)
-	    goto done;
+        if(verbose_g)
+            HDfprintf(stdout, "Going to process dataset: %s...\n", dname_g);
+        if(convert(fid, dname_g) < 0)
+            goto done;
+    }
+    else { /* Convert all datasets in the file */
+        if(verbose_g)
+            HDfprintf(stdout, "Processing all datasets in the file...\n");
+        if(h5trav_visit(fid, "/", TRUE, TRUE, convert_dsets_cb, NULL, &fid, H5O_INFO_BASIC) < 0)
+            goto done;
     } /* end else */
 
     if(verbose_g) {
@@ -459,19 +463,20 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 done:
     /* Close the file */
     if(fid >= 0) {
-	if(H5Fclose(fid) < 0) {
-	    error_msg("unable to close file \"%s\"\n", fname_g);
-	    h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-	} else if(verbose_g)
-	    HDfprintf(stdout, "Close the file\n");
+        if(H5Fclose(fid) < 0) {
+            error_msg("unable to close file \"%s\"\n", fname_g);
+            h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        }
+        else if(verbose_g) {
+            HDfprintf(stdout, "Close the file\n");
+        }
     }  /* end if */
 
     if(fname_g)
-	HDfree(fname_g);
+        HDfree(fname_g);
     if(dname_g)
-	HDfree(dname_g);
+        HDfree(dname_g);
 
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
     leave(h5tools_getstatus());
 
 } /* end main() */
diff --git a/tools/src/h5import/h5import.c b/tools/src/h5import/h5import.c
index f87f371..b11fe7f 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5import/h5import.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5import/h5import.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ uint64_t    swap_uint64(uint64_t val);
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-    struct Options  opt;
+    struct Options *opt;
     int             outfile_named = FALSE;
     int             token;
     int             i;
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     (void) HDsetvbuf(stderr, (char *) NULL, _IOLBF, 0);
     (void) HDsetvbuf(stdout, (char *) NULL, _IOLBF, 0);
 
-    /* Initialize the file structure to 0 */
-    HDmemset(&opt, 0, sizeof(struct Options));
+    if((opt = (struct Options *)HDcalloc(1, sizeof(struct Options))) == NULL)
+        goto err;
 
     if (argv[1] && (HDstrcmp("-V", argv[1]) == 0)) {
         print_version(PROGRAMNAME);
@@ -130,12 +130,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         switch (state) {
 
         case 1: /* counting input files */
-            if (opt.fcount < 29) {
-                (void) HDstrcpy(opt.infiles[opt.fcount].datafile, argv[i]);
-                in = &(opt.infiles[opt.fcount].in);
-                opt.infiles[opt.fcount].config = 0;
-                setDefaultValues(in, opt.fcount);
-                opt.fcount++;
+            if (opt->fcount < 29) {
+                (void) HDstrcpy(opt->infiles[opt->fcount].datafile, argv[i]);
+                in = &(opt->infiles[opt->fcount].in);
+                opt->infiles[opt->fcount].config = 0;
+                setDefaultValues(in, opt->fcount);
+                opt->fcount++;
             }
             else {
                 (void) HDfprintf(stderr, err9, argv[i]);
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
             break;
 
         case 3: /* get configfile name */
-            (void) HDstrcpy(opt.infiles[opt.fcount-1].configfile, argv[i]);
-            opt.infiles[opt.fcount - 1].config = 1;
+            (void) HDstrcpy(opt->infiles[opt->fcount-1].configfile, argv[i]);
+            opt->infiles[opt->fcount - 1].config = 1;
             break;
 
         case 4: /* -o found; look for outfile */
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 (void) HDfprintf(stderr, err10, argv[i]);
                 goto err;
             }
-            (void) HDstrcpy(opt.outfile, argv[i]);
+            (void) HDstrcpy(opt->outfile, argv[i]);
             outfile_named = TRUE;
             break;
 
@@ -232,11 +232,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         goto err;
     }
 
-    if (process(&opt) == -1)
+    if (process(opt) == -1)
         goto err;
 
-    for (i = 0; i < opt.fcount; i++) {
-        in = &(opt.infiles[i].in);
+    for (i = 0; i < opt->fcount; i++) {
+        in = &(opt->infiles[i].in);
         if (in->sizeOfDimension)
             HDfree(in->sizeOfDimension);
         if (in->sizeOfChunk)
@@ -248,12 +248,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         if (in->data)
             HDfree(in->data);
     }
+    HDfree(opt);
 
-    return (EXIT_SUCCESS);
+    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 err:
     (void) HDfprintf(stderr, "%s", err4);
-    for (i = 0; i < opt.fcount; i++) {
-        in = &(opt.infiles[i].in);
+    for (i = 0; i < opt->fcount; i++) {
+        in = &(opt->infiles[i].in);
         if (in->sizeOfDimension)
             HDfree(in->sizeOfDimension);
         if (in->sizeOfChunk)
@@ -265,7 +266,9 @@ err:
         if (in->data)
             HDfree(in->data);
     }
-    return (EXIT_FAILURE);
+    HDfree(opt);
+
+    return EXIT_FAILURE;
 }
 
 static int gtoken(char *s)
diff --git a/tools/src/h5jam/h5jam.c b/tools/src/h5jam/h5jam.c
index de316c3..56ed66b 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5jam/h5jam.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5jam/h5jam.c
@@ -120,13 +120,6 @@ usage (const char *prog)
 static void
 leave(int ret)
 {
-    if (ub_file)
-        HDfree (ub_file);
-    if (input_file)
-        HDfree (input_file);
-    if (output_file)
-        HDfree (output_file);
-
     h5tools_close();
 
     HDexit(ret);
@@ -148,7 +141,7 @@ parse_command_line (int argc, const char *argv[])
   int opt = FALSE;
 
   /* parse command line options */
-  while ((opt = get_option (argc, argv, s_opts, l_opts)) != EOF)
+  while ((opt = get_option(argc, argv, s_opts, l_opts)) != EOF)
     {
       switch ((char) opt)
       {
@@ -195,8 +188,6 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     int         ufid = -1;
     int         h5fid = -1;
     int         ofid = -1;
-    void       *edata;
-    H5E_auto2_t func;
     hid_t       ifile = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     hid_t       plist = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     herr_t      status;
@@ -214,20 +205,20 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
-    /* Disable error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, &func, &edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* Initialize h5tools lib */
     h5tools_init();
 
     parse_command_line(argc, argv);
 
+    /* enable error reporting if command line option */
+    h5tools_error_report();
+
     if (ub_file == NULL) {
         /* no user block */
         error_msg("missing argument for -u <user_file>.\n");
         help_ref_msg(stderr);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     }
 
     testval = H5Fis_hdf5 (ub_file);
@@ -235,13 +226,15 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     if (testval > 0) {
         error_msg("-u <user_file> cannot be HDF5 file, but it appears to be an HDF5 file.\n");
         help_ref_msg(stderr);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     }
 
     if (input_file == NULL) {
         error_msg("missing argument for -i <HDF5 file>.\n");
         help_ref_msg(stderr);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     }
 
     testval = H5Fis_hdf5 (input_file);
@@ -249,45 +242,49 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     if (testval <= 0) {
         error_msg("Input HDF5 file \"%s\" is not HDF5 format.\n", input_file);
         help_ref_msg(stderr);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     }
 
     ifile = H5Fopen(input_file, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, H5P_DEFAULT);
 
     if (ifile < 0) {
         error_msg("Can't open input HDF5 file \"%s\"\n", input_file);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     }
 
     plist = H5Fget_create_plist(ifile);
     if (plist < 0) {
         error_msg("Can't get file creation plist for file \"%s\"\n", input_file);
-        H5Fclose(ifile);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     }
 
     status = H5Pget_userblock(plist, &usize);
     if (status < 0) {
         error_msg("Can't get user block for file \"%s\"\n", input_file);
-        H5Pclose(plist);
-        H5Fclose(ifile);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     }
 
     H5Pclose(plist);
+    plist = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     H5Fclose(ifile);
+    ifile = H5I_INVALID_HID;
 
     ufid = HDopen(ub_file, O_RDONLY);
     if(ufid < 0) {
         error_msg("unable to open user block file \"%s\"\n", ub_file);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     }
 
     res = HDfstat(ufid, &sbuf);
     if(res < 0) {
         error_msg("Can't stat file \"%s\"\n", ub_file);
-        HDclose (ufid);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     }
 
     fsize = (off_t)sbuf.st_size;
@@ -295,16 +292,15 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     h5fid = HDopen(input_file, O_RDONLY);
     if(h5fid < 0) {
         error_msg("unable to open HDF5 file for read \"%s\"\n", input_file);
-        HDclose (ufid);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     }
 
     res = HDfstat(h5fid, &sbuf2);
     if(res < 0) {
         error_msg("Can't stat file \"%s\"\n", input_file);
-        HDclose (h5fid);
-        HDclose (ufid);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     }
 
     h5fsize = (hsize_t)sbuf2.st_size;
@@ -314,9 +310,8 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
 
         if (ofid < 0) {
             error_msg("unable to open output file \"%s\"\n", output_file);
-            HDclose (h5fid);
-            HDclose (ufid);
-            leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+            h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            goto done;
         }
     }
     else {
@@ -324,9 +319,8 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
 
         if (ofid < 0) {
             error_msg("unable to create output file \"%s\"\n", output_file);
-            HDclose (h5fid);
-            HDclose (ufid);
-            leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+            h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            goto done;
         }
     }
 
@@ -365,12 +359,11 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     /* pad the ub */
     if(write_pad(ofid, where, &where) < 0) {
         error_msg("Can't pad file \"%s\"\n", output_file);
-        HDclose (h5fid);
-        HDclose (ufid);
-        HDclose (ofid);
-        leave (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        goto done;
     } /* end if */
 
+done:
     if(ub_file)
         HDfree(ub_file);
     if(input_file)
@@ -378,6 +371,11 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     if(output_file)
         HDfree(output_file);
 
+    if(plist >= 0)
+        H5Pclose(plist);
+    if(ifile >= 0)
+        H5Fclose(ifile);
+
     if(ufid >= 0)
         HDclose(ufid);
     if(h5fid >= 0)
@@ -385,7 +383,7 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     if(ofid >= 0)
         HDclose(ofid);
 
-    return h5tools_getstatus();
+    leave(h5tools_getstatus());
 }
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/tools/src/h5jam/h5unjam.c b/tools/src/h5jam/h5unjam.c
index 33c5a1b..c6bf498 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5jam/h5unjam.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5jam/h5unjam.c
@@ -185,6 +185,13 @@ done:
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
 }
 
+static void
+leave(int ret)
+{
+   h5tools_close();
+   HDexit(ret);
+}
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Function:    main
  *
@@ -197,8 +204,6 @@ done:
 int
 main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 {
-    void               *edata;
-    H5E_auto2_t         func;
     hid_t               ifile = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     hid_t               plist = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     off_t               fsize;
@@ -211,16 +216,15 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
     h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
-    /* Disable error reporting  */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, &func, &edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* Initialize h5tools lib  */
     h5tools_init();
 
     if(EXIT_FAILURE == parse_command_line(argc, argv))
         goto done;
 
+    /* enable error reporting if command line option */
+    h5tools_error_report();
+
     if (input_file == NULL) {
         /* no user block  */
         error_msg("missing argument for HDF5 file input.\n");
@@ -319,9 +323,7 @@ done:
         HDfree(ub_file);
     }
 
-    h5tools_close();
-
-    return h5tools_getstatus();
+    leave(h5tools_getstatus());
 }
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/tools/src/h5ls/h5ls.c b/tools/src/h5ls/h5ls.c
index 0e0ed33..8be1a11 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5ls/h5ls.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5ls/h5ls.c
@@ -1285,92 +1285,6 @@ print_type(h5tools_str_t *buffer, hid_t type, int ind)
     h5tools_str_append(buffer,"%lu-byte class-%u unknown", (unsigned long)H5Tget_size(type), (unsigned)data_class);
 }
 
-/*
- *
- */
-static void
-dump_reference(FILE *stream, const h5tool_format_t *info, h5tools_context_t *ctx, hid_t container, hid_t f_type, void *ref_buf, int ndims)
-{
-    hid_t               region_id = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    hid_t               region_space = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    size_t              nsize;
-    hsize_t             elmt_counter = 0;  /*counts the # elements printed. */
-    size_t              ncols = 80;        /* available output width        */
-    int                 i;
-    hsize_t             curr_pos = 0;      /* total data element position   */
-    h5tools_str_t       buffer;            /* string into which to render   */
-    h5tools_context_t   datactx;           /* print context  */
-    unsigned char *mem = (unsigned char*) ref_buf;
-
-    H5TOOLS_START_DEBUG("");
-
-    nsize = H5Tget_size(f_type);
-    datactx = *ctx;  /* print context  */
-    /* Assume entire data space to be printed */
-    if (datactx.ndims > 0)
-        for (i = 0; (unsigned)i < datactx.ndims; i++)
-            datactx.p_min_idx[i] = 0;
-    datactx.need_prefix = TRUE;
-
-    HDmemset(&buffer, 0, sizeof(h5tools_str_t));
-    for(i = 0; i < ndims; i++, datactx.cur_elmt++, elmt_counter++) {
-        void* memref = mem + i * nsize;
-
-        H5TOOLS_DEBUG("reference loop:%d with curr_pos=%ld", i, curr_pos);
-
-        datactx.need_prefix = TRUE;
-        h5tools_str_reset(&buffer);
-        H5TOOLS_DEBUG("reference loop - h5tools_str_sprint");
-        h5tools_str_sprint(&buffer, info, container, f_type, memref, &datactx);
-        h5tools_render_element(stream, info, &datactx, &buffer, &curr_pos, (size_t)ncols, (hsize_t)i, (hsize_t)ndims);
-
-        /* region data */
-        if (!h5tools_is_zero(memref, H5Tget_size(f_type))) {
-            if ((region_id = H5Rdereference2(container, H5P_DEFAULT, H5R_DATASET_REGION, memref)) >= 0) {
-                if ((region_space = H5Rget_region(container, H5R_DATASET_REGION, memref)) >= 0) {
-                        H5S_sel_type region_type;
-
-                        region_type = H5Sget_select_type(region_space);
-                        if(region_type == H5S_SEL_POINTS) {
-                            /* Print point information */
-                            H5TOOLS_DEBUG("H5S_SEL_POINTS H5R_DATASET_REGION");
-                            h5tools_dump_region_data_points(
-                                                region_space, region_id, stream, info, &datactx,
-                                                &buffer, &curr_pos, ncols, (hsize_t)i, elmt_counter);
-                        }
-                        else if(region_type == H5S_SEL_HYPERSLABS) {
-                            /* Print block information */
-                            H5TOOLS_DEBUG("H5S_SEL_HYPERSLABS H5R_DATASET_REGION");
-                            h5tools_dump_region_data_blocks(
-                                                region_space, region_id, stream, info, &datactx,
-                                                &buffer, &curr_pos, ncols, (hsize_t)i, elmt_counter);
-                        }
-                        else
-                            H5TOOLS_INFO("invalid region type");
-                    if(H5Sclose(region_space) < 0)
-                        H5TOOLS_INFO("H5Sclose H5R_DATASET_REGION failed");
-                } /* end if (region_space >= 0) */
-                else
-                    H5TOOLS_INFO("H5Rget_region H5R_DATASET_REGION failed");
-                if(H5Dclose(region_id) < 0)
-                    H5TOOLS_INFO("H5Dclose H5R_DATASET_REGION failed");
-            } /* if (region_id >= 0) */
-            else {
-                /* if (region_id < 0) - could mean that no reference was written do not throw failure */
-                H5Epush2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, __FILE__, FUNC, __LINE__, H5tools_ERR_CLS_g, H5E_tools_g, H5E_tools_min_id_g, "H5Rdereference failed");
-            }
-        } /* end if (h5tools_is_zero(... */
-
-        H5TOOLS_DEBUG("finished reference loop:%d",i);
-    } /* end for(i = 0; i < ndims; i++, ctx->cur_elmt++, elmt_counter++) */
-
-    h5tools_str_close(&buffer);
-
-    PRINTVALSTREAM(stream, "\n");
-
-    H5TOOLS_ENDDEBUG("");
-}
-
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Function:    dump_dataset_values
  *
@@ -1386,7 +1300,6 @@ dump_dataset_values(hid_t dset)
     hid_t               space = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     hsize_t             total_size[H5S_MAX_RANK];
     int                 ndims;
-    size_t              i;
     size_t              nsize;
     char                string_prefix[64];
     static char         fmt_double[16];
@@ -1411,6 +1324,7 @@ dump_dataset_values(hid_t dset)
     outputformat.line_1st  = NULL;
     outputformat.idx_fmt = "";
     if (simple_output_g) {
+        outputformat.idx_fmt = "";
         outputformat.line_per_line = 1;
         outputformat.line_multi_new = 0;
         outputformat.line_pre  = "        ";
@@ -1503,13 +1417,9 @@ dump_dataset_values(hid_t dset)
         H5TOOLS_DEBUG("ndims=%d - ctx.ndims=%d", ndims, ctx.ndims);
 
         /* Assume entire data space to be printed */
-        if (ctx.ndims > 0)
-            for (i = 0; i < (size_t)ctx.ndims; i++)
-                ctx.p_min_idx[i] = 0;
-
         H5Sget_simple_extent_dims(space, total_size, NULL);
-        if (ctx.ndims > 0)
-            init_acc_pos(&ctx, total_size);
+        init_acc_pos(ctx.ndims, total_size, ctx.acc, ctx.pos, ctx.p_min_idx);
+
         ctx.need_prefix = TRUE;
 
         if (NULL != (region_buf = (void *)HDcalloc(nsize, (size_t)ndims))) {
@@ -1519,7 +1429,9 @@ dump_dataset_values(hid_t dset)
                 H5TOOLS_INFO("H5Dread reference failed");
                 H5TOOLS_GOTO_DONE_NO_RET();
             }
-            dump_reference(rawoutstream, info, &ctx, dset, f_type, region_buf, ndims);
+            h5tools_dump_reference(rawoutstream, info, &ctx, dset, f_type, region_buf, ndims);
+
+            PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
             HDfree(region_buf);
         }
     }
@@ -1557,7 +1469,6 @@ dump_attribute_values(hid_t attr)
     hid_t               space = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     hsize_t             total_size[H5S_MAX_RANK];
     int                 ndims;
-    size_t              i;
     size_t              nsize;
     char                string_prefix[64];
     static char         fmt_double[16];
@@ -1582,6 +1493,7 @@ dump_attribute_values(hid_t attr)
     outputformat.line_1st  = NULL;
     outputformat.idx_fmt = "";
     if (simple_output_g) {
+        outputformat.idx_fmt = "";
         outputformat.line_per_line = 1;
         outputformat.line_multi_new = 0;
         outputformat.line_pre  = "        ";
@@ -1675,13 +1587,9 @@ dump_attribute_values(hid_t attr)
         H5TOOLS_DEBUG("ndims=%d - ctx.ndims=%d", ndims, ctx.ndims);
 
         /* Assume entire data space to be printed */
-        if (ctx.ndims > 0)
-            for (i = 0; i < (size_t)ctx.ndims; i++)
-                ctx.p_min_idx[i] = 0;
-
         H5Sget_simple_extent_dims(space, total_size, NULL);
-        if (ctx.ndims > 0)
-            init_acc_pos(&ctx, total_size);
+        init_acc_pos(ctx.ndims, total_size, ctx.acc, ctx.pos, ctx.p_min_idx);
+
         ctx.need_prefix = TRUE;
 
         if (NULL != (region_buf = (void *)HDcalloc(nsize, (size_t)ndims))) {
@@ -1692,7 +1600,9 @@ dump_attribute_values(hid_t attr)
                 H5TOOLS_GOTO_DONE_NO_RET();
             }
             ctx.indent_level++;
-            dump_reference(rawoutstream, info, &ctx, attr, f_type, region_buf, ndims);
+            h5tools_dump_reference(rawoutstream, info, &ctx, attr, f_type, region_buf, ndims);
+
+            PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
             ctx.indent_level--;
             HDfree(region_buf);
         }
@@ -2188,13 +2098,13 @@ list_obj(const char *name, const H5O_info_t *oinfo, const char *first_seen, void
         h5tools_render_element(rawoutstream, info, &ctx, &buffer, &curr_pos, (size_t)info->line_ncols, (hsize_t)0, (hsize_t)0);
     } /* end if */
     else {
-        hid_t obj = H5I_INVALID_HID;               /* ID of object opened */
+        hid_t obj_id = H5I_INVALID_HID;               /* ID of object opened */
 
         /* Open the object.  Not all objects can be opened.  If this is the case
          * then return right away.
          */
         H5TOOLS_DEBUG("Open object name=%s", name);
-        if (obj_type >= 0 && (obj = H5Oopen(iter->fid, name, H5P_DEFAULT)) < 0) {
+        if (obj_type >= 0 && (obj_id = H5Oopen(iter->fid, name, H5P_DEFAULT)) < 0) {
             h5tools_str_reset(&buffer);
             h5tools_str_append(&buffer, " *ERROR*\n");
             h5tools_render_element(rawoutstream, info, &ctx, &buffer, &curr_pos, (size_t)info->line_ncols, (hsize_t)0, (hsize_t)0);
@@ -2204,7 +2114,7 @@ list_obj(const char *name, const H5O_info_t *oinfo, const char *first_seen, void
         /* List the first line of information for the object. */
         H5TOOLS_DEBUG("Object type:%d", obj_type);
         if (obj_type >= 0 && dispatch_g[obj_type].list1)
-            (dispatch_g[obj_type].list1)(obj);
+            (dispatch_g[obj_type].list1)(obj_id);
         if (!iter->symlink_target || (verbose_g > 0)) {
             h5tools_str_reset(&buffer);
             h5tools_str_append(&buffer, "\n");
@@ -2221,7 +2131,7 @@ list_obj(const char *name, const H5O_info_t *oinfo, const char *first_seen, void
             /* Display attributes */
             H5TOOLS_DEBUG("Display attributes");
             if (obj_type >= 0)
-                H5Aiterate2(obj, H5_INDEX_NAME, H5_ITER_INC, NULL, list_attr, NULL);
+                H5Aiterate2(obj_id, H5_INDEX_NAME, H5_ITER_INC, NULL, list_attr, NULL);
 
             /* Object location & reference count */
             h5tools_str_reset(&buffer);
@@ -2247,15 +2157,15 @@ list_obj(const char *name, const H5O_info_t *oinfo, const char *first_seen, void
             } /* end if */
 
             /* Object comment */
-            cmt_bufsize = H5Oget_comment(obj, comment, buf_size);
+            cmt_bufsize = H5Oget_comment(obj_id, comment, buf_size);
 
             /* if the actual length of the comment is longer than cmt_bufsize, then call
              * H5Oget_comment again with the correct value.
-             * If the call to H5Oget_comment returned an error, skip this block */
+             */
             if (cmt_bufsize > 0) {
                 comment = (char *)HDmalloc((size_t)cmt_bufsize + 1); /* new_size including null terminator */
                 if (comment) {
-                    cmt_bufsize = H5Oget_comment(obj, comment, (size_t)cmt_bufsize);
+                    cmt_bufsize = H5Oget_comment(obj_id, comment, (size_t)cmt_bufsize);
                     if (cmt_bufsize > 0) {
                         comment[cmt_bufsize] = 0;
                         h5tools_str_reset(&buffer);
@@ -2271,11 +2181,11 @@ list_obj(const char *name, const H5O_info_t *oinfo, const char *first_seen, void
 
         /* Detailed list for object */
         if (obj_type >= 0 && dispatch_g[obj_type].list2)
-            (dispatch_g[obj_type].list2)(obj, name);
+            (dispatch_g[obj_type].list2)(obj_id, name);
 
         /* Close the object. */
         if (obj_type >= 0)
-            H5Oclose(obj);
+            H5Oclose(obj_id);
     } /* end else */
 
 done:
@@ -2682,58 +2592,46 @@ leave(int ret)
 int
 main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 {
-    hid_t       file_id = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    char       *fname = NULL, *oname = NULL, *x;
-    const char *s = NULL;
-    char       *rest;
-    int         argno;
-    static char root_name[] = "/";
-    char        drivername[50];
-    const char *preferred_driver = NULL;
-    int         err_exit = 0;
-    hid_t       fapl_id = H5P_DEFAULT;
-    H5E_auto2_t         func;
-    H5E_auto2_t         tools_func;
-    void               *edata;
-    void               *tools_edata;
+    hid_t        file_id = H5I_INVALID_HID;
+    char        *fname = NULL, *oname = NULL, *x;
+    const char  *s = NULL;
+    char        *rest;
+    int          argno;
+    static char  root_name[] = "/";
+    char         drivername[50];
+    const char  *preferred_driver = NULL;
+    int          err_exit = 0;
+    hid_t        fapl_id = H5P_DEFAULT;
 
 #ifdef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
-    /* default "anonymous" s3 configuration */
+    /* Default "anonymous" S3 configuration */
     H5FD_ros3_fapl_t ros3_fa = {
-        1,     /* fapl version      */
-        false, /* authenticate      */
-        "",    /* aws region        */
-        "",    /* access key id     */
-        "",    /* secret access key */
+        1,     /* Structure Version */
+        false, /* Authenticate?     */
+        "",    /* AWS Region        */
+        "",    /* Access Key ID     */
+        "",    /* Secret Access Key */
     };
-#endif /* H5_HVAE_ROS3_VFD */
+#endif /* H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD */
 
 #ifdef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
-    /* "default" HDFS configuration */
+    /* "Default" HDFS configuration */
     H5FD_hdfs_fapl_t hdfs_fa = {
-        1,           /* fapl version          */
-        "localhost", /* namenode name         */
-        0,           /* namenode port         */
-        "",          /* kerberos ticket cache */
-        "",          /* user name             */
-        2048,        /* stream buffer size    */
+        1,           /* Structure Version     */
+        "localhost", /* Namenode Name         */
+        0,           /* Namenode Port         */
+        "",          /* Kerberos ticket cache */
+        "",          /* User name             */
+        2048,        /* Stream buffer size    */
     };
 #endif /* H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS */
 
     h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
-    /* Disable error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, &func, &edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* Initialize h5tools lib */
     h5tools_init();
 
-    /* Disable tools error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, &tools_func, &tools_edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* Build object display table */
     DISPATCH(H5O_TYPE_GROUP, "Group", NULL, NULL);
     DISPATCH(H5O_TYPE_DATASET, "Dataset", dataset_list1, dataset_list2);
@@ -2854,18 +2752,9 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 
         }
         else if (!HDstrncmp(argv[argno], "--s3-cred=", (size_t)10)) {
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
-            HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Read-Only S3 VFD is not enabled\n\n");
-            usage();
-            leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-#else
-            unsigned           nelems     = 0;
-            char              *start      = NULL;
-            char              *s3cred_src = NULL;
-            char             **s3cred     = NULL;
-            char const        *ccred[3];
-            /* try to parse s3 credentials tuple
-             */
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
+            char const *start = NULL;
+
             start = strchr(argv[argno], '=');
             if (start == NULL) {
                 HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Unable to parse null credentials tuple\n"
@@ -2874,124 +2763,38 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
                 leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
             start++;
-            if (FAIL == parse_tuple((const char *)start, ',', &s3cred_src, &nelems, &s3cred)) {
-                HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Unable to parse S3 credentials\n\n");
-                usage();
-                leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-            }
-            /* sanity-check tuple count
-             */
-            if (nelems != 3) {
-                HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Invalid S3 credentials\n\n");
-                usage();
-                leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-            }
-            ccred[0] = (const char *)s3cred[0];
-            ccred[1] = (const char *)s3cred[1];
-            ccred[2] = (const char *)s3cred[2];
-            if (0 == h5tools_populate_ros3_fapl(&ros3_fa, ccred)) {
-                HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Invalid S3 credentials\n\n");
+
+            if (h5tools_parse_ros3_fapl_tuple(start, ',', &ros3_fa) < 0) {
+                HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: failed to parse S3 VFD credential info\n\n");
                 usage();
                 leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
-            HDfree(s3cred);
-            HDfree(s3cred_src);
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD */
-
+#else
+            HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Read-Only S3 VFD is not enabled\n\n");
+            usage();
+            leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
+#endif
         }
         else if (!HDstrncmp(argv[argno], "--hdfs-attrs=", (size_t)13)) {
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
-            PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "The HDFS VFD is not enabled.\n");
-            leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-#else
-            /* Parse received configuration data and set fapl config struct */
-
-            hbool_t            _debug    = FALSE;
-            unsigned           nelems    = 0;
-            char const        *start     = NULL;
-            char              *props_src = NULL;
-            char             **props     = NULL;
-            unsigned long      k         = 0;
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
+            char const *start = NULL;
 
-            /* try to parse tuple
-             */
-            if (_debug) {
-                HDfprintf(stderr, "configuring hdfs...\n");
-            }
             start = argv[argno]+13; /* should never segfault: worst case of */
             if (*start != '(') {    /* null-termintor after '='.            */
-
-                if (_debug) {
-                    HDfprintf(stderr, "    no tuple.\n");
-                }
-                usage();
-                leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-            }
-            if (FAIL == parse_tuple((const char *)start, ',', &props_src, &nelems, &props)) {
-                HDfprintf(stderr, "    unable to parse tuple.\n");
                 usage();
                 leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
 
-            /* sanity-check tuple count
-             */
-            if (nelems != 5) {
-                HDfprintf(stderr, "    expected 5-ple, got `%d`\n", nelems);
+            if (h5tools_parse_hdfs_fapl_tuple(start, ',', &hdfs_fa) < 0) {
+                HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: failed to parse HDFS VFD configuration info\n\n");
                 usage();
                 leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
-            if (_debug) {
-                HDfprintf(stderr, "    got hdfs-attrs tuple: `(%s,%s,%s,%s,%s)`\n", props[0], props[1], props[2], props[3], props[4]);
-            }
-
-            /* Populate fapl configuration structure with given properties.
-             * WARNING: No error-checking is done on length of input strings...
-             *          Silent overflow is possible, albeit unlikely.
-             */
-            if (HDstrncmp(props[0], "", 1)) {
-                if (_debug) {
-                    HDfprintf(stderr, "    setting namenode name: %s\n", props[0]);
-                }
-                HDstrncpy(hdfs_fa.namenode_name, (const char *)props[0], HDstrlen(props[0]));
-            }
-            if (HDstrncmp(props[1], "", 1)) {
-                k = strtoul((const char *)props[1], NULL, 0);
-                if (errno == ERANGE) {
-                    HDfprintf(stderr, "    supposed port number wasn't.\n");
-                    leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                }
-                if (_debug) {
-                    HDfprintf(stderr, "    setting namenode port: %lu\n", k);
-                }
-                hdfs_fa.namenode_port = (int32_t)k;
-            }
-            if (HDstrncmp(props[2], "", 1)) {
-                if (_debug) {
-                    HDfprintf(stderr, "    setting kerb cache path: %s\n", props[2]);
-                }
-                HDstrncpy(hdfs_fa.kerberos_ticket_cache, (const char *)props[2], HDstrlen(props[2]));
-            }
-            if (HDstrncmp(props[3], "", 1)) {
-                if (_debug) {
-                    HDfprintf(stderr, "    setting username: %s\n", props[3]);
-                }
-                HDstrncpy(hdfs_fa.user_name, (const char *)props[3], HDstrlen(props[3]));
-            }
-            if (HDstrncmp(props[4], "", 1)) {
-                k = HDstrtoul((const char *)props[4], NULL, 0);
-                if (errno == ERANGE) {
-                    HDfprintf(stderr, "    supposed buffersize number wasn't.\n");
-                    leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                }
-                if (_debug) {
-                    HDfprintf(stderr, "    setting stream buffer size: %lu\n", k);
-                }
-                hdfs_fa.stream_buffer_size = (int32_t)k;
-            }
-            HDfree(props);
-            HDfree(props_src);
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS */
-
+#else
+            HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: The HDFS VFD is not enabled\n\n");
+            usage();
+            leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
+#endif
         }
         else if('-'!=argv[argno][1]) {
             /* Single-letter switches */
@@ -3071,6 +2874,9 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
         }
     } /* end for */
 
+    /* enable error reporting if command line option */
+    h5tools_error_report();
+
     /* If no arguments remain then print a usage message (instead of doing
      * absolutely nothing ;-) */
     if (argno >= argc) {
@@ -3085,45 +2891,32 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
     }
 
     if (preferred_driver) {
-        void *conf_fa = NULL;
+        h5tools_vfd_info_t vfd_info;
 
-        if (!HDstrcmp(preferred_driver, "ros3")) {
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
-            HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Read-Only S3 VFD not enabled.\n\n");
-            usage();
-            leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-#else
-            conf_fa = (void *)&ros3_fa;
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD */
+        vfd_info.info       = NULL;
+        vfd_info.name       = preferred_driver;
 
-        }
-        else if (!HDstrcmp(preferred_driver, "hdfs")) {
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
-            PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "The HDFS VFD is not enabled.\n");
+        if (!HDstrcmp(preferred_driver, drivernames[ROS3_VFD_IDX])) {
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
+            vfd_info.info = (void *)&ros3_fa;
+#else
+            HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Read-Only S3 VFD is not enabled\n\n");
             leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
+#endif
+        }
+        else if (!HDstrcmp(preferred_driver, drivernames[HDFS_VFD_IDX])) {
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
+            vfd_info.info = (void *)&hdfs_fa;
 #else
-            conf_fa = (void *)&hdfs_fa;
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS */
+            HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: The HDFS VFD is not enabled\n\n");
+            leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
+#endif
         }
 
-        if (conf_fa != NULL) {
-            HDassert(fapl_id == H5P_DEFAULT);
-            fapl_id = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS);
-            if (fapl_id < 0) {
-                HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Unable to create fapl entry\n\n");
-                leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-            }
-            if (0 == h5tools_set_configured_fapl(fapl_id, preferred_driver, conf_fa)) {
-                HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Unable to set fapl\n\n");
-                usage();
-                leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-            }
+        if ((fapl_id = h5tools_get_fapl(H5P_DEFAULT, &vfd_info)) < 0) {
+            HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Unable to create FAPL for file access\n\n");
+            leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
         }
-    } /* preferred_driver defined */
-
-    if (enable_error_stack > 0) {
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, tools_func, tools_edata);
     }
 
     /* Each remaining argument is an hdf5 file followed by an optional slash
@@ -3150,12 +2943,8 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
         file_id = H5I_INVALID_HID;
 
         while (fname && *fname) {
-            if (fapl_id != H5P_DEFAULT) {
-                file_id = H5Fopen(fname, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, fapl_id);
-            }
-            else {
-                file_id = h5tools_fopen(fname, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, H5P_DEFAULT, preferred_driver, drivername, sizeof drivername);
-            }
+            file_id = h5tools_fopen(fname, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, fapl_id,
+                    (fapl_id == H5P_DEFAULT) ? FALSE : TRUE, drivername, sizeof drivername);
 
             if (file_id >= 0) {
                 if (verbose_g)
@@ -3188,7 +2977,6 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
             x = oname;
             if (NULL == (oname = HDstrdup(oname))) {
                 HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "memory allocation failed\n");
-                H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
                 leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
             *x = '\0';
@@ -3233,7 +3021,6 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
                 h5tools_str_reset(&buffer);
                 print_obj_name(&buffer, &iter, oname, "**NOT FOUND**");
                 h5tools_render_element(rawoutstream, info, &ctx, &buffer, &curr_pos, (size_t)info->line_ncols, (hsize_t)0, (hsize_t)0);
-                H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
                 leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
             } /* end if */
         } /* end if */
@@ -3243,7 +3030,6 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
         /* Open the object and display it's information */
         if (li.type == H5L_TYPE_HARD) {
             if (visit_obj(file_id, oname, &iter) < 0) {
-                H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
                 leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
         } /* end if(li.type == H5L_TYPE_HARD) */
@@ -3274,12 +3060,10 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
     if (fapl_id != H5P_DEFAULT) {
         if (0 < H5Pclose(fapl_id)) {
             HDfprintf(rawerrorstream, "Error: Unable to set close fapl entry\n\n");
-            H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
             leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
         }
     }
 
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
     if (err_exit)
         leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
     else
diff --git a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack.c b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack.c
index d17d465..9347eff 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack.c
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ h5repack_init(pack_opt_t *options, int verbose, hbool_t latest)
     options->layout_g = H5D_LAYOUT_ERROR;
     options->low_bound = H5F_LIBVER_EARLIEST;
     options->high_bound = H5F_LIBVER_LATEST;
+    options->fin_fapl = H5P_DEFAULT;
+    options->fout_fapl = H5P_DEFAULT;
 
     for (n = 0; n < H5_REPACK_MAX_NFILTERS; n++) {
         options->filter_g[n].filtn = -1;
@@ -739,7 +741,8 @@ check_objects(const char* fname, pack_opt_t *options)
      * open the file
      *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
      */
-    if ((fid = h5tools_fopen(fname, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, H5P_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL, 0)) < 0)
+    if ((fid = h5tools_fopen(fname, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, options->fin_fapl,
+            (options->fin_fapl == H5P_DEFAULT) ? FALSE : TRUE, NULL, 0)) < 0)
         H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "h5tools_fopen failed <%s>: %s", fname, H5FOPENERROR);
 
     /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack.h b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack.h
index a0e0387..1f0dd8c 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack.h
+++ b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack.h
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ typedef struct {
     hbool_t         latest;         /*pack file with the latest file format */
     H5F_libver_t    low_bound;      /* The file's low bound as in H5Fset_libver_bounds() */
     H5F_libver_t    high_bound;     /* The file's high bound as in H5Fset_libver_bounds() */
+    hid_t           fin_fapl;       /* FAPL to use for opening the input file */
+    hid_t           fout_fapl;      /* FAPL to use for opening/creating the output file */
     int             grp_compact;    /* Set the maximum number of links to store as header messages in the group */
     int             grp_indexed;    /* Set the minimum number of links to store in the indexed format */
     int             msg_size[8];    /* Minimum size of shared messages: dataspace,
@@ -151,7 +153,7 @@ int h5repack_addlayout(const char* str, pack_opt_t *options);
 int h5repack_init(pack_opt_t *options, int verbose, hbool_t latest);
 int h5repack_end(pack_opt_t *options);
 int h5repack_verify(const char *in_fname, const char *out_fname, pack_opt_t *options);
-int h5repack_cmp_pl(const char *fname1, const char *fname2);
+int h5repack_cmp_pl(const char *fname1, hid_t fname1_fapl, const char *fname2, hid_t fname2_fapl);
 
 /* Note: The below copy_named_datatype(), named_datatype_free(), copy_attr()
  * and struct named_dt_t were located in h5repack_copy.c as static prior to
diff --git a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_copy.c b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_copy.c
index eb6f5c6..c3017f4 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_copy.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_copy.c
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ copy_objects(const char* fnamein, const char* fnameout, pack_opt_t *options)
     hid_t         grp_in = H5I_INVALID_HID;   /* group ID */
     hid_t         gcpl_in = H5I_INVALID_HID;  /* group creation property list */
     hid_t         fcpl = H5P_DEFAULT;     /* file creation property list ID */
-    hid_t         fapl = H5P_DEFAULT;     /* file access property list ID */
     trav_table_t *travt = NULL;
     hsize_t       ub_size = 0;            /* size of user block */
     H5F_fspace_strategy_t set_strategy;   /* Strategy to be set in outupt file */
@@ -85,7 +84,8 @@ copy_objects(const char* fnamein, const char* fnameout, pack_opt_t *options)
      * open input file
      *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
      */
-    if ((fidin = h5tools_fopen(fnamein, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, H5P_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL, (size_t) 0)) < 0)
+    if ((fidin = h5tools_fopen(fnamein, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, options->fin_fapl,
+            (options->fin_fapl == H5P_DEFAULT) ? FALSE : TRUE, NULL, (size_t) 0)) < 0)
         H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "h5tools_fopen failed <%s>: %s", fnamein, H5FOPENERROR);
 
     /* get user block size and file space strategy/persist/threshold */
@@ -122,12 +122,14 @@ copy_objects(const char* fnamein, const char* fnameout, pack_opt_t *options)
 
     if(options->latest)
         options->low_bound = options->high_bound = H5F_LIBVER_LATEST;
+
     /* Create file access property list */
-    if((fapl = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS)) < 0)
-        H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "H5Pcreate failed to create file access property list");
+    if (options->fout_fapl == H5P_DEFAULT)
+        if ((options->fout_fapl = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS)) < 0)
+            H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "H5Pcreate failed to create file access property list");
 
     /* It can be default, latest or other settings by users */
-    if(H5Pset_libver_bounds(fapl, options->low_bound, options->high_bound) < 0)
+    if(H5Pset_libver_bounds(options->fout_fapl, options->low_bound, options->high_bound) < 0)
         H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "H5Pset_libver_bounds failed to set format version bounds");
 
     /* Check if we need to create a non-default file creation property list */
@@ -218,12 +220,12 @@ print_user_block(fnamein, fidin);
      */
     if (options->alignment > 0) {
         /* either use the FAPL already created or create a new one */
-        if (fapl == H5P_DEFAULT)
+        if (options->fout_fapl == H5P_DEFAULT)
             /* create a file access property list */
-            if ((fapl = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS)) < 0)
+            if ((options->fout_fapl = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS)) < 0)
                 H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "H5Pcreate failed to create file access property list");
 
-        if (H5Pset_alignment(fapl, options->threshold, options->alignment) < 0)
+        if (H5Pset_alignment(options->fout_fapl, options->threshold, options->alignment) < 0)
             H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "H5Pset_alignment failed to set alignment");
     }
 
@@ -233,12 +235,12 @@ print_user_block(fnamein, fidin);
      */
     if (options->meta_block_size > 0) {
         /* either use the FAPL already created or create a new one */
-        if (fapl == H5P_DEFAULT)
+        if (options->fout_fapl == H5P_DEFAULT)
             /* create a file access property list */
-            if ((fapl = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS)) < 0)
+            if ((options->fout_fapl = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS)) < 0)
                 H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "H5Pcreate failed to create file access property list");
 
-        if (H5Pset_meta_block_size(fapl, options->meta_block_size) < 0)
+        if (H5Pset_meta_block_size(options->fout_fapl, options->meta_block_size) < 0)
             H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "H5Pset_meta_block_size failed to set metadata block size");
     }
 
@@ -297,7 +299,7 @@ print_user_block(fnamein, fidin);
     if (options->verbose)
         HDprintf("Making new file ...\n");
 
-    if ((fidout = H5Fcreate(fnameout, H5F_ACC_TRUNC, fcpl, fapl)) < 0)
+    if ((fidout = H5Fcreate(fnameout, H5F_ACC_TRUNC, fcpl, options->fout_fapl)) < 0)
         H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "H5Fcreate could not create file <%s>:", fnameout);
 
     /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -352,7 +354,6 @@ done:
     H5E_BEGIN_TRY {
         H5Pclose(fcpl_in);
         H5Pclose(gcpl_in);
-        H5Pclose(fapl);
         H5Pclose(fcpl);
         H5Gclose(grp_in);
         H5Fclose(fidin);
diff --git a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_main.c b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_main.c
index 0822b16..793c689 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_main.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_main.c
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ int parse_command_line(int argc, const char **argv, pack_opt_t* options)
 
             case 'q':
                 if (H5_INDEX_UNKNOWN == (sort_by = set_sort_by(opt_arg))) {
-                    error_msg(" failed to set sort by form <%s>\n", opt_arg);
+                    error_msg("failed to set sort by form <%s>\n", opt_arg);
                     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
                     ret_value = -1;
                     goto done;
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ int parse_command_line(int argc, const char **argv, pack_opt_t* options)
 
             case 'z':
                 if (H5_ITER_UNKNOWN == (sort_order = set_sort_order(opt_arg))) {
-                    error_msg(" failed to set sort order form <%s>\n", opt_arg);
+                    error_msg("failed to set sort order form <%s>\n", opt_arg);
                     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
                     ret_value = -1;
                     goto done;
@@ -660,30 +660,30 @@ int parse_command_line(int argc, const char **argv, pack_opt_t* options)
 
     /* If neither -i nor -o given, get in and out files positionally */
     if (0 == (has_i + has_o)) {
-         if (argv[opt_ind] != NULL && argv[opt_ind + 1] != NULL) {
-             infile = argv[opt_ind];
-             outfile = argv[opt_ind + 1];
-
-             if (!HDstrcmp(infile, outfile)) {
-                 error_msg("file names cannot be the same\n");
-                 usage(h5tools_getprogname());
-                 h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                 ret_value = -1;
-             }
-         }
-         else {
-             error_msg("file names missing\n");
-             usage(h5tools_getprogname());
-             h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-             ret_value = -1;
-         }
-     }
-     else if (has_i != 1 || has_o != 1) {
-         error_msg("filenames must be either both -i -o or both positional\n");
-         usage(h5tools_getprogname());
-         h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
-         ret_value = -1;
-     }
+        if (argv[opt_ind] != NULL && argv[opt_ind + 1] != NULL) {
+            infile = argv[opt_ind];
+            outfile = argv[opt_ind + 1];
+
+            if (!HDstrcmp(infile, outfile)) {
+                error_msg("file names cannot be the same\n");
+                usage(h5tools_getprogname());
+                h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+                ret_value = -1;
+            }
+        }
+        else {
+            error_msg("file names missing\n");
+            usage(h5tools_getprogname());
+            h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            ret_value = -1;
+        }
+    }
+    else if (has_i != 1 || has_o != 1) {
+        error_msg("filenames must be either both -i -o or both positional\n");
+        usage(h5tools_getprogname());
+        h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        ret_value = -1;
+    }
 
 done:
     return ret_value;
@@ -702,27 +702,15 @@ done:
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
     pack_opt_t          options; /*the global options */
-    H5E_auto2_t         func;
-    H5E_auto2_t         tools_func;
-    void               *edata;
-    void               *tools_edata;
     int                 parse_ret;
 
     HDmemset(&options, 0, sizeof(pack_opt_t));
 
-    h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
-    h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
-
-    /* Disable error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, &func, &edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* Initialize h5tools lib */
     h5tools_init();
 
-    /* Disable tools error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, &tools_func, &tools_edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, NULL, NULL);
+    h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
+    h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
     /* update hyperslab buffer size from H5TOOLS_BUFSIZE env if exist */
     if (h5tools_getenv_update_hyperslab_bufsize() < 0) {
@@ -753,10 +741,8 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
         goto done;
     }
 
-    if (enable_error_stack > 0) {
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, tools_func, tools_edata);
-    }
+    /* enable error reporting if command line option */
+    h5tools_error_report();
 
     /* pack it */
     if (h5repack(infile, outfile, &options) < 0) {
@@ -768,6 +754,11 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
 done:
+    if (options.fin_fapl >= 0 && options.fin_fapl != H5P_DEFAULT)
+        H5Pclose(options.fin_fapl);
+    if (options.fout_fapl >= 0 && options.fout_fapl != H5P_DEFAULT)
+        H5Pclose(options.fout_fapl);
+
     /* free tables */
     h5repack_end(&options);
 
diff --git a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_refs.c b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_refs.c
index 04aea57..ee17ed8 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_refs.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_refs.c
@@ -171,10 +171,9 @@ int do_copy_refobjs(hid_t fidin,
                             } /* end if */
                             for(u = 0; u < nelmts; u++) {
                                 H5E_BEGIN_TRY {
-                                    refobj_id = H5Rdereference2(dset_in, H5P_DEFAULT, H5R_OBJECT, &buf[u]);
+                                    if((refobj_id = H5Rdereference2(dset_in, H5P_DEFAULT, H5R_OBJECT, &buf[u])) < 0)
+                                        continue;
                                 } H5E_END_TRY;
-                                if(refobj_id < 0)
-                                    continue;
 
                                 /* get the name. a valid name could only occur
                                  * in the second traversal of the file
@@ -253,10 +252,9 @@ int do_copy_refobjs(hid_t fidin,
 
                             for(u = 0; u < nelmts; u++) {
                                 H5E_BEGIN_TRY {
-                                    refobj_id = H5Rdereference2(dset_in, H5P_DEFAULT, H5R_DATASET_REGION, &buf[u]);
+                                    if((refobj_id = H5Rdereference2(dset_in, H5P_DEFAULT, H5R_DATASET_REGION, &buf[u])) < 0)
+                                        continue;
                                 } H5E_END_TRY;
-                                if(refobj_id < 0)
-                                    continue;
 
                                 /* get the name. a valid name could only occur
                                  * in the second traversal of the file
@@ -456,7 +454,6 @@ static int copy_refs_attr(hid_t loc_in,
     int         ref_comp_field_n = 0;
     int         ret_value = 0;
 
-
     if(H5Oget_info2(loc_in, &oinfo, H5O_INFO_NUM_ATTRS) < 0)
         H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "H5Oget_info failed");
 
diff --git a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_verify.c b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_verify.c
index 48de8d7..76adc16 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_verify.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5repack/h5repack_verify.c
@@ -353,16 +353,16 @@ int verify_layout(hid_t pid, pack_info_t *obj)
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
-int h5repack_cmp_pl(const char *fname1, const char *fname2)
+int h5repack_cmp_pl(const char *fname1, hid_t fname1_fapl, const char *fname2, hid_t fname2_fapl)
 {
-    hid_t         fid1 =H5I_INVALID_HID;         /* file ID */
-    hid_t         fid2 =H5I_INVALID_HID;         /* file ID */
-    hid_t         dset1 =H5I_INVALID_HID;        /* dataset ID */
-    hid_t         dset2 =H5I_INVALID_HID;        /* dataset ID */
-    hid_t         gid =H5I_INVALID_HID;          /* group ID */
-    hid_t         dcpl1 =H5I_INVALID_HID;        /* dataset creation property list ID */
-    hid_t         dcpl2 =H5I_INVALID_HID;        /* dataset creation property list ID */
-    hid_t         gcplid =H5I_INVALID_HID;       /* group creation property list */
+    hid_t         fid1 = H5I_INVALID_HID;         /* file ID */
+    hid_t         fid2 = H5I_INVALID_HID;         /* file ID */
+    hid_t         dset1 = H5I_INVALID_HID;        /* dataset ID */
+    hid_t         dset2 = H5I_INVALID_HID;        /* dataset ID */
+    hid_t         gid = H5I_INVALID_HID;          /* group ID */
+    hid_t         dcpl1 = H5I_INVALID_HID;        /* dataset creation property list ID */
+    hid_t         dcpl2 = H5I_INVALID_HID;        /* dataset creation property list ID */
+    hid_t         gcplid = H5I_INVALID_HID;       /* group creation property list */
     unsigned      crt_order_flag1;  /* group creation order flag */
     unsigned      crt_order_flag2;  /* group creation order flag */
     trav_table_t *trav = NULL;
@@ -374,9 +374,9 @@ int h5repack_cmp_pl(const char *fname1, const char *fname2)
     *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
     */
     /* Open the files */
-    if ((fid1 = H5Fopen(fname1, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, H5P_DEFAULT)) < 0)
+    if ((fid1 = h5tools_fopen(fname1, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, fname1_fapl, TRUE, NULL, 0)) < 0)
         H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "h5tools_fopen failed <%s>: %s", fname1, H5FOPENERROR);
-    if ((fid2 = H5Fopen(fname2, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, H5P_DEFAULT)) < 0)
+    if ((fid2 = h5tools_fopen(fname2, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, fname2_fapl, TRUE, NULL, 0)) < 0)
         H5TOOLS_GOTO_ERROR((-1), "h5tools_fopen failed <%s>: %s", fname2, H5FOPENERROR);
 
    /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/tools/src/h5stat/h5stat.c b/tools/src/h5stat/h5stat.c
index 9bb81b5..f4fdae6 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5stat/h5stat.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5stat/h5stat.c
@@ -118,30 +118,28 @@ typedef struct iter_t {
 } iter_t;
 
 
-static const char *drivername = "";
+static const char *drivername = NULL;
 
 #ifdef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
-/* default "anonymous" s3 configuration
- */
+/* Default "anonymous" S3 configuration */
 static H5FD_ros3_fapl_t ros3_fa = {
-    1,     /* fapl version      */
-    false, /* authenticate      */
-    "",    /* aws region        */
-    "",    /* access key id     */
-    "",    /* secret access key */
+    1,     /* Structure Version */
+    false, /* Authenticate?     */
+    "",    /* AWS Region        */
+    "",    /* Access Key ID     */
+    "",    /* Secret Access Key */
 };
 #endif /* H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD */
 
 #ifdef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
-/* default HDFS access configuration
- */
+/* "Default" HDFS configuration */
 static H5FD_hdfs_fapl_t hdfs_fa = {
-    1,           /* fapl version          */
-    "localhost", /* namenode name         */
-    0,           /* namenode port         */
-    "",          /* kerberos ticket cache */
-    "",          /* user name             */
-    2048,        /* stream buffer size    */
+    1,           /* Structure Version     */
+    "localhost", /* Namenode Name         */
+    0,           /* Namenode Port         */
+    "",          /* Kerberos ticket cache */
+    "",          /* User name             */
+    2048,        /* Stream buffer size    */
 };
 #endif /* H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS */
 
@@ -1059,103 +1057,32 @@ parse_command_line(int argc, const char *argv[], struct handler_t **hand_ret)
                 break;
 
             case 'w':
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
+                if (h5tools_parse_ros3_fapl_tuple(opt_arg, ',', &ros3_fa) < 0) {
+                    error_msg("failed to parse S3 VFD credential info\n");
+                    goto error;
+                }
+
+                drivername = drivernames[ROS3_VFD_IDX];
+#else
                 error_msg("Read-Only S3 VFD not enabled.\n");
                 goto error;
-#else
-                {
-                    char        *cred_str = NULL;
-                    unsigned     nelems   = 0;
-                    char       **cred     = NULL;
-                    char const  *ccred[3];
-
-                    if (FAIL == parse_tuple((const char *)opt_arg, ',', &cred_str, &nelems, &cred)) {
-                        error_msg("Unable to parse s3 credential\n");
-                        goto error;
-                    }
-                    if (nelems != 3) {
-                        error_msg("s3 credential must have three elements\n");
-                        goto error;
-                    }
-                    ccred[0] = (const char *)cred[0];
-                    ccred[1] = (const char *)cred[1];
-                    ccred[2] = (const char *)cred[2];
-                    if (0 == h5tools_populate_ros3_fapl(&ros3_fa, ccred)) {
-                        error_msg("Unable to set ros3 fapl config\n");
-                        goto error;
-                    }
-                    HDfree(cred);
-                    HDfree(cred_str);
-                } /* parse s3-cred block */
-                drivername = "ros3";
+#endif
                 break;
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD */
 
             case 'H':
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
-                error_msg("HDFS VFD is not enabled.\n");
-                goto error;
-#else
-                {
-                    unsigned         nelems    = 0;
-                    char            *props_src = NULL;
-                    char           **props     = NULL;
-                    unsigned long    k         = 0;
-                    if (FAIL == parse_tuple((const char *)opt_arg,
-                            ',', &props_src, &nelems, &props)) {
-                        error_msg("unable to parse hdfs properties tuple\n");
-                        goto error;
-                    }
-                    /* sanity-check tuple count
-                     */
-                    if (nelems != 5) {
-                        char str[64] = "";
-                        HDsprintf(str,
-                                "expected 5 elements in hdfs properties tuple "
-                                "but found %u\n",
-                                nelems);
-                        HDfree(props);
-                        HDfree(props_src);
-                        error_msg(str);
-                        goto error;
-                    }
-                    /* Populate fapl configuration structure with given
-                     * properties.
-                     * TODO/WARNING: No error-checking is done on length of
-                     *         input strings... Silent overflow is possible,
-                     *         albeit unlikely.
-                     */
-                    if (HDstrncmp(props[0], "", 1)) {
-                        HDstrncpy(hdfs_fa.namenode_name,(const char *)props[0], HDstrlen(props[0]));
-                    }
-                    if (HDstrncmp(props[1], "", 1)) {
-                        k = strtoul((const char *)props[1], NULL, 0);
-                        if (errno == ERANGE) {
-                            error_msg("supposed port number wasn't.\n");
-                            goto error;
-                        }
-                        hdfs_fa.namenode_port = (int32_t)k;
-                    }
-                    if (HDstrncmp(props[2], "", 1)) {
-                        HDstrncpy(hdfs_fa.kerberos_ticket_cache, (const char *)props[2], HDstrlen(props[2]));
-                    }
-                    if (HDstrncmp(props[3], "", 1)) {
-                        HDstrncpy(hdfs_fa.user_name, (const char *)props[3], HDstrlen(props[3]));
-                    }
-                    if (strncmp(props[4], "", 1)) {
-                        k = HDstrtoul((const char *)props[4], NULL, 0);
-                        if (errno == ERANGE) {
-                            error_msg("supposed buffersize number wasn't.\n");
-                            goto error;
-                        }
-                        hdfs_fa.stream_buffer_size = (int32_t)k;
-                    }
-                    HDfree(props);
-                    HDfree(props_src);
-                    drivername = "hdfs";
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
+                if (h5tools_parse_hdfs_fapl_tuple(opt_arg, ',', &hdfs_fa) < 0) {
+                    error_msg("failed to parse HDFS VFD configuration info\n");
+                    goto error;
                 }
+
+                drivername = drivernames[HDFS_VFD_IDX];
+#else
+                error_msg("HDFS VFD not enabled.\n");
+                goto error;
+#endif
                 break;
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS */
 
             default:
                 usage(h5tools_getprogname());
@@ -1853,75 +1780,54 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
     iter_t              iter;
     const char         *fname = NULL;
     hid_t               fid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    H5E_auto2_t         func;
-    H5E_auto2_t         tools_func;
-    void               *edata;
-    void               *tools_edata;
     struct handler_t   *hand = NULL;
     hid_t               fapl_id = H5P_DEFAULT;
 
     h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
-    /* Disable error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, &func, &edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* Initialize h5tools lib */
     h5tools_init();
 
-    /* Disable tools error reporting */
-    H5Eget_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, &tools_func, &tools_edata);
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, NULL, NULL);
-
     HDmemset(&iter, 0, sizeof(iter));
 
     if(parse_command_line(argc, argv, &hand) < 0)
         goto done;
 
-    /* if drivername is not null, probably need to set the fapl */
-    if (HDstrcmp(drivername, "")) {
-        void *conf_fa = NULL;
+    /* enable error reporting if command line option */
+    h5tools_error_report();
 
-        if (!HDstrcmp(drivername, "ros3")) {
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
-            error_msg("Read-Only S3 VFD not enabled.\n\n");
-            goto done;
-#else
-            conf_fa = (void *)&ros3_fa;
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD */
+    if (drivername) {
+        h5tools_vfd_info_t vfd_info;
 
-        }
-        else if (!HDstrcmp(drivername, "hdfs")) {
-#ifndef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
-            error_msg("HDFS VFD not enabled.\n\n");
+        vfd_info.info       = NULL;
+        vfd_info.name       = drivername;
+
+        if (!HDstrcmp(drivername, drivernames[ROS3_VFD_IDX])) {
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_ROS3_VFD
+            vfd_info.info = (void *)&ros3_fa;
+#else
+            error_msg("Read-Only S3 VFD not enabled.\n");
             goto done;
+#endif
+        }
+        else if (!HDstrcmp(drivername, drivernames[HDFS_VFD_IDX])) {
+#ifdef H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS
+            vfd_info.info = (void *)&hdfs_fa;
 #else
-            conf_fa = (void *)&hdfs_fa;
-#endif /* H5_HAVE_LIBHDFS */
+            error_msg("HDFS VFD not enabled.\n");
+            goto done;
+#endif
         }
 
-        if (conf_fa != NULL) {
-            HDassert(fapl_id == H5P_DEFAULT);
-            fapl_id = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS);
-            if (fapl_id < 0) {
-                error_msg("Unable to create fapl entry\n");
-                goto done;
-            }
-            if (1 > h5tools_set_configured_fapl(fapl_id, drivername, conf_fa)) {
-                error_msg("Unable to set fapl\n");
-                goto done;
-            }
+        if ((fapl_id = h5tools_get_fapl(H5P_DEFAULT, &vfd_info)) < 0) {
+            error_msg("Unable to create FAPL for file access\n");
+            goto done;
         }
-    } /* drivername set */
+    }
 
     fname = argv[opt_ind];
 
-    if(enable_error_stack > 0) {
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
-        H5Eset_auto2(H5tools_ERR_STACK_g, tools_func, tools_edata);
-    }
-
     /* Check for filename given */
     if(fname) {
         hid_t               fcpl;
@@ -1929,7 +1835,9 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 
         HDprintf("Filename: %s\n", fname);
 
-        fid = H5Fopen(fname, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, fapl_id);
+        fid = h5tools_fopen(fname, H5F_ACC_RDONLY, fapl_id,
+                (fapl_id == H5P_DEFAULT) ? FALSE : TRUE, NULL, 0);
+
         if(fid < 0) {
             error_msg("unable to open file \"%s\"\n", fname);
             h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
@@ -2024,8 +1932,6 @@ done:
         h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
     } /* end if */
 
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
-
     leave(h5tools_getstatus());
 } /* end main() */
 
diff --git a/tools/src/misc/h5clear.c b/tools/src/misc/h5clear.c
index 42bb4ff..96cbf9c 100644
--- a/tools/src/misc/h5clear.c
+++ b/tools/src/misc/h5clear.c
@@ -266,9 +266,6 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
-    /* Disable the HDF5 library's error reporting */
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* initialize h5tools lib */
     h5tools_init();
 
@@ -279,6 +276,9 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     if(fname_g == NULL)
         goto done;
 
+    /* enable error reporting if command line option */
+    h5tools_error_report();
+
     /* Print usage/exit if not using at least one of the options */
     if(!clear_status_flags && !remove_cache_image &&
        !increment_eoa_eof && !print_filesize) {
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
     }
 
     /* Open the file */
-    if((fid = h5tools_fopen(fname, flags, fapl, NULL, NULL, (size_t)0)) < 0) {
+    if((fid = h5tools_fopen(fname, flags, fapl, FALSE, NULL, (size_t)0)) < 0) {
         error_msg("h5tools_fopen\n");
         h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_FAILURE);
         goto done;
@@ -385,7 +385,6 @@ main (int argc, const char *argv[])
             warn_msg("No cache image in the file\n");
     }
 
-
     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
 done:
diff --git a/tools/src/misc/h5debug.c b/tools/src/misc/h5debug.c
index b28457e..58a99a4 100644
--- a/tools/src/misc/h5debug.c
+++ b/tools/src/misc/h5debug.c
@@ -77,65 +77,64 @@ static const H5B2_class_t *
 get_H5B2_class(const uint8_t *sig)
 {
     H5B2_subid_t subtype = (H5B2_subid_t)sig[H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC + 1];
-    const H5B2_class_t *cls;
+    const H5B2_class_t *cls = NULL;
 
     switch(subtype) {
-    case H5B2_TEST_ID:
-        cls = H5B2_TEST;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_FHEAP_HUGE_INDIR_ID:
-        cls = H5HF_HUGE_BT2_INDIR;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_FHEAP_HUGE_FILT_INDIR_ID:
-        cls = H5HF_HUGE_BT2_FILT_INDIR;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_FHEAP_HUGE_DIR_ID:
-        cls = H5HF_HUGE_BT2_DIR;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_FHEAP_HUGE_FILT_DIR_ID:
-        cls = H5HF_HUGE_BT2_FILT_DIR;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_GRP_DENSE_NAME_ID:
-        cls = H5G_BT2_NAME;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_GRP_DENSE_CORDER_ID:
-        cls = H5G_BT2_CORDER;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_SOHM_INDEX_ID:
-        cls = H5SM_INDEX;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_ATTR_DENSE_NAME_ID:
-        cls = H5A_BT2_NAME;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_ATTR_DENSE_CORDER_ID:
-        cls = H5A_BT2_CORDER;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_CDSET_ID:
-        cls = H5D_BT2;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_CDSET_FILT_ID:
-        cls = H5D_BT2_FILT;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_TEST2_ID:
-        cls = H5B2_TEST2;
-        break;
-
-    case H5B2_NUM_BTREE_ID:
-    default:
-        HDfprintf(stderr, "Unknown v2 B-tree subtype %u\n", (unsigned)(subtype));
-        HDexit(4);
+        case H5B2_TEST_ID:
+            cls = H5B2_TEST;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_FHEAP_HUGE_INDIR_ID:
+            cls = H5HF_HUGE_BT2_INDIR;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_FHEAP_HUGE_FILT_INDIR_ID:
+            cls = H5HF_HUGE_BT2_FILT_INDIR;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_FHEAP_HUGE_DIR_ID:
+            cls = H5HF_HUGE_BT2_DIR;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_FHEAP_HUGE_FILT_DIR_ID:
+            cls = H5HF_HUGE_BT2_FILT_DIR;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_GRP_DENSE_NAME_ID:
+            cls = H5G_BT2_NAME;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_GRP_DENSE_CORDER_ID:
+            cls = H5G_BT2_CORDER;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_SOHM_INDEX_ID:
+            cls = H5SM_INDEX;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_ATTR_DENSE_NAME_ID:
+            cls = H5A_BT2_NAME;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_ATTR_DENSE_CORDER_ID:
+            cls = H5A_BT2_CORDER;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_CDSET_ID:
+            cls = H5D_BT2;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_CDSET_FILT_ID:
+            cls = H5D_BT2_FILT;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_TEST2_ID:
+            cls = H5B2_TEST2;
+            break;
+
+        case H5B2_NUM_BTREE_ID:
+        default:
+            HDfprintf(stderr, "Unknown v2 B-tree subtype %u\n", (unsigned)(subtype));
     } /* end switch */
 
     return(cls);
@@ -161,25 +160,24 @@ static const H5EA_class_t *
 get_H5EA_class(const uint8_t *sig)
 {
     H5EA_cls_id_t clsid = (H5EA_cls_id_t)sig[H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC + 1];
-    const H5EA_class_t *cls;
+    const H5EA_class_t *cls = NULL;
 
     switch(clsid) {
-    case H5EA_CLS_TEST_ID:
-        cls = H5EA_CLS_TEST;
-        break;
-
-    case H5EA_CLS_CHUNK_ID:
-        cls = H5EA_CLS_CHUNK;
-        break;
-
-    case H5EA_CLS_FILT_CHUNK_ID:
-        cls = H5EA_CLS_FILT_CHUNK;
-        break;
-
-    case H5EA_NUM_CLS_ID:
-    default:
-        HDfprintf(stderr, "Unknown extensible array class %u\n", (unsigned)(clsid));
-        HDexit(4);
+        case H5EA_CLS_TEST_ID:
+            cls = H5EA_CLS_TEST;
+            break;
+
+        case H5EA_CLS_CHUNK_ID:
+            cls = H5EA_CLS_CHUNK;
+            break;
+
+        case H5EA_CLS_FILT_CHUNK_ID:
+            cls = H5EA_CLS_FILT_CHUNK;
+            break;
+
+        case H5EA_NUM_CLS_ID:
+        default:
+            HDfprintf(stderr, "Unknown extensible array class %u\n", (unsigned)(clsid));
     } /* end switch */
 
     return(cls);
@@ -205,25 +203,24 @@ static const H5FA_class_t *
 get_H5FA_class(const uint8_t *sig)
 {
     H5FA_cls_id_t clsid = (H5FA_cls_id_t)sig[H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC + 1];
-    const H5FA_class_t *cls;
+    const H5FA_class_t *cls = NULL;
 
     switch(clsid) {
-    case H5FA_CLS_TEST_ID:
-        cls = H5FA_CLS_TEST;
-        break;
-
-    case H5FA_CLS_CHUNK_ID:
-        cls = H5FA_CLS_CHUNK;
-        break;
-
-    case H5FA_CLS_FILT_CHUNK_ID:
-        cls = H5FA_CLS_FILT_CHUNK;
-        break;
-
-    case H5FA_NUM_CLS_ID:
-    default:
-        HDfprintf(stderr, "Unknown fixed array class %u\n", (unsigned)(clsid));
-        HDexit(4);
+        case H5FA_CLS_TEST_ID:
+            cls = H5FA_CLS_TEST;
+            break;
+
+        case H5FA_CLS_CHUNK_ID:
+            cls = H5FA_CLS_CHUNK;
+            break;
+
+        case H5FA_CLS_FILT_CHUNK_ID:
+            cls = H5FA_CLS_FILT_CHUNK;
+            break;
+
+        case H5FA_NUM_CLS_ID:
+        default:
+            HDfprintf(stderr, "Unknown fixed array class %u\n", (unsigned)(clsid));
     } /* end switch */
 
     return(cls);
@@ -248,25 +245,31 @@ get_H5FA_class(const uint8_t *sig)
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-    hid_t  fid, fapl;
+    hid_t       fid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
+    hid_t       fapl = H5I_INVALID_HID;
     H5F_t       *f;
-    haddr_t     addr = 0, extra = 0, extra2 = 0, extra3 = 0, extra4 = 0;
+    haddr_t     addr = 0;
+    int         extra_count = 0;     /* Number of extra arguments */
+    haddr_t     extra[10];
     uint8_t     sig[H5F_SIGNATURE_LEN];
     size_t      u;
     H5E_auto2_t func;
     void       *edata;
     hbool_t     api_ctx_pushed = FALSE;             /* Whether API context pushed */
     herr_t      status = SUCCEED;
+    int         exit_value = 0;
 
     if(argc == 1) {
-        HDfprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s filename [signature-addr [extra]]\n", argv[0]);
-        HDexit(1);
+        HDfprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s filename [signature-addr [extra]*]\n", argv[0]);
+        exit_value = 1;
+        goto done;
     } /* end if */
 
     /* Initialize the library */
     if(H5open() < 0) {
         HDfprintf(stderr, "cannot initialize the library\n");
-        HDexit(1);
+        exit_value = 1;
+        goto done;
     } /* end if */
 
     /* Disable error reporting */
@@ -278,49 +281,65 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
      */
     if((fapl = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS)) < 0) {
         HDfprintf(stderr, "cannot create file access property list\n");
-        HDexit(1);
+        exit_value = 1;
+        goto done;
     } /* end if */
     if(HDstrchr(argv[1], '%'))
         if(H5Pset_fapl_family (fapl, (hsize_t)0, H5P_DEFAULT) < 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "cannot set file access property list\n");
-            HDexit(1);
+            exit_value = 1;
+            goto done;
         }
     if((fid = H5Fopen(argv[1], H5F_ACC_RDONLY, fapl)) < 0) {
         HDfprintf(stderr, "cannot open file\n");
-        HDexit(1);
+        exit_value = 1;
+        goto done;
     } /* end if */
 
     /* Push API context */
     if(H5CX_push() < 0) {
         HDfprintf(stderr, "cannot set API context\n");
-        HDexit(1);
+        exit_value = 1;
+        goto done;
     }
     api_ctx_pushed = TRUE;
 
     if(NULL == (f = (H5F_t *)H5I_object(fid))) {
         HDfprintf(stderr, "cannot obtain H5F_t pointer\n");
-        HDexit(2);
+        exit_value = 2;
+        goto done;
     } /* end if */
 
     /* Ignore metadata tags while using h5debug */
     if(H5AC_ignore_tags(f) < 0) {
         HDfprintf(stderr, "cannot ignore metadata tags\n");
-        HDexit(1);
+        exit_value = 1;
+        goto done;
     }
 
     /*
      * Parse command arguments.
      */
+
+    /* Primary data structure to dump */
     if(argc > 2)
         addr = (haddr_t)HDstrtoll(argv[2], NULL, 0);
-    if(argc > 3)
-        extra = (haddr_t)HDstrtoll(argv[3], NULL, 0);
-    if(argc > 4)
-        extra2 = (haddr_t)HDstrtoll(argv[4], NULL, 0);
-    if(argc > 5)
-        extra3 = (haddr_t)HDstrtoll(argv[5], NULL, 0);
-    if(argc > 6)
-        extra4 = (haddr_t)HDstrtoll(argv[6], NULL, 0);
+
+    /* Extra arguments for primary data structure */
+    HDmemset(extra, 0, sizeof(extra));
+    if(argc > 3) {
+        /* Number of extra arguments */
+        extra_count = argc - 3;
+
+        /* Range check against 'extra' array size */
+        if(extra_count > (int)(sizeof(extra) / sizeof(haddr_t))) {
+            HDfprintf(stderr, "\nWARNING: Only using first %d extra parameters\n\n", (int)(sizeof(extra) / sizeof(haddr_t)));
+            extra_count = (int)(sizeof(extra) / sizeof(haddr_t));
+        } /* end if */
+
+        for(u = 0; u < (size_t)extra_count; u++)
+            extra[u] = (haddr_t)HDstrtoll(argv[u + 3], NULL, 0);
+    } /* end if */
 
     /*
      * Read the signature at the specified file position.
@@ -328,7 +347,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     HDfprintf(stdout, "Reading signature at address %a (rel)\n", addr);
     if(H5F_block_read(f, H5FD_MEM_SUPER, addr, sizeof(sig), sig) < 0) {
         HDfprintf(stderr, "cannot read signature\n");
-        HDexit(3);
+        exit_value = 3;
+        goto done;
     }
     if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5F_SIGNATURE, (size_t)H5F_SIGNATURE_LEN)) {
         /*
@@ -356,13 +376,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
          */
 
         /* Check for extra parameters */
-        if(extra == 0) {
+        if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\nWarning: Providing the group's local heap address will give more information\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "Symbol table node usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <Symbol table node address> <address of local heap>\n\n");
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5G_node_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, extra);
+        status = H5G_node_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, extra[0]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5B_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -378,46 +398,51 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         switch(subtype) {
         case H5B_SNODE_ID:
             /* Check for extra parameters */
-            if(extra == 0) {
+            if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0) {
                 HDfprintf(stderr, "\nWarning: Providing the group's local heap address will give more information\n");
                 HDfprintf(stderr, "B-tree symbol table node usage:\n");
                 HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <B-tree node address> <address of local heap>\n\n");
-                HDexit(4);
+                exit_value = 4;
+                goto done;
             } /* end if */
 
-            status = H5G_node_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, extra);
+            status = H5G_node_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, extra[0]);
             break;
 
         case H5B_CHUNK_ID:
             /* Check for extra parameters */
-            if(extra == 0) {
+            if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0) {
                 HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need number of dimensions of chunk in order to dump chunk B-tree node\n");
                 HDfprintf(stderr, "B-tree chunked storage node usage:\n");
                 HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <B-tree node address> <# of dimensions> <slowest chunk dim>...<fastest chunk dim>\n");
-                HDexit(4);
+                exit_value = 4;
+                goto done;
             } /* end if */
 
-            /* Build array of chunk dimensions */
-            ndims = (unsigned)extra;
-            dim[0] = (uint32_t)extra2;
-            if(ndims > 1)
-                dim[1] = (uint32_t)extra3;
-            if(ndims > 2)
-                dim[2] = (uint32_t)extra4;
+            /* Set # of dimensions */
+            ndims = (unsigned)extra[0];
 
             /* Check for dimension error */
-            if(ndims > 3) {
-                HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Only 3 dimensions support currently (fix h5debug)\n");
+            if(ndims > 9) {
+                HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Only 9 dimensions support currently (fix h5debug)\n");
                 HDfprintf(stderr, "B-tree chunked storage node usage:\n");
                 HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <B-tree node address> <# of dimensions> <slowest chunk dim>...<fastest chunk dim>\n");
-                HDexit(4);
+                exit_value = 4;
+                goto done;
             } /* end for */
+
+            /* Build array of chunk dimensions */
+            for(u = 0; u < ndims; u++)
+                dim[u] = (uint32_t)extra[u + 1];
+
+            /* Check for dimension error */
             for(u = 0; u < ndims; u++)
                 if(0 == dim[u]) {
                     HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Chunk dimensions should be >0\n");
                     HDfprintf(stderr, "B-tree chunked storage node usage:\n");
                     HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <B-tree node address> <# of dimensions> <slowest chunk dim>...<fastest chunk dim>\n");
-                    HDexit(4);
+                    exit_value = 4;
+                    goto done;
                 } /* end if */
 
             /* Set the last dimension (the element size) to zero */
@@ -429,7 +454,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         case H5B_NUM_BTREE_ID:
         default:
             HDfprintf(stderr, "Unknown v1 B-tree subtype %u\n", (unsigned)(subtype));
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         }
 
     }
@@ -440,14 +466,15 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         const H5B2_class_t *cls = get_H5B2_class(sig);
         HDassert(cls);
 
-        if((cls == H5D_BT2 || cls == H5D_BT2_FILT) && extra == 0) {
+        if((cls == H5D_BT2 || cls == H5D_BT2_FILT) && (extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0)) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need v2 B-tree header address and object header address containing the layout message in order to dump header\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "v2 B-tree hdr usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <v2 B-tree header address> <object header address>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5B2__hdr_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, (haddr_t)extra);
+        status = H5B2__hdr_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, (haddr_t)extra[0]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5B2_INT_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -458,23 +485,25 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         HDassert(cls);
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if((cls == H5D_BT2 || cls == H5D_BT2_FILT) && (extra == 0 || extra2 == 0 || extra3 == 0 || extra4 == 0)) {
+        if((cls == H5D_BT2 || cls == H5D_BT2_FILT) && (extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0 || extra[1] == 0 || extra[2] == 0 || extra[3] == 0)) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need v2 B-tree header address, the node's number of records, depth, and object header address containing the layout message in order to dump internal node\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "NOTE: Leaf nodes are depth 0, the internal nodes above them are depth 1, etc.\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "v2 B-tree internal node usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <internal node address> <v2 B-tree header address> <number of records> <depth> <object header address>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
 
         }
-        else if(extra == 0 || extra2 == 0 || extra3 == 0) {
+        else if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0 || extra[1] == 0 || extra[2] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need v2 B-tree header address and the node's number of records and depth in order to dump internal node\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "NOTE: Leaf nodes are depth 0, the internal nodes above them are depth 1, etc.\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "v2 B-tree internal node usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <internal node address> <v2 B-tree header address> <number of records> <depth>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5B2__int_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra, (unsigned)extra2, (unsigned)extra3, (haddr_t)extra4);
+        status = H5B2__int_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra[0], (unsigned)extra[1], (unsigned)extra[2], (haddr_t)extra[3]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5B2_LEAF_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -485,22 +514,24 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         HDassert(cls);
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if((cls == H5D_BT2 || cls == H5D_BT2_FILT) && (extra == 0 || extra2 == 0 || extra3 == 0 )) {
+        if((cls == H5D_BT2 || cls == H5D_BT2_FILT) && (extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0 || extra[1] == 0 || extra[2] == 0 )) {
 
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need v2 B-tree header address, number of records, and object header address containing the layout message in order to dump leaf node\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "v2 B-tree leaf node usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <leaf node address> <v2 B-tree header address> <number of records> <object header address>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
 
         }
-        else if(extra == 0 || extra2 == 0) {
+        else if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0 || extra[1] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need v2 B-tree header address and number of records in order to dump leaf node\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "v2 B-tree leaf node usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <leaf node address> <v2 B-tree header address> <number of records>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5B2__leaf_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra, (unsigned)extra2, (haddr_t)extra3);
+        status = H5B2__leaf_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra[0], (unsigned)extra[1], (haddr_t)extra[2]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5HF_HDR_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -516,14 +547,15 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
          */
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if(extra == 0 || extra2 == 0) {
+        if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0 || extra[1] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need fractal heap header address and size of direct block in order to dump direct block\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "Fractal heap direct block usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <direct block address> <heap header address> <size of direct block>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5HF_dblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, extra, (size_t)extra2);
+        status = H5HF_dblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, extra[0], (size_t)extra[1]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5HF_IBLOCK_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -532,14 +564,15 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
          */
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if(extra == 0 || extra2 == 0) {
+        if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0 || extra[1] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need fractal heap header address and number of rows in order to dump indirect block\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "Fractal heap indirect block usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <indirect block address> <heap header address> <number of rows>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5HF_iblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, extra, (unsigned)extra2);
+        status = H5HF_iblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, extra[0], (unsigned)extra[1]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5FS_HDR_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -556,14 +589,15 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
          */
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if(extra == 0 || extra2 == 0) {
+        if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0 || extra[1] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need free space header address and client address in order to dump serialized sections\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "Free space serialized sections usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <serialized sections address> <free space header address> <client address>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5FS_sects_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, extra, extra2);
+        status = H5FS_sects_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, extra[0], extra[1]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5SM_TABLE_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -580,14 +614,15 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
          */
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if(extra == 0) {
+        if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need shared message header address in order to shared message list\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "Shared message list usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <shared message list address> <shared message header address>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5SM_list_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, (haddr_t)extra);
+        status = H5SM_list_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, (haddr_t)extra[0]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5EA_HDR_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -598,14 +633,15 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         HDassert(cls);
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if(extra == 0) {
+        if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need object header address containing the layout message in order to dump header\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "Extensible array header block usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <Extensible Array header address> <object header address>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5EA__hdr_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra);
+        status = H5EA__hdr_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra[0]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5EA_IBLOCK_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -616,14 +652,15 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         HDassert(cls);
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if(extra == 0 || extra2 == 0) {
+        if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0 || extra[1] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need extensible array header address and object header address containing the layout message in order to dump index block\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "Extensible array index block usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <index block address> <array header address> <object header address\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5EA__iblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra, extra2);
+        status = H5EA__iblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra[0], extra[1]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5EA_SBLOCK_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -634,14 +671,15 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         HDassert(cls);
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if(extra == 0 || extra2 == 0 || extra3 == 0) {
+        if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0 || extra[1] == 0 || extra[2] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need extensible array header address, super block index and object header address containing the layout message in order to dump super block\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "Extensible array super block usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <super block address> <array header address> <super block index> <object header address>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5EA__sblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra, (unsigned)extra2, extra3);
+        status = H5EA__sblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra[0], (unsigned)extra[1], extra[2]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5EA_DBLOCK_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -652,14 +690,15 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         HDassert(cls);
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if(extra == 0 || extra2 == 0 || extra3 == 0) {
+        if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0 || extra[1] == 0 || extra[2] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need extensible array header address, # of elements in data block and object header address containing the layout message in order to dump data block\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "Extensible array data block usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <data block address> <array header address> <# of elements in data block> <object header address\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5EA__dblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra, (size_t)extra2, extra3);
+        status = H5EA__dblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra[0], (size_t)extra[1], extra[2]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5FA_HDR_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -670,14 +709,15 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         HDassert(cls);
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if(extra == 0) {
+        if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need object header address containing the layout message in order to dump header\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "Fixed array header block usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <Fixed Array header address> <object header address>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5FA__hdr_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra);
+        status = H5FA__hdr_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra[0]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5FA_DBLOCK_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -688,14 +728,15 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         HDassert(cls);
 
         /* Check for enough valid parameters */
-        if(extra == 0 || extra2 == 0) {
+        if(extra_count == 0 || extra[0] == 0 || extra[1] == 0) {
             HDfprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Need fixed array header address and object header address containing the layout message in order to dump data block\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "fixed array data block usage:\n");
             HDfprintf(stderr, "\th5debug <filename> <data block address> <array header address> <object header address>\n");
-            HDexit(4);
+            exit_value = 4;
+            goto done;
         } /* end if */
 
-        status = H5FA__dblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra, extra2);
+        status = H5FA__dblock_debug(f, addr, stdout, 0, VCOL, cls, extra[0], extra[1]);
 
     }
     else if(!HDmemcmp(sig, H5O_HDR_MAGIC, (size_t)H5_SIZEOF_MAGIC)) {
@@ -732,24 +773,27 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         HDputchar('\n');
 
         HDfprintf(stderr, "unknown signature\n");
-        HDexit(4);
+        exit_value = 4;
+        goto done;
     } /* end else */
 
     /* Check for an error when dumping information */
     if(status < 0) {
         HDfprintf(stderr, "An error occurred!\n");
         H5Eprint2(H5E_DEFAULT, stderr);
-        HDexit(5);
+        exit_value = 5;
+        goto done;
     } /* end if */
 
-    H5Pclose(fapl);
-    H5Fclose(fid);
+done:
+    if(fapl > 0) H5Pclose(fapl);
+    if(fid > 0) H5Fclose(fid);
 
     /* Pop API context */
     if(api_ctx_pushed) H5CX_pop();
 
     H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, func, edata);
 
-    return 0;
+    return exit_value;
 } /* main() */
 
diff --git a/tools/src/misc/h5mkgrp.c b/tools/src/misc/h5mkgrp.c
index feb60d4..71db297 100644
--- a/tools/src/misc/h5mkgrp.c
+++ b/tools/src/misc/h5mkgrp.c
@@ -25,26 +25,28 @@ int d_status = EXIT_SUCCESS;
 /* command-line options: short and long-named parameters */
 static const char *s_opts = "hlpvV";
 static struct long_options l_opts[] = {
-    { "help", no_arg, 'h' },
-    { "latest", no_arg, 'l' },
-    { "parents", no_arg, 'p' },
-    { "verbose", no_arg, 'v' },
-    { "version", no_arg, 'V' },
+    { "help",               no_arg, 'h' },
+    { "latest",             no_arg, 'l' },
+    { "parents",            no_arg, 'p' },
+    { "verbose",            no_arg, 'v' },
+    { "version",            no_arg, 'V' },
     { NULL, 0, '\0' }
 };
 
 /* Command line parameter settings */
-typedef struct {
+typedef struct mkgrp_opt_t {
     char *fname;                /* File name to operate on */
     hbool_t latest;             /* Whether file should use latest format versions */
     hbool_t verbose;            /* Whether output should be verbose */
     hbool_t parents;            /* Whether to create intermediate groups */
     size_t ngroups;             /* Number of groups to create */
     char **groups;              /* Pointer to array of group names */
-} param_t;
-param_t params;             /* Command line parameter settings */
+    hid_t fapl_id;              /* fapl to use when opening the file */
+} mkgrp_opt_t;
+
+mkgrp_opt_t params_g;           /* Command line parameter settings */
+
 
-
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Function:    leave
  *
@@ -61,18 +63,22 @@ leave(int ret)
 {
     size_t curr_group;
 
-    if (params.fname)
-        HDfree (params.fname);
-    if (params.ngroups) {
-        for(curr_group = 0; curr_group < params.ngroups; curr_group++)
-            HDfree (params.groups[curr_group]);
-        HDfree (params.groups);
+    if (params_g.fname)
+        HDfree(params_g.fname);
+    if (params_g.ngroups) {
+        for (curr_group = 0; curr_group < params_g.ngroups; curr_group++)
+            HDfree(params_g.groups[curr_group]);
+        HDfree(params_g.groups);
     }
+    if (H5I_INVALID_HID != params_g.fapl_id && H5P_DEFAULT != params_g.fapl_id)
+        if (H5Pclose(params_g.fapl_id) < 0)
+            error_msg("Could not close file access property list\n");
+
     h5tools_close();
     HDexit(ret);
 } /* end leave() */
 
-
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Function: usage
  *
@@ -85,65 +91,69 @@ leave(int ret)
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 static void
-usage(void)
+usage(const char *prog)
 {
-    HDfprintf(stdout, "\
-usage: h5mkgrp [OPTIONS] FILE GROUP...\n\
-   OPTIONS\n\
-      -h, --help         Print a usage message and exit\n\
-      -l, --latest       Use latest version of file format to create groups\n\
-      -p, --parents      No error if existing, make parent groups as needed\n\
-      -v, --verbose      Print information about OBJECTS and OPTIONS\n\
-      -V, --version      Print version number and exit\n");
+    FLUSHSTREAM(rawoutstream);
+    PRINTSTREAM(rawoutstream, "usage: %s [OPTIONS] FILE GROUP...\n", prog);
+    PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "   OPTIONS\n");
+    PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "      -h, --help         Print a usage message and exit\n");
+    PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "      -l, --latest       Use latest version of file format to create groups\n");
+    PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "      -p, --parents      No error if existing, make parent groups as needed\n");
+    PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "      -v, --verbose      Print information about OBJECTS and OPTIONS\n");
+    PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "      -V, --version      Print version number and exit\n");
+    PRINTVALSTREAM(rawoutstream, "\n");
 } /* end usage() */
 
-
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- * Function: parse_command_line
+ * Function:    parse_command_line
  *
- * Purpose: Parses command line and sets up global variable to control output
+ * Purpose:     Parses command line and sets up global variable to control
+ *              output
  *
- * Return:  Success: 0
- *    Failure: -1
+ * Return:      Success: 0
+ *              Failure: -1
  *
  * Programmer: Quincey Koziol, 2/13/2007
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 static int
-parse_command_line(int argc, const char *argv[], param_t *parms)
+parse_command_line(int argc, const char *argv[], mkgrp_opt_t *options)
 {
     int opt;            /* Option from command line */
     size_t curr_group;  /* Current group name to copy */
+    hbool_t custom_fapl = FALSE;
+    hid_t tmp_fapl_id = H5I_INVALID_HID;
 
     /* Check for empty command line */
     if(argc == 1) {
-        usage();
+        usage(h5tools_getprogname());
         leave(EXIT_SUCCESS);
-    } /* end if */
+    }
 
     /* Parse command line options */
     while((opt = get_option(argc, argv, s_opts, l_opts)) != EOF) {
         switch((char)opt) {
             /* Display 'help' */
             case 'h':
-                usage();
+                usage(h5tools_getprogname());
                 leave(EXIT_SUCCESS);
                 break;
 
             /* Create objects with the latest version of the format */
             case 'l':
-                parms->latest = TRUE;
+                options->latest = TRUE;
                 break;
 
             /* Create parent groups */
             case 'p':
-                parms->parents = TRUE;
+                options->parents = TRUE;
                 break;
 
             /* Verbose output */
             case 'v':
-                parms->verbose = TRUE;
+                options->verbose = TRUE;
                 break;
 
             /* Display version */
@@ -154,7 +164,7 @@ parse_command_line(int argc, const char *argv[], param_t *parms)
 
             /* Bad command line argument */
             default:
-                usage();
+                usage(h5tools_getprogname());
                 leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
         } /* end switch */
     } /* end while */
@@ -162,46 +172,37 @@ parse_command_line(int argc, const char *argv[], param_t *parms)
     /* Check for file name to be processed */
     if(argc <= opt_ind) {
         error_msg("missing file name\n");
-        usage();
+        usage(h5tools_getprogname());
         leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    } /* end if */
+    }
 
     /* Retrieve file name */
-    parms->fname = HDstrdup(argv[opt_ind]);
+    options->fname = HDstrdup(argv[opt_ind]);
     opt_ind++;
 
     /* Check for group(s) to be created */
     if(argc <= opt_ind) {
         error_msg("missing group name(s)\n");
-        usage();
+        usage(h5tools_getprogname());
         leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    } /* end if */
+    }
 
     /* Allocate space for the group name pointers */
-    parms->ngroups = (size_t)(argc - opt_ind);
-    parms->groups = (char **)HDmalloc(parms->ngroups * sizeof(char *));
+    options->ngroups = (size_t)(argc - opt_ind);
+    options->groups = (char **)HDmalloc(options->ngroups * sizeof(char *));
 
     /* Retrieve the group names */
     curr_group = 0;
     while(opt_ind < argc) {
-        parms->groups[curr_group] = HDstrdup(argv[opt_ind]);
+        options->groups[curr_group] = HDstrdup(argv[opt_ind]);
         curr_group++;
         opt_ind++;
-    } /* end while */
-
-#ifdef QAK
-HDfprintf(stderr, "parms->parents = %t\n", parms->parents);
-HDfprintf(stderr, "parms->verbose = %t\n", parms->verbose);
-HDfprintf(stderr, "parms->fname = '%s'\n", parms->fname);
-HDfprintf(stderr, "parms->ngroups = %Zu\n", parms->ngroups);
-for(curr_group = 0; curr_group < parms->ngroups; curr_group++)
-    HDfprintf(stderr, "parms->group[%Zu] = '%s'\n", curr_group, parms->groups[curr_group]);
-#endif /* QAK */
+    }
 
-    return(0);
+    return 0;
 } /* parse_command_line() */
 
-
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Function: main
  *
@@ -214,117 +215,112 @@ for(curr_group = 0; curr_group < parms->ngroups; curr_group++)
 int
 main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 {
-    hid_t fid;                  /* HDF5 file ID */
-    hid_t fapl_id;              /* File access property list ID */
-    hid_t lcpl_id;              /* Link creation property list ID */
-    size_t curr_group;          /* Current group to create */
+    hid_t fid = H5I_INVALID_HID;        /* HDF5 file ID */
+    hid_t lcpl_id = H5I_INVALID_HID;    /* Link creation property list ID */
+    size_t curr_group;                  /* Current group to create */
 
     h5tools_setprogname(PROGRAMNAME);
     h5tools_setstatus(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
-    /* Disable the HDF5 library's error reporting */
-    H5Eset_auto2(H5E_DEFAULT, NULL, NULL);
-
     /* Initialize h5tools lib */
     h5tools_init();
 
-    /* Parse command line */
-    HDmemset(&params, 0, sizeof(params));
-    if(parse_command_line(argc, argv, &params) < 0) {
-        error_msg("unable to parse command line arguments\n");
-        leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    } /* end if */
+    /* Initialize the parameters */
+    HDmemset(&params_g, 0, sizeof(params_g));
 
     /* Create file access property list */
-    if((fapl_id = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS)) < 0) {
+    if((params_g.fapl_id = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS)) < 0) {
         error_msg("Could not create file access property list\n");
         leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    } /* end if */
+    }
+
+    /* Parse command line */
+    if(parse_command_line(argc, argv, &params_g) < 0) {
+        error_msg("unable to parse command line arguments\n");
+        leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
+    /* enable error reporting if command line option */
+    h5tools_error_report();
 
     /* Check for creating groups with new format version */
-    if(params.latest) {
+    if(params_g.latest) {
         /* Set the "use the latest version of the format" bounds */
-        if(H5Pset_libver_bounds(fapl_id, H5F_LIBVER_LATEST, H5F_LIBVER_LATEST) < 0) {
+        if(H5Pset_libver_bounds(params_g.fapl_id, H5F_LIBVER_LATEST, H5F_LIBVER_LATEST) < 0) {
             error_msg("Could not set property for using latest version of the format\n");
             leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-        } /* end if */
+        }
 
         /* Display some output if requested */
-        if(params.verbose)
+        if(params_g.verbose)
             HDprintf("%s: Creating groups with latest version of the format\n", h5tools_getprogname());
-    } /* end if */
+    }
 
     /* Attempt to open an existing HDF5 file first */
-    fid = h5tools_fopen(params.fname, H5F_ACC_RDWR, fapl_id, NULL, NULL, 0);
+    fid = h5tools_fopen(params_g.fname, H5F_ACC_RDWR, params_g.fapl_id, FALSE, NULL, 0);
 
     /* If we couldn't open an existing file, try creating file */
     /* (use "EXCL" instead of "TRUNC", so we don't blow away existing non-HDF5 file) */
     if(fid < 0)
-        fid = H5Fcreate(params.fname, H5F_ACC_EXCL, H5P_DEFAULT, fapl_id);
+        fid = H5Fcreate(params_g.fname, H5F_ACC_EXCL, H5P_DEFAULT, params_g.fapl_id);
 
     /* Test for error in opening file */
     if(fid < 0) {
-        error_msg("Could not open output file '%s'\n", params.fname);
+        error_msg("Could not open output file '%s'\n", params_g.fname);
         leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    } /* end if */
+    }
 
     /* Create link creation property list */
     if((lcpl_id = H5Pcreate(H5P_LINK_CREATE)) < 0) {
         error_msg("Could not create link creation property list\n");
         leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    } /* end if */
+    }
 
     /* Check for creating intermediate groups */
-    if(params.parents) {
+    if(params_g.parents) {
         /* Set the intermediate group creation property */
         if(H5Pset_create_intermediate_group(lcpl_id, TRUE) < 0) {
             error_msg("Could not set property for creating parent groups\n");
             leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-        } /* end if */
+        }
 
         /* Display some output if requested */
-        if(params.verbose)
+        if(params_g.verbose)
             HDprintf("%s: Creating parent groups\n", h5tools_getprogname());
-    } /* end if */
+    }
 
     /* Loop over creating requested groups */
-    for(curr_group = 0; curr_group < params.ngroups; curr_group++) {
+    for(curr_group = 0; curr_group < params_g.ngroups; curr_group++) {
         hid_t gid;              /* Group ID */
 
         /* Attempt to create a group */
-        if((gid = H5Gcreate2(fid, params.groups[curr_group], lcpl_id, H5P_DEFAULT, H5P_DEFAULT)) < 0) {
-            error_msg("Could not create group '%s'\n", params.groups[curr_group]);
+        if((gid = H5Gcreate2(fid, params_g.groups[curr_group], lcpl_id, H5P_DEFAULT, H5P_DEFAULT)) < 0) {
+            error_msg("Could not create group '%s'\n", params_g.groups[curr_group]);
             leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-        } /* end if */
+        }
 
         /* Close the group */
         if(H5Gclose(gid) < 0) {
-            error_msg("Could not close group '%s'??\n", params.groups[curr_group]);
+            error_msg("Could not close group '%s'??\n", params_g.groups[curr_group]);
             leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-        } /* end if */
+        }
 
         /* Display some output if requested */
-        if(params.verbose)
-            HDprintf("%s: created group '%s'\n", h5tools_getprogname(), params.groups[curr_group]);
+        if(params_g.verbose)
+            HDprintf("%s: created group '%s'\n", h5tools_getprogname(), params_g.groups[curr_group]);
     } /* end for */
 
     /* Close link creation property list */
     if(H5Pclose(lcpl_id) < 0) {
         error_msg("Could not close link creation property list\n");
         leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    } /* end if */
+    }
 
     /* Close file */
     if(H5Fclose(fid) < 0) {
-        error_msg("Could not close output file '%s'??\n", params.fname);
+        error_msg("Could not close output file '%s'??\n", params_g.fname);
         leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    } /* end if */
-
-    /* Close file access property list */
-    if(H5Pclose(fapl_id) < 0) {
-        error_msg("Could not close file access property list\n");
-        leave(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    } /* end if */
+    }
 
     leave(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 } /* end main() */