diff --git a/common.gradle b/common.gradle
index 4699ec57b..db8820bd6 100644
--- a/common.gradle
+++ b/common.gradle
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ apply plugin: 'java'
 apply plugin: 'maven'
 
 String mavenGroupId = 'org.cirdles'
-String mavenVersion = '0.0.3'
+String mavenVersion = '0.0.4'
 
 
 sourceCompatibility = '1.8'
diff --git a/squidApp/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/gui/SquidUIController.java b/squidApp/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/gui/SquidUIController.java
index 1f2d23e52..25147c266 100644
--- a/squidApp/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/gui/SquidUIController.java
+++ b/squidApp/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/gui/SquidUIController.java
@@ -134,15 +134,24 @@ private void launchProjectManager() {
     private void newSquidProjectAction(ActionEvent event) {
         squidProject = new SquidProject();
 
-        CalamariFileManager.initProjectFiles(squidProject.getPrawnFileHandler(), "1.4.5");
+        CalamariFileManager.initProjectFiles(squidProject.getPrawnFileHandler());
 
         try {
             if (squidProject.selectPrawnFile(primaryStageWindow)) {
                 launchProjectManager();
             }
         } catch (IOException | JAXBException | SAXException anException) {
+            String message = anException.getMessage();
+            if (message == null){
+                try {
+                    message = anException.getCause().getMessage();
+                } catch (Exception e) {
+                }
+            }
+            
             SquidMessageDialog.showWarningDialog(
-                    "Squid encountered an error while trying to open the selected file.",
+                    "Squid encountered an error while trying to open the selected file:\n\n"
+                    + message,
                     primaryStageWindow);
         }
     }
@@ -158,15 +167,24 @@ private void newSquidProjectByMergeAction(ActionEvent event) {
 
         squidProject = new SquidProject();
 
-        CalamariFileManager.initProjectFiles(squidProject.getPrawnFileHandler(), "1.4.5");
+        CalamariFileManager.initProjectFiles(squidProject.getPrawnFileHandler());
 
         try {
             if (squidProject.selectAndMergeTwoPrawnFile(primaryStageWindow)) {
                 launchProjectManager();
             }
         } catch (IOException | JAXBException | SAXException anException) {
+            String message = anException.getMessage();
+            if (message == null){
+                try {
+                    message = anException.getCause().getMessage();
+                } catch (Exception e) {
+                }
+            }
+            
             SquidMessageDialog.showWarningDialog(
-                    "Squid encountered an error while trying to open and join the selected files.",
+                    "Squid encountered an error while trying to open and join the selected files:\n\n"
+                    + message,
                     primaryStageWindow);
         }
 
diff --git a/squidCore/build.gradle b/squidCore/build.gradle
index c427dc68e..742762118 100644
--- a/squidCore/build.gradle
+++ b/squidCore/build.gradle
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ repositories {
 
 dependencies {
     compile "com.github.cirdles:Commons:-SNAPSHOT"
-    compile 'com.github.bowring.Calamari:core:v1.4.5'
+    compile 'com.github.bowring.Calamari:core:v1.4.8'
     
     antlr "org.antlr:antlr4:4.6"
     compile 'org.antlr:antlr4-runtime:4.6'
diff --git a/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/fileManagement/CalamariFileManager.java b/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/fileManagement/CalamariFileManager.java
index 86da5c41c..51cd9a817 100644
--- a/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/fileManagement/CalamariFileManager.java
+++ b/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/fileManagement/CalamariFileManager.java
@@ -69,14 +69,14 @@ public static void initExamplePrawnFiles() {
         }
     }
 
-    public static void initProjectFiles(PrawnFileHandler prawnFileHandler, String calamariVersion) {
+    public static void initProjectFiles(PrawnFileHandler prawnFileHandler) {
         try {
             // point to directory, but no default choice
             prawnFileHandler.setCurrentPrawnFileLocation(exampleFolder.getCanonicalPath());
         } catch (IOException iOException) {
         }
 
-        File defaultCalamariReportsFolder = new File("CalamariReports_v" + calamariVersion);
+        File defaultCalamariReportsFolder = new File("CalamariReports_v" + PrawnFileHandler.VERSION);
 
         prawnFileHandler.getReportsEngine()
                 .setFolderToWriteCalamariReports(defaultCalamariReportsFolder);
diff --git a/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/projects/SquidProject.java b/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/projects/SquidProject.java
index 2df576b74..b53fb6e34 100644
--- a/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/projects/SquidProject.java
+++ b/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/projects/SquidProject.java
@@ -125,10 +125,14 @@ public boolean selectPrawnFile(Window ownerWindow)
         File prawnXMLFileNew = fileChooser.showOpenDialog(ownerWindow);
 
         if (prawnXMLFileNew != null) {
-            retVal = true;
-            prawnXMLFile = prawnXMLFileNew;
-            updatePrawnFileHandlerWithFileLocation();
-            prawnFile = prawnFileHandler.unmarshallCurrentPrawnFileXML();
+            if (prawnXMLFileNew.getName().toLowerCase(Locale.US).endsWith(".xml")) {
+                retVal = true;
+                prawnXMLFile = prawnXMLFileNew;
+                updatePrawnFileHandlerWithFileLocation();
+                prawnFile = prawnFileHandler.unmarshallCurrentPrawnFileXML();
+            } else {
+                throw new IOException("Filename does not end with '.xml'");
+            }
         }
 
         return retVal;
diff --git a/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/utilities/SquidSerializer.java b/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/utilities/SquidSerializer.java
index b1636d453..d7aaee23c 100644
--- a/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/utilities/SquidSerializer.java
+++ b/squidCore/src/main/java/org/cirdles/squid/utilities/SquidSerializer.java
@@ -73,7 +73,10 @@ public static Object GetSerializedObjectFromFile(String filename) {
                     "The file you are attempting to open does not exist:\n"
                             + " " + filename, null);
             }
-        } catch (IOException | ClassNotFoundException ex) {
+        } catch (IOException ex) {
+            SquidMessageDialog.showWarningDialog(
+                    "The file you are attempting to open is not a valid '*.squid' file.", null);
+        } catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
             SquidMessageDialog.showWarningDialog(
                     "The file you are attempting to open is not compatible with this version of Squid3.", null);
         }