diff --git a/common/richio.cpp b/common/richio.cpp
index e264f6ba3d..0130d06786 100644
--- a/common/richio.cpp
+++ b/common/richio.cpp
@@ -453,6 +453,42 @@ void STRING_FORMATTER::StripUseless()
     }
 }
 
+//-----<FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER>----------------------------------------
+
+FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER::FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER( const wxString& aFileName, const wxChar* aMode )
+    throw( IO_ERROR ) :
+    m_filename( aFileName )
+{
+    m_fp = wxFopen( aFileName, aMode );
+
+    if( !m_fp )
+    {
+        wxString msg = wxString::Format(
+                            _( "cannot open or save file '%s'" ),
+                            m_filename.GetData() );
+        THROW_IO_ERROR( msg );
+    }
+}
+
+
+FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER::~FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER()
+{
+    if( m_fp )
+        fclose( m_fp );
+}
+
+
+void FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER::write( const char* aOutBuf, int aCount ) throw( IO_ERROR )
+{
+    if( 1 != fwrite( aOutBuf, aCount, 1, m_fp ) )
+    {
+        wxString msg = wxString::Format(
+                            _( "error writing to file '%s'" ),
+                            m_filename.GetData() );
+        THROW_IO_ERROR( msg );
+    }
+}
+
 
 //-----<STREAM_OUTPUTFORMATTER>--------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/include/richio.h b/include/richio.h
index e600f0e0d7..02bef292d6 100644
--- a/include/richio.h
+++ b/include/richio.h
@@ -589,26 +589,25 @@ protected:
  */
 class FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER : public OUTPUTFORMATTER
 {
-    FILE*   m_fp;           ///< takes ownership
+    FILE*       m_fp;               ///< takes ownership
+    wxString    m_filename;
 
 public:
-    FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER( FILE* fp ) :
-        m_fp( fp )
-    {
-    }
 
-    ~FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER()
-    {
-        if( m_fp )
-            fclose( m_fp );
-    }
+    /**
+     * Constructor
+     * @param aFileName is the full filename to open and save to as a text file.
+     * @param aMode is what you would pass to wxFopen()'s mode, defaults to wxT( "wt" )
+     *   for text files that are to be created here and now.
+     * @throw IO_ERROR if the file cannot be opened.
+     */
+    FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER( const wxString& aFileName, const wxChar* aMode = wxT( "wt" ) ) throw( IO_ERROR );
+
+    ~FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER();
 
 protected:
     //-----<OUTPUTFORMATTER>------------------------------------------------
-    void write( const char* aOutBuf, int aCount ) throw( IO_ERROR )
-    {
-        fwrite( aOutBuf, aCount, 1, m_fp );
-    }
+    void write( const char* aOutBuf, int aCount ) throw( IO_ERROR );
     //-----</OUTPUTFORMATTER>-----------------------------------------------
 };
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.cpp b/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.cpp
index b9e7da11e6..480cd837e7 100644
--- a/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.cpp
@@ -184,18 +184,7 @@ void FP_CACHE::Save()
             wxLogTrace( traceFootprintLibrary, wxT( "Creating temporary library file %s" ),
                         GetChars( tempFileName ) );
 
-            FILE* fp = wxFopen( tempFileName, wxT( "wt" ) );
-
-            if( !fp )
-            {
-                wxString msg = wxString::Format(
-                                    _( "cannot save footprint library file '%s'" ),
-                                    tempFileName.GetData() );
-
-                THROW_IO_ERROR( msg );
-            }
-
-            FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER formatter( fp );   // gets fp ownership
+            FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER formatter( tempFileName );
 
             m_owner->SetOutputFormatter( &formatter );
             m_owner->Format( (BOARD_ITEM*) it->second->GetModule() );
@@ -316,15 +305,7 @@ void PCB_IO::Save( const wxString& aFileName, BOARD* aBoard, PROPERTIES* aProper
 
     m_board = aBoard;
 
-    FILE*   fp = wxFopen( aFileName, wxT( "wt" ) );
-
-    if( !fp )
-    {
-        m_error.Printf( _( "cannot open file '%s'" ), aFileName.GetData() );
-        THROW_IO_ERROR( m_error );
-    }
-
-    FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER    formatter( fp );    // gets ownership of fp
+    FILE_OUTPUTFORMATTER    formatter( aFileName );
 
     m_out = &formatter;     // no ownership