Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -217,30 +217,40 @@
 	 (file-write   (if file-exists
 			   (file-write-access? fname)
 			   dir-writable )))
     ;;(mutex-lock! *db-open-mutex*) ;; tried this mutex, not clear it helped.
     (if file-write ;; dir-writable
-	(let (;; (lock    (obtain-dot-lock fname 1 5 10))
-	      (db      (sqlite3:open-database fname)))
-	  (sqlite3:set-busy-handler! db (make-busy-timeout 136000))
-	  ;; (db:set-sync db)
-	  (sqlite3:execute db "PRAGMA synchronous = 0;")
-	  (if (not file-exists)
-              (begin
-		(if (and (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "use-wal")
-                         (string-match "^/tmp/.*" fname)) ;; this is a file in /tmp
-		    (sqlite3:execute db "PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL;")
-		    (print "Creating " fname " in NON-WAL mode."))
-		(initproc db)))
-	  ;; (release-dot-lock fname)
-          ;;(mutex-unlock! *db-open-mutex*)
-	  db)
-	(begin
-	  (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "WARNING: opening db in non-writable dir " fname)
-	  (let ((db (sqlite3:open-database fname)))
-            ;;(mutex-unlock! *db-open-mutex*)
-            db))))) ;; )
+	(condition-case
+	    (let ((db      (sqlite3:open-database fname)))
+	      (sqlite3:set-busy-handler! db (make-busy-timeout 136000))
+	      (sqlite3:execute db "PRAGMA synchronous = 0;")
+	      (if (not file-exists)
+		  (begin
+		    (if (and (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "use-wal")
+			     (string-match "^/tmp/.*" fname)) ;; this is a file in /tmp
+			(sqlite3:execute db "PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL;")
+			(print "Creating " fname " in NON-WAL mode."))
+		    (initproc db)))
+	      db)
+	  (exn (io-error)  (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: i/o error with " fname ". Check permissions, disk space etc. and try again."))
+	  (exn (corrupt)   (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: database " fname " is corrupt. Repair it to proceed."))
+	  (exn (busy)      (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: database " fname " is locked. Try copying to another location, remove original and copy back."))
+	  (exn (permission)(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: database " fname " has some permissions problem."))
+	  (exn () (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: Unknown error with database " fname " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))))
+
+	(condition-case
+	    (begin
+	      (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "WARNING: opening db in non-writable dir " fname)
+	      (let ((db (sqlite3:open-database fname)))
+		;;(mutex-unlock! *db-open-mutex*)
+		db))
+	  (exn (io-error)  (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: i/o error with " fname ". Check permissions, disk space etc. and try again."))
+	  (exn (corrupt)   (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: database " fname " is corrupt. Repair it to proceed."))
+	  (exn (busy)      (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: database " fname " is locked. Try copying to another location, remove original and copy back."))
+	  (exn (permission)(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: database " fname " has some permissions problem."))
+	  (exn () (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: Unknown error with database " fname " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn))))
+	)))