diff --git a/tools/bufr_compare.cc b/tools/bufr_compare.cc
index 294a1da26..9a1905944 100644
--- a/tools/bufr_compare.cc
+++ b/tools/bufr_compare.cc
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* handle1, g
 
     if (type1 == GRIB_TYPE_UNDEFINED && (err = grib_get_native_type(handle1, name, &type1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
         printInfo(handle1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get type of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get type of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* handle1, g
             return err;
         }
         printInfo(handle1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get type of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get type of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* handle1, g
 
     if ((err = grib_get_size(handle1, name, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
         printInfo(handle1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get size of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get size of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* handle1, g
         }
 
         printInfo(handle1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get size of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get size of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -826,13 +826,13 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* handle1, g
                 sval2         = (char*)grib_context_malloc(handle2->context, slen2 * sizeof(char));
                 if ((err1 = grib_get_string(handle1, name, sval1, &slen1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                     printInfo(handle1);
-                    printf("Oops... cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                    printf("Error: cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                            name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                     save_error(c, name);
                 }
                 if ((err2 = grib_get_string(handle2, name, sval2, &slen2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                     printInfo(handle1);
-                    printf("Oops... cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                    printf("Error: cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                            name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                     save_error(c, name);
                 }
@@ -855,13 +855,13 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* handle1, g
 
                 if ((err1 = grib_get_string_array(handle1, name, svals1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                     printInfo(handle1);
-                    printf("Oops... cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                    printf("Error: cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                            name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                     save_error(c, name);
                 }
                 if ((err2 = grib_get_string_array(handle2, name, svals2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                     printInfo(handle1);
-                    printf("Oops... cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                    printf("Error: cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                            name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                     save_error(c, name);
                 }
@@ -910,14 +910,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* handle1, g
 
             if ((err1 = grib_get_long_array(handle1, name, lval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(handle1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get long value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get long value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_long_array(handle2, name, lval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(handle1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get long value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get long value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
@@ -995,14 +995,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* handle1, g
 
             if ((err1 = grib_get_double_array(handle1, name, dval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(handle1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get double value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get double value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_double_array(handle2, name, dval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(handle1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get double value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get double value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
@@ -1104,14 +1104,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* handle1, g
             if ((err1 = grib_get_bytes(handle1, name, uval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(handle1);
                 save_error(c, name);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get bytes value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get bytes value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err1));
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_bytes(handle2, name, uval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(handle1);
                 save_error(c, name);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get bytes value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get bytes value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err2));
             }
 
@@ -1316,7 +1316,6 @@ static int compare_handles(grib_handle* handle1, grib_handle* handle2, grib_runt
                 }
                 while (grib_keys_iterator_next(iter)) {
                     name = grib_keys_iterator_get_name(iter);
-                    /*printf("----- comparing %s\n",name);*/
 
                     if (blocklisted(name))
                         continue;
@@ -1336,7 +1335,6 @@ static int compare_handles(grib_handle* handle1, grib_handle* handle2, grib_runt
         const void *msg1 = NULL, *msg2 = NULL;
         size_t size1 = 0, size2 = 0;
         int memcmp_ret = 0;
-        /* int ii=0; */
         GRIB_CHECK_NOLINE(grib_get_message(handle1, &msg1, &size1), 0);
         GRIB_CHECK_NOLINE(grib_get_message(handle2, &msg2, &size2), 0);
         if (size1 == size2 && !(memcmp_ret = memcmp(msg1, msg2, size1))) {
diff --git a/tools/grib_compare.cc b/tools/grib_compare.cc
index 9b9cef404..cace206fe 100644
--- a/tools/grib_compare.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_compare.cc
@@ -711,7 +711,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
     if (type1 == GRIB_TYPE_UNDEFINED && (err = grib_get_native_type(h1, name, &type1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get type of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get type of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
             return err;
         }
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get type of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get type of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
     if ((err = grib_get_size(h1, name, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get size of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get size of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -760,7 +760,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
         }
 
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get size of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get size of [%s] in %s field: %s\n", name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -818,14 +818,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
             if ((err1 = grib_get_string(h1, name, sval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_string(h2, name, sval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get string value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
@@ -875,14 +875,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
             if ((err1 = grib_get_long_array(h1, name, lval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get long value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get long value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_long_array(h2, name, lval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get long value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get long value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
@@ -1000,14 +1000,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
             if ((err1 = grib_get_double_array(h1, name, dval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get double value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get double value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_double_array(h2, name, dval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get double value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get double value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
@@ -1121,14 +1121,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
             if ((err1 = grib_get_bytes(h1, name, uval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
                 save_error(c, name);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get bytes value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get bytes value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, first_str, grib_get_error_message(err1));
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_bytes(h2, name, uval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
                 save_error(c, name);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get bytes value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get bytes value of [%s] in %s field: %s\n",
                        name, second_str, grib_get_error_message(err2));
             }
 
diff --git a/tools/gts_compare.cc b/tools/gts_compare.cc
index c9bb66af7..849f84554 100644
--- a/tools/gts_compare.cc
+++ b/tools/gts_compare.cc
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
     if (type1 == GRIB_TYPE_UNDEFINED && (err = grib_get_native_type(h1, name, &type1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get type of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get type of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
             return err;
         }
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get type of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get type of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
     if ((err = grib_get_size(h1, name, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get size of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get size of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
         }
 
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get size of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get size of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -515,14 +515,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
             if ((err1 = grib_get_string(h1, name, sval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get string value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get string value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_string(h2, name, sval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get string value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get string value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
@@ -556,14 +556,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
             if ((err1 = grib_get_long_array(h1, name, lval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get long value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get long value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_long_array(h2, name, lval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get long value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get long value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
@@ -625,14 +625,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
             if ((err1 = grib_get_bytes(h1, name, uval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
                 save_error(c, name);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get bytes value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get bytes value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err1));
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_bytes(h2, name, uval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
                 save_error(c, name);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get bytes value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get bytes value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err2));
             }
 
diff --git a/tools/metar_compare.cc b/tools/metar_compare.cc
index c275273bb..c8e824387 100644
--- a/tools/metar_compare.cc
+++ b/tools/metar_compare.cc
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
     if (type1 == GRIB_TYPE_UNDEFINED && (err = grib_get_native_type(h1, name, &type1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get type of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get type of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
             return err;
         }
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get type of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get type of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
     if ((err = grib_get_size(h1, name, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get size of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get size of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
         }
 
         printInfo(h1);
-        printf("Oops... cannot get size of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
+        printf("Error: cannot get size of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
         save_error(c, name);
         return err;
     }
@@ -567,14 +567,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
             if ((err1 = grib_get_string(h1, name, sval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get string value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get string value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_string(h2, name, sval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get string value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get string value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
@@ -608,14 +608,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
             if ((err1 = grib_get_long_array(h1, name, lval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get long value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get long value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_long_array(h2, name, lval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get long value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get long value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
@@ -674,14 +674,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
 
             if ((err1 = grib_get_double_array(h1, name, dval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get double value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get double value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err1));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_double_array(h2, name, dval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get double value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get double value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err2));
                 save_error(c, name);
             }
@@ -770,14 +770,14 @@ static int compare_values(grib_runtime_options* options, grib_handle* h1, grib_h
             if ((err1 = grib_get_bytes(h1, name, uval1, &len1)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
                 save_error(c, name);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get bytes value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get bytes value of [%s] in 1st field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err1));
             }
 
             if ((err2 = grib_get_bytes(h2, name, uval2, &len2)) != GRIB_SUCCESS) {
                 printInfo(h1);
                 save_error(c, name);
-                printf("Oops... cannot get bytes value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
+                printf("Error: cannot get bytes value of [%s] in 2nd field: %s\n",
                        name, grib_get_error_message(err2));
             }