diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d059ea13..c0069465 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ old_scripts/
 dist/lib/
 dist/truss
 dist/truss.exe
+dist/save
 *.exe
 *.pdb
 *.idb
@@ -19,3 +20,6 @@ dist/truss.exe
 *.bin
 *.ilk
 trusslog.txt
+shader_errors.txt
+console_log.txt
+error.txt
diff --git a/dist/shaders/raw/compile_shaders.py b/dist/shaders/raw/compile_shaders.py
index 829af618..2b8af7cf 100644
--- a/dist/shaders/raw/compile_shaders.py
+++ b/dist/shaders/raw/compile_shaders.py
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@
 # runs shaders in shaders/raw through shaderc to produce
 # compiled shaders
 
+from __future__ import print_function
 import sys, os
-from os.path import join, isfile
+from os.path import join, isfile, normpath
 import errno
+import subprocess
 
 def make_sure_path_exists(path):
     try:
@@ -14,45 +16,65 @@ def make_sure_path_exists(path):
         if exception.errno != errno.EEXIST:
             raise
 
-dx11cmd_fs = "shadercRelease -f {} -o {} --type f -i common\ --platform windows -p ps_4_0 -O 3"
-dx11cmd_vs = "shadercRelease -f {} -o {} --type v -i common\ --platform windows -p vs_4_0 -O 3"
-
-dx9cmd_fs = "shadercRelease -f {} -o {} --type f -i common\ --platform windows -p ps_3_0 -O 3"
-dx9cmd_vs = "shadercRelease -f {} -o {} --type v -i common\ --platform windows -p vs_3_0 -O 3"
-
-glcmd_fs = "shadercRelease -f {} -o {} --type f -i common\ --platform linux -p 120"
-glcmd_vs = "shadercRelease -f {} -o {} --type v -i common\ --platform linux -p 120"
+def make_cmd(shader_type, platform, input_fn, output_fn):
+    if platform == "linux":
+        args = ["./shadercRelease"]
+    else:
+        args = ["shadercRelease"]
+    args.extend(["-f", input_fn, "-o", output_fn])
+    args.extend(["--type", shader_type])
+    args.extend(["-i", normpath("common/")])
+    args.extend(["--platform", platform])
+    if platform == "linux":
+        args.extend(["-p", "120"])
+    elif platform == "windows":
+        if shader_type == "f":
+            args.extend(["-p", "ps_4_0"])
+        elif shader_type == "v":
+            args.extend(["-p", "vs_4_0"])
+        else:
+            print("Unknown shader_type {}".format(shader_type))
+            return None
+        args.extend(["-O", "3"])
+    else:
+        print("Unknown platform {}".format(platform))
+        return None
+    return args
 
 if os.name == "posix":
-    cmds_vs = [("./" + glcmd_vs, "glsl")]
-    cmds_fs = [("./" + glcmd_fs, "glsl")]
+    platforms = [("linux", "glsl")]
 else:
-    cmds_vs = [(dx11cmd_vs, "dx11"), (dx9cmd_vs, "dx9"), (glcmd_vs, "glsl")]
-    cmds_fs = [(dx11cmd_fs, "dx11"), (dx9cmd_fs, "dx9"), (glcmd_fs, "glsl")]
+    platforms = [("windows","dx11"), ("linux","glsl")] # compile gl even on windows
 
 def make_directories():
-    for (cmd, desttype) in cmds_vs:
+    for platform, desttype in platforms:
         print("Making sure directory " + desttype + " exists.")
         make_sure_path_exists(join("..", desttype))
 
-def processFile(prefix, dirname, filename):
-    print("Processing {}, {}, {}".format(prefix, dirname, filename))
-
-    cmds = []
+def processFile(prefix, dirname, filename, errdest, errlist):
     if prefix == "vs":
-        cmds = cmds_vs
+        shader_type = "v"
     elif prefix == "fs":
-        cmds = cmds_fs
+        shader_type = "f"
     else:
         print("Unknown prefix {}".format(prefix))
+        return -1
 
     infile = join(dirname, filename)
 
-    for (cmd, desttype) in cmds:
+    nerrors = 0
+    for platform, desttype in platforms:
         outfile = join("..", desttype, filename[0:-3] + ".bin")
-        fullcmd = cmd.format(infile, outfile)
-        print(fullcmd)
-        os.system(fullcmd)
+        cmdargs = make_cmd(shader_type, platform, infile, outfile)
+        res = subprocess.call(cmdargs, stderr = errdest)
+        if res > 0:
+            errname = "{} | {}".format(infile, desttype)
+            errlist.append(errname)
+            errdest.write("^^^ Error in {}\n\n\n".format(errname))
+            errdest.flush()
+            nerrors = nerrors + 1
+
+    return nerrors
 
 def listdirs(dirname):
     allthings = [join(dirname, f) for f in os.listdir(dirname)]
@@ -62,17 +84,35 @@ def listfiles(dirname):
     allthings = os.listdir(dirname)
     return [ f for f in allthings if isfile(join(dirname, f)) ]
 
+def pad(s, pad_to):
+    padding = " " * max(0, pad_to - len(s))
+    return "{}{}".format(s, padding)
+
 def main():
     make_directories()
     dirs = listdirs(".")
+    errdest = open("shader_errors.txt", "wt")
+    errlist = []
     for dirname in dirs:
         files = listfiles(dirname)
-        print(files)
+        print(pad(dirname, 30) + " | ", end="")
         for filename in files:
             prefix = filename[0:2]
             suffix = filename[-3:]
             if suffix == ".sc" and (prefix == "vs" or prefix == "fs"):
-                processFile(prefix, dirname, filename)
+                nerrs = processFile(prefix, dirname, filename, errdest, errlist)
+                if nerrs < 0:
+                    print("?", end="")
+                elif nerrs == 0:
+                    print(".", end="")
+                elif nerrs > 0:
+                    print("x", end="")
+        print("")
+    errdest.close()
+    if len(errlist) > 0:
+        print("Some shaders had errors, see shader_errors.txt for details.")
+        for errfn in errlist[0:10]:
+            print(errfn)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()