diff --git a/radius.rb b/radius.rb
index b65b5b4..724bfd8 100644
--- a/radius.rb
+++ b/radius.rb
@@ -77,151 +77,165 @@ file.close unless file.nil?
 
 # begin line-by-line processing
 output_buf = ""
+# most editors will start numbering with line 1
+linenum = 1 
 source_contents.each_line do |line|
-  # state machine - resets each line
-  in_quote = false
-  in_comment = false
-  label_done = false
-  in_label = false
-  opcode_done = false
-  in_opcode = false
-  operand_done = false
-  in_operand = false
-  chars_started = false
-  quote_char = false
-  x=0
+  # we catch any issue that causes radius to fail and just print out the line
+  # that it failed on.  not the best, but *shrug*
+  begin
+    
+    # state machine - resets each line
+    in_quote = false
+    in_comment = false
+    label_done = false
+    in_label = false
+    opcode_done = false
+    in_opcode = false
+    operand_done = false
+    in_operand = false
+    chars_started = false
+    quote_char = false
+    x=0
 
-  buf = "" # line buffer, starts empty each line and is appended to output_buf
+    buf = "" # line buffer, starts empty each line and is appended to output_buf
 
-  # begin char-by-char processing
-  line.each_char.with_index(0) do |c, i|
+    # begin char-by-char processing
+    line.each_char.with_index(0) do |c, i|
 
-    # starts with whitespace? do an indent
-    if i == 0 && c.strip.empty?
-      buf << " "*mnemonic_col_x  # optimize?
-      x+=mnemonic_col_x
-      label_done = true
-      next                # SHORT CIRCUIT
-    end
-
-    # are we in a comment? just print the char
-    if in_comment
-      # don't print embedded newline :P
-      if !c.include?("\n")
-        buf << c
-        x+=1
-      end
-      next                # SHORT CIRCUIT
-    end
-
-    # are we in a quote? print, but also look for matching end quote
-    if in_quote
-      ##print c
-      buf << c
-      x+=1
-      if c == quote_char # second quotes
-        in_quote = false
-      end
-      next                # SHORT CIRCUIT
-    end
-
-    # not already in comment or quote
-    if c.strip.empty?
-      #ignore
-      if in_label
-        in_label = false
+      # starts with whitespace? do an indent
+      if i == 0 && c.strip.empty?
+        buf << " "*mnemonic_col_x  # optimize?
+        x+=mnemonic_col_x
         label_done = true
-        # do we need to bump out space
-        if x > mnemonic_col_x-min_space
-          buf << " "*min_space # optimize?
-          x+=min_space
-        else
-          buf << " "*(mnemonic_col_x-x) # optimize ?
-          x+=mnemonic_col_x-x
-        end
-      elsif in_opcode
-        in_opcode = false
-        opcode_done = true
-        # do we need to bump out space
-        if x > operand_col_x-min_space
-          buf << " "*min_space
-          x+=min_space
-        else
-          buf << " "*(operand_col_x-x)
-          x+=operand_col_x-x
-        end
-      elsif in_operand
-        in_operand = false
-        operand_done = true
-        # do we need to bump out space
-        if x > comment_col_x-min_space
-          buf << " "*min_space
-          x+=min_space
-        else
-          buf << " "*(comment_col_x-x)
-          x+=comment_col_x-x
-        end
+        next                # SHORT CIRCUIT
       end
 
+      # are we in a comment? just print the char
+      if in_comment
+        # don't print embedded newline :P
+        if !c.include?("\n")
+          buf << c
+          x+=1
+        end
+        next                # SHORT CIRCUIT
+      end
 
-      next
-    else
-      chars_started = true
-      # see if we are starting a quote
-      if c == '"' || c == "'"
-        quote_char = c
-        in_quote = true
-        buf << c
-        # see if we are starting a line with a comment
-      elsif (c == ';' || c == '*') && i == 0
-        in_comment = true
-        buf << c
-        x+=1
-      # found a semi-colon not in an operand (macro!danger)
-      #   (and not in quote or comment)
-      elsif c == ';' && !in_operand
-        in_comment = true
-        buf << " "*(comment_col_x-x)
-        x+=comment_col_x-x
-        buf << c
-        x+=1
-      # found asterisk preceded only by whitespace
-      elsif c == '*' && line[0..i-1].strip.empty?
-        in_comment = true
-        buf << c
-        x+=1
-      # real label!
-      elsif i == 0
-        buf << ""
-        in_label = true
-        buf << c
-        x+=1
-      # already in label?
-      elsif in_label
-        buf << c
-        x+=1
-      # real opcode!
-      elsif label_done && !opcode_done
-        in_opcode = true
-        buf << c
-        x+=1
-      # already in opcode
-      elsif in_opcode
-        buf << c
-        x+=1
-      # real operand!
-      elsif opcode_done && !operand_done
-        in_operand = true
-        buf << c
-        x+=1
-      # already in operand
-      elsif in_operand
+      # are we in a quote? print, but also look for matching end quote
+      if in_quote
+        ##print c
         buf << c
         x+=1
+        if c == quote_char # second quotes
+          in_quote = false
+        end
+        next                # SHORT CIRCUIT
+      end
+
+      # not already in comment or quote
+      if c.strip.empty?
+        #ignore
+        if in_label
+          in_label = false
+          label_done = true
+          # do we need to bump out space
+          if x > mnemonic_col_x-min_space
+            buf << " "*min_space # optimize?
+            x+=min_space
+          else
+            buf << " "*(mnemonic_col_x-x) # optimize ?
+            x+=mnemonic_col_x-x
+          end
+        elsif in_opcode
+          in_opcode = false
+          opcode_done = true
+          # do we need to bump out space
+          if x > operand_col_x-min_space
+            buf << " "*min_space
+            x+=min_space
+          else
+            buf << " "*(operand_col_x-x)
+            x+=operand_col_x-x
+          end
+        elsif in_operand
+          in_operand = false
+          operand_done = true
+          # do we need to bump out space
+          if x > comment_col_x-min_space
+            buf << " "*min_space
+            x+=min_space
+          else
+            buf << " "*(comment_col_x-x)
+            x+=comment_col_x-x
+          end
+        end
+
+
+        next
+      else
+        chars_started = true
+        # see if we are starting a quote
+        if c == '"' || c == "'"
+          quote_char = c
+          in_quote = true
+          buf << c
+          # see if we are starting a line with a comment
+        elsif (c == ';' || c == '*') && i == 0
+          in_comment = true
+          buf << c
+          x+=1
+        # found a semi-colon not in an operand (macro!danger)
+        #   (and not in quote or comment)
+        elsif c == ';' && !in_operand
+          in_comment = true
+          # protect against "negative" spacing
+          spaces = 1 > (comment_col_x-x) ? 1 : (comment_col_x-x)
+          buf << " "*spaces
+
+          x+=comment_col_x-x
+          buf << c
+          x+=1
+        # found asterisk preceded only by whitespace
+        elsif c == '*' && line[0..i-1].strip.empty?
+          in_comment = true
+          buf << c
+          x+=1
+        # real label!
+        elsif i == 0
+          buf << ""
+          in_label = true
+          buf << c
+          x+=1
+        # already in label?
+        elsif in_label
+          buf << c
+          x+=1
+        # real opcode!
+        elsif label_done && !opcode_done
+          in_opcode = true
+          buf << c
+          x+=1
+        # already in opcode
+        elsif in_opcode
+          buf << c
+          x+=1
+        # real operand!
+        elsif opcode_done && !operand_done
+          in_operand = true
+          buf << c
+          x+=1
+        # already in operand
+        elsif in_operand
+          buf << c
+          x+=1
+        end
       end
     end
+  rescue Exception => ex
+    puts "An error of type #{ex.class} happened, message is #{ex.message}"
+    abort("We failed to parse on line #{linenum}")
+      
   end
-
+  linenum+=1
   # move line to buffer, stripping trailing spaces
   output_buf << buf.rstrip << "\n"
 end