diff --git a/core/file.c b/core/file.c
index dd21003..591f36b 100644
--- a/core/file.c
+++ b/core/file.c
@@ -7,69 +7,60 @@
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 
-bool
-contains_percent (const char *s)
-{
-  while (*s)
-    {
-      if (*s == '%')
-        return true;
-      s++;
-    }
-  return false;
-}
-
-error_t
-touch (char *path, char *format, ...)
-{
-  error_t err = { 0 };
+error_t touch(char *path, char *format, ...) {
+  error_t err = {0};
   err.null = true;
 
-  FILE *fp = fopen (path, "w");
-  if (!fp)
-    {
-      err.null = false;
-      err.status = errno;
-      err.src = strerror (errno);
-      return err;
-    }
+  FILE *fp = fopen(path, "w");
+  if (!fp) {
+    err.null = false;
+    err.status = errno;
+    err.src = strerror(errno);
+    return err;
+  }
 
-  if (contains_percent (format))
-    {
-      va_list args;
-      va_start (args, format);
-      vfprintf (fp, format, args);
-      va_end (args);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-      fputs (format, fp);
-    }
+  else {
+    va_list args;
+    va_start(args, format);
+    vfprintf(fp, format, args);
+    va_end(args);
+  }
 
-  fclose (fp);
+  fclose(fp);
   return err;
 }
 
-error_t
-dir (char *format, ...)
-{
-  error_t err = { 0 };
+error_t dir(char *format, ...) {
+  error_t err = {0};
   err.null = true; // success by default
 
   va_list args;
-  va_start (args, format);
+  va_start(args, format);
 
   char path[1024];
-  vsnprintf (path, sizeof (path), format, args);
+  vsnprintf(path, sizeof(path), format, args);
 
-  va_end (args);
+  va_end(args);
 
-  if (mkdir (path, 0777) < 0)
-    {
-      err.null = false;
-      err.status = errno;
-      err.src = strerror (errno);
-    }
+  if (mkdir(path, 0777) < 0) {
+    err.null = false;
+    err.status = errno;
+    err.src = strerror(errno);
+  }
 
   return err;
 }
+
+error_t take(const char *dirname) {
+  error_t err = dir("%s", dirname);
+  if (!err.null) {
+    return err;
+  }
+  if (chdir(dirname) != 0) {
+    err.null = false;
+    err.status = errno;
+    err.src = strerror(errno);
+    return err;
+  }
+  return err;
+}
diff --git a/core/file.h b/core/file.h
index a4a8a69..3d2f48a 100644
--- a/core/file.h
+++ b/core/file.h
@@ -4,9 +4,7 @@
 #include "e.h"
 #include <unistd.h>
 
-#define take(x, ...)                                                           \
-  dir(x, ##__VA_ARGS__);                                                       \
-  chdir(x);
+error_t take(const char *dirname);
 
 error_t touch(char *, char *, ...);
 error_t dir(char *, ...);
diff --git a/yait/format.h b/yait/format.h
index a66982c..a81c8bc 100644
--- a/yait/format.h
+++ b/yait/format.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ typedef struct {
   bool nogit;
   licence_t licence;
   char *name;
-  lib_t libraries[];
 } format_t;
 
 #endif
diff --git a/yait/main.c b/yait/main.c
index 4c7ba0e..94762b1 100644
--- a/yait/main.c
+++ b/yait/main.c
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #include "../core/file.h"
 #include "../core/print.h"
 #include "format.h"
-#include <stdio.h>
 
 int create (format_t);
 
@@ -23,7 +22,11 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 int
 create (format_t fmt)
 {
-  take (fmt.name);
+  error_t err = take(fmt.name);
+  if (!err.null) {
+    printfn("failed to create or enter directory: %s", err.src);
+    return 1;
+  }
   touch ("README",
          "%s ( concise description )\n\n"
          "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do "
@@ -56,7 +59,7 @@ create (format_t fmt)
          "exit 0\n"
          "}\n"
          "\n"
-         "echo () { printf \"%s\\n\" \"$*\" ; }\n"
+         "echo () { printf \"%%s\\n\" \"$*\" ; }\n"
          "cmdexists () { type \"$1\" >/dev/null 2>&1 ; }\n"
          "trycc () { test -z \"$CC\" && cmdexists \"$1\" && CC=$1 ; }\n"
          "\n"
@@ -77,7 +80,7 @@ create (format_t fmt)
          "trycc gcc\n"
          "trycc cc\n"
          "trycc clang\n"
-         "printf \"%s\\n\" \"$CC\"\n"
+         "printf \"%%s\\n\" \"$CC\"\n"
          "\n"
          "printf \"checking weather C compiler works... \"\n"
          "status=\"fail\"\n"
@@ -86,16 +89,15 @@ create (format_t fmt)
          "if output=$($CC $CFLAGS -c -o /dev/null \"$tmpc\" 2>&1) ; then\n"
          "printf \"yes\\n\"\n"
          "else\n"
-         "printf \"no; %s\\n\" \"$output\"\n"
+         "printf \"no; %%s\\n\" \"$output\"\n"
          "exit 1\n"
          "fi\n"
          "\n"
          "printf \"creating config.mak... \"\n"
-         "printf \"PREFIX=%s\\n\" \"$prefix\" > config.mak\n"
-         "printf \"CFLAGS=%s\\n\" \"$CFLAGS\" >> config.mak\n"
-         "printf \"LDFLAGS=%s\\n\" \"$LDFLAGS\" >> config.mak\n"
-         "printf \"CC=%s\\n\" \"$CC\" >> config.mak\n"
-         "printf \"done\\n\"\n",
-         NULL);
+         "printf \"PREFIX=%%s\\n\" \"$prefix\" > config.mak\n"
+         "printf \"CFLAGS=%%s\\n\" \"$CFLAGS\" >> config.mak\n"
+         "printf \"LDFLAGS=%%s\\n\" \"$LDFLAGS\" >> config.mak\n"
+         "printf \"CC=%%s\\n\" \"$CC\" >> config.mak\n"
+         "printf \"done\\n\"\n");
   return 0;
 }