diff --git a/cordiceps.cpp b/cordiceps.cpp
index 791e3fa..1279497 100644
--- a/cordiceps.cpp
+++ b/cordiceps.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ target_link_libraries(cordiceps PUBLIC raylib_static)
 #include "raylib.h"
 
 std::string slurp(const char* filename) {
-    std::ifstream file{filename};
+    std::ifstream file{filename, std::ios_base::binary};
     std::stringstream data;
     file >> data.rdbuf();
     return data.str();
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ std::string from_bits(std::vector<bool> data) {
 	for(int idx = 0; idx < 32; ++idx) size_bits[idx] = data[idx];
 	uint32_t size = size_bits.to_ulong();
 	if(std::endian::native == std::endian::little) size = std::byteswap(size);
-	
+	std::cerr << "Decoded expected " << size << " bytes" << std::endl;
     for(auto composite : data | std::views::drop(32) | std::views::chunk(8)) {
         char c = 0;
         for(auto b : composite) {
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ void encode(const char* pic, const char* data_source) {
     auto image = LoadImage(pic);
     auto raw_data = slurp(data_source);
 	uint32_t size = raw_data.size();
+	std::cerr << "Writing expected " << size << " bytes" << std::endl;
 	if(std::endian::native == std::endian::little) size = std::byteswap(size);
 	std::bitset<32> size_bits;
 	size_bits = size;
@@ -121,10 +122,19 @@ void decode(const char* pic) {
         }
     }
     UnloadImage(image);
-    std::cout << from_bits(raw_bits);
+	auto data = from_bits(raw_bits);
+	std::cerr << "Printing expected " << data.size() << " bytes" << std::endl;
+    std::ofstream{"cordiceps.out", std::ios_base::binary} << data;
+}
+
+void CustomLog(int msgType, const char *text, va_list args)
+{
+	fprintf(stderr, text, args);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+	SetTraceLogLevel(LOG_ERROR);
+	SetTraceLogCallback(CustomLog);
     if(argc <= 1) {
         perror("arguments missing, expected: picture then datafile for coding, picture for decoding");
     }