2 files changed, 25 insertions, 11 deletions
diff --git a/src/pkg/go/scanner/errors.go b/src/pkg/go/scanner/errors.go
index 54770f020..fde211216 100644
--- a/src/pkg/go/scanner/errors.go
+++ b/src/pkg/go/scanner/errors.go
@@ -69,17 +69,12 @@ type Error struct {
 
 
 func (e *Error) String() string {
-	s := e.Pos.Filename;
-	if s != "" {
-		s += ":";
+	if e.Pos.Filename != "" || e.Pos.IsValid() {
+		// don't print "<unknown position>"
+		// TODO(gri) reconsider the semantics of Position.IsValid
+		return e.Pos.String() + ": " + e.Msg;
 	}
-	if e.Pos.IsValid() {
-		s += fmt.Sprintf("%d:%d:", e.Pos.Line, e.Pos.Column);
-	}
-	if s != "" {
-		s += " ";
-	}
-	return s + e.Msg;
+	return e.Msg;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/pkg/go/token/token.go b/src/pkg/go/token/token.go
index f165d1978..61a0c622c 100644
--- a/src/pkg/go/token/token.go
+++ b/src/pkg/go/token/token.go
@@ -8,7 +8,11 @@
 //
 package token
 
-import "strconv"
+import (
+	"fmt";
+	"strconv";
+)
+
 
 // Token is the set of lexical tokens of the Go programming language.
 type Token int
@@ -346,3 +350,18 @@ func (pos *Position) Pos() Position {
 func (pos *Position) IsValid() bool {
 	return pos.Line > 0
 }
+
+
+func (pos *Position) String() string {
+	s := pos.Filename;
+	if pos.IsValid() {
+		if s != "" {
+			s += ":";
+		}
+		s += fmt.Sprintf("%d:%d", pos.Line, pos.Column);
+	}
+	if s != "" {
+		return s;
+	}
+	return "<unknown position>";
+}