diff --git a/ANNOUNCE b/ANNOUNCE
index d40f70f32..d8dce54f1 100644
--- a/ANNOUNCE
+++ b/ANNOUNCE
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-Libpng 1.6.0beta29 - August 29, 2012
+Libpng 1.6.0beta29 - August 31, 2012
 
 This is not intended to be a public release.  It will be replaced
 within a few weeks by a public version or by another test version.
@@ -482,7 +482,9 @@ Version 1.6.0beta28 [August 29, 2012]
     contain the tags needed to process the PNG (tags all required by the ICC
     spec). Removed unused PNG_STATIC from pngpriv.h.
 
-Version 1.6.0beta29 [August 29, 2012]
+Version 1.6.0beta29 [August 31, 2012]
+  Fixed the simplified API example programs and improved the error message
+    if the version field is not set.
 
 Send comments/corrections/commendations to png-mng-implement at lists.sf.net
 (subscription required; visit
diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index c7d3d9759..1f7850367 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -4233,7 +4233,9 @@ Version 1.6.0beta28 [August 29, 2012]
     contain the tags needed to process the PNG (tags all required by the ICC
     spec). Removed unused PNG_STATIC from pngpriv.h.
 
-Version 1.6.0beta29 [August 29, 2012]
+Version 1.6.0beta29 [August 31, 2012]
+  Fixed the simplified API example programs and improved the error message
+    if the version field is not set.
 
 Send comments/corrections/commendations to png-mng-implement at lists.sf.net
 (subscription required; visit
diff --git a/example.c b/example.c
index c1dacf27c..077fdc547 100644
--- a/example.c
+++ b/example.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 
       /* Initialize the 'png_image' structure. */
       memset(&image, 0, (sizeof image));
+      image.version = PNG_IMAGE_VERSION;
 
       /* The first argument is the file to read: */
       if (png_image_begin_read_from_file(&image, argv[1]))
@@ -75,16 +76,28 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
           * be supplied or the output buffer would have to be initialized to the
           * actual background of the image.
           *
-          * The final argument to png_image_finish_read is the 'row_stride' -
+          * The fourth argument to png_image_finish_read is the 'row_stride' -
           * this is the number of components allocated for the image in each
           * row.  It has to be at least as big as the value returned by
           * PNG_IMAGE_ROW_STRIDE, but if you just allocate space for the
           * default, minimum, size using PNG_IMAGE_SIZE as above you can pass
           * zero.
+          *
+          * The final argument is a pointer to a buffer for the colormap;
+          * colormaps have exactly the same format as a row of image pixels (so
+          * you choose what format to make the colormap by setting
+          * image.format).  A colormap is only returned if
+          * PNG_FORMAT_FLAG_COLORMAP is also set in image.format, so in this
+          * case NULL is passed as the final argument.  If you do want to force
+          * all images into an index/color-mapped format then you can use:
+          *
+          *    PNG_IMAGE_COLORMAP_SIZE(image)
+          *
+          * to find the maximum size of the colormap in bytes.
           */
          if (buffer != NULL &&
             png_image_finish_read(&image, NULL/*background*/, buffer,
-               0/*row_stride*/))
+               0/*row_stride*/, NULL/*colormap*/))
          {
             /* Now write the image out to the second argument.  In the write
              * call 'convert_to_8bit' allows 16-bit data to be squashed down to
@@ -92,7 +105,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
              * to the 8-bit format.
              */
             if (png_image_write_to_file(&image, argv[2], 0/*convert_to_8bit*/,
-               buffer, 0/*row_stride*/))
+               buffer, 0/*row_stride*/, NULL/*colormap*/))
             {
                /* The image has been written successfully. */
                exit(0);
diff --git a/pngread.c b/pngread.c
index ce9d61eab..55fcbfcda 100644
--- a/pngread.c
+++ b/pngread.c
@@ -1357,6 +1357,10 @@ png_image_begin_read_from_stdio(png_imagep image, FILE* file)
             "png_image_begin_read_from_stdio: invalid argument");
    }
 
+   else if (image != NULL)
+      return png_image_error(image,
+         "png_image_begin_read_from_stdio: incorrect PNG_IMAGE_VERSION");
+
    return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1391,6 +1395,10 @@ png_image_begin_read_from_file(png_imagep image, const char *file_name)
             "png_image_begin_read_from_file: invalid argument");
    }
 
+   else if (image != NULL)
+      return png_image_error(image,
+         "png_image_begin_read_from_file: incorrect PNG_IMAGE_VERSION");
+
    return 0;
 }
 #endif /* PNG_STDIO_SUPPORTED */
@@ -1452,6 +1460,10 @@ int PNGAPI png_image_begin_read_from_memory(png_imagep image,
             "png_image_begin_read_from_memory: invalid argument");
    }
 
+   else if (image != NULL)
+      return png_image_error(image,
+         "png_image_begin_read_from_memory: incorrect PNG_IMAGE_VERSION");
+
    return 0;
 }
 
@@ -3954,6 +3966,10 @@ png_image_finish_read(png_imagep image, png_const_colorp background,
             "png_image_finish_read: invalid argument");
    }
 
+   else if (image != NULL)
+      return png_image_error(image,
+         "png_image_finish_read: damaged PNG_IMAGE_VERSION");
+
    return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/pngwrite.c b/pngwrite.c
index c0b65d120..4e33ee08b 100644
--- a/pngwrite.c
+++ b/pngwrite.c
@@ -2248,6 +2248,10 @@ png_image_write_to_stdio(png_imagep image, FILE *file, int convert_to_8bit,
             "png_image_write_to_stdio: invalid argument");
    }
 
+   else if (image != NULL)
+      return png_image_error(image,
+         "png_image_write_to_stdio: incorrect PNG_IMAGE_VERSION");
+
    else
       return 0;
 }
@@ -2311,6 +2315,10 @@ png_image_write_to_file(png_imagep image, const char *file_name,
             "png_image_write_to_file: invalid argument");
    }
 
+   else if (image != NULL)
+      return png_image_error(image,
+         "png_image_write_to_file: incorrect PNG_IMAGE_VERSION");
+
    else
       return 0;
 }