diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 2433fd4b7..3a30a8282 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+2007-06-21  Alex Roitman  <shura@gramps-project.org>
+	* src/GrampsCfg.py (cb_format_changed): Catch new exception;
+	escape special chars from displayed span.
+	* src/NameDisplay.py (_gen_cooked_func): Only replace known
+	parameters, leave the rest as is;
+	(_format_str_base): Catch formatting exceptions and raise our own.
+	* src/Errors.py (NameDisplayError): Add class. 
+
 2007-06-22  Zsolt Foldvari  <zfoldvar@users.sourceforge.net>
 	* src/NameDisplay.py: fix indentation (use only spaces).
 	* src/GrampsCfg.py: handle invalid name format: #1025.
diff --git a/src/Errors.py b/src/Errors.py
index 3e7316793..80d3711b8 100644
--- a/src/Errors.py
+++ b/src/Errors.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #
 # Gramps - a GTK+/GNOME based genealogy program
 #
-# Copyright (C) 2003-2006  Donald N. Allingham
+# Copyright (C) 2003-2007  Donald N. Allingham
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -135,3 +135,13 @@ class MaskError(Exception):
 class ValidationError(Exception):
     pass
 
+class NameDisplayError(Exception):
+    """
+    Error used to report that the name display format string is invalid.
+    """
+    def __init__(self,value):
+        Exception.__init__(self)
+        self.value = value
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return self.value
diff --git a/src/GrampsCfg.py b/src/GrampsCfg.py
index e0be6821e..f6000be93 100644
--- a/src/GrampsCfg.py
+++ b/src/GrampsCfg.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 from gettext import gettext as _
+from xml.sax.saxutils import escape
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ from RelLib import Name
 import ManagedWindow
 from GrampsWidgets import *
 import QuestionDialog
+from Errors import NameDisplayError
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -620,13 +622,13 @@ class NameFormatEditDlg:
 
     def cb_format_changed(self, obj):
         try:
-            t = (_nd.format_str(self.name, obj.get_text()))
+            t = (_nd.format_str(self.name, escape(obj.get_text())))
             sample = '<span weight="bold" style="italic">%s</span>' % t
             self.valid = True
-        except ValueError, msg:
+        except NameDisplayError:
             t = _("Invalid or incomplete format definition")
             sample = '<span foreground="#FF0000">%s</span>' % t
             self.valid = False
-            
+
         self.examplelabel.set_text(sample)
         self.examplelabel.set_use_markup(True)
diff --git a/src/NameDisplay.py b/src/NameDisplay.py
index 6c9652aa9..d8a528df3 100644
--- a/src/NameDisplay.py
+++ b/src/NameDisplay.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #
 # Gramps - a GTK+/GNOME based genealogy program
 #
-# Copyright (C) 2004-2006  Donald N. Allingham
+# Copyright (C) 2004-2007  Donald N. Allingham
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import re
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 from RelLib import Name
 import Config
+from Errors import NameDisplayError
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -373,7 +374,7 @@ class NameDisplay:
         # for each one we find the variable name that is needed to 
         # replace it and add this to a list. This list will be used
         # generate the replacement tuple.
-        pat = re.compile("%.")
+        pat = re.compile('|'.join(d.keys()))
 
         param = ()
         mat = pat.search(format_str)
@@ -433,10 +434,14 @@ class NameDisplay:
             func = self._gen_cooked_func(format_str)
             self.__class__.format_funcs[format_str] = func
 
-        s = func(first,surname,prefix,suffix,patronymic,title,call)
+        try:
+            s = func(first,surname,prefix,suffix,patronymic,title,call)
+        except (ValueError,TypeError,):
+            raise NameDisplayError, "Incomplete format string"
+
         return ' '.join(s.split())
     
-    #-------------------------------------------------------------------------    
+    #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     def sort_string(self,name):
         return u"%-25s%-30s%s" % (name.surname,name.first_name,name.suffix)