--- a/scripts/general/perror.m
+++ b/scripts/general/perror.m
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 #
 #   npsol : 4.0
 #   qpsol : 3.2
+#
+# See also: strerror
 
   if (nargin != 2)
     usage ("perror (name, err)");
@@ -39,74 +41,6 @@
     error ("perror: second argument must be a scalar");
   endif
 
-  if (strcmp (name, "fsolve"))
-
-    if (err == -2)
-      printf ("input error\n");
-    elseif (err == -1)
-      printf ("error encountered in user-supplied function\n");
-    elseif (err == 1)
-      printf ("solution converged to requested tolerance\n");
-    elseif (err == 4)
-      printf ("iteration limit exceeded\n");
-    elseif (err == 3)
-      printf ("iteration is not making good progress\n");
-    else
-      error ("perror: unrecognized error code for fsolve");
-    endif
-
-  elseif (strcmp (name, "npsol"))
-
-    if (err == 0)
-      printf ("optimal solution found\n");
-    elseif (err == 1)
-      printf ("weak local solution found\n");
-    elseif (err == 2)
-      printf ("no feasible point for linear constraints and bounds\n");
-    elseif (err == 3)
-      printf ("no feasible point found for nonlinear constraints\n");
-    elseif (err == 4)
-      printf ("iteration limit reached\n");
-    elseif (err == 6)
-      printf ("current point cannot be improved upon\n");
-    elseif (err == 7)
-      printf ("user-supplied derivatives appear to be incorrect\n");
-    elseif (err == 9)
-      printf ("internal error: invalid input parameter\n");
-    else
-      error ("perror: unrecognized error code for npsol");
-    endif
-
-  elseif (strcmp (name, "qpsol"))
-
-    if (err == 0)
-      printf ("optimal solution found\n");
-    elseif (err == 1)
-      printf ("weak local solution found\n");
-    elseif (err == 2)
-      printf ("solution appears to be unbounded\n");
-    elseif (err == 3)
-      printf ("solution appears optimal, but optimality can't be verified\n");
-    elseif (err == 4)
-      printf ("iterates of the QP phase appear to be cycling\n");
-    elseif (err == 5)
-      printf ("iteration limit reached during QP phase\n");
-    elseif (err == 6)
-      printf ("no feasible point found during LP phase\n");
-    elseif (err == 7)
-      printf ("iterates of the LP phase appear to be cycling\n");
-    elseif (err == 8)
-      printf ("iteration limit reached during LP phase\n");
-    elseif (err == 9)
-      printf ("internal error: invalid input parameter\n");
-    else
-      error ("perror: unrecognized error code for qpsol");
-    endif
-
-  else
-
-    error ("perror: unrecognized function name");
-
-  endif
+  printf (strerror (name, err));
 
 endfunction