diff --git a/converter/other/anytopnm b/converter/other/anytopnm
index acf8813..335312a 100755
--- a/converter/other/anytopnm
+++ b/converter/other/anytopnm
@@ -511,10 +511,7 @@ else
     inputFile="-"
 fi
 
-tempdir="${TMPDIR-/tmp}/anytopnm.$$"
-mkdir -m 0700 $tempdir || \
-  { echo "Could not create temporary file. Exiting."; exit 1;}
-trap 'rm -rf $tempdir' 0
+tempdir=$(mktemp -d -t anytopnm.XXXXXXXXXX) || exit 1
 
 # Take out all spaces
 # Find the filename extension for last-ditch efforts later
@@ -537,12 +534,17 @@ typeDescription=`file "$file" | cut -d: -f2- | cut -c2-`
 determineType "$file" "$mimeType" "$typeDescription" "$fileExtension"
 
 if [ "$filetype" = "unknown" ]; then
-    echo "$progname: unknown file type.  " \
-        "'file' says mime type is '$mimeType', " 1>&2
-    echo "type description is '$typeDescription'" 1>&2
+    if [ -d "$tempdir" ] ; then
+        rm -rf "$tempdir"
+    fi
+
     exit 1
     fi
 
 convertIt $file $filetype
 
+if [ -d "$tempdir" ] ; then
+    rm -rf "$tempdir"
+fi
+
 exit 0
diff --git a/editor/pamstretch-gen b/editor/pamstretch-gen
index ba0e818..250fca0 100755
--- a/editor/pamstretch-gen
+++ b/editor/pamstretch-gen
@@ -31,9 +31,7 @@ if [ "$1" = "" ]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-tempdir="${TMPDIR-/tmp}/pamstretch-gen.$$"
-mkdir -m 0700 $tempdir || \
-  { echo "Could not create temporary file. Exiting."; exit 1;}
+tempfile=$(mktemp /tmp/pnmig.XXXXXXXXXX) || exit 1
 trap 'rm -rf $tempdir' 0 1 3 15
 
 tempfile=$tempdir/pnmig
diff --git a/editor/pnmmargin b/editor/pnmmargin
index 0f57d1d..e0d3625 100755
--- a/editor/pnmmargin
+++ b/editor/pnmmargin
@@ -11,11 +11,7 @@
 # documentation.  This software is provided "as is" without express or
 # implied warranty.
 
-tempdir="${TMPDIR-/tmp}/pnmmargin.$$"
-mkdir -m 0700 $tempdir || \
-  { echo "Could not create temporary file. Exiting." 1>&2; exit 1;}
-trap 'rm -rf $tempdir' 0 1 3 15
-
+tempdir=$(mktemp -d -t ppmmargin.XXXXXXX) || exit 1
 tmp1=$tempdir/pnmm1
 tmp2=$tempdir/pnmm2
 tmp3=$tempdir/pnmm3
@@ -90,6 +86,7 @@ else
         -white | -black )
         pnmpad $plainopt $color \
             -left=$size -right=$size -top=$size -bottom=$size $tmp1
+        rm -rf "$tempdir"
         exit
         ;;
         * )
@@ -103,4 +100,4 @@ else
     pnmcat -tb $plainopt $tmp3 $tmp4 $tmp3
 fi
 
-
+rm -rf "$tempdir"
diff --git a/editor/ppmfade b/editor/ppmfade
index 027fc79..8eb094f 100755
--- a/editor/ppmfade
+++ b/editor/ppmfade
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ exec perl -w -x -S -- "$0" "$@"
 #
 ##############################################################################
 use strict;
+use File::Temp "tempdir";
 
 my $SPREAD =  1;
 my $SHIFT =   2;
@@ -137,20 +138,26 @@ if ($first_file ne "undefined") {
 
 print("Frames are " . $width . "W x " . $height . "H\n");
 
+#
+# We create a tmp-directory right here
+#
+my $tmpdir = tempdir("ppmfade.XXXXXX", CLEANUP => 1);
+
+
 if ($first_file eq "undefined") {
     print "Fading from black to ";
-    system("ppmmake \\#000 $width $height >junk1$$.ppm");
+    system("ppmmake \\#000 $width $height >$tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm");
 } else {
     print "Fading from $first_file to ";
-    system("cp", $first_file, "junk1$$.ppm");
+    system("cp", $first_file, "$tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm");
 }
 
 if ($last_file eq "undefined") {
     print "black.\n";
-    system("ppmmake \\#000 $width $height >junk2$$.ppm");
+    system("ppmmake \\#000 $width $height >$tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm");
 } else {
     print "$last_file\n";
-    system("cp", $last_file, "junk2$$.ppm");
+    system("cp", $last_file, "$tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm");
 }
 
 #
@@ -158,14 +165,14 @@ if ($last_file eq "undefined") {
 #
 
 # Here's what our temporary files are:
-#   junk1$$.ppm: The original (fade-from) image
-#   junk2$$.ppm: The target (fade-from) image
-#   junk3$$.ppm: The frame of the fade for the current iteration of the 
-#                the for loop.
-#   junk1a$$.ppm: If the fade involves a ppmmix sequence from one intermediate
-#                 image to another, this is the first frame of that 
-#                 sequence.
-#   junk2a$$.ppm: This is the last frame of the above-mentioned ppmmix sequence
+#   $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm: The original (fade-from) image
+#   $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm: The target (fade-from) image
+#   $tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm: The frame of the fade for the current iteration of the 
+#                	 the for loop.
+#   $tmpdir/junk1a$$.ppm: If the fade involves a ppmmix sequence from one intermediate
+#                         image to another, this is the first frame of that 
+#                         sequence.
+#   $tmpdir/junk2a$$.ppm: This is the last frame of the above-mentioned ppmmix sequence
 
 my $i;    # Frame number
 for ($i = 1; $i <= $nframes; $i++) {
@@ -173,147 +180,147 @@ for ($i = 1; $i <= $nframes; $i++) {
     if ($mode eq $SPREAD) {
         if ($i <= 10) {
             my $n = $spline20[$i] * 100;
-            system("ppmspread $n junk1$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmspread $n $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } elsif ($i <= 20) {
             my $n;
             $n = $spline20[$i] * 100;
-            system("ppmspread $n junk1$$.ppm >junk1a$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmspread $n $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk1a$$.ppm");
             $n = (1-$spline20[$i-10]) * 100;
-            system("ppmspread $n junk2$$.ppm >junk2a$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmspread $n $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk2a$$.ppm");
             $n = $spline10[$i-10];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk1a$$.ppm junk2a$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk1a$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2a$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } else {
             my $n = (1-$spline20[$i-10])*100;
-            system("ppmspread $n junk2$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmspread $n $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         }
     } elsif ($mode eq $SHIFT) {
         if ($i <= 10) {
             my $n = $spline20[$i] * 100;
-            system("ppmshift $n junk1$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmshift $n $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } elsif ($i <= 20) {
             my $n;
             $n = $spline20[$i] * 100;
-            system("ppmshift $n junk1$$.ppm >junk1a$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmshift $n $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk1a$$.ppm");
             $n = (1-$spline20[$i-10])*100;
-            system("ppmshift $n junk2$$.ppm >junk2a$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmshift $n $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk2a$$.ppm");
             $n = $spline10[$i-10];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk1a$$.ppm junk2a$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk1a$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2a$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } else {
             my $n = (1-$spline20[$i-10]) * 100;
-            system("ppmshift $n junk2$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmshift $n $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         }
     } elsif ($mode eq $RELIEF) {
         if ($i == 1) {
-            system("ppmrelief junk1$$.ppm >junk1r$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmrelief $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk1r$$.ppm");
         }
         if ($i <= 10) {
             my $n = $spline10[$i];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk1$$.ppm junk1r$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk1r$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } elsif ($i <= 20) {
             my $n = $spline10[$i-10];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk1r$$.ppm junk2r$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk1r$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2r$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } else {
             my $n = $spline10[$i-20];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk2r$$.ppm junk2$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk2r$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         }
         if ($i == 10) {
-            system("ppmrelief junk2$$.ppm >junk2r$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmrelief $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk2r$$.ppm");
         }
     } elsif ($mode eq $OIL) {
         if ($i == 1) {
-            system("ppmtopgm junk1$$.ppm | pgmoil >junko$$.ppm");
-            system("rgb3toppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm " .
-                   ">junk1o$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmtopgm $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm | pgmoil >$tmpdir/junko$$.ppm");
+            system("rgb3toppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm " .
+                   ">$tmpdir/junk1o$$.ppm");
         }
         if ($i <= 10) {
             my $n = $spline10[$i];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk1$$.ppm junk1o$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk1o$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } elsif ($i <= 20) {
             my $n = $spline10[$i-10];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk1o$$.ppm junk2o$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk1o$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2o$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } else {
             my $n = $spline10[$i-20];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk2o$$.ppm junk2$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk2o$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         }
         if ($i == 10) {
-            system("ppmtopgm junk2$$.ppm | pgmoil >junko$$.ppm");
-            system("rgb3toppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm " .
-                   ">junk2o$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmtopgm $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm | pgmoil >$tmpdir/junko$$.ppm");
+            system("rgb3toppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm " .
+                   ">$tmpdir/junk2o$$.ppm");
         }
     } elsif ($mode eq $EDGE) {
         if ($i == 1) {
-            system("ppmtopgm junk1$$.ppm | pgmedge >junko$$.ppm");
-            system("rgb3toppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm " .
-                   ">junk1o$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmtopgm $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm | pgmedge >$tmpdir/junko$$.ppm");
+            system("rgb3toppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm " .
+                   ">$tmpdir/junk1o$$.ppm");
         }
         if ($i <= 10) {
             my $n = $spline10[$i];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk1$$.ppm junk1o$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk1o$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } elsif ($i <= 20) {
             my $n = $spline10[$i-10];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk1o$$.ppm junk2o$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk1o$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2o$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } else {
             my $n = $spline10[$i-20];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk2o$$.ppm junk2$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk2o$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         }
         if ($i == 10) {
-            system("ppmtopgm junk2$$.ppm | pgmedge >junko$$.ppm");
-            system("rgb3toppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm " .
-                   ">junk2o$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmtopgm $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm | pgmedge >$tmpdir/junko$$.ppm");
+            system("rgb3toppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm " .
+                   ">$tmpdir/junk2o$$.ppm");
         } 
     } elsif ($mode eq $BENTLEY) {
         if ($i == 1) {
-            system("ppmtopgm junk1$$.ppm | pgmbentley >junko$$.ppm");
-            system("rgb3toppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm " .
-                   ">junk1o$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmtopgm $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm | pgmbentley >$tmpdir/junko$$.ppm");
+            system("rgb3toppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm " .
+                   ">$tmpdir/junk1o$$.ppm");
         }
         if ($i <= 10) {
             my $n = $spline10[$i];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk1$$.ppm junk1o$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk1o$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } elsif ($i <= 20) {
             my $n = $spline10[$i-10];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk1o$$.ppm junk2o$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk1o$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2o$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } else {
             my $n = $spline10[$i-20];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk2o$$.ppm junk2$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk2o$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         }
         if ($i == 10) {
-            system("ppmtopgm junk2$$.ppm | pgmbentley >junko$$.ppm");
-            system("rgb3toppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm junko$$.ppm " .
-                   ">junk2o$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmtopgm $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm | pgmbentley >$tmpdir/junko$$.ppm");
+            system("rgb3toppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm $tmpdir/junko$$.ppm " .
+                   ">$tmpdir/junk2o$$.ppm");
         }
     } elsif ($mode eq $BLOCK) {
         if ($i <= 10) {
             my $n = 1 - 1.9*$spline20[$i];
-            system("pamscale $n junk1$$.ppm | " .
-                   "pamscale -width $width -height $height >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("pamscale $n $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm | " .
+                   "pamscale -width $width -height $height >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } elsif ($i <= 20) {
             my $n = $spline10[$i-10];
-            system("ppmmix $n junk1a$$.ppm junk2a$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("ppmmix $n $tmpdir/junk1a$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2a$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         } else {
             my $n = 1 - 1.9*$spline20[31-$i];
-            system("pamscale $n junk2$$.ppm | " .
-                   "pamscale -width $width -height $height >junk3$$.ppm");
+            system("pamscale $n $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm | " .
+                   "pamscale -width $width -height $height >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
         }
         if ($i == 10) {
-            system("cp", "junk3$$.ppm", "junk1a$$.ppm");
-            system("pamscale $n junk2$$.ppm | " .
-                   "pamscale -width $width -height $height >junk2a$$.ppm");
+            system("cp", "$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm", "$tmpdir/junk1a$$.ppm");
+            system("pamscale $n $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm | " .
+                   "pamscale -width $width -height $height >$tmpdir/junk2a$$.ppm");
         }    
     } elsif ($mode eq $MIX) {
         my $fade_factor = sqrt(1/($nframes-$i+1));
-        system("ppmmix $fade_factor junk1$$.ppm junk2$$.ppm >junk3$$.ppm");
+        system("ppmmix $fade_factor $tmpdir/junk1$$.ppm $tmpdir/junk2$$.ppm >$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm");
     } else {
         print("Internal error: impossible mode value '$mode'\n");
     }
 
     my $outfile = sprintf("%s.%04d.ppm", $base_name, $i);
-    system("cp", "junk3$$.ppm", $outfile);
+    system("cp", "$tmpdir/junk3$$.ppm", $outfile);
 }
 
 #
 #  Clean up shop.
 #
-system("rm junk*$$.ppm");
+system("rm $tmpdir/junk*$$.ppm");
 
 exit(0);
diff --git a/editor/ppmshadow b/editor/ppmshadow
index 62cdf8b..72e1b22 100755
--- a/editor/ppmshadow
+++ b/editor/ppmshadow
@@ -97,9 +97,10 @@ sub makeConvolutionKernel($$) {
 
 
 my $tmpdir = $ENV{TMPDIR} || "/tmp";
-my $ourtmp = "$tmpdir/ppmshadow$$";
-mkdir($ourtmp, 0777) or
-    die("Unable to create directory for temporary files '$ourtmp");
+my $ourtmp; chomp($ourtmp = `mktemp -d -t PPMshadow.XXXXXX`);
+if ($? >> 8) {
+    die "Can't create directory for temporary files";
+}
 
 #   Process command line options
 

