diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 8ecd75204..84ac3f60e 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+2006-05-21  Brian Matherly  <brian@gramps-project.org>
+	* src/plugins/GraphViz.py.in: fix file open.
+
 2006-05-21  Alex Roitman  <shura@gramps-project.org>
 	* src/const.py.in: Use gettext.
 	* src/GrampsDb/_ConstXML.py: Remove file.
diff --git a/src/plugins/GraphViz.py b/src/plugins/GraphViz.py
index 44b27ca0b..494255bd1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/GraphViz.py
+++ b/src/plugins/GraphViz.py
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ class GraphViz:
         self.filter = filters[filter_num]
 
         the_buffer = self.get_report()
+        self.f = open(options_class.get_output(),'w')
         if self.latin:
             self.f.write(the_buffer.encode('iso-8859-1'))
         else:
@@ -523,18 +524,19 @@ just use iconv:
             cause
             empty string
         """
-        if event.get_date_object().get_year_valid():
-            if self.just_years:
-                return '%i' % event.get_date_object().get_year()
-            else:
-                return DateHandler.get_date(event)
-        elif self.placecause:
-            place_handle = event.get_place_handle()
-            place = self.database.get_place_from_handle(place_handle)
-            if place and place.get_title():
-                return place.get_title()
-            else:
-                return event.get_cause()
+        if event:
+            if event.get_date_object().get_year_valid():
+                if self.just_years:
+                    return '%i' % event.get_date_object().get_year()
+                else:
+                    return DateHandler.get_date(event)
+            elif self.placecause:
+                place_handle = event.get_place_handle()
+                place = self.database.get_place_from_handle(place_handle)
+                if place and place.get_title():
+                    return place.get_title()
+                else:
+                    return event.get_cause()
         return ''