diff --git a/Makefile.vc b/Makefile.vc
index 3a2b0c30..e17c9199 100644
--- a/Makefile.vc
+++ b/Makefile.vc
@@ -172,6 +172,9 @@ DSP_OBJS = \
     $(DIROBJ)\dsp\upsampling_sse2.obj \
     $(DIROBJ)\dsp\yuv.obj \
 
+EX_UTIL_OBJS = \
+    $(DIROBJ)\examples\example_util.obj \
+
 ENC_OBJS = \
     $(DIROBJ)\enc\alpha.obj \
     $(DIROBJ)\enc\analysis.obj \
@@ -239,7 +242,7 @@ clean::
 	@-erase /s $(DIROBJ)\$(DLLC) $(DIROBJ)\$(DLLINC) 2> NUL
 !ENDIF
 
-$(EXAMPLES_OBJS): $(DIRLIB)\$(TARGET)
+$(EXAMPLES_OBJS): $(EX_UTIL_OBJS) $(DIRLIB)\$(TARGET)
 
 $(OUTPUT_DIRS):
 	@if not exist "$(@)" mkdir "$(@)"
@@ -276,7 +279,7 @@ $(DIROBJ)\$(DLLC): $(DIROBJ)\$(DLLINC)
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) /Fd$(LIBPDBNAME) /Fo$(DIROBJ)\utils\ $<
 
 {$(DIROBJ)\examples}.obj{$(DIRBIN)}.exe:
-	$(LNKEXE) $(LDFLAGS) /OUT:"$@" $< \
+	$(LNKEXE) $(LDFLAGS) /OUT:"$@" $< $(EX_UTIL_OBJS) \
 	    ole32.lib windowscodecs.lib shlwapi.lib $(DIRLIB)\$(TARGET)
 	$(MT) -manifest $@.manifest -outputresource:$@;1
 	del $@.manifest
diff --git a/examples/Makefile.am b/examples/Makefile.am
index 157ca90c..e9959504 100644
--- a/examples/Makefile.am
+++ b/examples/Makefile.am
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/src
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = dwebp cwebp webpmux
+noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libexampleutil.la
+
+libexampleutil_la_SOURCES = example_util.c
+libexampleutilinclude_HEADERS = example_util.h
+libexampleutilincludedir =
 
 dwebp_SOURCES = dwebp.c stopwatch.h
 dwebp_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(PNG_INCLUDES) $(JPEG_INCLUDES) $(USE_EXPERIMENTAL_CODE)
-dwebp_LDADD = ../src/libwebp.la $(PNG_LIBS) $(JPEG_LIBS)
+dwebp_LDADD = libexampleutil.la ../src/libwebp.la $(PNG_LIBS) $(JPEG_LIBS)
 
 cwebp_SOURCES = cwebp.c stopwatch.h
 cwebp_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(PNG_INCLUDES) $(JPEG_INCLUDES) $(USE_EXPERIMENTAL_CODE)
@@ -12,4 +17,4 @@ cwebp_LDADD = ../src/libwebp.la $(PNG_LIBS) $(JPEG_LIBS)
 
 webpmux_SOURCES = webpmux.c
 webpmux_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(USE_EXPERIMENTAL_CODE)
-webpmux_LDADD = ../src/mux/libwebpmux.la ../src/libwebp.la
+webpmux_LDADD = libexampleutil.la ../src/mux/libwebpmux.la ../src/libwebp.la
diff --git a/examples/dwebp.c b/examples/dwebp.c
index 9700339e..65984ee7 100644
--- a/examples/dwebp.c
+++ b/examples/dwebp.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #include "webp/decode.h"
+#include "./example_util.h"
 #include "stopwatch.h"
 
 static int verbose = 0;
@@ -412,31 +413,15 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[]) {
     Stopwatch stop_watch;
     VP8StatusCode status = VP8_STATUS_OK;
     int ok;
-    uint32_t data_size = 0;
-    void* data = NULL;
-    FILE* const in = fopen(in_file, "rb");
+    size_t data_size = 0;
+    const uint8_t* data = NULL;
 
-    if (!in) {
-      fprintf(stderr, "cannot open input file '%s'\n", in_file);
-      return 1;
-    }
-    fseek(in, 0, SEEK_END);
-    data_size = ftell(in);
-    fseek(in, 0, SEEK_SET);
-    data = malloc(data_size);
-    ok = (fread(data, data_size, 1, in) == 1);
-    fclose(in);
-    if (!ok) {
-      fprintf(stderr, "Could not read %d bytes of data from file %s\n",
-              data_size, in_file);
-      free(data);
-      return -1;
-    }
+    if (!ExUtilReadFile(in_file, &data, &data_size)) return -1;
 
     if (verbose)
       StopwatchReadAndReset(&stop_watch);
 
-    status = WebPGetFeatures((const uint8_t*)data, data_size, bitstream);
+    status = WebPGetFeatures(data, data_size, bitstream);
     if (status != VP8_STATUS_OK) {
       goto end;
     }
@@ -459,17 +444,17 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[]) {
         output_buffer->colorspace = MODE_YUVA;
         break;
       default:
-        free(data);
+        free((void*)data);
         return -1;
     }
-    status = WebPDecode((const uint8_t*)data, data_size, &config);
+    status = WebPDecode(data, data_size, &config);
 
     if (verbose) {
       const double time = StopwatchReadAndReset(&stop_watch);
       printf("Time to decode picture: %.3fs\n", time);
     }
  end:
-    free(data);
+    free((void*)data);
     ok = (status == VP8_STATUS_OK);
     if (!ok) {
       fprintf(stderr, "Decoding of %s failed.\n", in_file);
diff --git a/examples/example_util.c b/examples/example_util.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..65655fd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/example_util.c
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+// Copyright 2012 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+//
+// This code is licensed under the same terms as WebM:
+//  Software License Agreement:  http://www.webmproject.org/license/software/
+//  Additional IP Rights Grant:  http://www.webmproject.org/license/additional/
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+//
+//  Utility functions used by the example programs.
+//
+
+#include "./example_util.h"
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#if defined(__cplusplus) || defined(c_plusplus)
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// File I/O
+
+int ExUtilReadFile(const char* const file_name,
+                   const uint8_t** data, size_t* data_size) {
+  int ok;
+  void* file_data;
+  size_t file_size;
+  FILE* in;
+
+  if (file_name == NULL || data == NULL || data_size == NULL) return 0;
+  *data = NULL;
+  *data_size = 0;
+
+  in = fopen(file_name, "rb");
+  if (in == NULL) {
+    fprintf(stderr, "cannot open input file '%s'\n", file_name);
+    return 0;
+  }
+  fseek(in, 0, SEEK_END);
+  file_size = ftell(in);
+  fseek(in, 0, SEEK_SET);
+  file_data = malloc(file_size);
+  if (file_data == NULL) return 0;
+  ok = (fread(file_data, file_size, 1, in) == 1);
+  fclose(in);
+
+  if (!ok) {
+    fprintf(stderr, "Could not read %zu bytes of data from file %s\n",
+            file_size, file_name);
+    free(file_data);
+    return 0;
+  }
+  *data = (uint8_t*)file_data;
+  *data_size = file_size;
+  return 1;
+}
+
+#if defined(__cplusplus) || defined(c_plusplus)
+}    // extern "C"
+#endif
diff --git a/examples/example_util.h b/examples/example_util.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..54d1ebe2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/example_util.h
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// Copyright 2012 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+//
+// This code is licensed under the same terms as WebM:
+//  Software License Agreement:  http://www.webmproject.org/license/software/
+//  Additional IP Rights Grant:  http://www.webmproject.org/license/additional/
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+//
+//  Utility functions used by the example programs.
+//
+
+#ifndef WEBP_EXAMPLES_EXAMPLE_UTIL_H_
+#define WEBP_EXAMPLES_EXAMPLE_UTIL_H_
+
+#include "webp/types.h"
+
+#if defined(__cplusplus) || defined(c_plusplus)
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+// Allocates storage for entire file 'file_name' and returns contents and size
+// in 'data' and 'data_size'. Returns 1 on success, 0 otherwise. '*data' should
+// be deleted using free().
+int ExUtilReadFile(const char* const file_name,
+                   const uint8_t** data, size_t* data_size);
+
+#if defined(__cplusplus) || defined(c_plusplus)
+}    // extern "C"
+#endif
+
+#endif  // WEBP_EXAMPLES_EXAMPLE_UTIL_H_
diff --git a/examples/vwebp.c b/examples/vwebp.c
index 39274f2d..66d3e2a0 100644
--- a/examples/vwebp.c
+++ b/examples/vwebp.c
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 #endif
 #endif
 
+#include "./example_util.h"
+
 #ifdef _MSC_VER
 #define snprintf _snprintf
 #endif
@@ -159,41 +161,6 @@ static void StartDisplay(const WebPDecBuffer* const pic) {
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // File decoding
 
-static int ReadFile(void) {
-  int ok;
-  void* data = NULL;
-  size_t data_size = 0;
-  const char* const file_name = kParams.file_name;
-  FILE* in = NULL;
-
-  if (file_name == NULL) {
-    printf("missing input file!!\n");
-    Help();
-    return 0;
-  }
-  in = fopen(file_name, "rb");
-  if (in == NULL) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "cannot open input file '%s'\n", file_name);
-    return 0;
-  }
-  fseek(in, 0, SEEK_END);
-  data_size = ftell(in);
-  fseek(in, 0, SEEK_SET);
-  data = malloc(data_size);
-  if (data == NULL) return 0;
-  ok = (fread(data, data_size, 1, in) == 1);
-  fclose(in);
-  kParams.data.bytes_ = data;
-  kParams.data.size_ = data_size;
-
-  if (!ok) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "Could not read %zu bytes of data from file %s\n",
-            data_size, file_name);
-    return 0;
-  }
-  return 1;
-}
-
 static int Decode(const int frame_number, uint32_t* const duration) {
   WebPDecoderConfig* const config = kParams.config;
   WebPData *data, image_data;
@@ -312,7 +279,16 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     }
   }
 
-  if (!ReadFile()) goto Error;
+  if (kParams.file_name == NULL) {
+    printf("missing input file!!\n");
+    Help();
+    return 0;
+  }
+
+  if (!ExUtilReadFile(kParams.file_name,
+                      &kParams.data.bytes_, &kParams.data.size_)) {
+    goto Error;
+  }
 
   kParams.mux =
       WebPMuxCreate(kParams.data.bytes_, kParams.data.size_, 0, NULL);
diff --git a/examples/webpmux.c b/examples/webpmux.c
index a29d58a4..76c9a60b 100644
--- a/examples/webpmux.c
+++ b/examples/webpmux.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include "webp/mux.h"
+#include "./example_util.h"
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Config object to parse command-line arguments.
@@ -319,66 +320,16 @@ static void PrintHelp(void) {
   printf("\nINPUT & OUTPUT are in webp format.\n");
 }
 
-static int ReadData(const char* filename,
-                    uint8_t** data_ptr, uint32_t* size_ptr) {
-  void* data = NULL;
-  long size = 0;
-  int ok = 0;
-  FILE* in;
-
-  *size_ptr = 0;
-  in = fopen(filename, "rb");
-  if (!in) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "Failed to open file %s\n", filename);
-    return 0;
-  }
-  fseek(in, 0, SEEK_END);
-  size = ftell(in);
-  fseek(in, 0, SEEK_SET);
-  if (size > 0xffffffffu) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "Size (%ld bytes) is out of range for file %s\n",
-            size, filename);
-    size = 0;
-    goto Err;
-  }
-  if (size < 0) {
-    size = 0;
-    goto Err;
-  }
-  data = malloc(size);
-  if (data) {
-    if (fread(data, size, 1, in) != 1) {
-      free(data);
-      data = NULL;
-      size = 0;
-      fprintf(stderr, "Failed to read %ld bytes from file %s\n",
-              size, filename);
-      goto Err;
-    }
-    ok = 1;
-  } else {
-    fprintf(stderr, "Failed to allocate %ld bytes for reading file %s\n",
-            size, filename);
-    size = 0;
-  }
-
- Err:
-  if (in != stdin) fclose(in);
-  *size_ptr = (uint32_t)size;
-  *data_ptr = (uint8_t*)data;
-  return ok;
-}
-
-static int ReadFile(const char* const filename, WebPMux** mux) {
-  uint32_t size = 0;
-  uint8_t* data = NULL;
+static int CreateMux(const char* const filename, WebPMux** mux) {
+  size_t size = 0;
+  const uint8_t* data = NULL;
   WebPMuxState mux_state;
 
   assert(mux != NULL);
 
-  if (!ReadData(filename, &data, &size)) return 0;
+  if (!ExUtilReadFile(filename, &data, &size)) return 0;
   *mux = WebPMuxCreate(data, size, 1, &mux_state);
-  free(data);
+  free((void*)data);
   if (*mux != NULL && mux_state == WEBP_MUX_STATE_COMPLETE) return 1;
   fprintf(stderr, "Failed to create mux object from file %s. mux_state = %d.\n",
           filename, mux_state);
@@ -387,18 +338,18 @@ static int ReadFile(const char* const filename, WebPMux** mux) {
 
 static int ReadImage(const char* filename,
                      WebPData* const image_ptr, WebPData* const alpha_ptr) {
-  uint8_t* data = NULL;
-  uint32_t size = 0;
+  const uint8_t* data = NULL;
+  size_t size = 0;
   WebPData image, alpha;
   WebPMux* mux;
   WebPMuxError err;
   int ok = 0;
   WebPMuxState mux_state;
 
-  if (!ReadData(filename, &data, &size)) return 0;
+  if (!ExUtilReadFile(filename, &data, &size)) return 0;
 
   mux = WebPMuxCreate(data, size, 1, &mux_state);
-  free(data);
+  free((void*)data);
   if (mux == NULL || mux_state != WEBP_MUX_STATE_COMPLETE) {
     fprintf(stderr,
             "Failed to create mux object from file %s. mux_state = %d.\n",
@@ -838,8 +789,8 @@ static int GetFrameTile(const WebPMux* mux,
 static int Process(const WebPMuxConfig* config) {
   WebPMux* mux = NULL;
   WebPData webpdata;
-  uint8_t* data = NULL;
-  uint32_t size = 0;
+  const uint8_t* data = NULL;
+  size_t size = 0;
   uint32_t x_offset = 0;
   uint32_t y_offset = 0;
   WebPMuxError err = WEBP_MUX_OK;
@@ -849,7 +800,7 @@ static int Process(const WebPMuxConfig* config) {
 
   switch (config->action_type_) {
     case ACTION_GET:
-      ok = ReadFile(config->input_, &mux);
+      ok = CreateMux(config->input_, &mux);
       if (!ok) goto Err2;
       switch (feature->type_) {
         case FEATURE_FRM:
@@ -956,9 +907,9 @@ static int Process(const WebPMuxConfig* config) {
           break;
 
         case FEATURE_ICCP:
-          ok = ReadFile(config->input_, &mux);
+          ok = CreateMux(config->input_, &mux);
           if (!ok) goto Err2;
-          ok = ReadData(feature->args_[0].filename_, &data, &size);
+          ok = ExUtilReadFile(feature->args_[0].filename_, &data, &size);
           if (!ok) goto Err2;
           err = WebPMuxSetColorProfile(mux, data, size, 1);
           free((void*)data);
@@ -968,12 +919,12 @@ static int Process(const WebPMuxConfig* config) {
           break;
 
         case FEATURE_XMP:
-          ok = ReadFile(config->input_, &mux);
+          ok = CreateMux(config->input_, &mux);
           if (!ok) goto Err2;
-          ok = ReadData(feature->args_[0].filename_, &data, &size);
+          ok = ExUtilReadFile(feature->args_[0].filename_, &data, &size);
           if (!ok) goto Err2;
           err = WebPMuxSetMetadata(mux, data, size, 1);
-          free(data);
+          free((void*)data);
           if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) {
             ERROR_GOTO2("ERROR#%d: Could not set XMP metadata.\n", err, Err2);
           }
@@ -987,7 +938,7 @@ static int Process(const WebPMuxConfig* config) {
       break;
 
     case ACTION_STRIP:
-      ok = ReadFile(config->input_, &mux);
+      ok = CreateMux(config->input_, &mux);
       if (!ok) goto Err2;
       switch (feature->type_) {
         case FEATURE_ICCP:
@@ -1012,7 +963,7 @@ static int Process(const WebPMuxConfig* config) {
       break;
 
     case ACTION_INFO:
-      ok = ReadFile(config->input_, &mux);
+      ok = CreateMux(config->input_, &mux);
       if (!ok) goto Err2;
       ok = (DisplayInfo(mux) == WEBP_MUX_OK);
       break;
diff --git a/makefile.unix b/makefile.unix
index a5cd1e52..dee441bd 100644
--- a/makefile.unix
+++ b/makefile.unix
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ ENC_OBJS = \
     src/enc/vp8l.o \
     src/enc/webpenc.o \
 
+EX_UTIL_OBJS = \
+    examples/example_util.o \
+
 MUX_OBJS = \
     src/mux/muxedit.o \
     src/mux/muxinternal.o \
@@ -152,7 +155,7 @@ HDRS = \
     src/webp/mux.h \
     src/webp/types.h \
 
-OUT_LIBS = src/libwebp.a src/mux/libwebpmux.a
+OUT_LIBS = examples/libexample_util.a src/libwebp.a src/mux/libwebpmux.a
 OUT_EXAMPLES = examples/cwebp examples/dwebp examples/webpmux
 
 OUTPUT = $(OUT_LIBS) $(OUT_EXAMPLES) examples/vwebp
@@ -162,19 +165,25 @@ all: ex
 %.o: %.c $(HDRS)
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
+examples/libexample_util.a: $(EX_UTIL_OBJS)
 src/libwebp.a: $(LIBWEBP_OBJS)
-	$(AR) $(ARFLAGS) $@ $^
-
 src/mux/libwebpmux.a: $(LIBWEBPMUX_OBJS)
+
+%.a:
 	$(AR) $(ARFLAGS) $@ $^
 
 ex: $(OUT_EXAMPLES)
 
-examples/cwebp: examples/cwebp.o src/libwebp.a
-examples/dwebp: examples/dwebp.o src/libwebp.a
-examples/vwebp: examples/vwebp.o src/mux/libwebpmux.a src/libwebp.a
+examples/cwebp: examples/cwebp.o
+examples/dwebp: examples/dwebp.o
+examples/vwebp: examples/vwebp.o
+examples/webpmux: examples/webpmux.o
+
+examples/cwebp: src/libwebp.a
+examples/dwebp: examples/libexample_util.a src/libwebp.a
+examples/vwebp: examples/libexample_util.a src/mux/libwebpmux.a src/libwebp.a
 examples/vwebp: EXTRA_LIBS += $(GL_LIBS)
-examples/webpmux: examples/webpmux.o src/mux/libwebpmux.a src/libwebp.a
+examples/webpmux: examples/libexample_util.a src/mux/libwebpmux.a src/libwebp.a
 
 $(OUT_EXAMPLES) examples/vwebp:
 	$(CC) -o $@ $^ $(LDFLAGS)