diff --git a/exptool/analysis/pattern.py b/exptool/analysis/pattern.py
index 78247d3..c479afa 100644
--- a/exptool/analysis/pattern.py
+++ b/exptool/analysis/pattern.py
@@ -297,9 +297,9 @@ def __init__(self,**kwargs):
             try:
                 # check to see if bar file has already been created
                 self.read_bar(kwargs['file'])
-                print('pattern.BarDetermine: BarInstance sucessfully read.')
+                print('pattern.BarDetermine: BarInstance successfully read.')
 
-            except:
+            except (FileNotFoundError, IOError, ValueError):
                 print('pattern.BarDetermine: no compatible bar file found.')
 
 
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ def read_bar(self,infile):
             pos.append(q[1])
             try:
                 deriv.append(q[2])
-            except:
+            except IndexError:
                 pass
 
         self.time = np.array(time)
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ def find_barpattern(intime, BarInstance, smth_order=2):
             # Get the derivative (bar pattern speed) at the closest time
             barpattern[indx] = BarInstance.deriv[best_time]
 
-    except:
+    except TypeError:
         # Handle the case where intime is a single value
         best_time = abs(intime - BarInstance.time).argmin()