-const std::string GDCM_UNKNOWN = "gdcm::Unknown";
-const std::string GDCM_UNFOUND = "gdcm::Unfound";
-const std::string GDCM_BINLOADED = "gdcm::Binary data loaded";
-const std::string GDCM_NOTLOADED = "gdcm::NotLoaded";
-const std::string GDCM_UNREAD = "gdcm::UnRead";
+
+const std::string GDCM_UNKNOWN = "GDCM::Unknown";
+const std::string GDCM_UNFOUND = "GDCM::Unfound";
+const std::string GDCM_BINLOADED = "GDCM::Binary data";
+const std::string GDCM_NOTLOADED = "GDCM::NotLoaded";
+const std::string GDCM_UNREAD = "GDCM::UnRead";
+const std::string GDCM_NOTASCII = "GDCM::NotAscii";
+const std::string GDCM_PIXELDATA = "GDCM::Pixel Data to be loaded";
+
+const char GDCM_VRUNKNOWN[2] = {' ',' '}; // avoid useless std::string stuff
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+const char GDCM_FILESEPARATOR = '\\';
+#else
+const char GDCM_FILESEPARATOR = '/';
+#endif