diff --git a/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/reader/BaseReader.cc b/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/reader/BaseReader.cc
index 489498bf..b7f30f84 100644
--- a/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/reader/BaseReader.cc
+++ b/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/reader/BaseReader.cc
@@ -90,12 +90,12 @@ can_u_read(const std::string& _filename) const
   std::string::size_type pos(_filename.rfind("."));
 
   if (pos != std::string::npos)
-  { 
     extension = _filename.substr(pos+1, _filename.length()-pos-1);
+  else
+    extension = _filename; //check, if the whole filename defines the extension
 
-    std::transform( extension.begin(), extension.end(), 
-		    extension.begin(), tolower );
-  }
+  std::transform( extension.begin(), extension.end(),
+	  extension.begin(), tolower );
 
   // locate extension in extension string
   return (get_extensions().find(extension) != std::string::npos);
diff --git a/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/reader/BaseReader.hh b/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/reader/BaseReader.hh
index f2174f5b..987ca8a8 100644
--- a/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/reader/BaseReader.hh
+++ b/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/reader/BaseReader.hh
@@ -131,7 +131,11 @@ public:
                     Options& _opt) = 0;
 
 
-  /// Returns true if reader can parse _filename (checks extension)
+  /** \brief Returns true if writer can parse _filename (checks extension).
+   * _filename can also provide an extension without a name for a file e.g. _filename == "om" checks, if the reader can read the "om" extension
+   * @param _filename complete name of a file or just the extension
+   * @result true, if reader can read data with the given extension
+   */
   virtual bool can_u_read(const std::string& _filename) const;
 
 
diff --git a/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/writer/BaseWriter.cc b/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/writer/BaseWriter.cc
index ecfcc79b..9eebb102 100644
--- a/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/writer/BaseWriter.cc
+++ b/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/writer/BaseWriter.cc
@@ -93,12 +93,12 @@ can_u_write(const std::string& _filename) const
   std::string::size_type pos(_filename.rfind("."));
 
   if (pos != std::string::npos)
-  { 
     extension = _filename.substr(pos+1, _filename.length()-pos-1);
+  else
+    extension = _filename; //check, if the whole filename defines the extension
 
-    std::transform( extension.begin(), extension.end(), 
-		    extension.begin(), tolower );
-  }
+  std::transform( extension.begin(), extension.end(),
+	   extension.begin(), tolower );
 
   // locate extension in extension string
   return (get_extensions().find(extension) != std::string::npos);
diff --git a/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/writer/BaseWriter.hh b/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/writer/BaseWriter.hh
index ed4912c3..7980cc10 100644
--- a/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/writer/BaseWriter.hh
+++ b/src/OpenMesh/Core/IO/writer/BaseWriter.hh
@@ -100,7 +100,11 @@ public:
   /// Return file format's extension.
   virtual std::string get_extensions() const = 0;
 
-  /// Returns true if writer can parse _filename (checks extension)
+  /** \brief Returns true if writer can write _filename (checks extension).
+   * _filename can also provide an extension without a name for a file e.g. _filename == "om" checks, if the writer can write the "om" extension
+   * @param _filename complete name of a file or just the extension
+   * @result true, if writer can write data with the given extension
+   */
   virtual bool can_u_write(const std::string& _filename) const;
 
   /** Write to a file