For the efficient numerical integration of evolutionary differential equations with additive right-hand side, u_t = F1(t,u) + F2(t,u) + ... approximation by exponential splitting methods based on the solution and systematic recombination of sub-problems is often a convenient choice. For the purpose of reliable adaptive stepsize control, several techniques for practical local error estimation are introduced and discussed, and further works are devoted to particular applications, e.g., Schrödinger type problems or hyperbolic problems. The employed techniques comprise optimized pairs of schemes, Milne-type estimators, and defect-based approaches, and are used with schemes of various approximation orders. Also, more than two suboperators are treated. Coefficients of various optimized methods are collected at a web page. In the simulation of magnetohydrodynamics, it is natural to split the vector field into4-8operators, even. Additionally, certain positivity conditions on the coefficients need to be satisfied. We discuss the construction of methods and present numerical results for hyperbolic test problems.