diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp
index bea8ff9ef..120446c7d 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp
@@ -1044,31 +1044,6 @@ slsDetectorDefs::synchronizationMode multiSlsDetector::setSynchronization(synchr
 }
 
 
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-
 int multiSlsDetector::setOnline(int off) {
 
   if (off!=GET_ONLINE_FLAG) {
@@ -2077,8 +2052,6 @@ int multiSlsDetector::setSpeed(speedVariable index, int value){
   int i;
   int ret1=-100, ret;
 
-
-
   for (i=0; i<thisMultiDetector->numberOfDetectors; ++i) {
     if (detectors[i]) {
       ret=detectors[i]->setSpeed(index,value);
@@ -2098,22 +2071,13 @@ int multiSlsDetector::setSpeed(speedVariable index, int value){
 
 
 
-
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-
 int  multiSlsDetector::getDataBytes(){
-  int ret=0;
+  int n_bytes = 0;
   for (int ip=0; ip<thisMultiDetector->numberOfDetectors; ++ip) {
     if (detectors[ip])
-      ret+=detectors[ip]->getDataBytes();
+      n_bytes += detectors[ip]->getDataBytes();
   }
-  return ret;
+  return n_bytes;
 }
 
 
@@ -3656,7 +3620,8 @@ int multiSlsDetector::exitServer() {
 
 
 /** returns the detector trimbit/settings directory  */
-char* multiSlsDetector::getSettingsDir() {
+// char* multiSlsDetector::getSettingsDir() {
+string multiSlsDetector::getSettingsDir() {
   string s0="", s1="", s;
 
 
@@ -3678,16 +3643,16 @@ char* multiSlsDetector::getSettingsDir() {
     }
   }
   if (s1=="bad")
-    strcpy(ans,s0.c_str());
+    return s0;
   else
-    strcpy(ans,s1.c_str());
-  return ans;
+    return s1;
+  // return ans;
 }
 
 
 
 /** sets the detector trimbit/settings directory  \sa sharedSlsDetector */
-char* multiSlsDetector::setSettingsDir(string s){
+string multiSlsDetector::setSettingsDir(string s){
 
   if (s.find('+')==string::npos) {
     for (int idet=0; idet<thisMultiDetector->numberOfDetectors; ++idet) {
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h
index 5d08fd567..311e89bdf 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h
@@ -1047,9 +1047,9 @@ class multiSlsDetector  : public slsDetectorUtils {
 
 
   /** returns the detector trimbit/settings directory  \sa sharedSlsDetector */
-  char* getSettingsDir();
+  std::string getSettingsDir();
   /** sets the detector trimbit/settings directory  \sa sharedSlsDetector */
-  char* setSettingsDir(std::string s);
+  std::string setSettingsDir(std::string s);
   /**
      returns the location of the calibration files
      \sa  sharedSlsDetector
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
index 4264fedc8..95cd47f4a 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
@@ -483,9 +483,9 @@ class slsDetector : public slsDetectorUtils, public energyConversion {
   /* I/O */
 
   /** returns the detector trimbit/settings directory  \sa sharedSlsDetector */
-  char* getSettingsDir() {return thisDetector->settingsDir;};
+  std::string getSettingsDir() {return std::string(thisDetector->settingsDir);};
   /** sets the detector trimbit/settings directory  \sa sharedSlsDetector */
-  char* setSettingsDir(string s) {sprintf(thisDetector->settingsDir, s.c_str()); return thisDetector->settingsDir;};
+  std::string setSettingsDir(string s) {sprintf(thisDetector->settingsDir, s.c_str()); return thisDetector->settingsDir;};
 
 
 
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorCommand.cpp b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorCommand.cpp
index aa71dd50d..cda0752f1 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorCommand.cpp
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorCommand.cpp
@@ -3031,9 +3031,9 @@ string slsDetectorCommand::cmdSettingsDir(int narg, char *args[], int action){
 	if (action==PUT_ACTION) {
 		myDet->setSettingsDir(string(args[1]));
 	}
-	if (myDet->getSettingsDir()==NULL)
+	if (myDet->getSettingsDir()=="")
 		return string("undefined");
-	return string(myDet->getSettingsDir());
+	return myDet->getSettingsDir();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorUtils.h b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorUtils.h
index ba183e275..e96aeb65f 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorUtils.h
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorUtils.h
@@ -405,10 +405,10 @@ class slsDetectorUtils :  public slsDetectorActions, public postProcessing {
   /** 
       returns the detector trimbit/settings directory   
   */
-  virtual char* getSettingsDir()=0;
+  virtual std::string getSettingsDir()=0;
 
   /** sets the detector trimbit/settings directory  */
-  virtual char* setSettingsDir(std::string s)=0;
+  virtual std::string setSettingsDir(std::string s)=0;
 
   /**
      returns the location of the calibration files