diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.cpp b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.cpp
index 1618ac7ab..474066edf 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.cpp
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.cpp
@@ -1003,18 +1003,14 @@ std::string slsDetector::checkOnline() {
 }
 
 
-int slsDetector::setTCPSocket(std::string const name, int const control_port, int const stop_port) {
-	char thisName[MAX_STR_LENGTH] = {0};
+int slsDetector::setTCPSocket(const std::string& hostname, int control_port, int stop_port) {
 	int thisCP = 0, thisSP = 0;
 	int ret = OK;
 
 	// hostname
-	if (name.empty()) {
-		strcpy(thisName,thisDetector->hostname);
-	} else {
+	if (!hostname.empty()) {
 		FILE_LOG(logDEBUG1) << "Setting hostname";
-		strcpy(thisName, name.c_str());
-		strcpy(thisDetector->hostname, thisName);
+		sls::strcpy_safe(thisDetector->hostname, hostname.c_str());
 		if (controlSocket) {
 			delete controlSocket;
 			controlSocket = nullptr;
@@ -1054,10 +1050,10 @@ int slsDetector::setTCPSocket(std::string const name, int const control_port, in
 	// create control socket
 	if (!controlSocket) {
 		try {
-			controlSocket = new MySocketTCP(thisName, thisCP);
-			FILE_LOG(logDEBUG1) << "Control socket connected " << thisName  << " " << thisCP;
+			controlSocket = new MySocketTCP(thisDetector->hostname, thisCP);
+			FILE_LOG(logDEBUG1) << "Control socket connected " << thisDetector->hostname  << " " << thisCP;
 		} catch(...) {
-			FILE_LOG(logERROR) << "Could not connect control socket " << thisName  << " " << thisCP;
+			FILE_LOG(logERROR) << "Could not connect control socket " << thisDetector->hostname  << " " << thisCP;
 			controlSocket = nullptr;
 			ret = FAIL;
 		}
@@ -1067,10 +1063,10 @@ int slsDetector::setTCPSocket(std::string const name, int const control_port, in
 	// create stop socket
 	if (!stopSocket) {
 		try {
-			stopSocket = new MySocketTCP(thisName, thisSP);
-			FILE_LOG(logDEBUG1) << "Stop socket connected " << thisName  << " " << thisSP;
+			stopSocket = new MySocketTCP(thisDetector->hostname, thisSP);
+			FILE_LOG(logDEBUG1) << "Stop socket connected " << thisDetector->hostname  << " " << thisSP;
 		} catch(...) {
-			FILE_LOG(logERROR) << "Could not connect Stop socket " << thisName  << " " << thisSP;
+			FILE_LOG(logERROR) << "Could not connect Stop socket " << thisDetector->hostname  << " " << thisSP;
 			stopSocket = nullptr;
 			ret = FAIL;
 		}
@@ -1312,12 +1308,12 @@ int slsDetector::exitServer() {
 }
 
 
-int slsDetector::execCommand(std::string cmd) {
+int slsDetector::execCommand(const std::string& cmd) {
 	int fnum = F_EXEC_COMMAND;
 	int ret = FAIL;
 	char arg[MAX_STR_LENGTH] = {0};
 	char retval[MAX_STR_LENGTH] = {0};
-	strcpy(arg, cmd.c_str());
+	sls::strcpy_safe(arg, cmd.c_str());
 	FILE_LOG(logDEBUG1) << "Sending command to detector " << arg;
 
 	if (thisDetector->onlineFlag == ONLINE_FLAG && connectControl() == OK) {
@@ -1419,7 +1415,7 @@ int slsDetector::updateDetector() {
 }
 
 
-int slsDetector::writeConfigurationFile(std::string const fname, multiSlsDetector* m) {
+int slsDetector::writeConfigurationFile(const std::string& fname, multiSlsDetector* m) {
 	int iline = 0;
 	std::ofstream outfile;
 	outfile.open(fname.c_str(),std::ios_base::out);
@@ -1770,13 +1766,13 @@ std::string slsDetector::getSettingsDir() {
 }
 
 
-std::string slsDetector::setSettingsDir(std::string s) {
-	sls::strcpy_safe(thisDetector->settingsDir, s.c_str());
+std::string slsDetector::setSettingsDir(const std::string& dir) {
+	sls::strcpy_safe(thisDetector->settingsDir, dir.c_str());
 	return thisDetector->settingsDir;
 }
 
 
-int slsDetector::loadSettingsFile(std::string fname) {
+int slsDetector::loadSettingsFile(const std::string& fname) {
 	std::string fn = fname;
 	std::ostringstream ostfn;
 	ostfn << fname;
@@ -1807,7 +1803,7 @@ int slsDetector::loadSettingsFile(std::string fname) {
 }
 
 
-int slsDetector::saveSettingsFile(std::string fname) {
+int slsDetector::saveSettingsFile(const std::string& fname) {
 	std::string fn = fname;
 	std::ostringstream ostfn;
 	ostfn << fname;
@@ -2666,7 +2662,7 @@ uint32_t slsDetector::clearBit(uint32_t addr, int n) {
 }
 
 
-std::string slsDetector::setNetworkParameter(networkParameter index, std::string value) {
+std::string slsDetector::setNetworkParameter(networkParameter index, const std::string& value) {
 	switch (index) {
 	case DETECTOR_MAC:
 		return setDetectorMAC(value);
@@ -2844,7 +2840,7 @@ std::string slsDetector::getReceiverRealUDPSocketBufferSize() {
 }
 
 
-std::string slsDetector::setDetectorMAC(std::string detectorMAC) {
+std::string slsDetector::setDetectorMAC(const std::string& detectorMAC) {
 
 	// invalid format
 	if ((detectorMAC.length() != 17) ||
@@ -2866,7 +2862,7 @@ std::string slsDetector::setDetectorMAC(std::string detectorMAC) {
 }
 
 
-std::string slsDetector::setDetectorIP(std::string detectorIP) {
+std::string slsDetector::setDetectorIP(const std::string& detectorIP) {
 	struct sockaddr_in sa;
 	if (detectorIP.length() && detectorIP.length() < 16) {
 		int result = inet_pton(AF_INET, detectorIP.c_str(), &(sa.sin_addr));
@@ -2890,12 +2886,12 @@ std::string slsDetector::setDetectorIP(std::string detectorIP) {
 }
 
 
-std::string slsDetector::setReceiver(std::string receiverIP) {
+std::string slsDetector::setReceiver(const std::string& receiverIP) {
 	FILE_LOG(logDEBUG1) << "Setting up Receiver with " << receiverIP;
 	// recieverIP is none
 	if (receiverIP == "none") {
 		memset(thisDetector->receiver_hostname, 0, MAX_STR_LENGTH);
-		strcpy(thisDetector->receiver_hostname, "none");
+		sls::strcpy_safe(thisDetector->receiver_hostname, "none");
 		thisDetector->receiverOnlineFlag = OFFLINE_FLAG;
 		return std::string(thisDetector->receiver_hostname);
 	}
@@ -2991,7 +2987,7 @@ std::string slsDetector::setReceiver(std::string receiverIP) {
 }
 
 
-std::string slsDetector::setReceiverUDPIP(std::string udpip) {
+std::string slsDetector::setReceiverUDPIP(const std::string& udpip) {
 	struct sockaddr_in sa;
 	if (udpip.length() && udpip.length() < 16) {
 		int result = inet_pton(AF_INET, udpip.c_str(), &(sa.sin_addr));
@@ -3003,7 +2999,7 @@ std::string slsDetector::setReceiverUDPIP(std::string udpip) {
 		}
 		// valid format
 		else {
-			strcpy(thisDetector->receiverUDPIP,udpip.c_str());
+			sls::strcpy_safe(thisDetector->receiverUDPIP,udpip.c_str());
 			if (!strcmp(thisDetector->receiver_hostname, "none")) {
 				FILE_LOG(logDEBUG1) << "Receiver hostname not set yet";
 			} else if (setUDPConnection() == FAIL) {
@@ -3015,7 +3011,7 @@ std::string slsDetector::setReceiverUDPIP(std::string udpip) {
 }
 
 
-std::string slsDetector::setReceiverUDPMAC(std::string udpmac) {
+std::string slsDetector::setReceiverUDPMAC(const std::string& udpmac) {
 	// invalid format
 	if ((udpmac.length() != 17) ||
 			(udpmac[2] != ':') || (udpmac[5] != ':') || (udpmac[8] != ':') ||
@@ -3060,7 +3056,7 @@ int slsDetector::setReceiverUDPPort2(int udpport) {
 }
 
 
-std::string slsDetector::setClientStreamingPort(std::string port) {
+std::string slsDetector::setClientStreamingPort(const std::string& port) {
 	thisDetector->zmqport = stoi(port);
 	return getClientStreamingPort();
 }
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
index d1f05a45e..cbacbc1cf 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ public:
 	 * @returns OK or FAIL
 	 * \sa sharedSlsDetector
 	 */
-	int setTCPSocket(std::string const name="", int const control_port=-1, int const stop_port=-1);
+	int setTCPSocket(const std::string& hostname="", int control_port=-1, int stop_port=-1);
 
 	/**
 	 * Set/Gets TCP Port of detector or receiver
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ public:
 	 * @param cmd command to be executed
 	 * @returns OK or FAIL
 	 */
-	int execCommand(std::string cmd);
+	int execCommand(const std::string& cmd);
 
 	/**
 	 * Updates some of the shared memory receiving the data from the detector
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ public:
 	 * @param m multiSlsDetector reference to parse commands
 	 * @returns OK or FAIL
 	 */
-	int writeConfigurationFile(std::string const fname, multiSlsDetector* m);
+	int writeConfigurationFile(const std::string& fname, multiSlsDetector* m);
 
 	/**
 	 * Write current configuration to a stream
@@ -672,7 +672,7 @@ public:
 	 * @param s trimbits/settings directory
 	 * @returns the trimbit/settings directory
 	 */
-	std::string setSettingsDir(std::string s);
+	std::string setSettingsDir(const std::string& dir);
 
 	/**
 	 * Loads the modules settings/trimbits reading from a specific file
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ public:
 	 * @param fname specific settings/trimbits file
 	 * returns OK or FAIL
 	 */
-	int loadSettingsFile(std::string fname);
+	int loadSettingsFile(const std::string& fname);
 
 	/**
 	 * Saves the modules settings/trimbits to a specific file
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ public:
 	 * @param fname specific settings/trimbits file
 	 * returns OK or FAIL
 	 */
-	int saveSettingsFile(std::string fname);
+	int saveSettingsFile(const std::string& fname);
 
 	/**
 	 * Get run status of the detector
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@ public:
 	 * @param value network parameter value
 	 * @returns network parameter value set (from getNetworkParameter)
 	 */
-	std::string setNetworkParameter(networkParameter index, std::string value);
+	std::string setNetworkParameter(networkParameter index, const std::string& value);
 
 	/**
 	 * Get network parameter
@@ -944,14 +944,14 @@ public:
 	 * @param detectorMAC detector MAC address
 	 * @returns the detector MAC address
 	 */
-	std::string setDetectorMAC(std::string detectorMAC);
+	std::string setDetectorMAC(const std::string& detectorMAC);
 
 	/**
 	 * Validates the format of the detector IP address and sets it \sa sharedSlsDetector
 	 * @param detectorIP detector IP address
 	 * @returns the detector IP address
 	 */
-	std::string setDetectorIP(std::string detectorIP);
+	std::string setDetectorIP(const std::string& detectorIP);
 
 	/**
 	 * Validates and sets the receiver.
@@ -960,21 +960,21 @@ public:
 	 * @param receiver receiver hostname or IP address
 	 * @returns the receiver IP address from shared memory
 	 */
-	std::string setReceiver(std::string receiver);
+	std::string setReceiver(const std::string& receiver);
 
 	/**
 	 * Validates the format of the receiver UDP IP address and sets it \sa sharedSlsDetector
 	 * @param udpip receiver UDP IP address
 	 * @returns the receiver UDP IP address
 	 */
-	std::string setReceiverUDPIP(std::string udpip);
+	std::string setReceiverUDPIP(const std::string& udpip);
 
 	/**
 	 * Validates the format of the receiver UDP MAC address and sets it \sa sharedSlsDetector
 	 * @param udpmac receiver UDP MAC address
 	 * @returns the receiver UDP MAC address
 	 */
-	std::string setReceiverUDPMAC(std::string udpmac);
+	std::string setReceiverUDPMAC(const std::string& udpmac);
 
 	/**
 	 * Sets the receiver UDP port\sa sharedSlsDetector
@@ -996,7 +996,7 @@ public:
 	 * calculate individual ports)
 	 * @returns the client zmq port
 	 */
-	std::string setClientStreamingPort(std::string port);
+	std::string setClientStreamingPort(const std::string& port);
 
 	/**
 	 * Sets the receiver zmq port\sa sharedSlsDetector