diff --git a/slsDetectorGui/src/qDetectorMain.cpp b/slsDetectorGui/src/qDetectorMain.cpp
index e28a30e04..c2f6013a3 100644
--- a/slsDetectorGui/src/qDetectorMain.cpp
+++ b/slsDetectorGui/src/qDetectorMain.cpp
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ void qDetectorMain::ExecuteUtilities(QAction *action){
 #ifdef VERBOSE
 		cout << "Loading Calibration Data" << endl;
 #endif
-		QString fName = QString(myDet->getCalDir());
+		QString fName = QString( (myDet->getCalDir()).c_str() );
 		qDefs::checkErrorMessage(myDet);
 
 		//so that even nonexisting files can be selected
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ void qDetectorMain::ExecuteUtilities(QAction *action){
 #ifdef VERBOSE
 		cout << "Saving Calibration Data" << endl;
 #endif//different output directory so as not to overwrite
-		QString fName = QString(myDet->getCalDir());
+		QString fName = QString( (myDet->getCalDir()).c_str()  );
 		qDefs::checkErrorMessage(myDet);
 		fName = QFileDialog::getSaveFileName(this,
 				tr("Save Current Detector Calibration Data"),fName,
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp
index 936e18cf9..f20188409 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp
@@ -3552,38 +3552,39 @@ int multiSlsDetector::getTrimEn(int* ene)
    returns the location of the calibration files
    \sa  sharedSlsDetector
 */
-char* multiSlsDetector::getCalDir()
+string multiSlsDetector::getCalDir()
 {
-    string s0 = "", s1 = "", s;
-    //char ans[1000];
-    for (int idet = 0; idet < thisMultiDetector->numberOfDetectors; ++idet) {
-        if (detectors[idet]) {
-            s = detectors[idet]->getCalDir();
-            if (detectors[idet]->getErrorMask())
-                setErrorMask(getErrorMask() | (1 << idet));
+	return callDetectors(&slsDetector::getCalDir);
+    // string s0 = "", s1 = "", s;
+    // //char ans[1000];
+    // for (int idet = 0; idet < thisMultiDetector->numberOfDetectors; ++idet) {
+    //     if (detectors[idet]) {
+    //         s = detectors[idet]->getCalDir();
+    //         if (detectors[idet]->getErrorMask())
+    //             setErrorMask(getErrorMask() | (1 << idet));
 
-            if (s0 == "")
-                s0 = s;
-            else
-                s0 += string("+") + s;
-            if (s1 == "")
-                s1 = s;
-            else if (s1 != s)
-                s1 = "bad";
-        }
-    }
-    if (s1 == "bad")
-        strcpy(ans, s0.c_str());
-    else
-        strcpy(ans, s1.c_str());
-    return ans;
+    //         if (s0 == "")
+    //             s0 = s;
+    //         else
+    //             s0 += string("+") + s;
+    //         if (s1 == "")
+    //             s1 = s;
+    //         else if (s1 != s)
+    //             s1 = "bad";
+    //     }
+    // }
+    // if (s1 == "bad")
+    //     strcpy(ans, s0.c_str());
+    // else
+    //     strcpy(ans, s1.c_str());
+    // return ans;
 }
 
 /**
    sets the location of the calibration files
    \sa  sharedSlsDetector
 */
-char* multiSlsDetector::setCalDir(string s)
+string multiSlsDetector::setCalDir(string s)
 {
 
     if (s.find('+') == string::npos) {
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h
index 2f8ec3a9b..d1daf1857 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h
@@ -1054,12 +1054,12 @@ class multiSlsDetector  : public slsDetectorUtils {
      returns the location of the calibration files
      \sa  sharedSlsDetector
   */
-  char* getCalDir();
+  std::string getCalDir();
   /**
      sets the location of the calibration files
      \sa  sharedSlsDetector
   */
-  char* setCalDir(std::string s); 
+  std::string setCalDir(std::string s); 
 
 
   std::string getNetworkParameter(networkParameter);
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
index 95cd47f4a..db6798c24 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetector.h
@@ -493,12 +493,12 @@ class slsDetector : public slsDetectorUtils, public energyConversion {
      returns the location of the calibration files
      \sa  sharedSlsDetector
   */
-  char* getCalDir() {return thisDetector->calDir;};
+  std::string getCalDir() {return thisDetector->calDir;};
   /**
      sets the location of the calibration files
      \sa  sharedSlsDetector
   */
-  char* setCalDir(string s) {sprintf(thisDetector->calDir, s.c_str()); return thisDetector->calDir;}; 
+  std::string setCalDir(string s) {sprintf(thisDetector->calDir, s.c_str()); return thisDetector->calDir;}; 
 
 
 
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorCommand.cpp b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorCommand.cpp
index cda0752f1..bada96b0b 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorCommand.cpp
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorCommand.cpp
@@ -3061,9 +3061,9 @@ string slsDetectorCommand::cmdCalDir(int narg, char *args[], int action){
 	if (action==PUT_ACTION) {
 		myDet->setCalDir(string(args[1]));
 	}
-	if (myDet->getCalDir()==NULL)
+	if ( (myDet->getCalDir()).empty() )
 		return string("undefined");
-	return string(myDet->getCalDir());
+	return myDet->getCalDir();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorUtils.h b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorUtils.h
index e96aeb65f..3a0de545b 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorUtils.h
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/slsDetector/slsDetectorUtils.h
@@ -413,12 +413,12 @@ class slsDetectorUtils :  public slsDetectorActions, public postProcessing {
   /**
      returns the location of the calibration files
   */
-  virtual char* getCalDir()=0; 
+  virtual std::string getCalDir()=0; 
 
   /**
      sets the location of the calibration files
   */
-  virtual char* setCalDir(std::string s)=0;
+  virtual std::string setCalDir(std::string s)=0;
 
   /** Frees the shared memory  -  should not be used except for debugging*/
   virtual int freeSharedMemory()=0;