diff --git a/src/libCom/misc/epicsString.c b/src/libCom/misc/epicsString.c
index 7db59b230..76a85fcbd 100644
--- a/src/libCom/misc/epicsString.c
+++ b/src/libCom/misc/epicsString.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 /*************************************************************************\
+* Copyright (c) 2009 Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie.
 * Copyright (c) 2009 UChicago Argonne LLC, as Operator of Argonne
 *     National Laboratory.
 * Copyright (c) 2002 The Regents of the University of California, as
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@
 /* $Id$ */
 
 /* Authors: Jun-ichi Odagiri, Marty Kraimer, Eric Norum,
- *          Mark Rivers, Andrew Johnson
+ *          Mark Rivers, Andrew Johnson, Ralph Lange
  */
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -24,76 +25,149 @@
 #include "cantProceed.h"
 #include "epicsString.h"
 
+/* Deprecated: This may be insecure; use epicsStrnRawFromEscaped instead */
 int dbTranslateEscape(char *to, const char *from)
+{
+    size_t big_enough = strlen(from)+1;
+    return epicsStrnRawFromEscaped(to, big_enough, from, big_enough);
+}
+
+int epicsStrnRawFromEscaped(char *to, size_t outsize, const char *from, size_t inlen)
 {
     const char *pfrom  = from;
     char       *pto = to;
     char        c;
-    int         nto=0;
+    int         nto=0, nfrom=0;
 
-    while( (c = *pfrom++ ) ){
-	if(c=='\\') {
-          switch( *pfrom ){
-          case 'a':  pfrom++;  *pto++ = '\a' ; nto++; break;
-          case 'b':  pfrom++;  *pto++ = '\b' ; nto++; break;
-          case 'f':  pfrom++;  *pto++ = '\f' ; nto++; break;
-          case 'n':  pfrom++;  *pto++ = '\n' ; nto++; break;
-          case 'r':  pfrom++;  *pto++ = '\r' ; nto++; break;
-          case 't':  pfrom++;  *pto++ = '\t' ; nto++; break;
-          case 'v':  pfrom++;  *pto++ = '\v' ; nto++; break;
-          case '\\': pfrom++;  *pto++ = '\\' ; nto++; break;
-          case '\?': pfrom++;  *pto++ = '\?' ; nto++; break;
-          case '\'': pfrom++;  *pto++ = '\'' ; nto++; break;
-          case '\"': pfrom++;  *pto++ = '\"' ; nto++; break;
-          case '0' :case '1' :case '2' :case '3' :
-          case '4' :case '5' :case '6' :case '7' :
-            {
-		int  i;
-		char strval[4] = {0,0,0,0};
-		unsigned int  ival;
-		unsigned char *pchar;
+    while( (c = *pfrom++) && nto < outsize && nfrom < inlen){
+        nfrom++;
+        if(c == '\\') {
+            if( nfrom >= inlen || *pfrom == '\0' ) break;
+            switch( *pfrom ){
+            case 'a':  pfrom++; nfrom++; *pto++ = '\a' ; nto++; break;
+            case 'b':  pfrom++; nfrom++; *pto++ = '\b' ; nto++; break;
+            case 'f':  pfrom++; nfrom++; *pto++ = '\f' ; nto++; break;
+            case 'n':  pfrom++; nfrom++; *pto++ = '\n' ; nto++; break;
+            case 'r':  pfrom++; nfrom++; *pto++ = '\r' ; nto++; break;
+            case 't':  pfrom++; nfrom++; *pto++ = '\t' ; nto++; break;
+            case 'v':  pfrom++; nfrom++; *pto++ = '\v' ; nto++; break;
+            case '\\': pfrom++; nfrom++; *pto++ = '\\' ; nto++; break;
+            case '\?': pfrom++; nfrom++; *pto++ = '\?' ; nto++; break;
+            case '\'': pfrom++; nfrom++; *pto++ = '\'' ; nto++; break;
+            case '\"': pfrom++; nfrom++; *pto++ = '\"' ; nto++; break;
+            case '0' :case '1' :case '2' :case '3' :
+            case '4' :case '5' :case '6' :case '7' :
+                {
+                    int  i;
+                    char strval[4] = {0,0,0,0};
+                    unsigned int  ival;
+                    unsigned char *pchar;
 
-		for(i=0; i<3; i++) {
-		    if((*pfrom < '0') || (*pfrom > '7')) break;
-		    strval[i] = *pfrom++;
-		}
-		sscanf(strval,"%o",&ival);
-		pchar = (unsigned char *)(pto++); nto++;
-		*pchar = (unsigned char)(ival);
+                    for(i=0; i<3; i++) {
+                        if((*pfrom < '0') || (*pfrom > '7')) break;
+                        strval[i] = *pfrom++; nfrom++;
+                    }
+                    sscanf(strval,"%o",&ival);
+                    pchar = (unsigned char *)(pto++); nto++;
+                    *pchar = (unsigned char)(ival);
+                }
+                break;
+            case 'x' :
+                {
+                    int  i;
+                    char strval[3] = {0,0,0};
+                    unsigned int  ival;
+                    unsigned char *pchar;
+
+                    pfrom++; /*skip the x*/
+                    for(i=0; i<2; i++) {
+                        if(!isxdigit((int)*pfrom)) break;
+                        strval[i] = *pfrom++; nfrom++;
+                    }
+                    sscanf(strval,"%x",&ival);
+                    pchar = (unsigned char *)(pto++); nto++;
+                    *pchar = (unsigned char)(ival);
+                }
+                break;
+            default:
+                *pto++ = *pfrom++; nfrom++; nto++;
             }
-            break;
-          case 'x' :
-            {
-		int  i;
-		char strval[3] = {0,0,0};
-		unsigned int  ival;
-		unsigned char *pchar;
-
-                pfrom++; /*skip the x*/
-		for(i=0; i<2; i++) {
-		    if(!isxdigit((int)*pfrom)) break;
-		    strval[i] = *pfrom++;
-		}
-		sscanf(strval,"%x",&ival);
-		pchar = (unsigned char *)(pto++); nto++;
-		*pchar = (unsigned char)(ival);
-            }
-            break;
-          default:
-            *pto++ = *pfrom++;
-          }
         } else {
-	    *pto++ = c; nto++;
+            *pto++ = c; nto++;
         }
     }
-    *pto = '\0'; /*NOTE that nto does not have to be incremented*/
+    *pto = '\0'; /* NOTE that nto does not have to be incremented */
     return(nto);
 }
 
+int epicsStrnEscapedFromRaw(char *outbuf, size_t outsize, const char *inbuf, size_t inlen)
+{
+    int maxout = outsize;
+    int nout = 0;
+    int len;
+    char *outpos = outbuf;
+
+    while (inlen--)  {
+        char c = *inbuf++;
+        switch (c) {
+            case '\a':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\a"); break;
+            case '\b':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\b"); break;
+            case '\f':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\f"); break;
+            case '\n':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\n"); break;
+            case '\r':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\r"); break;
+            case '\t':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\t"); break;
+            case '\v':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\v"); break;
+            case '\\':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\\\"); ; break;
+            /*? does not follow C convention because trigraphs no longer important*/
+            case '\?':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "?"); break;
+            case '\'':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\'"); break;
+            case '\"':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\\""); break;
+            default:
+                if (isprint((int)c))
+                    len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "%c", c);
+                else
+                    len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\%03o", (unsigned char)c);
+                break;
+        }
+        if(len<0) return -1;
+        nout += len;
+        if(nout < outsize) {
+            maxout -= len;
+            outpos += len;
+        } else {
+            outpos = outpos + maxout -1;
+            maxout = 1;
+        }
+    }
+    *outpos = '\0';
+    return nout;
+}
+
+size_t epicsStrnEscapedFromRawSize(const char *inbuf, size_t inlen)
+{
+    size_t nout = inlen;
+
+    while (inlen--)  {
+        char c = *inbuf++;
+        switch (c) {
+            case '\a': case '\b': case '\f': case '\n':
+            case '\r': case '\t': case '\v': case '\\': 
+            case '\?': case '\'': case '\"':
+                inlen++;
+                break;
+            default:
+                if (!isprint((int)c))
+                    nout += 4;
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+    return nout;
+}
+
 int epicsStrCaseCmp(const char *s1, const char *s2)
 {
     int nexts1,nexts2;
-    
+
     while(1) {
         /* vxWorks implementation expands argument more than once!!! */
         nexts1 = toupper(*s1);
@@ -111,7 +185,7 @@ int epicsStrnCaseCmp(const char *s1, const char *s2, int n)
 {
     size_t ind = 0;
     int nexts1,nexts2;
-    
+
     while(1) {
         if(ind++ >= (size_t)n) break;
         /* vxWorks implementation expands argument more than once!!! */
@@ -161,49 +235,6 @@ int epicsStrPrintEscaped(FILE *fp, const char *s, int n)
    return nout;
 }
 
-int epicsStrSnPrintEscaped(char *outbuf, int outsize, const char *inbuf,
-    int inlen)
-{
-   int maxout = outsize;
-   int nout = 0;
-   int len;
-   char *outpos = outbuf;
-
-   while (inlen--)  {
-       char c = *inbuf++;
-       switch (c) {
-       case '\a':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\a"); break;
-       case '\b':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\b"); break;
-       case '\f':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\f"); break;
-       case '\n':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\n"); break;
-       case '\r':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\r"); break;
-       case '\t':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\t"); break;
-       case '\v':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\v"); break;
-       case '\\':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\\\"); ; break;
-       /*? does not follow C convention because trigraphs no longer important*/
-       case '\?':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "?"); break;
-       case '\'':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\'"); break;
-       case '\"':  len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\\""); break;
-       default:
-           if (isprint((int)c))
-               len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "%c", c);
-           else
-               len = epicsSnprintf(outpos, maxout, "\\%03o", (unsigned char)c);
-           break;
-       }
-       if(len<0) return -1;
-       nout += len;
-       if(nout < outsize) {
-           maxout -= len;
-           outpos += len;
-       } else {
-           outpos = outpos + maxout -1;
-           maxout = 1;
-       }
-   }
-   return nout;
-}
-
 int epicsStrGlobMatch(const char *str, const char *pattern)
 {
     const char *cp=NULL, *mp=NULL;
diff --git a/src/libCom/misc/epicsString.h b/src/libCom/misc/epicsString.h
index c1c2c2545..8cf9d26a0 100644
--- a/src/libCom/misc/epicsString.h
+++ b/src/libCom/misc/epicsString.h
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 /*************************************************************************\
+* Copyright (c) 2009 Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie.
 * Copyright (c) 2009 UChicago Argonne LLC, as Operator of Argonne
 *     National Laboratory.
 * Copyright (c) 2002 The Regents of the University of California, as
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@
 /* $Id$ */
 
 /* Authors: Jun-ichi Odagiri, Marty Kraimer, Eric Norum,
- *          Mark Rivers, Andrew Johnson
+ *          Mark Rivers, Andrew Johnson, Ralph Lange
  */
 
 #ifndef INC_epicsString_H
@@ -23,18 +24,23 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-epicsShareFunc int dbTranslateEscape(char *s,const char *ct);
-epicsShareFunc int epicsStrCaseCmp(const char *s1,const char *s2);
-epicsShareFunc int epicsStrnCaseCmp(const char *s1,const char *s2, int n);
+epicsShareFunc int epicsStrnRawFromEscaped(char *outbuf,      size_t outsize,
+                                           const char *inbuf, size_t inlen);
+epicsShareFunc int epicsStrnEscapedFromRaw(char *outbuf,      size_t outsize,
+                                           const char *inbuf, size_t inlen);
+epicsShareFunc size_t epicsStrnEscapedFromRawSize(const char *inbuf, size_t inlen);
+epicsShareFunc int epicsStrCaseCmp(const char *s1, const char *s2);
+epicsShareFunc int epicsStrnCaseCmp(const char *s1, const char *s2, int n);
 epicsShareFunc char * epicsStrDup(const char *s);
 epicsShareFunc int epicsStrPrintEscaped(FILE *fp, const char *s, int n);
-epicsShareFunc int epicsStrSnPrintEscaped(char *outbuf, int outsize,
-    const char *inbuf, int inlen);
+#define epicsStrSnPrintEscaped epicsStrnEscapedFromRaw
 epicsShareFunc int epicsStrGlobMatch(const char *str, const char *pattern);
 epicsShareFunc char * epicsStrtok_r(char *s, const char *delim, char **lasts);
 epicsShareFunc unsigned int epicsStrHash(const char *str, unsigned int seed);
 epicsShareFunc unsigned int epicsMemHash(const char *str, size_t length,
-    unsigned int seed);
+                                         unsigned int seed);
+/* dbTranslateEscape is deprecated, use epicsStrnRawFromEscaped instead */
+epicsShareFunc int dbTranslateEscape(char *s, const char *ct);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }