diff --git a/tecs/coc_client.c b/tecs/coc_client.c
index f44c49f1..d3b1ef78 100644
--- a/tecs/coc_client.c
+++ b/tecs/coc_client.c
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 #include "myc_err.h"
 #include "coc_util.h"
 #include "coc_client.h"
-#include "sys_util.h"
 #include "myc_str.h"
 
 /* --- non ANSI signal --- */
@@ -390,8 +389,14 @@ int CocWatchLog(CocConn *conn, char *loglist) {
   StrBuf *buf;
   int fd, iret;
   int i, siz, n;
+  static int init=1;
 
-  sys_ctrl_init();
+#if __VMS
+  if (init) {
+    init=0;
+    DECC$CRTL_INIT();
+  }
+#endif
   fd=conn->fd;
   CocReset(conn);
   ERR_I(CocPutStr(conn, "loglist", loglist));
diff --git a/tecs/coc_server.c b/tecs/coc_server.c
index 98eb5982..f7440285 100644
--- a/tecs/coc_server.c
+++ b/tecs/coc_server.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 #include <netdb.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -9,7 +10,6 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 #include "myc_mem.h"
-#include "sys_util.h"
 #include "myc_err.h"
 #include "coc_logfile.h"
 #include "coc_util.h"
@@ -477,6 +477,12 @@ void CocShowHandlers(char *buf, int buf_len) {
   return;
 }
 
+#ifdef __VMS
+  typedef size_t socklen_type;
+#else
+  typedef int socklen_type;
+#endif
+
 int CocHandle1Request(int tmo_msec, int fd) {
   struct sockaddr_in cadr;
   struct hostent *h;
@@ -484,7 +490,7 @@ int CocHandle1Request(int tmo_msec, int fd) {
   CocClient *cl, *cl0;
   CocVar *var;
   int i, lmask, newfd, n, iret;
-  sys_adr_len cadrlen; /* see sys_util.h */
+  socklen_type cadrlen;
   char *err, *cmd, *arg, *varname;
   void *base;
 
diff --git a/tecs/coc_util.c b/tecs/coc_util.c
index b90a024b..4f61c68e 100644
--- a/tecs/coc_util.c
+++ b/tecs/coc_util.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
diff --git a/tecs/instr_hosts.c b/tecs/instr_hosts.c
index 28c81cf6..4217bc31 100644
--- a/tecs/instr_hosts.c
+++ b/tecs/instr_hosts.c
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include "myc_str.h"
-#include "sys_util.h"
+#include "myc_fortran.h"
 
 typedef struct { char *instr; char *host; int port; char *user; int cod; } Instrument;
 static Instrument list[]={
diff --git a/tecs/make_gen b/tecs/make_gen
index 5eebf3fc..ef00c4f1 100644
--- a/tecs/make_gen
+++ b/tecs/make_gen
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ SERV_OBJ  =tecs.o coc_server.o tecs_lsc.o tecs_serial.o coc_logfile.o \
            tecs_data.o $(LIBR_OBJ)
 CLI_OBJ   =tecs_cli.o coc_client.o $(LIBR_OBJ)
 TCLI_OBJ  =$(SYS_FILE).o $(SYS_FILE)_c.o $(CLI_OBJ)
-TECLI_OBJ =tecs_client.o tecs_plot.o sys_util.o str.o instr_hosts.o \
+TECLI_OBJ =tecs_client.o tecs_plot.o str.o instr_hosts.o \
            $(TCLI_OBJ)
 
 #.f.o:
diff --git a/tecs/myc_buf.c b/tecs/myc_buf.c
index 98049393..8c0e51bb 100644
--- a/tecs/myc_buf.c
+++ b/tecs/myc_buf.c
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <strings.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
-#include "sys_util.h"
 #include "myc_err.h"
 #include "myc_str.h"
 #include "myc_buf.h"
diff --git a/tecs/myc_err.c b/tecs/myc_err.c
index aafd26be..c92112eb 100644
--- a/tecs/myc_err.c
+++ b/tecs/myc_err.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
-#include "sys_util.h"
+#include "myc_fortran.h"
 #include "myc_str.h"
 #include "myc_err.h"
 
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ static int stack_empty=1;
 
 int ErrCode;
 char *ErrMessage=NULL;
-void (*outrtn)()=NULL;
+void (*outrtn)(void *, char *)=NULL;
 void *outarg;
 
 void ErrTxt(char *text, int systemError)
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ void ErrShort(char *msg) {
   outrtn(outarg, msg);
 }
 
-void ErrSetOutRtn(void (*rtn)(), void *arg) {
+void ErrSetOutRtn(void (*rtn)(void *, char *), void *arg) {
   outrtn=rtn;
   outarg=arg;
 }
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ void F_FUN(err_msg)(F_CHAR(text), int text_len) {
   ErrMsg(buf);
 }
 
-void F_FUN(err_set_outrtn)(void (*rtn)(), void *arg) {
+void F_FUN(err_set_outrtn)(void (*rtn)(void *, char*), void *arg) {
   ErrSetOutRtn(rtn, arg);
 }
 
diff --git a/tecs/myc_err.h b/tecs/myc_err.h
index 66f555e6..cd5e89a3 100644
--- a/tecs/myc_err.h
+++ b/tecs/myc_err.h
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ void ErrCod(int code);
 void ErrShow(char *text); /* write out error message with stack info */
 void ErrShort(char *msg); /* write out short error message */
 void ERR_EXIT(char *text);
-void ErrSetOutRtn(void (*rtn)(), void *arg);
+void ErrSetOutRtn(void (*rtn)(void *,char *), void *arg);
 void ErrSetOutFile(FILE *file);
 
 extern int ErrCode;
diff --git a/tecs/sys_util.h b/tecs/myc_fortran.h
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
similarity index 52%
rename from tecs/sys_util.h
rename to tecs/myc_fortran.h
index 7a24c2fa..33e5cf65
--- a/tecs/sys_util.h
+++ b/tecs/myc_fortran.h
@@ -12,10 +12,6 @@
      Use macros STR_TO_C and STR_TO_F to convert from Fortran character strings
      to C character arrays and vice versa.
 
-   sys_adr_len  (argument of accept and gethostbyadr, system dependent)
-   
-   sys_ctrl_init() (needed in VMS only)
-
 */
 
 
@@ -23,36 +19,37 @@
 
 typedef struct { short size, dummy; char *text; } SysVmsChar;
 
-#define F_CHAR(VAR) SysVmsChar *VAR##_desc
-#define STR_TO_C(DST,SRC) str_ntrim(DST, SRC##_desc->text, sizeof(DST), SRC##_desc->size)
-#define STR_TO_F(DST,SRC) str_npad(DST##_desc->text, SRC, DST##_desc->size)
+#define F_CHAR(VAR) SysVmsChar *VAR
+#define F_DCHAR(VAR,LEN) static char VAR##_str[LEN]; SysVmsChar VAR##_desc={LEN,270,&VAR##_str[0]}; SysVmsChar *VAR=&VAR##_desc
+#define F_CLEN(VAR) 
+#define F_ALEN(VAR) 
+#define F_LEN(VAR) VAR->size
+#define STR_TO_C(DST,SRC) str_ntrim(DST, SRC->text, sizeof(DST), SRC->size)
+#define STR_TO_F(DST,SRC) str_npad(DST->text, SRC, DST->size)
 #define F_FUN(A) A
 
-typedef size_t sys_adr_len; /* argument of accept and gethostbyadr */
 
-void sys_ctrl_init(void);
-
-
-#elif defined __alpha || defined __unix
+#elif defined __alpha || defined __unix  || defined __GNUC__
 
 #define F_CHAR(VAR) char *VAR
+#define F_DCHAR(VAR,LEN) char VAR[LEN]; int VAR##_len=LEN
+#define F_CLEN(VAR) ,int VAR##_len
+#define F_ALEN(VAR) ,VAR##_len
+#define F_LEN(VAR) VAR##_len
 #define STR_TO_C(DST,SRC) str_ntrim(DST, SRC, sizeof(DST), SRC##_len)
 #define STR_TO_F(DST,SRC) str_npad(DST, SRC, DST##_len)
 
 #ifdef __alpha
 #define F_FUN(A) A##_
+#elif defined __GNUC__
+#define F_FUN(A) A##__
 #else
 #define F_FUN(A) A##__
 #endif
 
-typedef int sys_adr_len; /* argument of accept and gethostbyadr */
-
-#define sys_ctrl_init() 0
-
-
 #else
 
-/* other machines are not supported */
+#error "other machines are not supported"
 
 #endif
 
diff --git a/tecs/myc_str.c b/tecs/myc_str.c
index b538f432..63c98e47 100644
--- a/tecs/myc_str.c
+++ b/tecs/myc_str.c
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
-#include "sys_util.h"
 #include "myc_err.h"
 #include "myc_str.h"
 #include "myc_mem.h"
@@ -94,7 +93,6 @@ char *str_nsplit(char *dst, const char *src, char sep, int dstlen) {
 }
 
 char *str_read_until(FILE *fil, char *term, char *buf, char *end) {
-  char *s;
   char fmt[24];
   int i, l, siz;
   char ch;
@@ -122,8 +120,7 @@ char *str_read_until(FILE *fil, char *term, char *buf, char *end) {
 char *str_read_file(char *file) {
   FILE *fil;
   char *str, *s, *e, *p, *q;
-  char ch;
-  int i, l, size;
+  int i, size;
   struct stat statbuf;
   
   i=stat(file, &statbuf);
@@ -198,7 +195,7 @@ int str_nsubstitute(char *result, char *str, char *old, char *new, int reslen) {
 void str_nupcase(char *dst, const char *src, int dstlen) {
   dstlen--; /* space for trailing nul */
   while (*src!='\0' && dstlen>0) {
-    *dst=toupper(*src);
+    *dst=toupper((int)*src);
     dst++; src++;
     dstlen--;
   }
@@ -208,13 +205,14 @@ void str_nupcase(char *dst, const char *src, int dstlen) {
 void str_nlowcase(char *dst, const char *src, int dstlen) {
   dstlen--; /* space for trailing nul */
   while (*src!='\0' && dstlen>0) {
-    *dst=tolower(*src);
+    *dst=tolower((int)*src);
     dst++; src++;
     dstlen--;
   }
   *dst='\0';
 }
 
+#ifndef __GNUC__
 int strcasecmp(const char *str1, const char *str2) {
   int i;
   char ch1, ch2;
@@ -230,6 +228,7 @@ int strcasecmp(const char *str1, const char *str2) {
   }
   return(0);
 }
+#endif
 
 int str_ncpy(char *dst, const char *src, int maxdest) {
   strncpy(dst, src, maxdest);
diff --git a/tecs/myc_time.c b/tecs/myc_time.c
index 03310d03..f8c88dbd 100644
--- a/tecs/myc_time.c
+++ b/tecs/myc_time.c
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 #include <assert.h>
+#include <sys/time.h>
 #include <time.h>
+/*
+#include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/timeb.h>
-#include "sys_util.h"
+int ftime (struct timeb *__timeptr);
+*/
+#include "myc_fortran.h"
 #include "myc_time.h"
 
-int ftime (struct timeb *__timeptr); /* for some reason not defined in timeb.h with flag -std1 */
 
 static time_t my_base=0;
 
@@ -34,12 +38,19 @@ int mycNow(void) {
 }
 
 int mycMsecSince(int since) {
+/*
   struct timeb now;
+*/
+  struct timeval now;
   int msec;
 
   if (my_base == 0) initBase();
+/*
   ftime(&now);
   msec = (now.time - my_base) % (24*3600) * 1000 + now.millitm - since;
+*/
+  gettimeofday(&now, NULL);
+  msec = (now.tv_sec - my_base) % (24*3600) * 1000 + now.tv_usec/1000 - since;
   if (msec < 0) msec+=24*3600000;
   return msec;
 }
diff --git a/tecs/str_buf.c b/tecs/str_buf.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 5d7ea71a..00000000
--- a/tecs/str_buf.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,189 +0,0 @@
-#include <stdlib.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include <math.h>
-#include <string.h>
-#include <strings.h>
-#include <stdlib.h>
-#include "sys_util.h"
-#include "err_handling.h"
-#include "str_util.h"
-#include "str_buf.h"
-
-char *str_nget_str(Str_Buf *buf, char *result, int reslen)
-{ char *b, *f, *e, quote;
-  int res, l, ll;
-
-  if (buf->rdpos < 0 || buf->rdpos >= buf->dsize) ERR_MSG("buffer corrupt");
-  b=buf->buf + buf->rdpos;
-  if (*b=='"' || *b=='\'') { /* take string within quotes (single or double) */
-    quote=*b; b++;
-    f=strchr(b, quote);
-    if (f==NULL) ERR_MSG("missing '""'");
-    l=f-b;
-    e=strchr(f+1, buf->sep);
-    if (e==NULL) {
-      buf->rdpos = f - buf->buf + 1 + strlen(f+1);
-    } else {
-      buf->rdpos = e - buf->buf + 1;
-    }
-  } else {
-    f=strchr(b, buf->sep);
-    if (f==NULL) {
-      l=strlen(b);
-      f=b+l;
-      buf->rdpos+=l;
-    } else {
-      l=f-b;
-      buf->rdpos+=l+1;
-    }
-  }
-  if (result==NULL) {
-    *f='\0';
-    return(b);
-  } else {
-    if (l>=reslen) ERR_MSG("result too short");
-    strncpy(result, b, l);
-    result[l]='\0';
-    return(result);
-  }
-  OnError:
-    buf->rdpos=-1;
-    return(NULL);
-}
-
-int str_get_int(Str_Buf *buf, int *res)
-{ char num[32];
-  int i;
-
-  ERR_P(str_get_str(buf, num));
-  i=sscanf(num, "%d", res);
-  if (i==0) ERR_MSG("illegal number");
-  return(0);
-  OnError:
-    buf->rdpos=-1;
-    return(0);
-}
-
-int str_get_float(Str_Buf *buf, float *res)
-{ char num[32];
-  int i;
-
-  ERR_P(str_get_str(buf, num));
-  i=sscanf(num, "%f", res);
-  if (i==0) ERR_MSG("illegal number");
-  return(0);
-  OnError:
-    buf->rdpos=-1;
-    return(-1);
-}
-
-int str_get_end(Str_Buf *buf)
-{
-  if (buf->rdpos < 0 || buf->rdpos >= buf->dsize) ERR_MSG("buffer corrupt");
-  if (buf->rdpos != buf->wrpos) ERR_MSG("superflous content in buffer");
-  return(0);
-  OnError:
-    return(-1);
-}
-
-int str_put_str(Str_Buf *buf, const char *str)
-{ int l, pos;
-  char quote;
-
-  pos=buf->wrpos;
-  if (pos < 0 || pos >= buf->dsize) ERR_MSG("buffer corrupt");
-  l=strlen(str);
-  quote='\0';
-  if (buf->sep>STR_NOSEPARATOR) {
-    if (strchr(str, buf->sep)!=NULL) {
-      if (strchr(str, '"')==NULL) {
-        quote='"'; l+=2;
-      } else if (strchr(str, '\'')==NULL) {
-        quote='\''; l+=2;
-      } else {
-        ERR_MSG("str must not contain separator and both kind of quotes");
-      }
-    }
-  }
-  if (pos+l >= buf->dsize) ERR_MSG("buffer too short");
-  if (quote!='\0') {
-    buf->buf[pos]=quote; pos++;
-    strcpy(buf->buf + pos, str);
-    buf->buf[pos]=quote; pos++;
-  } else {
-    strcpy(buf->buf + pos, str);
-  }
-  pos+=l;
-  if (buf->sep!=STR_NOSEPARATOR) {
-    buf->buf[pos]=buf->sep;
-    pos++;
-  } else {
-    buf->buf[pos]='\0';    
-  }
-  buf->wrpos=pos;
-  return(0);
-  OnError:
-    buf->wrpos=-1;
-    return(-1);
-}
-
-int str_put_int(Str_Buf *buf, int val)
-{ char num[32];
-
-  sprintf(num, "%d", val);
-  ERR_I(str_put_str(buf, num));
-  return(0);
-  OnError:
-    return(-1);
-}
-
-int str_put_float(Str_Buf *buf, float val)
-{ char num[32];
-
-  sprintf(num, "%f", val);
-  ERR_I(str_put_str(buf, num));
-  return(0);
-  OnError:
-    return(-1);
-}
-
-void str_get_start(Str_Buf *buf)
-{ buf->rdpos=0;
-}
-
-void str_put_start(Str_Buf *buf)
-{ buf->rdpos=0;
-  buf->wrpos=0;
-}
-
-Str_Buf *str_create_buf(size_t size, char separator)
-{ Str_Buf *buf;
-
-  NEW(buf);
-  ERR_P(buf->buf=MALLOC(size));
-  buf->dsize=size;
-  buf->sep=separator;
-  buf->wrpos=0;
-  buf->rdpos=0;
-  return(buf);
-  OnError:
-    return(NULL);
-}
-
-void str_link_buf(Str_Buf *buf, char *str, int size, char separator) {
-  buf->buf=str;
-  buf->rdpos=0;
-  if (size==0) {
-    buf->wrpos=strlen(str);
-    buf->dsize=buf->wrpos+1;
-  } else {
-    buf->wrpos=0;
-    buf->dsize=size;
-  }
-  buf->sep=separator;
-}
-
-void str_free_buf(Str_Buf *buf)
-{ FREE(buf->buf);
-  FREE(buf);
-}
diff --git a/tecs/str_buf.h b/tecs/str_buf.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 24583a49..00000000
--- a/tecs/str_buf.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-#ifndef	_STR_BUF_H_
-#define	_STR_BUF_H_
-
-typedef struct { char *buf; int dsize, rdpos, wrpos; char sep; } Str_Buf;
-
-#define str_get_str(BUF,RES) str_nget_str(BUF,RES,sizeof(RES))
-
-/* input */
-void str_get_start(Str_Buf *buf);
-char *str_nget_str(Str_Buf *buf, char *result, int reslen);
-int str_get_int(Str_Buf *buf, int *res);
-int str_get_float(Str_Buf *buf, float *res);
-int str_get_end(Str_Buf *buf);
-
-/* output */
-void str_put_start(Str_Buf *buf);
-int str_put_str(Str_Buf *buf, const char *str);
-int str_put_int(Str_Buf *buf, int val);
-int str_put_float(Str_Buf *buf, float val);
-
-/* common */
-#define STR_NOSEPARATOR ((char)1)
-Str_Buf *str_create_buf(size_t size, char separator);
-void str_link_buf(Str_Buf *buf, char *str, int size, char separator);
-void str_free_buf(Str_Buf *buf);
-
-#endif /* _STR_BUF_H_ */
diff --git a/tecs/str_util.c b/tecs/str_util.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 3674fda2..00000000
--- a/tecs/str_util.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,242 +0,0 @@
-#include <stdlib.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <sys/stat.h>
-#include <sys/socket.h>
-#include <sys/time.h>
-#include <assert.h>
-#include <string.h>
-#include <ctype.h>
-#include "sys_util.h"
-#include "err_handling.h"
-#include "str_util.h"
-
-char *str_splitx(char *str, char sep, char *list[], int *n) {
-  int i;
-  char *s, *e;
-
-  s=str;
-  for (i=0; i<*n; i++) {
-    list[i]=s;
-    e=strchr(s, sep);
-    if (e==NULL) { *n=i+1; return(NULL); }
-    s=e+1;
-    e--;
-    while (e>str && *e==' ') e--; /* trim sequence */
-    e[1]='\0';
-  }
-  return(s);
-}
-
-char *str_split1(char *str, char sep) {
-  char *s, *e;
-
-  e=strchr(str, sep);
-  if (e==NULL) {
-    s=NULL;
-    e=str+strlen(str);
-  } else {
-    s=e+1;
-  }
-  e--;
-  while (e>str && *e==' ') e--; /* trim sequence */
-  e[1]='\0';
-  return(s);
-}
-
-int str_ntrim(char *dest, const char *src, int ldest, int lsrc) {
-  int i;
-
-  if (lsrc>=ldest) lsrc=ldest-1;
-  if (dest!=src) strncpy(dest, src, lsrc);
-  dest[lsrc]='\0';
-  i=strlen(dest)-1;
-  while (i>=0 && dest[i]==' ') i--; /* trim sequence */
-  i++;
-  dest[i]='\0';
-  return(i);
-}
-
-int str_npad(char *dest, const char *src, int ldest) {
-  int i, lsrc;
-
-  lsrc=strlen(src);
-  if (lsrc>=ldest) {
-    if (dest!=src) strncpy(dest, src, ldest);
-    lsrc=ldest;
-  } else {
-    if (dest!=src) strcpy(dest, src);
-    for (i=lsrc; i<ldest; i++) {
-      dest[i]=' ';
-    }
-  }
-  return(lsrc);
-}
-
-char *str_nsplit(char *dst, const char *src, char sep, int dstlen) {
-  char *s;
-  int i;
-
-  s=strchr(src, sep);
-  if (s==NULL) {
-    s=NULL;
-    i=strlen(src);
-  } else {
-    i=s-src;
-    s++; /* skip separator */
-  }
-  if (i>=dstlen) {
-    str_copy(dst, src);
-  } else {
-    strncpy(dst, src, i);
-    dst[i]='\0';
-  }
-  return(s);
-}
-
-char *str_read_until(FILE *fil, char *term, char *buf, char *end) {
-  char *s;
-  char fmt[24];
-  int i, l, siz;
-  char ch;
-
-  siz=end-buf-1;
-  if (siz<1) return(NULL);
-  sprintf(fmt, "%s%d[^%s%s", "%", siz, term, "]%n%c");
-  i=fscanf(fil, fmt, buf, &l, &ch);
-  if (i<0) { /* eof */
-    buf[0]='\0';
-    return(&buf[0]);
-  } else if (i==0) { /* fscanf returns 0 if first char is terminator */
-    buf[0]=fgetc(fil);
-    return(&buf[0]);
-  } else if (i==1) { /* terminator not found -> read until eof */
-    buf[l]='\0';
-    return(&buf[l]);
-  } else {
-    buf[l]=ch;
-    if (l==siz && NULL==strchr(term, ch)) return(NULL);
-    return(&buf[l]);
-  }
-}
-
-char *str_read_file(char *file) {
-  FILE *fil;
-  char *str, *s, *e, *p, *q;
-  char ch;
-  int i, l, size;
-  struct stat statbuf;
-  
-  i=stat(file, &statbuf);
-  if (i<0) ERR_MSG("file not found");
-  size=statbuf.st_size+4;
-  ERR_SP(str=MALLOC(size));
-  e=&str[size-1];
-  ERR_SP(fil=fopen(file, "r"));
-  s=str;
-  while (1) {
-    p=str_read_until(fil, "!", s, e);
-    if (p==NULL) break;
-    if (*p=='!') {
-      q=str_read_until(fil, "\n", p, e);
-      if (q==NULL) { p=NULL; break; }
-      s=p; *s='\n'; s++;
-    } else {
-      assert(*p=='\0');
-      break;
-    }
-  }
-  ERR_SI(fclose(fil));
-  assert(strlen(str)<size);
-  return(str);
-  OnError: return(NULL);
-}
-
-void str_replace_char(char *str, char ch, char rep) {
-  char *s;
-
-  assert(ch!='\0' && ch!=rep);
-  s=strchr(str, ch);
-  while (s!=NULL) {
-    *s=rep;
-    s=strchr(s, ch);
-  }
-}
-
-int str_nsubstitute(char *result, char *str, char *old, char *new, int reslen) {
-  char *s, *p, *r;
-  int l, ln, lo;
-
-  p=str;
-  r=result;
-  ln=strlen(new);
-  lo=strlen(old);
-  s=strstr(p, old);
-  reslen--;
-  if (reslen<0) ERR_MSG("result buffer too short");
-  while (s!=NULL) {
-    l=s-p;
-    if (l>reslen) ERR_MSG("result buffer too short");
-    strncpy(r, p, l);
-    r+=l; reslen-=l;
-    if (ln>reslen) ERR_MSG("result buffer too short");
-    strncpy(r, new, reslen);
-    r+=ln; reslen-=ln;
-    p=s+lo;
-    s=strstr(p, old);
-  }
-  l=strlen(p);
-  if (l>reslen) ERR_MSG("result buffer too short");
-  strncpy(r, p, l);
-  r+=l;
-  *r='\0';
-  return(r-result);
-  OnError:
-    result[0]='\0';
-    return(-1);
-}
-
-void str_nupcase(char *dst, const char *src, int dstlen) {
-  dstlen--; /* space for trailing nul */
-  while (*src!='\0' && dstlen>0) {
-    *dst=toupper(*src);
-    dst++; src++;
-  }
-  *dst='\0';
-}
-
-int strcasecmp(const char *str1, const char *str2) {
-  int i;
-  char ch1, ch2;
-  ch1=tolower(*(str1++)); ch2=tolower(*(str2++));
-  i=1;
-  while (ch1!='\0' && ch2!='\0' && ch1==ch2) {
-    ch1=tolower(*(str1++)); ch2=tolower(*(str2++)); i++;
-  }
-  if (ch1<ch2) {
-    return(-i);
-  } else if (ch1>ch2) {
-    return(i);
-  }
-  return(0);
-}
-
-int str_ncpy(char *dst, const char *src, int maxdest) {
-  strncpy(dst, src, maxdest);
-  if (dst[maxdest-1]!='\0') {
-    dst[maxdest-1]='\0';
-    ERR_MSG("destination string too short");
-  }
-  return(0);
-  OnError: return(-1);
-}
-
-int str_ncat(char *dst, const char *src, int maxdest) {
-  strncat(dst, src, maxdest-strlen(dst)-1);
-  if (dst[maxdest-1]!='\0') {
-    dst[maxdest-1]='\0';
-    ERR_MSG("destination string too short");
-  }
-  return(0);
-  OnError: return(-1);
-}
diff --git a/tecs/str_util.h b/tecs/str_util.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 0dbb70c8..00000000
--- a/tecs/str_util.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,114 +0,0 @@
-#ifndef _UTIL_H_
-#define _UTIL_H_
-
-/*
-  use these macros if DST is a fixed length character array
-*/
-
-#define str_trim(DST,SRC,L)             str_ntrim(DST,SRC,sizeof(DST),L)
-#define str_pad(DST,SRC)                str_npad(DST,SRC,sizeof(DST))
-#define str_split(DST,SRC,SEP)          str_nsplit(DST,SRC,SEP,sizeof(DST))
-#define str_substitute(DST,SRC,OLD,NEW) str_nsubstitute(DST,SRC,OLD,NEW,sizeof(DST))
-#define str_upcase(DST,SRC)             str_nupcase(DST,SRC,sizeof(DST))
-#define str_copy(DST,SRC)               str_ncpy(DST,SRC,sizeof(DST))
-#define str_append(DST,SRC)             str_ncat(DST,SRC,sizeof(DST))
-
-
-char *str_split1(char *str, char separator);
-/*
-  trims text before separator in *str and returns
-  a pointer to the first character after separator
-*/
-
-char *str_splitx(char *str, char sep, char *list[], int *n);
-/*
-  split string into *n strings using separator sep.
-  spaces at the end of the elements are trimmed
-  attention: *str is modified ('\0' placed at the end of the elements)
-  
-  if *n separators are found, result points to string after *n-th separator
-  else result is NULL
-  *n contains number of elements stored in list
-*/
-
-int str_ntrim(char *dest, const char *src, int ldest, int lsrc);
-/*
-  copy characters 0 to lsrc-1 from src to dest (max ldest chars).
-*/
-
-int str_npad(char *dest, const char *src, int ldest);
-/*
-  copy src to dest and fill with spaces (fortran string format)
-*/
-
-char *str_nsplit(char *dst, const char *src, char sep, int dstlen);
-/*
-  returns a pointer to the text after the separator sep in *src
-  and copies the text before the separator to *dst
-  when *src does not contain the separator sep
-  NULL is returned, and *dst is a copy of *src
-*/
-
-char *str_read_file(char *file);
-/*
-  return one string containing the contents of file *file
-  comments separated by '!' are omitted. The caller must
-  free the result after use.
-*/
-
-void str_replace_char(char *str, char ch, char rep);
-/*
-  replace all occurences of character ch by character rep in string *str
-*/
-
-int str_nsubstitute(char *result, char *str, char *old, char *new, int reslen);
-/*
-  replace every instance of old in str by new.
-  the result must not overlap
-  if the result would be longer than reslen, the result is en empty string
-  and the return value is -1;
-  else the return value is the length of the result.
-  return one string containing the contents of file *file
-  the contents are treated in the following way:
-  - #0,#1,...#n is replaced by the corresponding argument *args[n] (n=0..nargs-1, nargs<10)
-  - at the end of each line spaces and comments separated by ! are trimmed
-*/
-
-void str_nupcase(char *dst, const char *src, int dstlen);
-/*
-  convert *str to uppercase
-*/
-
-#ifdef __VMS_VER
-#if __VMS_VER<70000000
-
-int strcasecmp(const char *str1, const char *str2);
-/*
-  compare *str1 with *str2
-  the comparison is not case sensitive
-  if result=0: strings are equal
-  else
-    result>0 <==> *str1>*str2
-    first different character is at position abs(result)-1
-*/
-
-#else
-#include <strings.h>
-#endif /* __VMS_VER<70000000 */
-#else
-#include <strings.h>
-#endif /* __VMS_VER */
-
-int str_ncpy(char *dst, const char *src, int maxdest);
-/*
-  copy *src to *dest, maximal maxdest characters,
-  it is guaranteed, that dst contains '\0'
-*/
-
-int str_ncat(char *dst, const char *src, int maxdest);
-/*
-  append *src to *dest, maximal maxdest characters,
-  it is guaranteed, that dst contains '\0'
-*/
-
-#endif /* _UTIL_H_ */
diff --git a/tecs/tecs_cli.c b/tecs/tecs_cli.c
index 02b39afd..03368508 100644
--- a/tecs/tecs_cli.c
+++ b/tecs/tecs_cli.c
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 #include "myc_err.h"
 #include "myc_str.h"
 #include "myc_time.h"
-#include "sys_util.h"
+#include "myc_fortran.h"
 #include "coc_util.h"
 #include "tecs_cli.h"
 #include "tecs_data.h"
diff --git a/tecs/tecs_plot.f b/tecs/tecs_plot.f
index 78ea8a61..8dbd5f4d 100644
--- a/tecs/tecs_plot.f
+++ b/tecs/tecs_plot.f
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 	logical loop
 	
 	! functions
-	integer sys_gmt_off, myc_now, myc_time, myc_date, get_data
+	integer myc_now, myc_time, myc_date, get_data
 	integer tecs_get_mult, tecs_get_par
 	
 	data window/0./
diff --git a/tecs/tecs_serial.c b/tecs/tecs_serial.c
index 891bceaa..ea432a76 100644
--- a/tecs/tecs_serial.c
+++ b/tecs/tecs_serial.c
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 #include "rs232c_def.h"
 #include "asynsrv_def.h"
 #include "sinq_prototypes.h"
-#include "sys_util.h"
 #include "myc_err.h"
 #include "tecs_serial.h"
 #include "coc_logfile.h"