Index: openacs-4/packages/news/lib/item.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/lib/item.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.2 -r1.3
--- openacs-4/packages/news/lib/item.tcl	6 Sep 2013 17:06:05 -0000	1.2
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/lib/item.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.3
@@ -56,14 +56,14 @@
     # RAL: publish_body is already snagged in the 1st query above for postgres.
     #
     set get_content [db_map get_content]
-    if {![string match "" $get_content]} {
+    if {$get_content ne ""} {
 	set publish_body [db_string get_content "select  content
 	from    cr_revisions
 	where   revision_id = :live_revision"]
     }
 
     # text-only body
-    if {[info exists html_p] && [string equal $html_p "f"]} {
+    if {[info exists html_p] && $html_p eq "f"} {
 	set publish_body [ad_text_to_html -- $publish_body]
     }
     
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@
 
     # get image info, if any
     set image_id [news_get_image_id $item_id]
-    if {![empty_string_p $image_id]} {
+    if {$image_id ne ""} {
         set publish_image "image/$image_id"
     } else {
         set publish_image {}
Index: openacs-4/packages/news/lib/latest-news.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/lib/latest-news.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.2 -r1.3
--- openacs-4/packages/news/lib/latest-news.tcl	5 Feb 2005 11:55:09 -0000	1.2
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/lib/latest-news.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.3
@@ -32,16 +32,16 @@
 foreach param {id class} { if { ![info exists $param] } { set $param {} } }
 if { ![info exists show_empty_p] } { set show_empty_p 1 }
 
-if { ![exists_and_not_null package_id]
-     && ![exists_and_not_null base_url] } {
+if { (![info exists package_id] || $package_id eq "")
+     && (![info exists base_url] || $base_url eq "") } {
     error "must supply package_id and/or base_url"
 }
 
-if { ![exists_and_not_null package_id] } {
+if { ![info exists package_id] || $package_id eq "" } {
     set package_id [site_node::get_element \
                         -url $base_url -element object_id]
 }
-if { ![exists_and_not_null base_url] } {
+if { ![info exists base_url] || $base_url eq "" } {
     set base_url [lindex [site_node::get_url_from_object_id \
                               -object_id $package_id] 0]
 }
Index: openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/news-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/news-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.33 -r1.34
--- openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/news-procs.tcl	2 Feb 2010 18:57:30 -0000	1.33
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/news-procs.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.34
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@
     set url_stub [news_util_get_url $package_id]
     set url "[ad_url]${url_stub}item/$item_id"
 
-    if {[empty_string_p $publish_lead]} {
+    if {$publish_lead eq ""} {
         set publish_lead $publish_body
     }
 
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@
     set now_seconds [clock scan now]
     set n_days_until_archive {}
 
-    if { ![empty_string_p $archive_date] } { 
+    if { $archive_date ne "" } { 
         set archive_date_seconds [clock scan $archive_date]
 
         if { $archive_date_seconds > $now_seconds } {
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@
         }
     }
 
-    if { ![empty_string_p $publish_date] } {
+    if { $publish_date ne "" } {
         # The item has been published or is scheduled to be published
 
         set publish_date_seconds [clock scan $publish_date]
Index: openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/test/news-db-test-init.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/test/news-db-test-init.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.10 -r1.11
--- openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/test/news-db-test-init.tcl	6 Sep 2013 16:46:28 -0000	1.10
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/test/news-db-test-init.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.11
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
         switch [string trim $url] {
             "/_test/news/" {
                 set _news_node_id $node_id
-                if {$object_id != ""} {
+                if {$object_id ne ""} {
                     set _news_package_id $object_id
                 }
             }
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@
     aa_export_vars {p_full_details p_title p_text p_package_id p_is_live
         p_approval_user p_approval_ip p_approval_date p_archive_date 
         news_id}
-    if {$p_full_details == "t"} {
+    if {$p_full_details eq "t"} {
         set p_approval_user [ad_conn "user_id"]
         set p_approval_ip   [ad_conn "peeraddr"]
         set p_approval_date [dt_sysdate]
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@
         p_description
         p_approval_user p_approval_ip p_approval_date p_archive_date 
         revision_id}
-    if {$p_full_details == "t"} {
+    if {$p_full_details eq "t"} {
         set p_approval_user [ad_conn "user_id"]
         set p_approval_ip   [ad_conn "peeraddr"]
         set p_approval_date [dt_sysdate]
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@
         p_approval_user p_approval_date p_approval_ip
         p_live_revision_p}
 
-    if {$p_approve_p == "f"} {
+    if {$p_approve_p eq "f"} {
         db_exec_plsql set-approve-default {
             begin
             content_item.set_approve-default(revision_id =>     :p_revision_id,
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@
     p_archive_date<br>
 } {
     aa_export_vars {p_item_id p_archive_date}
-    if {$p_archive_date == ""} {
+    if {$p_archive_date eq ""} {
         db_exec_plsql archive-default {
             begin
             news.archive(:p_item_id, null);
@@ -769,11 +769,11 @@
         } else {
             aa_equals "Check package_id correct"    $package_id $_news_package_id
             aa_equals "Check archive_date correct"  \
-                [string range $archive_date 0 [expr [string length $p_archive_date]-1]] \
+                [string range $archive_date 0 [string length $p_archive_date]-1] \
                 $p_archive_date
             aa_equals "Check approval_user correct" $approval_user $p_approval_user
             aa_equals "Check approval_date correct" \
-                [string range $approval_date 0 [expr [string length $p_approval_date] - 1]] \
+                [string range $approval_date 0 [string length $p_approval_date]-1] \
                 $p_approval_date
             aa_equals "Check approval_ip correct"   $approval_ip $p_approval_ip
         }
@@ -934,11 +934,11 @@
             aa_log "Check the cr_news fields for the second revision"
             aa_equals "Check package_id correct"    $package_id $_news_package_id
             aa_equals "Check archive_date correct"  \
-                [string range $archive_date 0 [expr [string length $p_archive_date]-1]] \
+                [string range $archive_date 0 [string length $p_archive_date]-1] \
                 $p_archive_date
             aa_equals "Check approval_user correct" $approval_user $p_approval_user
             aa_equals "Check approval_date correct" \
-                [string range $approval_date 0 [expr [string length $p_approval_date] - 1]] \
+                [string range $approval_date 0 [string length $p_approval_date]-1] \
                 $p_approval_date
             aa_equals "Check approval_ip correct"   $approval_ip $p_approval_ip
 
@@ -1074,7 +1074,7 @@
         set p_news_id $news_id
         aa_call_component db-get-cr-news-row
         aa_equals "Check the explicitly set archive_date is $p_archive_date" \
-            [string range $archive_date 0 [expr [string length $p_archive_date] - 1]] \
+            [string range $archive_date 0 [string length $p_archive_date]-1] \
             $p_archive_date
 
         #
@@ -1096,7 +1096,7 @@
         aa_true "Check the cr_news row was found" $retrieval_ok_p
         set todays_date [clock format [clock seconds] -format "%Y-%m-%d"]
         aa_equals "Check the explicitly set archive_date is $todays_date" \
-            [string range $archive_date 0 [expr [string length $todays_date] - 1]] \
+            [string range $archive_date 0 [string length $todays_date]-1] \
             $todays_date
     }
 } {
@@ -1227,16 +1227,16 @@
             aa_error "cr_news row not found for new revision news_id $revision1_id"
         } else {
             aa_equals "Check the archive_date is correct" \
-                [string range $archive_date 0 [expr [string length $p_archive_date]-1]] \
+                [string range $archive_date 0 [string length $p_archive_date]-1] \
                 $p_archive_date
             aa_equals "Check the approval_date is correct" \
-                [string range $approval_date 0 [expr [string length $p_approval_date]-1]] \
+                [string range $approval_date 0 [string length $p_approval_date]-1] \
                 $p_approval_date
             aa_equals "Check the aprroval_user is correct" \
-                [string range $approval_user 0 [expr [string length $p_approval_user]-1]] \
+                [string range $approval_user 0 [string length $p_approval_user]-1] \
                 $p_approval_user
             aa_equals "Check the approval_ip is correct" \
-                [string range $approval_ip 0 [expr [string length $p_approval_ip]-1]] \
+                [string range $approval_ip 0 [string length $p_approval_ip]-1] \
                 $p_approval_ip
         }
 
@@ -1249,7 +1249,7 @@
             aa_error "cr_revisions row not found for new revision revision_id $revision1_id"
         } else {
             aa_equals "Check revision 1 publish_date is null" \
-                [string range $publish_date 0 [expr [string length $p_publish_date]-1]] \
+                [string range $publish_date 0 [string length $p_publish_date]-1] \
                 $p_publish_date
         }
     }
Index: openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/test/news-test-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/test/news-test-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.2 -r1.3
--- openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/test/news-test-procs.tcl	6 Oct 2003 12:11:23 -0000	1.2
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/tcl/test/news-test-procs.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.3
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@
     @author Peter Marklund
 } {
     set now_seconds [clock scan now]
-    set offset [expr 60*60*24*10]
+    set offset [expr {60*60*24*10}]
     set date_format "%Y-%m-%d"
-    set future_seconds [expr $now_seconds + $offset]
+    set future_seconds [expr {$now_seconds + $offset}]
     set future_date [clock format $future_seconds -format $date_format]
-    set past_seconds [expr $now_seconds - $offset]
+    set past_seconds [expr {$now_seconds - $offset}]
     set past_date [clock format $past_seconds -format $date_format]
 
     # Scheduled for publish, no archive
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 } {
     set pretty_status [news_pretty_status -publish_date $publish_date -archive_date $archive_date -status $status]
     aa_true "publish_date=\"$publish_date\" archive_date=\"$archive_date\" status=\"$status\" pretty_status=\"$pretty_status\"" \
-        [expr ![empty_string_p $pretty_status]]
+        [expr {$pretty_status ne ""}] 
 
     set db_news_status [news::test::get_news_status \
                            -publish_date $publish_date \
Index: openacs-4/packages/news/www/index.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/www/index.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.18 -r1.19
--- openacs-4/packages/news/www/index.tcl	6 Sep 2013 17:06:05 -0000	1.18
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/www/index.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.19
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 set actions_list [list]
 
 # view switch in live | archived news
-if { [string equal "live" $view] } {
+if {"live" eq $view} {
 
     set title [apm_instance_name_from_id $package_id]
     set view_clause [db_map view_clause_live]
Index: openacs-4/packages/news/www/item-create-3.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/www/item-create-3.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.16 -r1.17
--- openacs-4/packages/news/www/item-create-3.tcl	6 Sep 2013 17:06:05 -0000	1.16
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/www/item-create-3.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.17
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 set approval_policy [parameter::get -parameter ApprovalPolicy -default "wait"]
 
 # the news_admin or an open approval policy allow immediate publishing
-if { $news_admin_p == 1 || [string equal $approval_policy "open"] } { 
+if { $news_admin_p == 1 || $approval_policy eq "open" } { 
 
     set approval_user [ad_conn "user_id"]
     set approval_ip [ad_conn "peeraddr"]
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 
 # RAL: This was missing and allows the user to "never expire" a news
 # item.
-if {[string equal $permanent_p "t"] } {
+if {$permanent_p eq "t"} {
     set archive_date_ansi [db_null]
 } 
 
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 
 if { !$news_admin_p } {
     
-    if { ![string equal "open" [parameter::get -parameter ApprovalPolicy -default "wait"]] } {
+    if { "open" ne [parameter::get -parameter ApprovalPolicy -default "wait"] } {
 	# case: user submitted news item, is returned to a Thank-you page
 	set title "[_ news.News_item_submitted]"
 	set context [list $title]
Index: openacs-4/packages/news/www/preview.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/www/preview.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.29 -r1.30
--- openacs-4/packages/news/www/preview.tcl	9 Sep 2013 17:34:18 -0000	1.29
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/www/preview.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.30
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 } -validate {
 
     check_revision_log -requires {action revision_log} {
-	if { ![string match $action "News Item"] && [empty_string_p $revision_log]} {
+	if { ![string match $action "News Item"] && $revision_log eq ""} {
 	    ad_complain "[_ news.lt_You_must_supply_a_rev]"
 	    return
 	}
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@
     # the check will need to be added as a validator for each ad_form call.
 
     set errors [ad_html_security_check $publish_body]
-    if { ![empty_string_p $errors] } {
+    if { $errors ne "" } {
         ad_return_complaint 1 $errors
         ad_script_abort
     }
Index: openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/approve-2.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/approve-2.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.4 -r1.5
--- openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/approve-2.tcl	24 Feb 2005 13:33:23 -0000	1.4
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/approve-2.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.5
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 set publish_date_ansi $publish_date(date)
 
-if {[string equal $permanent_p "t"]} {
+if {$permanent_p eq "t"} {
 
     set archive_date_ansi [db_null]
 
Index: openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/approve.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/approve.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.6 -r1.7
--- openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/approve.tcl	9 Sep 2013 17:34:18 -0000	1.6
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/approve.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.7
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 
 
 # get most likely revision_id if not supplied
-if {[empty_string_p $revision_id]} {
+if {$revision_id eq ""} {
     set revision_select [db_map revision_select]
 } else {
     set revision_select "'$revision_id' as revision_id,"
Index: openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/process.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/process.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.9 -r1.10
--- openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/process.tcl	9 Sep 2013 17:34:18 -0000	1.9
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/process.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.10
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 
 
 # in the case of (Re-)Publish, redirect to approve
-if {[string equal "publish" $action]} {
+if {"publish" eq $action} {
     
     ad_returnredirect "approve?[export_vars -url {n_items}]"
     ad_script_abort
Index: openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/revision-add-3.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/revision-add-3.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.10 -r1.11
--- openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/revision-add-3.tcl	26 Dec 2009 23:50:53 -0000	1.10
+++ openacs-4/packages/news/www/admin/revision-add-3.tcl	30 Sep 2013 10:51:35 -0000	1.11
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 # Avoid any driver/bindvar nonsense regarding "." in a variable name
 set mime_type ${publish_body.format}
 
-if {[string equal $permanent_p "t"] } {
+if {$permanent_p eq "t"} {
     set archive_date_ansi [db_null]
 }