Index: openacs-4/packages/assessment/lib/assessment.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/assessment/lib/assessment.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.29 -r1.30
--- openacs-4/packages/assessment/lib/assessment.tcl	7 Aug 2017 23:48:03 -0000	1.29
+++ openacs-4/packages/assessment/lib/assessment.tcl	3 May 2018 19:55:27 -0000	1.30
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@
 \# NOTE the code just incrementes section order so when the section order
 \# is greate than the number of items in the list of sections
 \# we know we are done and should finish the assessment
-	if {!\[empty_string_p \$new_section_order\] && \$new_section_order <= \[llength \$section_list\]} {
+	if { \$new_section_order ne \"\" && \$new_section_order <= \[llength \$section_list\]} {
 	    # go to next section
             if { \$section_to != \"\"} {
                 set section_order \$section_to
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@
             # section based aa checks
             as::assessment::check::eval_sa_checks -session_id $session_id -assessment_id $assessment_id 
             as::assessment::check::eval_m_checks -session_id $session_id -assessment_id $assessment_id
-	if {\[empty_string_p \$assessment_data(return_url)\]} {
+	if {\$assessment_data(return_url) eq \"\"} {
 	    set return_url \[export_vars -base finish {session_id assessment_id return_url next_asm total_pages current_page}\]
 	} else {
 	    set return_url \$assessment_data(return_url)
Index: openacs-4/packages/assessment/www/asm-admin/item-add-mc.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/assessment/www/asm-admin/item-add-mc.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.12 -r1.13
--- openacs-4/packages/assessment/www/asm-admin/item-add-mc.tcl	7 Aug 2017 23:48:04 -0000	1.12
+++ openacs-4/packages/assessment/www/asm-admin/item-add-mc.tcl	3 May 2018 19:55:27 -0000	1.13
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@
 	
 	set count 0
 	foreach i \[lsort -integer \[array names choice\]\] {
-	    if {!\[empty_string_p \$choice(\$i)\]} {
+	    if { \$choice(\$i) ne \"\" } {
 		incr count
 		set choice_id \[as::item_choice::new -mc_id \$mc_id \\
 				   -title \$choice(\$i) \\
Index: openacs-4/packages/assessment/www/asm-admin/item-edit-mc.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/assessment/www/asm-admin/item-edit-mc.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.14 -r1.15
--- openacs-4/packages/assessment/www/asm-admin/item-edit-mc.tcl	7 Aug 2017 23:48:04 -0000	1.14
+++ openacs-4/packages/assessment/www/asm-admin/item-edit-mc.tcl	3 May 2018 19:55:27 -0000	1.15
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@
 	# edit existing choices
 	set count 0
 	foreach i \[lsort \[array names choice\]\] {
-            if {\[string index  \$i 0\] != \"_\" && !\[empty_string_p \$choice(\$i)\]} {
+            if {\[string index  \$i 0\] != \"_\" && \$choice(\$i) ne \"\"} {
           	incr count
 		set new_choice_id \[as::item_choice::new_revision -choice_id \$i -mc_id \$new_item_type_id\]
 		set title \$choice(\$i)
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@
 	# add new choices
 	foreach i \[lsort \[array names choice\]\] {
 
-	    if {\[string index \$i 0\] == \"_\" && !\[empty_string_p \$choice(\$i)\]} {
+	    if {\[string index \$i 0\] == \"_\" && \$choice(\$i) ne \"\"} {
 		incr count
 		set new_choice_id \[as::item_choice::new -mc_id \$new_item_type_id \\
 				       -title \$choice(\$i) \\
Index: openacs-4/packages/bug-tracker/www/admin/formwizard.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/bug-tracker/www/admin/formwizard.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.5 -r1.6
--- openacs-4/packages/bug-tracker/www/admin/formwizard.tcl	14 Oct 2013 18:14:22 -0000	1.5
+++ openacs-4/packages/bug-tracker/www/admin/formwizard.tcl	3 May 2018 19:55:27 -0000	1.6
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@
     append insert_columns "$attname, "
 
     if {$widget eq "date"} {
-	append get_values "    if {!\[empty_string_p \$$element_name\]} {
+	append get_values "    if {\$$element_name\ ne \"\"} {
 	set $element_name \[template::util::date::get_property sql_date \$$element_name\]
     } else {	
 	set $element_name NULL
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@
 
 if { \[template::form is_request $form_name\] } {
 
-    if {\[empty_string_p \$$primary_key\]} {    
+    if {\$$primary_key\ eq \"\"} {
 	set insert_or_update insert
 	template::element set_properties $form_name insert_or_update -value insert
 	# TODO: If the form contains hidden elements that represent