Index: openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/doc-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/doc-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.7 -r1.7.10.1
--- openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/doc-procs.tcl	10 Jan 2007 21:22:03 -0000	1.7
+++ openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/doc-procs.tcl	16 Oct 2013 10:13:27 -0000	1.7.10.1
@@ -91,14 +91,14 @@
     }
 
     # Get all the stuff that is not a tag (at the top)
-    if { [template::util::is_nil tags(header)] } {
+    if { ![info exists tags(header)] } {
       set doc_head ""
       regexp {[^@]*} $doc_block doc_head
       set tags(header) $doc_head
     }
 
     # Determine whether we have a procedure or a function
-    if { [template::util::is_nil tags(type)] } {
+    if { ![info exists tags(type)] } {
       if { [regexp -nocase -line {(procedure|function) .*$} $code_block match type] } {
         set tags(type) [string totitle $type]
       } else {
@@ -125,21 +125,21 @@
     parse_proc_header $doc_block $code_block $param_ref $tags_ref $code_ref
 
     # Get the proc name
-    if { [template::util::is_nil tags(name)] } {
+    if { ![info exists tags(name)] } {
       set tags(name) "${package_name}.${proc_name}"
     }
 
     # Modify the "see" tag to dislplay links
     if { [info exists tags(see)] } {
-      if { [template::util::is_nil opts(link_url_stub)] } {
+      if { ![info exists opts(link_url_stub)] } {
         # Just remove the links
         regsub -all {\{([^\}]*)\}} $tags(see) {\1} new_see
         set tags(see) $new_see
       } else {
-        if { [template::util::is_nil opts(link_package_name)] } {
+        if { ![info exists opts(link_package_name)] } {
           set opts(link_package_name) package_name
 	}
-        if { [template::util::is_nil opts(link_proc_name)] } {
+        if { ![info exists opts(link_proc_name)] } {
           set opts(link_proc_name) proc_name
 	}
        
Index: openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/item-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/Attic/item-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.28.4.1 -r1.28.4.2
--- openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/item-procs.tcl	30 Sep 2013 17:44:27 -0000	1.28.4.1
+++ openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/item-procs.tcl	16 Oct 2013 10:13:27 -0000	1.28.4.2
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
 
   template::util::get_opts $args
  
-  if { [template::util::is_nil opts(item_id)] } {
+  if { ![info exists opts(item_id)] } {
     # Get the item id
     set item_id [::content::revision::item_id -revision_id $revision_id]
 
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@
     # Use item mime type if template extension does not exist
 
     # Determine live revision, if none specified
-    if { [template::util::is_nil opts(revision_id)] } {
+    if { ![info exists opts(revision_id)] } {
       set revision_id [::content::item::get_live_revision -item_id $item_id]
 
       if { [template::util::is_nil revision_id] } {
Index: openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/publish-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/publish-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.10.2.3 -r1.10.2.4
--- openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/publish-procs.tcl	13 Oct 2013 14:25:22 -0000	1.10.2.3
+++ openacs-4/packages/acs-content-repository/tcl/publish-procs.tcl	16 Oct 2013 10:13:27 -0000	1.10.2.4
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@
   upvar $revision_id_ref revision_id
   set error_msg ""
 
-  if { [template::util::is_nil opts(revision_id)] } {
+  if { ![info exists opts(revision_id)] } {
     set revision_id [::content::item::get_live_revision -item_id $item_id]
   } else {
     set revision_id $opts(revision_id)
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@
   template::util::get_opts $args
 
   # Either auto-get the live revision or use the parameter
-  if { ![template::util::is_nil opts(revision_id)] } {
+  if { [info exists opts(revision_id)] } {
     set revision_id $opts(revision_id)
   } else {
     set revision_id [::content::item::get_live_revision -item_id $item_id]
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@
   set file_stub [ns_normalizepath "$root_path/$::content::template_url"]
 
   # Set the passed-in variables
-  if { ![template::util::is_nil opts(html)] } {
+  if { [info exists opts(html)] } {
     set adp_args $opts(html)
   } else {
     set adp_args ""
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@
 
   template::util::get_opts $args
 
-  if { [template::util::is_nil opts(revision_id)] } {
+  if { ![info exists opts(revision_id)] } {
     set revision_id [::content::item::get_live_revision -item_id $item_id]
   } else {
     set revision_id $opts(revision_id)
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@
   variable revision_html
 
   # Process options
-  if { [template::util::is_nil opts(revision_id)] } {
+  if { ![info exists opts(revision_id)] } {
     set revision_id [::content::item::get_live_revision -item_id $item_id]
   } else {
     set revision_id $opts(revision_id)
@@ -690,15 +690,15 @@
     return ""
   }
 
-  if { [template::util::is_nil opts(no_merge)] } {
+  if { ![info exists opts(no_merge)] } {
     set merge_str "merge"
   } else {
     set merge_str "no_merge"
   }
 
   # Create a unique key
   set revision_key "$merge_str $revision_id"
-  if { ![template::util::is_nil opts(html)] } {
+  if { [info exists opts(html)] } {
     lappend revision_key $opts(html)
   }
 
@@ -1035,7 +1035,7 @@
 
   template::util::get_opts $args
 
-  if { [template::util::is_nil opts(root_path)] } {
+  if { ![info exists opts(root_path)] } {
     set root_path ""
   } else {
     set root_path $opts(root_path)
@@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@
   db_transaction {
 
       # Get the item id if none specified
-      if { [template::util::is_nil opts(item_id)] } {
+      if { ![info exists opts(item_id)] } {
           set item_id [db_string get_one_revision ""]
 	  
 	  if { [template::util::is_nil item_id] } {
Index: openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/form-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/form-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.45.2.6 -r1.45.2.7
--- openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/form-procs.tcl	13 Oct 2013 12:26:33 -0000	1.45.2.6
+++ openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/form-procs.tcl	16 Oct 2013 10:16:16 -0000	1.45.2.7
@@ -499,19 +499,19 @@
     lappend form_properties(edit_buttons) [list $form_properties(cancel_label) cancel]
   }
 
-  if { ![template::util::is_nil form_properties(has_submit)] 
+  if { [info exists form_properties(has_submit)] 
        && [template::util::is_true $form_properties(has_submit)] 
      } {
     set form_properties(edit_buttons) {}
   }
   
-  if { ![template::util::is_nil form_properties(has_edit)] 
+  if { [info exists form_properties(has_edit)] 
        && [template::util::is_true $form_properties(has_edit)] 
      } {
     set form_properties(display_buttons) {}
   }
 
-  if { ![template::util::is_nil form_properties(actions)] 
+  if { [info exists form_properties(actions)] 
        && [template::util::is_true $form_properties(actions)] 
      } {
     set form_properties(display_buttons) $form_properties(actions)
Index: openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/list-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/list-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.57.8.5 -r1.57.8.6
--- openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/list-procs.tcl	11 Oct 2013 08:47:27 -0000	1.57.8.5
+++ openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/list-procs.tcl	16 Oct 2013 10:16:16 -0000	1.57.8.6
@@ -1555,7 +1555,7 @@
                 if { $filter_properties($property) ne "" } {
                     # We've found a where_clause to include
 
-                    if { [string match *_eval $property] } {
+                    if { [string match "*_eval" $property] } {
                         # It's an _eval, subst it now
                         lappend list_properties(filter_where_clauses) \
                             [uplevel $list_properties(ulevel) $filter_properties($property)]
Index: openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/tab-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/tab-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.5.10.1 -r1.5.10.2
--- openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/tab-procs.tcl	5 Oct 2013 12:55:10 -0000	1.5.10.1
+++ openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/tab-procs.tcl	16 Oct 2013 10:16:17 -0000	1.5.10.2
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
   set code [list template::form create $dlg_name]
  
   # Determine cookie name
-  if { [template::util::is_nil opts(cookie_name)] } {
+  if { ![info exists opts(cookie_name)] } {
     set cookie_name $dlg_name
   } else {
     set cookie_name $opts(cookie_name)
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
   upvar #$level $dlg_name:properties form_properties
 
   # Check parameters
-  if { ![template::util::is_nil opts(current_tab)] } {
+  if { [info exists opts(current_tab)] } {
     set current_tab $opts(current_tab)
   } else {
     # Check http
@@ -140,8 +140,8 @@
 
   # Set tab-specific params
 
-  if { [template::util::is_nil opts(base_url)] } {
-    if { ![template::util::is_nil properties(base_url)] } {
+  if { ![info exists opts(base_url)] } {
+    if { [info exists properties(base_url)] } {
       # use global base_url
       lappend code -base_url $properties(base_url)
     } else {
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@
   upvar #$level $dlg_name:$name element
 
   # If this is the first tab being added, set it as current
-  if { [template::util::is_nil properties(current_tab)] } {
+  if { ![info exists properties(current_tab)] } {
     set_current_tab $dlg_name [lindex $properties(element_names) 0] 3
   }
 
Index: openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/table-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/table-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.7.10.1 -r1.7.10.2
--- openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/table-procs.tcl	13 Oct 2013 10:03:24 -0000	1.7.10.1
+++ openacs-4/packages/acs-templating/tcl/table-procs.tcl	16 Oct 2013 10:16:17 -0000	1.7.10.2
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
 
   upvar $level "tablewidget:${name}" widget
 
-  if { [template::util::is_nil widget(column_def)] } {
+  if { ![info exists widget(column_def)] } {
     # Get the column definition based on the first row of the datasource
     upvar $level "tw_${name}_rows:rowcount" rowcount
     if { $rowcount < 1 } {
@@ -113,23 +113,23 @@
   upvar $level "tablewidget:${name}" widget
  
   # Get the rows
-  if { [template::util::is_nil widget(rows_data)] } {
-    if { [template::util::is_nil widget(query)] } {
+  if { ![info exists widget(rows_data)] } {
+    if { ![info exists widget(query)] } {
       error "No row datasource available for tablewidget $name"
     }
 
     # fixme - need to get a statement name here
     set sql_query $widget(query)
 
     # Append the order by clause, if any
-    if { ![template::util::is_nil widget(orderby)] } {
+    if { [info exists widget(orderby)] } {
       if { ![regexp -nocase "order +by" $sql_query match] } {
         append sql_query "\n order by"
       }
       append sql_query " $widget(orderby)"
     }
 
-    if { ![template::util::is_nil widget(column_def)] } {
+    if { [info exists widget(column_def)] } {
       # Convert the column def list to an array for extra speed 
       upvar $level "tablewidget:${name}_column_def" column_arr
       array set column_arr $widget(column_def)
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@
 
     }
 
-    if { ![template::util::is_nil widget(eval)] } {
+    if { [info exists widget(eval)] } {
       append eval_code $widget(eval)
     }
     uplevel $level "
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@
     "
   
     # Get the column definition if it does not exist
-    if { [template::util::is_nil widget(column_def)] } {
+    if { ![info exists widget(column_def)] } {
       template::widget::table::default_column_def widget \
         [expr {$level + 1}]
     }
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
   }
 
   # Process the rows datasource and get the columns
-  if { [template::util::is_nil widget(columns_data)] } {
+  if { ![info exists widget(columns_data)] } {
     upvar $level "tw_${name}_columns:rowcount" rowcount 
 
     # Get the base url for the page