diff --git a/vvp/array.cc b/vvp/array.cc
index 1405dfb98..b984b238a 100644
--- a/vvp/array.cc
+++ b/vvp/array.cc
@@ -145,26 +145,7 @@ static char*vpi_array_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref)
 {
       struct __vpiArray*obj = ARRAY_HANDLE(ref);
 
-      char*bn;
-      char*rbuf;
-      size_t len;
-
-      switch (code) {
-	  case vpiFullName:
-	    bn = strdup(vpi_get_str(vpiFullName, &obj->scope->base));
-	    len = strlen(bn)+strlen(obj->name)+2;
-	    rbuf = need_result_buf(len, RBUF_STR);
-	    snprintf(rbuf, len, "%s.%s", bn, obj->name);
-	    free(bn);
-	    return rbuf;
-
-	  case vpiName:
-	    rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(obj->name)+1, RBUF_STR);
-	    strcpy(rbuf, obj->name);
-	    return rbuf;
-      }
-
-      return 0;
+      return generic_get_str(code, &obj->scope->base, obj->name, NULL);
 }
 
 static vpiHandle vpi_array_get_handle(int code, vpiHandle ref)
diff --git a/vvp/vpi_const.cc b/vvp/vpi_const.cc
index bbc40aa3a..df1a8d975 100644
--- a/vvp/vpi_const.cc
+++ b/vvp/vpi_const.cc
@@ -251,27 +251,10 @@ struct __vpiStringParam  : public __vpiStringConst {
 static char* string_param_get_str(int code, vpiHandle obj)
 {
       struct __vpiStringParam*rfp = (struct __vpiStringParam*)obj;
-      char *bn = strdup(vpi_get_str(vpiFullName, &rfp->scope->base));
-      char *rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(bn)+strlen(rfp->basename) + 2,
-                                   RBUF_STR);
 
       assert(obj->vpi_type->type_code == vpiParameter);
 
-      switch (code) {
-          case vpiFullName:
-	    sprintf(rbuf, "%s.%s", bn, rfp->basename);
-	    free(bn);
-	    return rbuf;
-
-	  case vpiName:
-	    strcpy(rbuf, rfp->basename);
-	    free(bn);
-	    return rbuf;
-
-	  default:
-	    free(bn);
-	    return 0;
-      }
+      return generic_get_str(code, &rfp->scope->base, rfp->basename, NULL);
 }
 
 static vpiHandle string_param_handle(int code, vpiHandle obj)
@@ -441,26 +424,10 @@ struct __vpiBinaryParam  : public __vpiBinaryConst {
 static char* binary_param_get_str(int code, vpiHandle obj)
 {
       struct __vpiBinaryParam*rfp = (struct __vpiBinaryParam*)obj;
-      char *bn = strdup(vpi_get_str(vpiFullName, &rfp->scope->base));
-      char *rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(bn)+strlen(rfp->basename) + 2,
-                                   RBUF_STR);
 
       assert(obj->vpi_type->type_code == vpiParameter);
 
-      switch (code) {
-	  case vpiFullName:
-	    sprintf(rbuf, "%s.%s", bn, rfp->basename);
-	    free(bn);
-	    return rbuf;
-	  case vpiName:
-	    strcpy(rbuf, rfp->basename);
-	    free(bn);
-	    return rbuf;
-
-	  default:
-	    free(bn);
-	    return 0;
-      }
+      return generic_get_str(code, &rfp->scope->base, rfp->basename, NULL);
 }
 
 static vpiHandle binary_param_handle(int code, vpiHandle obj)
diff --git a/vvp/vpi_event.cc b/vvp/vpi_event.cc
index 1beaff433..bd9b43564 100644
--- a/vvp/vpi_event.cc
+++ b/vvp/vpi_event.cc
@@ -29,30 +29,13 @@
 # include  <string.h>
 # include  <assert.h>
 
-static char* named_event_str(int code, vpiHandle ref)
+static char* named_event_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref)
 {
       assert((ref->vpi_type->type_code==vpiNamedEvent));
 
       struct __vpiNamedEvent*obj = (struct __vpiNamedEvent*)ref;
 
-      char *bn = vpi_get_str(vpiFullName, &obj->scope->base);
-      const char *nm = obj->name;
-
-      char *rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(bn) + strlen(nm) + 1, RBUF_STR);
-
-      switch (code) {
-
-	  case vpiFullName:
-	    sprintf(rbuf, "%s.%s", bn, nm);
-	    return rbuf;
-
-	  case vpiName:
-	    strcpy(rbuf, nm);
-	    return rbuf;
-
-      }
-
-      return 0;
+      return generic_get_str(code, &obj->scope->base, obj->name, NULL);
 }
 
 static vpiHandle named_event_get_handle(int code, vpiHandle ref)
@@ -74,7 +57,7 @@ static const struct __vpirt vpip_named_event_rt = {
       vpiNamedEvent,
 
       0,
-      named_event_str,
+      named_event_get_str,
       0,
       0,
 
diff --git a/vvp/vpi_memory.cc b/vvp/vpi_memory.cc
index c582c1618..5f5eb281d 100644
--- a/vvp/vpi_memory.cc
+++ b/vvp/vpi_memory.cc
@@ -103,23 +103,7 @@ static char* memory_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref)
 
       struct __vpiMemory*rfp = (struct __vpiMemory*)ref;
 
-      char *bn = strdup(vpi_get_str(vpiFullName, &rfp->scope->base));
-
-      char *rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(bn)+strlen(rfp->name)+2, RBUF_STR);
-
-      switch (code) {
-	  case vpiFullName:
-	    sprintf(rbuf, "%s.%s", bn, rfp->name);
-	    free(bn);
-	    return rbuf;
-	  case vpiName:
-	    strcpy(rbuf, rfp->name);
-	    free(bn);
-	    return rbuf;
-      }
-
-      free(bn);
-      return 0;
+      return generic_get_str(code, &rfp->scope->base, rfp->name, NULL);
 }
 
 static vpiHandle memory_scan(vpiHandle ref, int)
@@ -340,27 +324,10 @@ static char* memory_word_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref)
 
       struct __vpiMemoryWord*rfp = (struct __vpiMemoryWord*)ref;
 
-      char *bn = strdup(vpi_get_str(vpiFullName, &rfp->mem->scope->base));
-      const char *nm = rfp->mem->name;
+      char number[32];
+      sprintf(number, "%d", rfp->index.value);
 
-      char *rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(bn) + strlen(nm) + 10 + 4, RBUF_STR);
-
-      switch (code) {
-	  case vpiFullName:
-	    sprintf(rbuf, "%s.%s[%d]", bn, nm, rfp->index.value);
-	    free(bn);
-	    return rbuf;
-	    break;
-	  case vpiName: {
-	    sprintf(rbuf, "%s[%d]", nm, rfp->index.value);
-	    free(bn);
-	    return rbuf;
-	    break;
-	  }
-      }
-
-      free(bn);
-      return 0;
+      return generic_get_str(code, &rfp->mem->scope->base, rfp->mem->name, number);
 }
 
 static void memory_word_get_value(vpiHandle ref, s_vpi_value*vp)
diff --git a/vvp/vpi_priv.h b/vvp/vpi_priv.h
index 864ec243c..879c04a91 100644
--- a/vvp/vpi_priv.h
+++ b/vvp/vpi_priv.h
@@ -539,5 +539,8 @@ enum vpi_rbuf_t {
 	/* Storage for *_get_str() */
 };
 extern char *need_result_buf(unsigned cnt, vpi_rbuf_t type);
+/* following two routines use need_result_buf(, RBUF_STR) */
+extern char *simple_set_rbuf_str(const char *s1);
+extern char *generic_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref, const char *name, const char *index);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/vvp/vpi_real.cc b/vvp/vpi_real.cc
index 8a3938f77..0e9feabe5 100644
--- a/vvp/vpi_real.cc
+++ b/vvp/vpi_real.cc
@@ -48,39 +48,22 @@ static char* real_var_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref)
       assert(ref->vpi_type->type_code == vpiRealVar);
 
       struct __vpiRealVar*rfp = (struct __vpiRealVar*)ref;
-      char *bn = strdup(vpi_get_str(vpiFullName, &rfp->scope->base));
-      char *nm;
+
+      char *nm, *ixs;
       if (rfp->parent) {
-	    s_vpi_value vp;
 	    nm = strdup(vpi_get_str(vpiName, rfp->parent));
-	    strcat(nm, "[");
+	    s_vpi_value vp;
 	    vp.format = vpiDecStrVal;
 	    vpi_get_value(rfp->id.index, &vp);
-	    strcat(nm, vp.value.str);
-	    strcat(nm, "]");
+	    ixs = vp.value.str;  /* do I need to strdup() this? */
       } else {
 	    nm = strdup(rfp->id.name);
-      }
-      char *rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(bn)+strlen(nm) + 2, RBUF_STR);
-
-      switch (code) {
-
-	  case vpiFullName:
-	    sprintf(rbuf, "%s.%s", bn, nm);
-	    free(bn);
-	    free(nm);
-	    return rbuf;
-
-	  case vpiName:
-	    strcpy(rbuf, nm);
-	    free(bn);
-	    free(nm);
-	    return rbuf;
+	    ixs = NULL;
       }
 
-      free(bn);
+      char *rbuf = generic_get_str(code, &rfp->scope->base, nm, ixs);
       free(nm);
-      return 0;
+      return rbuf;
 }
 
 static vpiHandle real_var_get_handle(int code, vpiHandle ref)
diff --git a/vvp/vpi_scope.cc b/vvp/vpi_scope.cc
index c0548fede..81d441053 100644
--- a/vvp/vpi_scope.cc
+++ b/vvp/vpi_scope.cc
@@ -109,40 +109,36 @@ static const char* scope_get_type(int code)
 static char* scope_get_str(int code, vpiHandle obj)
 {
       struct __vpiScope*ref = (struct __vpiScope*)obj;
-      char *rbuf;
 
       assert(handle_is_scope(obj));
 
+      char buf[4096];  // XXX is a fixed buffer size really reliable?
+      const char *p=0;
       switch (code) {
-	  case vpiFullName: {
-		char buf[4096];
-		buf[0] = 0;
-		construct_scope_fullname(ref, buf);
-		rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(buf) + 1, RBUF_STR);
-		strcpy(rbuf, buf);
-		return rbuf;
-	  }
+	  case vpiFullName:
+	    buf[0] = 0;
+	    construct_scope_fullname(ref, buf);
+	    p = buf;
+	    break;
 
 	  case vpiName:
-	    rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(ref->name) + 1, RBUF_STR);
-	    strcpy(rbuf, ref->name);
-	    return rbuf;
+	    p = ref->name;
+	    break;
 
 	  case vpiDefName:
-	    rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(ref->tname) + 1, RBUF_STR);
-	    strcpy(rbuf, ref->tname);
-	    return rbuf;
+	    p = ref->tname;
+	    break;
 
 	  case vpiType:
-	    rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(scope_get_type(code)) + 1, RBUF_STR);
-	    strcpy(rbuf, scope_get_type(code));
-	    return rbuf;
+	    p = scope_get_type(code);
+	    break;
 
 	  default:
 	    fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: invalid code %d.", code);
 	    assert(0);
 	    return 0;
       }
+      return simple_set_rbuf_str(p);
 }
 
 static vpiHandle scope_get_handle(int code, vpiHandle obj)
diff --git a/vvp/vpi_signal.cc b/vvp/vpi_signal.cc
index aac8af24e..f3974f458 100644
--- a/vvp/vpi_signal.cc
+++ b/vvp/vpi_signal.cc
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
  * just perform the lookup in a table. This only takes 256 bytes,
  * which is not many executable instructions:-)
  *
- * The table is calculated as compile time, therefore, by the
+ * The table is calculated at compile time, therefore, by the
  * draw_tt.c program.
  */
 extern const char hex_digits[256];
@@ -75,6 +75,42 @@ char *need_result_buf(unsigned cnt, vpi_rbuf_t type)
       return result_buf[type];
 }
 
+char *simple_set_rbuf_str(const char *s1)
+{
+	char *res = need_result_buf(strlen(s1)+1, RBUF_STR);
+	if (res) strcpy(res,s1);
+	return res;
+}
+
+char *generic_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref, const char *name, const char *index)
+{
+	size_t len = strlen(name) + 1;  /* include space for null termination */
+	char *bn = NULL;
+	if (code == vpiFullName) {
+		bn = strdup(vpi_get_str(code,ref));
+		len += strlen(bn) + 1;  /* include space for "." separator */
+	}
+	if (index != NULL) len += strlen(index) + 2;  /* include space for brackets */
+
+	char *res = need_result_buf(len, RBUF_STR);
+	if (!res) return NULL;
+	*res=0;  /* start with nothing */
+
+	/* if this works, I can make it more efficient later */
+	if (bn != NULL) {
+		strcat(res, bn);
+		strcat(res, ".");
+		free(bn);
+	}
+	strcat(res, name);
+	if (index != NULL) {
+		strcat(res, "[");
+		strcat(res, index);
+		strcat(res, "]");
+	}
+	return res;
+}
+
 struct __vpiSignal* vpip_signal_from_handle(vpiHandle ref)
 {
       if ((ref->vpi_type->type_code != vpiNet)
@@ -134,39 +170,21 @@ static char* signal_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref)
 
       struct __vpiSignal*rfp = (struct __vpiSignal*)ref;
 
-      char *bn = strdup(vpi_get_str(vpiFullName, &rfp->scope->base));
-      char *nm;
+      char *nm, *ixs;
       if (rfp->parent) {
+	    nm = vpi_get_str(vpiName, rfp->parent);
 	    s_vpi_value vp;
-	    nm = strdup(vpi_get_str(vpiName, rfp->parent));
-	    strcat(nm, "[");
 	    vp.format = vpiDecStrVal;
 	    vpi_get_value(rfp->id.index, &vp);
-	    strcat(nm, vp.value.str);
-	    strcat(nm, "]");
+            ixs = vp.value.str;  /* do I need to strdup() this? */
       } else {
 	    nm = strdup(rfp->id.name);
-      }
-      char *rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(bn) + strlen(nm) + 2, RBUF_STR);
-
-      switch (code) {
-
-	  case vpiFullName:
-	    sprintf(rbuf, "%s.%s", bn, nm);
-	    free(bn);
-	    free(nm);
-	    return rbuf;
-
-	  case vpiName:
-	    strcpy(rbuf, nm);
-	    free(bn);
-	    free(nm);
-	    return rbuf;
+	    ixs = NULL;
       }
 
-      free(bn);
+      char *rbuf = generic_get_str(code, &rfp->scope->base, nm, ixs);
       free(nm);
-      return 0;
+      return rbuf;
 }
 
 static vpiHandle signal_get_handle(int code, vpiHandle ref)
diff --git a/vvp/vpi_tasks.cc b/vvp/vpi_tasks.cc
index 643f61126..3c74aca49 100644
--- a/vvp/vpi_tasks.cc
+++ b/vvp/vpi_tasks.cc
@@ -111,14 +111,10 @@ static char *systask_get_str(int type, vpiHandle ref)
       assert((ref->vpi_type->type_code == vpiSysTaskCall)
 	     || (ref->vpi_type->type_code == vpiSysFuncCall));
 
-      const char *bn = rfp->defn->info.tfname;
-      char *rbuf = need_result_buf(strlen(bn) + 1, RBUF_STR);
-
       switch (type) {
 
           case vpiName:
-            strcpy(rbuf,bn);
-	    return rbuf;
+            return simple_set_rbuf_str(rfp->defn->info.tfname);
       }
 
       return 0;
diff --git a/vvp/vpi_time.cc b/vvp/vpi_time.cc
index 9da7bb8e4..621d52e15 100644
--- a/vvp/vpi_time.cc
+++ b/vvp/vpi_time.cc
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ static char* timevar_time_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref)
 {
       switch (code) {
 	  case vpiName:
-	    return "$time";
+	    return simple_set_rbuf_str("$time");
 	  default:
 	    fprintf(stderr, "Code: %d\n", code);
 	    assert(0);
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ static char* timevar_simtime_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref)
 {
       switch (code) {
 	  case vpiName:
-	    return "$simtime";
+	    return simple_set_rbuf_str("$simtime");
 	  default:
 	    fprintf(stderr, "Code: %d\n", code);
 	    assert(0);
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ static char* timevar_realtime_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref)
 {
       switch (code) {
 	  case vpiName:
-	    return "$realtime";
+	    return simple_set_rbuf_str("$realtime");
 	  default:
 	    fprintf(stderr, "Code: %d\n", code);
 	    assert(0);
diff --git a/vvp/vpi_vthr_vector.cc b/vvp/vpi_vthr_vector.cc
index 72f984678..e8af1d9a2 100644
--- a/vvp/vpi_vthr_vector.cc
+++ b/vvp/vpi_vthr_vector.cc
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ static char* vthr_vec_get_str(int code, vpiHandle ref)
 
       switch (code) {
 
-	  case vpiFullName:
-	    return (char*)rfp->name;
+	  case vpiFullName:   /* should this be vpiName? */
+	    return simple_set_rbuf_str(rfp->name);
       }
 
       return 0;