diff --git a/include/verilated.h b/include/verilated.h
index 6cce56a65..297c013da 100644
--- a/include/verilated.h
+++ b/include/verilated.h
@@ -221,13 +221,6 @@ public:
 //=========================================================================
 // Declare nets
 
-#ifndef VL_ST_SIG
-# define VL_ST_SIG8(name, msb,lsb)      CData name              ///< Declare signal, 1-8 bits
-# define VL_ST_SIG16(name, msb,lsb)     SData name              ///< Declare signal, 9-16 bits
-# define VL_ST_SIG64(name, msb,lsb)     QData name              ///< Declare signal, 33-64 bits
-# define VL_ST_SIG(name, msb,lsb)       IData name              ///< Declare signal, 17-32 bits
-# define VL_ST_SIGW(name,msb,lsb,words) WData name[words]       ///< Declare signal, 65+ bits
-#endif
 #ifndef VL_SIG
 # define VL_SIG8(name, msb,lsb)         CData name              ///< Declare signal, 1-8 bits
 # define VL_SIG16(name, msb,lsb)        SData name              ///< Declare signal, 9-16 bits
diff --git a/src/V3AstNodes.cpp b/src/V3AstNodes.cpp
index fabe9ed8f..58872b4a8 100644
--- a/src/V3AstNodes.cpp
+++ b/src/V3AstNodes.cpp
@@ -226,72 +226,92 @@ string AstVar::verilogKwd() const {
     }
 }
 
-string AstVar::vlArgType(bool named, bool forReturn, bool forFunc) const {
+class AstVar::VlArgTypeRecurseInfo {
+public:
+    bool m_named;
+    bool m_forFunc;
+    bool m_mayParen;
+    string m_namespc;
+    string paren(const string& s) {
+        if (m_mayParen) { m_mayParen = false; return " ("+s+")"; }
+        else return s;
+    }
+};
+
+string AstVar::vlArgType(bool named, bool forReturn, bool forFunc, const string& namespc) const {
     UASSERT_OBJ(!forReturn, this,
                 "Internal data is never passed as return, but as first argument");
-    string otype;
-    AstBasicDType* bdtypep = basicp();
-    bool strtype = bdtypep && bdtypep->keyword()==AstBasicDTypeKwd::STRING;
-    if (bdtypep && bdtypep->keyword()==AstBasicDTypeKwd::CHARPTR) {
-        otype += "const char*";
-    } else if (bdtypep && bdtypep->keyword()==AstBasicDTypeKwd::SCOPEPTR) {
-        otype += "const VerilatedScope*";
-    } else if (bdtypep && bdtypep->keyword()==AstBasicDTypeKwd::DOUBLE) {
-        if (forFunc && isReadOnly()) otype += "const ";
-        otype += "double";
-    } else if (bdtypep && bdtypep->keyword()==AstBasicDTypeKwd::FLOAT) {
-        if (forFunc && isReadOnly()) otype += "const ";
-        otype += "float";
-    } else if (strtype) {
-        if (forFunc && isReadOnly()) otype += "const ";
-        otype += "std::string";
-    } else if (widthMin() <= 8) {
-        if (forFunc && isReadOnly()) otype += "const ";
-        otype += "CData";
-    } else if (widthMin() <= 16) {
-        if (forFunc && isReadOnly()) otype += "const ";
-        otype += "SData";
-    } else if (widthMin() <= VL_WORDSIZE) {
-        if (forFunc && isReadOnly()) otype += "const ";
-        otype += "IData";
-    } else if (isQuad()) {
-        if (forFunc && isReadOnly()) otype += "const ";
-        otype += "QData";
-    } else if (isWide()) {
-        if (forFunc && isReadOnly()) otype += "const ";
-        otype += "WData";  // []'s added later
-    }
+    VlArgTypeRecurseInfo info;
+    info.m_named = named;
+    info.m_forFunc = forFunc;
+    info.m_mayParen = false;
+    info.m_namespc = namespc;
 
-    bool mayparen = false;  // Need paren, to handle building "(& name)[2]"
-    string oname;
-    if (isDpiOpenArray()
-        || (isWide() && !strtype)
-        || (forFunc && (isWritable()
-                        || direction()==VDirection::REF
-                        || direction()==VDirection::CONSTREF
-                        || (strtype && isNonOutput())))) {
-        oname += "&";
-        mayparen = true;
-    }
-    if (named) oname += " "+VIdProtect::protectIf(name(), protect());
+    string ostatic;
+    if (isStatic() && info.m_namespc.empty()) ostatic = "static ";
+    return ostatic + vlArgTypeRecurse(dtypep(), &info, "");
+}
 
-    string oarray;
-    if (isDpiOpenArray() || direction().isRefOrConstRef()) {
-        for (AstNodeDType* dtp=dtypep(); dtp; ) {
-            dtp = dtp->skipRefp();  // Skip AstRefDType/AstTypedef, or return same node
-            if (AstUnpackArrayDType* adtypep = VN_CAST(dtp, UnpackArrayDType)) {
-                if (mayparen) { oname = " ("+oname+")"; mayparen = false; }
-                oarray += "["+cvtToStr(adtypep->declRange().elements())+"]";
-                dtp = adtypep->subDTypep();
-            } else break;
+string AstVar::vlArgTypeRecurse(AstNodeDType* dtypep, VlArgTypeRecurseInfo* infop,
+                                const string& inarray) const {
+    dtypep = dtypep->skipRefp();
+    if (AstUnpackArrayDType* adtypep = VN_CAST(dtypep, UnpackArrayDType)) {
+        string oarray = "["+cvtToStr(adtypep->declRange().elements())+"]";
+        return vlArgTypeRecurse(adtypep->subDTypep(), infop, inarray+oarray);
+    } else if (AstBasicDType* bdtypep = basicp()) {
+        string otype;
+        string oarray = inarray;
+        bool strtype = bdtypep && bdtypep->keyword() == AstBasicDTypeKwd::STRING;
+        string bitvec;
+        if (bdtypep && !bdtypep->isOpaque() && !v3Global.opt.protectIds()) {
+            bitvec = ("/*"+cvtToStr(bdtypep->lsb()+bdtypep->width()-1)
+                      +":"+cvtToStr(bdtypep->lsb())+"*/");
         }
+        if ((infop->m_forFunc && isReadOnly())
+            || bdtypep->keyword() == AstBasicDTypeKwd::CHARPTR
+            || bdtypep->keyword() == AstBasicDTypeKwd::SCOPEPTR) otype += "const ";
+        if (bdtypep && bdtypep->keyword() == AstBasicDTypeKwd::CHARPTR) {
+            otype += "char*";
+        } else if (bdtypep && bdtypep->keyword() == AstBasicDTypeKwd::SCOPEPTR) {
+            otype += "VerilatedScope*";
+        } else if (bdtypep && bdtypep->keyword() == AstBasicDTypeKwd::DOUBLE) {
+            otype += "double";
+        } else if (bdtypep && bdtypep->keyword() == AstBasicDTypeKwd::FLOAT) {
+            otype += "float";
+        } else if (strtype) {
+            otype += "std::string";
+        } else if (widthMin() <= 8) {
+            otype += "CData"+bitvec;
+        } else if (widthMin() <= 16) {
+            otype += "SData"+bitvec;
+        } else if (widthMin() <= VL_WORDSIZE) {
+            otype += "IData"+bitvec;
+        } else if (isQuad()) {
+            otype += "QData"+bitvec;
+        } else if (isWide()) {
+            otype += "WData"+bitvec;  // []'s added later
+            oarray += "["+cvtToStr(widthWords())+"]";
+        }
+
+        string oname;
+        if (isDpiOpenArray()
+            || (infop->m_forFunc && (isWritable()
+                                     || direction() == VDirection::REF
+                                     || direction() == VDirection::CONSTREF
+                                     || (strtype && isNonOutput())))) {
+            oname += "&";
+            infop->m_mayParen = true;
+        }
+        if (infop->m_named) {
+            oname += " ";
+            if (!infop->m_namespc.empty()) oname += infop->m_namespc+"::";
+            oname += VIdProtect::protectIf(name(), protect());
+        }
+        if (!oarray.empty()) oname = infop->paren(oname);
+        return otype+oname+oarray;
+    } else {
+        v3fatalSrc("Unknown data type in var type emitter: "<<dtypep->prettyName());
     }
-    if (isWide() && !strtype) {
-        if (mayparen) { oname = " ("+oname+")"; mayparen = false; }
-        oarray += "["+cvtToStr(widthWords())+"]";
-    }
-    if (mayparen) { }
-    return otype+oname+oarray;
 }
 
 string AstVar::vlEnumType() const {
diff --git a/src/V3AstNodes.h b/src/V3AstNodes.h
index af9b25451..019e79cd8 100644
--- a/src/V3AstNodes.h
+++ b/src/V3AstNodes.h
@@ -1271,7 +1271,7 @@ public:
     string cPubArgType(bool named, bool forReturn) const;  // Return C /*public*/ type for argument: bool, uint32_t, uint64_t, etc.
     string dpiArgType(bool named, bool forReturn) const;  // Return DPI-C type for argument
     // Return Verilator internal type for argument: CData, SData, IData, WData
-    string vlArgType(bool named, bool forReturn, bool forFunc) const;
+    string vlArgType(bool named, bool forReturn, bool forFunc, const string& namespc="") const;
     string vlEnumType() const;  // Return VerilatorVarType: VLVT_UINT32, etc
     string vlEnumDir() const;  // Return VerilatorVarDir: VLVD_INOUT, etc
     string vlPropInit() const;  // Return VerilatorVarProps initializer
@@ -1410,6 +1410,10 @@ public:
     void addConsumingMTaskId(int id) { m_mtaskIds.insert(id); }
     const MTaskIdSet& mtaskIds() const { return m_mtaskIds; }
     string mtasksString() const;
+private:
+    class VlArgTypeRecurseInfo;
+    string vlArgTypeRecurse(AstNodeDType* dtypep, VlArgTypeRecurseInfo* infop,
+                            const string& oarray) const;
 };
 
 class AstDefParam : public AstNode {
diff --git a/src/V3EmitC.cpp b/src/V3EmitC.cpp
index 9bc2f9b13..a3fab3bdc 100644
--- a/src/V3EmitC.cpp
+++ b/src/V3EmitC.cpp
@@ -1303,71 +1303,34 @@ public:
 void EmitCStmts::emitVarDecl(const AstVar* nodep, const string& prefixIfImp) {
     AstBasicDType* basicp = nodep->basicp();
     UASSERT_OBJ(basicp, nodep, "Unimplemented: Outputting this data type");
-    if (nodep->isIO()) {
-        if (nodep->isSc()) {
-            m_ctorVarsVec.push_back(nodep);
-            if (nodep->attrScClocked() && nodep->isReadOnly()) {
-                puts("sc_in_clk ");
-            } else {
-                if (nodep->isInoutish()) puts("sc_inout<");
-                else if (nodep->isWritable()) puts("sc_out<");
-                else if (nodep->isNonOutput()) puts("sc_in<");
-                else nodep->v3fatalSrc("Unknown type");
-
-                puts(nodep->scType());
-                puts("> ");
-            }
-            puts(nodep->nameProtect());
-            emitDeclArrayBrackets(nodep);
-            puts(";\n");
-        } else if (basicp && basicp->isOpaque()) {
-            // strings and other fundamental c types; no VL_ macro can be used
-            puts(nodep->vlArgType(true, false, false));
-            emitDeclArrayBrackets(nodep);
-            puts(";\n");
-        } else {  // C++ signals
-            if (nodep->isInoutish()) puts("VL_INOUT");
-            else if (nodep->isWritable()) puts("VL_OUT");
-            else if (nodep->isNonOutput()) puts("VL_IN");
+    if (nodep->isIO() && nodep->isSc()) {
+        m_ctorVarsVec.push_back(nodep);
+        if (nodep->attrScClocked() && nodep->isReadOnly()) {
+            puts("sc_in_clk ");
+        } else {
+            if (nodep->isInoutish()) puts("sc_inout<");
+            else if (nodep->isWritable()) puts("sc_out<");
+            else if (nodep->isNonOutput()) puts("sc_in<");
             else nodep->v3fatalSrc("Unknown type");
 
-            if (nodep->isQuad()) puts("64");
-            else if (nodep->widthMin() <= 8) puts("8");
-            else if (nodep->widthMin() <= 16) puts("16");
-            else if (nodep->isWide()) puts("W");
-
-            puts("("+nodep->nameProtect());
-            emitDeclArrayBrackets(nodep);
-            // If it's a packed struct/array then nodep->width is the whole
-            // thing, msb/lsb is just lowest dimension
-            puts(","+cvtToStr(basicp->lsb()+nodep->width()-1)
-                 +","+cvtToStr(basicp->lsb()));
-            if (nodep->isWide()) puts(","+cvtToStr(nodep->widthWords()));
-            puts(");\n");
+            puts(nodep->scType());
+            puts("> ");
         }
-    } else if (basicp && basicp->isOpaque()) {
-        // strings and other fundamental c types
-        puts(nodep->vlArgType(true, false, false));
+        puts(nodep->nameProtect());
         emitDeclArrayBrackets(nodep);
         puts(";\n");
-    } else {
-        // Arrays need a small alignment, but may need different padding after.
-        // For example three VL_SIG8's needs alignment 1 but size 3.
-        if (nodep->isStatic() && prefixIfImp=="") puts("static ");
-        if (nodep->isStatic()) puts("VL_ST_"); else puts("VL_");
-        if (nodep->widthMin() <= 8) {
-            puts("SIG8(");
-        } else if (nodep->widthMin() <= 16) {
-            puts("SIG16(");
-        } else if (nodep->isQuad()) {
-            puts("SIG64(");
-        } else if (!nodep->isWide()) {
-            puts("SIG(");
-        } else {
-            puts("SIGW(");
-        }
-        if (prefixIfImp!="") { puts(prefixIfImp); puts("::"); }
-        puts(nodep->nameProtect());
+    } else if (nodep->isIO() && basicp && !basicp->isOpaque()) {
+        if (nodep->isInoutish()) puts("VL_INOUT");
+        else if (nodep->isWritable()) puts("VL_OUT");
+        else if (nodep->isNonOutput()) puts("VL_IN");
+        else nodep->v3fatalSrc("Unknown type");
+
+        if (nodep->isQuad()) puts("64");
+        else if (nodep->widthMin() <= 8) puts("8");
+        else if (nodep->widthMin() <= 16) puts("16");
+        else if (nodep->isWide()) puts("W");
+
+        puts("("+nodep->nameProtect());
         emitDeclArrayBrackets(nodep);
         // If it's a packed struct/array then nodep->width is the whole
         // thing, msb/lsb is just lowest dimension
@@ -1375,6 +1338,10 @@ void EmitCStmts::emitVarDecl(const AstVar* nodep, const string& prefixIfImp) {
              +","+cvtToStr(basicp->lsb()));
         if (nodep->isWide()) puts(","+cvtToStr(nodep->widthWords()));
         puts(");\n");
+    } else {
+        // strings and other fundamental c types
+        puts(nodep->vlArgType(true, false, false, prefixIfImp));
+        puts(";\n");
     }
 }