Index: openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/tcl/fs-contents-portlet-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/tcl/fs-contents-portlet-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -N -r1.3 -r1.3.22.1
--- openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/tcl/fs-contents-portlet-procs.tcl	9 Aug 2002 18:39:32 -0000	1.3
+++ openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/tcl/fs-contents-portlet-procs.tcl	19 Aug 2014 16:52:37 -0000	1.3.22.1
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
             
             portal::set_element_param $element_id folder_id $folder_id
 
-            if {![empty_string_p $hide_p]} {
+            if {$hide_p ne ""} {
                 portal::configure_element -noconn 1 $element_id hide "" 
             }
         }
Index: openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/tcl/fs-portlet-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/tcl/fs-portlet-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -N -r1.42 -r1.42.22.1
--- openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/tcl/fs-portlet-procs.tcl	9 Aug 2002 18:39:32 -0000	1.42
+++ openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/tcl/fs-portlet-procs.tcl	19 Aug 2014 16:52:37 -0000	1.42.22.1
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 
         @return element_id The new element's id
     } {
-        if {[empty_string_p $extra_params]} {
+        if {$extra_params eq ""} {
             set extra_params [list]
         }
 
Index: openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/www/fs-contents-portlet.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/www/fs-contents-portlet.tcl,v
diff -u -N -r1.8 -r1.8.12.1
--- openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/www/fs-contents-portlet.tcl	13 Jan 2005 13:58:20 -0000	1.8
+++ openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/www/fs-contents-portlet.tcl	19 Aug 2014 16:52:37 -0000	1.8.12.1
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
     -url [ad_conn url]?folder_id=$folder_id \
     ]
 
-if [exists_and_not_null file_storage_package_id] {
+if {([info exists file_storage_package_id] && $file_storage_package_id ne "")} {
     set use_webdav_p  [parameter::get -package_id $file_storage_package_id -parameter "UseWebDavP"]
     
     if { $use_webdav_p == 1} { 
Index: openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/www/fs-portlet.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/www/fs-portlet.tcl,v
diff -u -N -r1.24 -r1.24.4.1
--- openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/www/fs-portlet.tcl	9 Nov 2008 23:29:27 -0000	1.24
+++ openacs-4/packages/fs-portlet/www/fs-portlet.tcl	19 Aug 2014 16:52:37 -0000	1.24.4.1
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 set user_root_folder [dotlrn_fs::get_user_root_folder -user_id $user_id]
 set user_root_folder_present_p 0
 
-if {![empty_string_p $user_root_folder] && [lsearch -exact $list_of_folder_ids $user_root_folder] != -1} {
+if {$user_root_folder ne "" && [lsearch -exact $list_of_folder_ids $user_root_folder] != -1} {
     set folder_id $user_root_folder
     set user_root_folder_present_p 1
     set use_ajaxfs_p 0
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 set url [site_node_object_map::get_url -object_id $folder_id]
 set contents_url [lindex $config(contents_url) 0]
 
-if {[empty_string_p $contents_url]} {
+if {$contents_url eq ""} {
     set recurse_p 1
     set contents_url "${url}folder-contents?[export_vars {folder_id recurse_p}]&"
 } else {
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@
     -url [ad_conn url]?[ad_conn query]&folder_id=$folder_id \
     ]
 
-if [exists_and_not_null file_storage_package_id] {
+if {([info exists file_storage_package_id] && $file_storage_package_id ne "")} {
     set use_webdav_p  [parameter::get -package_id $file_storage_package_id -parameter "UseWebDavP"]
     
     if { $use_webdav_p == 1} { 
Index: openacs-4/packages/news-portlet/www/news-portlet.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/news-portlet/www/news-portlet.tcl,v
diff -u -N -r1.21 -r1.21.2.1
--- openacs-4/packages/news-portlet/www/news-portlet.tcl	29 Dec 2009 01:05:14 -0000	1.21
+++ openacs-4/packages/news-portlet/www/news-portlet.tcl	19 Aug 2014 16:58:05 -0000	1.21.2.1
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
 set news_url [ad_conn package_url]
 set comm_id [dotlrn_community::get_community_id_from_url -url $news_url]
-if {[exists_and_not_null comm_id]} {
+if {$comm_id ne ""} {
     set root_id [ad_conn node_id]
     set user_id [ad_conn user_id]
     set inside_comm_p 1