stringapi: Pass configuration names as strings

74 files changed, 539 insertions, 485 deletions

diff --git a/Source/CPack/cmCPackGenerator.cxx b/Source/CPack/cmCPackGenerator.cxx
index bed3891c04..4c52c9614a 100644
--- a/Source/CPack/cmCPackGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/CPack/cmCPackGenerator.cxx
@@ -623,7 +623,8 @@ int cmCPackGenerator::InstallProjectViaInstallCMakeProjects(
         componentsVector.push_back(installComponent);
         }
 
-      const char* buildConfig = this->GetOption("CPACK_BUILD_CONFIG");
+      const char* buildConfigCstr = this->GetOption("CPACK_BUILD_CONFIG");
+      std::string buildConfig = buildConfigCstr ? buildConfigCstr : "";
       cmGlobalGenerator* globalGenerator
         = this->MakefileMap->GetCMakeInstance()->CreateGlobalGenerator(
           cmakeGenerator);
@@ -822,9 +823,9 @@ int cmCPackGenerator::InstallProjectViaInstallCMakeProjects(
                         << "'" << std::endl);
           }
 
-        if ( buildConfig && *buildConfig )
+        if (!buildConfig.empty())
           {
-          mf->AddDefinition("BUILD_TYPE", buildConfig);
+          mf->AddDefinition("BUILD_TYPE", buildConfig.c_str());
           }
         std::string installComponentLowerCase
           = cmSystemTools::LowerCase(installComponent);
diff --git a/Source/cmComputeLinkDepends.cxx b/Source/cmComputeLinkDepends.cxx
index 6c1c1de22a..2d1da558af 100644
--- a/Source/cmComputeLinkDepends.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmComputeLinkDepends.cxx
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ satisfy dependencies.
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmComputeLinkDepends
-::cmComputeLinkDepends(cmTarget const* target, const char* config,
+::cmComputeLinkDepends(cmTarget const* target, const std::string& config,
                        cmTarget const* head)
 {
   // Store context information.
@@ -184,7 +184,8 @@ cmComputeLinkDepends
   this->CMakeInstance = this->GlobalGenerator->GetCMakeInstance();
 
   // The configuration being linked.
-  this->Config = (config && *config)? config : 0;
+  this->HasConfig = !config.empty();
+  this->Config = (this->HasConfig)? config : std::string();
   this->LinkType = this->Target->ComputeLinkType(this->Config);
 
   // Enable debug mode if requested.
@@ -255,7 +256,7 @@ cmComputeLinkDepends::Compute()
             "---------------------------------------\n");
     fprintf(stderr, "Link dependency analysis for target %s, config %s\n",
             this->Target->GetName().c_str(),
-            this->Config?this->Config:"noconfig");
+            this->HasConfig?this->Config.c_str():"noconfig");
     this->DisplayConstraintGraph();
     }
 
diff --git a/Source/cmComputeLinkDepends.h b/Source/cmComputeLinkDepends.h
index ac5e368ae2..13fc993fb4 100644
--- a/Source/cmComputeLinkDepends.h
+++ b/Source/cmComputeLinkDepends.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class cmake;
 class cmComputeLinkDepends
 {
 public:
-  cmComputeLinkDepends(cmTarget const* target, const char* config,
+  cmComputeLinkDepends(cmTarget const* target, const std::string& config,
                        cmTarget const* head);
   ~cmComputeLinkDepends();
 
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@ private:
   bool DebugMode;
 
   // Configuration information.
-  const char* Config;
+  bool HasConfig;
+  std::string Config;
   cmTarget::LinkLibraryType LinkType;
 
   // Output information.
diff --git a/Source/cmComputeLinkInformation.cxx b/Source/cmComputeLinkInformation.cxx
index 32b23b8e46..e4e2047382 100644
--- a/Source/cmComputeLinkInformation.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmComputeLinkInformation.cxx
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ because this need be done only for shared libraries without soname-s.
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmComputeLinkInformation
-::cmComputeLinkInformation(cmTarget const* target, const char* config,
+::cmComputeLinkInformation(cmTarget const* target, const std::string& config,
                            cmTarget const* headTarget)
 {
   // Store context information.
@@ -505,7 +505,8 @@ bool cmComputeLinkInformation::Compute()
     }
 
   // Compute the ordered link line items.
-  cmComputeLinkDepends cld(this->Target, this->Config, this->HeadTarget);
+  cmComputeLinkDepends cld(this->Target, this->Config.c_str(),
+                           this->HeadTarget);
   cld.SetOldLinkDirMode(this->OldLinkDirMode);
   cmComputeLinkDepends::EntryVector const& linkEntries = cld.Compute();
 
@@ -624,7 +625,7 @@ void cmComputeLinkInformation::AddItem(std::string const& item,
                                        cmTarget const* tgt)
 {
   // Compute the proper name to use to link this library.
-  const char* config = this->Config;
+  const std::string& config = this->Config;
   bool impexe = (tgt && tgt->IsExecutableWithExports());
   if(impexe && !this->UseImportLibrary && !this->LoaderFlag)
     {
diff --git a/Source/cmComputeLinkInformation.h b/Source/cmComputeLinkInformation.h
index b5a8bec6b4..e345fe2599 100644
--- a/Source/cmComputeLinkInformation.h
+++ b/Source/cmComputeLinkInformation.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class cmOrderDirectories;
 class cmComputeLinkInformation
 {
 public:
-  cmComputeLinkInformation(cmTarget const* target, const char* config,
+  cmComputeLinkInformation(cmTarget const* target, const std::string& config,
                            cmTarget const* headTarget);
   ~cmComputeLinkInformation();
   bool Compute();
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ private:
   cmake* CMakeInstance;
 
   // Configuration information.
-  const char* Config;
+  std::string Config;
   std::string LinkLanguage;
   bool LinkDependsNoShared;
 
diff --git a/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.cxx b/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.cxx
index 405643e1ba..10041db8ac 100644
--- a/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.cxx
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ void cmComputeTargetDepends::CollectTargetDepends(int depender_index)
   std::set<std::string> emitted;
   {
   std::vector<std::string> tlibs;
-  depender->GetDirectLinkLibraries(0, tlibs, depender);
+  depender->GetDirectLinkLibraries("", tlibs, depender);
   // A target should not depend on itself.
   emitted.insert(depender->GetName());
   for(std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator lib = tlibs.begin();
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ void cmComputeTargetDepends::CollectTargetDepends(int depender_index)
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmComputeTargetDepends::AddInterfaceDepends(int depender_index,
                                                  cmTarget const* dependee,
-                                                 const char *config,
+                                                 const std::string& config,
                                                std::set<std::string> &emitted)
 {
   cmTarget const* depender = this->Targets[depender_index];
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ void cmComputeTargetDepends::AddInterfaceDepends(int depender_index,
 
   if(dependee)
     {
-    this->AddInterfaceDepends(depender_index, dependee, 0, emitted);
+    this->AddInterfaceDepends(depender_index, dependee, "", emitted);
     std::vector<std::string> configs;
     depender->GetMakefile()->GetConfigurations(configs);
     for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator it = configs.begin();
diff --git a/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.h b/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.h
index db76a18032..7553816357 100644
--- a/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.h
+++ b/Source/cmComputeTargetDepends.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ private:
                            const std::string& dependee_name,
                            bool linking, std::set<std::string> &emitted);
   void AddInterfaceDepends(int depender_index, cmTarget const* dependee,
-                           const char *config,
+                           const std::string& config,
                            std::set<std::string> &emitted);
   cmGlobalGenerator* GlobalGenerator;
   bool DebugMode;
diff --git a/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx b/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx
index ea3e814620..ab7b024bf5 100644
--- a/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ int cmCoreTryCompile::TryCompileCode(std::vector<std::string> const& argv)
       cmExportTryCompileFileGenerator tcfg;
       tcfg.SetExportFile((this->BinaryDirectory + fname).c_str());
       tcfg.SetExports(targets);
-      tcfg.SetConfig(this->Makefile->GetDefinition(
+      tcfg.SetConfig(this->Makefile->GetSafeDefinition(
                                           "CMAKE_TRY_COMPILE_CONFIGURATION"));
 
       if(!tcfg.GenerateImportFile())
diff --git a/Source/cmCustomCommandGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmCustomCommandGenerator.cxx
index f24dfa212e..d8a756dc90 100644
--- a/Source/cmCustomCommandGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmCustomCommandGenerator.cxx
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmCustomCommandGenerator::cmCustomCommandGenerator(
-  cmCustomCommand const& cc, const char* config, cmMakefile* mf):
+  cmCustomCommand const& cc, const std::string& config, cmMakefile* mf):
   CC(cc), Config(config), Makefile(mf), LG(mf->GetLocalGenerator()),
   OldStyle(cc.GetEscapeOldStyle()), MakeVars(cc.GetEscapeAllowMakeVars()),
   GE(new cmGeneratorExpression(cc.GetBacktrace()))
diff --git a/Source/cmCustomCommandGenerator.h b/Source/cmCustomCommandGenerator.h
index 4e89f27319..17d644af3a 100644
--- a/Source/cmCustomCommandGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmCustomCommandGenerator.h
@@ -22,14 +22,15 @@ class cmGeneratorExpression;
 class cmCustomCommandGenerator
 {
   cmCustomCommand const& CC;
-  const char* Config;
+  std::string Config;
   cmMakefile* Makefile;
   cmLocalGenerator* LG;
   bool OldStyle;
   bool MakeVars;
   cmGeneratorExpression* GE;
 public:
-  cmCustomCommandGenerator(cmCustomCommand const& cc, const char* config,
+  cmCustomCommandGenerator(cmCustomCommand const& cc,
+                           const std::string& config,
                            cmMakefile* mf);
   ~cmCustomCommandGenerator();
   unsigned int GetNumberOfCommands() const;
diff --git a/Source/cmExportBuildFileGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmExportBuildFileGenerator.cxx
index 308956a60e..f991f457ab 100644
--- a/Source/cmExportBuildFileGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmExportBuildFileGenerator.cxx
@@ -118,8 +118,9 @@ bool cmExportBuildFileGenerator::GenerateMainFile(std::ostream& os)
 void
 cmExportBuildFileGenerator
 ::GenerateImportTargetsConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                              const char* config, std::string const& suffix,
-                            std::vector<std::string> &missingTargets)
+                              const std::string& config,
+                              std::string const& suffix,
+                              std::vector<std::string> &missingTargets)
 {
   for(std::vector<cmTarget*>::const_iterator
         tei = this->Exports.begin();
@@ -166,7 +167,8 @@ void cmExportBuildFileGenerator::SetExportSet(cmExportSet *exportSet)
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void
 cmExportBuildFileGenerator
-::SetImportLocationProperty(const char* config, std::string const& suffix,
+::SetImportLocationProperty(const std::string& config,
+                            std::string const& suffix,
                             cmTarget* target, ImportPropertyMap& properties)
 {
   // Get the makefile in which to lookup target information.
diff --git a/Source/cmExportBuildFileGenerator.h b/Source/cmExportBuildFileGenerator.h
index cea2099b7b..c1bdb5b959 100644
--- a/Source/cmExportBuildFileGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmExportBuildFileGenerator.h
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ protected:
   // Implement virtual methods from the superclass.
   virtual bool GenerateMainFile(std::ostream& os);
   virtual void GenerateImportTargetsConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                                           const char* config,
+                                           const std::string& config,
                                            std::string const& suffix,
                             std::vector<std::string> &missingTargets);
   virtual void HandleMissingTarget(std::string& link_libs,
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ protected:
                                   int occurrences);
 
   /** Fill in properties indicating built file locations.  */
-  void SetImportLocationProperty(const char* config,
+  void SetImportLocationProperty(const std::string& config,
                                  std::string const& suffix,
                                  cmTarget* target,
                                  ImportPropertyMap& properties);
diff --git a/Source/cmExportFileGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmExportFileGenerator.cxx
index c06f889668..3c3c6df483 100644
--- a/Source/cmExportFileGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmExportFileGenerator.cxx
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ cmExportFileGenerator::cmExportFileGenerator()
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmExportFileGenerator::AddConfiguration(const char* config)
+void cmExportFileGenerator::AddConfiguration(const std::string& config)
 {
   this->Configurations.push_back(config);
 }
@@ -117,12 +117,12 @@ bool cmExportFileGenerator::GenerateImportFile()
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmExportFileGenerator::GenerateImportConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                                    const char* config,
+                                    const std::string& config,
                                     std::vector<std::string> &missingTargets)
 {
   // Construct the property configuration suffix.
   std::string suffix = "_";
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     suffix += cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
     }
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ void cmExportFileGenerator::PopulateIncludeDirectoriesInterface(
                                             true);
   this->ReplaceInstallPrefix(dirs);
   cmsys::auto_ptr<cmCompiledGeneratorExpression> cge = ge.Parse(dirs);
-  std::string exportDirs = cge->Evaluate(target->GetMakefile(), 0,
+  std::string exportDirs = cge->Evaluate(target->GetMakefile(), "",
                                          false, target);
 
   if (cge->GetHadContextSensitiveCondition())
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ void getPropertyContents(cmTarget const* tgt, const std::string& prop,
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void getCompatibleInterfaceProperties(cmTarget *target,
                                       std::set<std::string> &ifaceProperties,
-                                      const char *config)
+                                      const std::string& config)
 {
   cmComputeLinkInformation *info = target->GetLinkInformation(config);
 
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ void cmExportFileGenerator::PopulateCompatibleInterfaceProperties(
 
   if (target->GetType() != cmTarget::INTERFACE_LIBRARY)
     {
-    getCompatibleInterfaceProperties(target, ifaceProperties, 0);
+    getCompatibleInterfaceProperties(target, ifaceProperties, "");
 
     std::vector<std::string> configNames;
     target->GetMakefile()->GetConfigurations(configNames);
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ cmExportFileGenerator::ReplaceInstallPrefix(std::string &)
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void
 cmExportFileGenerator
-::SetImportLinkInterface(const char* config, std::string const& suffix,
+::SetImportLinkInterface(const std::string& config, std::string const& suffix,
                     cmGeneratorExpression::PreprocessContext preprocessRule,
                     cmTarget* target, ImportPropertyMap& properties,
                     std::vector<std::string>& missingTargets)
@@ -762,7 +762,8 @@ cmExportFileGenerator
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void
 cmExportFileGenerator
-::SetImportDetailProperties(const char* config, std::string const& suffix,
+::SetImportDetailProperties(const std::string& config,
+                            std::string const& suffix,
                             cmTarget* target, ImportPropertyMap& properties,
                             std::vector<std::string>& missingTargets
                            )
@@ -864,11 +865,11 @@ cmExportFileGenerator
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmExportFileGenerator::GenerateImportHeaderCode(std::ostream& os,
-                                                     const char* config)
+                                                    const std::string& config)
 {
   os << "#----------------------------------------------------------------\n"
      << "# Generated CMake target import file";
-  if(config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     os << " for configuration \"" << config << "\".\n";
     }
@@ -999,7 +1000,7 @@ cmExportFileGenerator
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void
 cmExportFileGenerator
-::GenerateImportPropertyCode(std::ostream& os, const char* config,
+::GenerateImportPropertyCode(std::ostream& os, const std::string& config,
                              cmTarget const* target,
                              ImportPropertyMap const& properties)
 {
@@ -1013,7 +1014,7 @@ cmExportFileGenerator
      << config << "\"\n";
   os << "set_property(TARGET " << targetName
      << " APPEND PROPERTY IMPORTED_CONFIGURATIONS ";
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     os << cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
     }
diff --git a/Source/cmExportFileGenerator.h b/Source/cmExportFileGenerator.h
index 9e3ce0b49d..cf91c6985d 100644
--- a/Source/cmExportFileGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmExportFileGenerator.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public:
   void SetExportOld(bool exportOld) { this->ExportOld = exportOld; }
 
   /** Add a configuration to be exported.  */
-  void AddConfiguration(const char* config);
+  void AddConfiguration(const std::string& config);
 
   /** Actually generate the export file.  Returns whether there was an
       error.  */
@@ -67,15 +67,16 @@ protected:
 
   // Generate per-configuration target information to the given output
   // stream.
-  void GenerateImportConfig(std::ostream& os, const char* config,
+  void GenerateImportConfig(std::ostream& os, const std::string& config,
                             std::vector<std::string> &missingTargets);
 
   // Methods to implement export file code generation.
-  void GenerateImportHeaderCode(std::ostream& os, const char* config = 0);
+  void GenerateImportHeaderCode(std::ostream& os,
+                                const std::string& config = "");
   void GenerateImportFooterCode(std::ostream& os);
   void GenerateImportVersionCode(std::ostream& os);
   void GenerateImportTargetCode(std::ostream& os, cmTarget const* target);
-  void GenerateImportPropertyCode(std::ostream& os, const char* config,
+  void GenerateImportPropertyCode(std::ostream& os, const std::string& config,
                                   cmTarget const* target,
                                   ImportPropertyMap const& properties);
   void GenerateImportedFileChecksCode(std::ostream& os, cmTarget* target,
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ protected:
 
   // Collect properties with detailed information about targets beyond
   // their location on disk.
-  void SetImportDetailProperties(const char* config,
+  void SetImportDetailProperties(const std::string& config,
                                  std::string const& suffix, cmTarget* target,
                                  ImportPropertyMap& properties,
                                  std::vector<std::string>& missingTargets);
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ protected:
 
   /** Each subclass knows where the target files are located.  */
   virtual void GenerateImportTargetsConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                                           const char* config,
+                                           const std::string& config,
                                            std::string const& suffix,
                             std::vector<std::string> &missingTargets) = 0;
 
@@ -137,7 +138,8 @@ protected:
                       ImportPropertyMap &properties,
                       std::vector<std::string> &missingTargets);
 
-  void SetImportLinkInterface(const char* config, std::string const& suffix,
+  void SetImportLinkInterface(const std::string& config,
+                    std::string const& suffix,
                     cmGeneratorExpression::PreprocessContext preprocessRule,
                     cmTarget* target, ImportPropertyMap& properties,
                     std::vector<std::string>& missingTargets);
diff --git a/Source/cmExportInstallFileGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmExportInstallFileGenerator.cxx
index b57996305b..5e7d5e44c9 100644
--- a/Source/cmExportInstallFileGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmExportInstallFileGenerator.cxx
@@ -240,7 +240,8 @@ cmExportInstallFileGenerator::ReplaceInstallPrefix(std::string &input)
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool
-cmExportInstallFileGenerator::GenerateImportFileConfig(const char* config,
+cmExportInstallFileGenerator::GenerateImportFileConfig(
+                                    const std::string& config,
                                     std::vector<std::string> &missingTargets)
 {
   // Skip configurations not enabled for this export.
@@ -254,7 +255,7 @@ cmExportInstallFileGenerator::GenerateImportFileConfig(const char* config,
   fileName += "/";
   fileName += this->FileBase;
   fileName += "-";
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     fileName += cmSystemTools::LowerCase(config);
     }
@@ -296,7 +297,8 @@ cmExportInstallFileGenerator::GenerateImportFileConfig(const char* config,
 void
 cmExportInstallFileGenerator
 ::GenerateImportTargetsConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                              const char* config, std::string const& suffix,
+                              const std::string& config,
+                              std::string const& suffix,
                               std::vector<std::string> &missingTargets)
 {
   // Add each target in the set to the export.
@@ -355,7 +357,8 @@ cmExportInstallFileGenerator
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void
 cmExportInstallFileGenerator
-::SetImportLocationProperty(const char* config, std::string const& suffix,
+::SetImportLocationProperty(const std::string& config,
+                            std::string const& suffix,
                             cmInstallTargetGenerator* itgen,
                             ImportPropertyMap& properties,
                             std::set<std::string>& importedLocations
diff --git a/Source/cmExportInstallFileGenerator.h b/Source/cmExportInstallFileGenerator.h
index 5ee2a7802b..b851ad5f3c 100644
--- a/Source/cmExportInstallFileGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmExportInstallFileGenerator.h
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ protected:
   // Implement virtual methods from the superclass.
   virtual bool GenerateMainFile(std::ostream& os);
   virtual void GenerateImportTargetsConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                                           const char* config,
+                                           const std::string& config,
                                            std::string const& suffix,
                             std::vector<std::string> &missingTargets);
   virtual void HandleMissingTarget(std::string& link_libs,
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ protected:
 
 
   /** Generate a per-configuration file for the targets.  */
-  bool GenerateImportFileConfig(const char* config,
+  bool GenerateImportFileConfig(const std::string& config,
                             std::vector<std::string> &missingTargets);
 
   /** Fill in properties indicating installed file locations.  */
-  void SetImportLocationProperty(const char* config,
+  void SetImportLocationProperty(const std::string& config,
                                  std::string const& suffix,
                                  cmInstallTargetGenerator* itgen,
                                  ImportPropertyMap& properties,
diff --git a/Source/cmExportTryCompileFileGenerator.h b/Source/cmExportTryCompileFileGenerator.h
index a16fe6b91d..ec70d81035 100644
--- a/Source/cmExportTryCompileFileGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmExportTryCompileFileGenerator.h
@@ -23,14 +23,14 @@ public:
   /** Set the list of targets to export.  */
   void SetExports(const std::vector<cmTarget const*> &exports)
     { this->Exports = exports; }
-  void SetConfig(const char *config) { this->Config = config; }
+  void SetConfig(const std::string& config) { this->Config = config; }
 protected:
 
   // Implement virtual methods from the superclass.
   virtual bool GenerateMainFile(std::ostream& os);
 
   virtual void GenerateImportTargetsConfig(std::ostream&,
-                                           const char*,
+                                           const std::string&,
                                            std::string const&,
                             std::vector<std::string>&) {}
   virtual void HandleMissingTarget(std::string&,
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ private:
 
 
   std::vector<cmTarget const*> Exports;
-  const char *Config;
+  std::string Config;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/Source/cmExtraSublimeTextGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmExtraSublimeTextGenerator.cxx
index 9c2849c013..03c7c92971 100644
--- a/Source/cmExtraSublimeTextGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmExtraSublimeTextGenerator.cxx
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ cmExtraSublimeTextGenerator::ComputeFlagsForObject(cmSourceFile* source,
    {
    language = "C";
    }
-  const char* config = makefile->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
+  const std::string& config = makefile->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
   // Add language-specific flags.
   lg->AddLanguageFlags(flags, language, config);
 
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ ComputeDefines(cmSourceFile *source, cmLocalGenerator* lg, cmTarget *target,
   std::set<std::string> defines;
   cmMakefile *makefile = lg->GetMakefile();
   const std::string& language = source->GetLanguage();
-  const char* config = makefile->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
+  const std::string& config = makefile->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
 
   // Add the export symbol definition for shared library objects.
   if(const char* exportMacro = target->GetExportMacro())
diff --git a/Source/cmGeneratorExpression.cxx b/Source/cmGeneratorExpression.cxx
index 433adcf7c7..e4187d286a 100644
--- a/Source/cmGeneratorExpression.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGeneratorExpression.cxx
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ cmGeneratorExpression::~cmGeneratorExpression()
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 const char *cmCompiledGeneratorExpression::Evaluate(
-  cmMakefile* mf, const char* config, bool quiet,
+  cmMakefile* mf, const std::string& config, bool quiet,
   cmTarget const* headTarget,
   cmGeneratorExpressionDAGChecker *dagChecker) const
 {
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ const char *cmCompiledGeneratorExpression::Evaluate(
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 const char *cmCompiledGeneratorExpression::Evaluate(
-  cmMakefile* mf, const char* config, bool quiet,
+  cmMakefile* mf, const std::string& config, bool quiet,
   cmTarget const* headTarget,
   cmTarget const* currentTarget,
   cmGeneratorExpressionDAGChecker *dagChecker) const
diff --git a/Source/cmGeneratorExpression.h b/Source/cmGeneratorExpression.h
index 9aa590d36f..5b97e8b2ac 100644
--- a/Source/cmGeneratorExpression.h
+++ b/Source/cmGeneratorExpression.h
@@ -78,12 +78,12 @@ private:
 class cmCompiledGeneratorExpression
 {
 public:
-  const char* Evaluate(cmMakefile* mf, const char* config,
+  const char* Evaluate(cmMakefile* mf, const std::string& config,
                        bool quiet = false,
                        cmTarget const* headTarget = 0,
                        cmTarget const* currentTarget = 0,
                        cmGeneratorExpressionDAGChecker *dagChecker = 0) const;
-  const char* Evaluate(cmMakefile* mf, const char* config,
+  const char* Evaluate(cmMakefile* mf, const std::string& config,
                        bool quiet,
                        cmTarget const* headTarget,
                        cmGeneratorExpressionDAGChecker *dagChecker) const;
diff --git a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile.cxx b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile.cxx
index bf858700de..90ce27cdd9 100644
--- a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile.cxx
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile::cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile(
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile::Generate(const char *config,
+void cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile::Generate(const std::string& config,
               cmCompiledGeneratorExpression* inputExpression,
               std::map<std::string, std::string> &outputFiles)
 {
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ void cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile::Generate()
 
   if (allConfigs.empty())
     {
-    this->Generate(0, inputExpression.get(), outputFiles);
+    this->Generate("", inputExpression.get(), outputFiles);
     }
   else
     {
diff --git a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile.h b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile.h
index 20ee5cb2da..f939916d6e 100644
--- a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile.h
+++ b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluationFile.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public:
   std::vector<std::string> GetFiles() const { return this->Files; }
 
 private:
-  void Generate(const char *config,
+  void Generate(const std::string& config,
               cmCompiledGeneratorExpression* inputExpression,
               std::map<std::string, std::string> &outputFiles);
 
diff --git a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx
index d12a66de04..43c1794e9e 100644
--- a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx
@@ -689,7 +689,7 @@ static const struct ConfigurationNode : public cmGeneratorExpressionNode
                        cmGeneratorExpressionDAGChecker *) const
   {
     context->HadContextSensitiveCondition = true;
-    return context->Config ? context->Config : "";
+    return context->Config;
   }
 } configurationNode;
 
@@ -718,13 +718,13 @@ static const struct ConfigurationTestNode : public cmGeneratorExpressionNode
       return std::string();
       }
     context->HadContextSensitiveCondition = true;
-    if (!context->Config)
+    if (context->Config.empty())
       {
       return parameters.front().empty() ? "1" : "0";
       }
 
     if (cmsysString_strcasecmp(parameters.begin()->c_str(),
-                                  context->Config) == 0)
+                               context->Config.c_str()) == 0)
       {
       return "1";
       }
diff --git a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.h b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.h
index 0c8a9cf594..a7099cbc04 100644
--- a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ struct cmGeneratorExpressionContext
   std::set<cmTarget const*> AllTargets;
   std::set<std::string> SeenTargetProperties;
   cmMakefile *Makefile;
-  const char *Config;
+  std::string Config;
   cmTarget const* HeadTarget; // The target whose property is being evaluated.
   cmTarget const* CurrentTarget; // The dependent of HeadTarget which appears
                                  // directly or indirectly in the property.
diff --git a/Source/cmGeneratorTarget.cxx b/Source/cmGeneratorTarget.cxx
index f7f6febd01..eb67f91408 100644
--- a/Source/cmGeneratorTarget.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGeneratorTarget.cxx
@@ -252,7 +252,8 @@ cmGeneratorTarget::GetSourceDepends(cmSourceFile* sf) const
 }
 
 static void handleSystemIncludesDep(cmMakefile *mf, cmTarget* depTgt,
-                                  const char *config, cmTarget *headTarget,
+                                  const std::string& config,
+                                  cmTarget *headTarget,
                                   cmGeneratorExpressionDAGChecker *dagChecker,
                                   std::vector<std::string>& result,
                                   bool excludeImported)
@@ -390,12 +391,12 @@ void cmGeneratorTarget::GetResxSources(std::vector<cmSourceFile*>& srcs) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmGeneratorTarget::IsSystemIncludeDirectory(const char *dir,
-                                                 const char *config) const
+bool cmGeneratorTarget::IsSystemIncludeDirectory(const std::string& dir,
+                                              const std::string& config) const
 {
   assert(this->GetType() != cmTarget::INTERFACE_LIBRARY);
   std::string config_upper;
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     config_upper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
     }
@@ -802,7 +803,7 @@ cmTargetTraceDependencies
       {
       const cmsys::auto_ptr<cmCompiledGeneratorExpression> cge
                                                               = ge.Parse(*cli);
-      cge->Evaluate(this->Makefile, 0, true);
+      cge->Evaluate(this->Makefile, "", true);
       std::set<cmTarget*> geTargets = cge->GetTargets();
       for(std::set<cmTarget*>::const_iterator it = geTargets.begin();
           it != geTargets.end(); ++it)
@@ -863,11 +864,11 @@ void cmGeneratorTarget::TraceDependencies()
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmGeneratorTarget::GetAppleArchs(const char* config,
+void cmGeneratorTarget::GetAppleArchs(const std::string& config,
                              std::vector<std::string>& archVec) const
 {
   const char* archs = 0;
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     std::string defVarName = "OSX_ARCHITECTURES_";
     defVarName += cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
@@ -904,13 +905,14 @@ const char* cmGeneratorTarget::GetCreateRuleVariable() const
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 std::vector<std::string>
-cmGeneratorTarget::GetIncludeDirectories(const char *config) const
+cmGeneratorTarget::GetIncludeDirectories(const std::string& config) const
 {
   return this->Target->GetIncludeDirectories(config);
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmGeneratorTarget::GenerateTargetManifest(const char* config) const
+void cmGeneratorTarget::GenerateTargetManifest(
+                                              const std::string& config) const
 {
   if (this->Target->IsImported())
     {
@@ -953,35 +955,35 @@ void cmGeneratorTarget::GenerateTargetManifest(const char* config) const
     f = dir;
     f += "/";
     f += name;
-    gg->AddToManifest(config? config:"", f);
+    gg->AddToManifest(config, f);
     }
   if(!soName.empty())
     {
     f = dir;
     f += "/";
     f += soName;
-    gg->AddToManifest(config? config:"", f);
+    gg->AddToManifest(config, f);
     }
   if(!realName.empty())
     {
     f = dir;
     f += "/";
     f += realName;
-    gg->AddToManifest(config? config:"", f);
+    gg->AddToManifest(config, f);
     }
   if(!pdbName.empty())
     {
     f = dir;
     f += "/";
     f += pdbName;
-    gg->AddToManifest(config? config:"", f);
+    gg->AddToManifest(config, f);
     }
   if(!impName.empty())
     {
     f = this->Target->GetDirectory(config, true);
     f += "/";
     f += impName;
-    gg->AddToManifest(config? config:"", f);
+    gg->AddToManifest(config, f);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/cmGeneratorTarget.h b/Source/cmGeneratorTarget.h
index b15bade370..81a447f463 100644
--- a/Source/cmGeneratorTarget.h
+++ b/Source/cmGeneratorTarget.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public:
 
   void UseObjectLibraries(std::vector<std::string>& objs) const;
 
-  void GetAppleArchs(const char* config,
+  void GetAppleArchs(const std::string& config,
                      std::vector<std::string>& archVec) const;
 
   ///! Return the rule variable used to create this type of target,
@@ -69,12 +69,14 @@ public:
   const char* GetCreateRuleVariable() const;
 
   /** Get the include directories for this target.  */
-  std::vector<std::string> GetIncludeDirectories(const char *config) const;
+  std::vector<std::string> GetIncludeDirectories(
+      const std::string& config) const;
 
-  bool IsSystemIncludeDirectory(const char *dir, const char *config) const;
+  bool IsSystemIncludeDirectory(const std::string& dir,
+                                const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Add the target output files to the global generator manifest.  */
-  void GenerateTargetManifest(const char* config) const;
+  void GenerateTargetManifest(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /**
    * Trace through the source files in this target and add al source files
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
index 9748c61471..70cc16f3ab 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
@@ -1655,7 +1655,8 @@ int cmGlobalGenerator::TryCompile(const char *srcdir, const char *bindir,
 #endif // WIN32
 #endif
     }
-  const char* config = mf->GetDefinition("CMAKE_TRY_COMPILE_CONFIGURATION");
+  std::string config =
+    mf->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_TRY_COMPILE_CONFIGURATION");
   return this->Build(srcdir,bindir,projectName,
                      newTarget.c_str(),
                      output,0,config,false,fast,
@@ -1664,7 +1665,7 @@ int cmGlobalGenerator::TryCompile(const char *srcdir, const char *bindir,
 
 void cmGlobalGenerator::GenerateBuildCommand(
   std::vector<std::string>& makeCommand, const char*, const std::string&,
-  const char*, const std::string&, const char*, bool,
+  const char*, const std::string&, const std::string&, bool,
   std::vector<std::string> const&)
 {
   makeCommand.push_back(
@@ -1676,7 +1677,7 @@ int cmGlobalGenerator::Build(
   const std::string& projectName, const std::string& target,
   std::string *output,
   const char *makeCommandCSTR,
-  const char *config,
+  const std::string& config,
   bool clean, bool fast,
   double timeout,
   cmSystemTools::OutputOption outputflag,
@@ -1788,13 +1789,14 @@ int cmGlobalGenerator::Build(
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 std::string cmGlobalGenerator::GenerateCMakeBuildCommand(
-  const std::string& target, const char* config, const char* native,
+  const std::string& target, const std::string& config,
+  const char* native,
   bool ignoreErrors)
 {
   std::string makeCommand = cmSystemTools::GetCMakeCommand();
   makeCommand = cmSystemTools::ConvertToOutputPath(makeCommand.c_str());
   makeCommand += " --build .";
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     makeCommand += " --config \"";
     makeCommand += config;
@@ -2526,7 +2528,8 @@ std::string cmGlobalGenerator::GetSharedLibFlagsForLanguage(
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmGlobalGenerator::AppendDirectoryForConfig(const char*, const char*,
+void cmGlobalGenerator::AppendDirectoryForConfig(const char*,
+                                                 const std::string&,
                                                  const char*, std::string&)
 {
   // Subclasses that support multiple configurations should implement
@@ -2677,7 +2680,7 @@ void cmGlobalGenerator::AddTargetDepends(cmTarget const* target,
 
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmGlobalGenerator::AddToManifest(const char* config,
+void cmGlobalGenerator::AddToManifest(const std::string& config,
                                       std::string const& f)
 {
   // Add to the main manifest for this configuration.
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
index f06162c847..e9a1b4740a 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ public:
   int Build(const char *srcdir, const char *bindir,
             const std::string& projectName, const std::string& targetName,
             std::string *output,
-            const char *makeProgram, const char *config,
+            const char *makeProgram, const std::string& config,
             bool clean, bool fast,
             double timeout,
             cmSystemTools::OutputOption outputflag=cmSystemTools::OUTPUT_NONE,
@@ -131,13 +131,13 @@ public:
     std::vector<std::string>& makeCommand,
     const char* makeProgram,
     const std::string& projectName, const char *projectDir,
-    const std::string& targetName, const char* config, bool fast,
+    const std::string& targetName, const std::string& config, bool fast,
     std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions = std::vector<std::string>()
     );
 
   /** Generate a "cmake --build" call for a given target and config.  */
   std::string GenerateCMakeBuildCommand(const std::string& target,
-                                        const char* config,
+                                        const std::string& config,
                                         const char* native,
                                         bool ignoreErrors);
 
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ public:
   cmExportSetMap& GetExportSets() {return this->ExportSets;}
 
   /** Add a file to the manifest of generated targets for a configuration.  */
-  void AddToManifest(const char* config, std::string const& f);
+  void AddToManifest(const std::string& config, std::string const& f);
 
   void EnableInstallTarget();
 
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ public:
       appended the given prefix and suffix will be appended around it, which
       is useful for leading or trailing slashes.  */
   virtual void AppendDirectoryForConfig(const char* prefix,
-                                        const char* config,
+                                        const std::string& config,
                                         const char* suffix,
                                         std::string& dir);
 
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx
index 977b3a1c8d..16e9788ebf 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ void cmGlobalNinjaGenerator
                        const std::string& /*projectName*/,
                        const char* /*projectDir*/,
                        const std::string& targetName,
-                       const char* /*config*/,
+                       const std::string& /*config*/,
                        bool /*fast*/,
                        std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions)
 {
@@ -834,8 +834,8 @@ void
 cmGlobalNinjaGenerator
 ::AppendTargetOutputs(cmTarget const* target, cmNinjaDeps& outputs)
 {
-  const char* configName =
-    target->GetMakefile()->GetDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
+  std::string configName =
+    target->GetMakefile()->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
   cmLocalNinjaGenerator *ng =
     static_cast<cmLocalNinjaGenerator *>(this->LocalGenerators[0]);
 
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h
index e422e36a13..86c2912f7a 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ public:
     const std::string& projectName,
     const char* projectDir,
     const std::string& targetName,
-    const char* config,
+    const std::string& config,
     bool fast,
     std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions = std::vector<std::string>()
     );
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.cxx
index a392aa6fd8..d94715096f 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.cxx
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ void cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3
                        const std::string& /*projectName*/,
                        const char* /*projectDir*/,
                        const std::string& targetName,
-                       const char* /*config*/,
+                       const std::string& /*config*/,
                        bool fast,
                        std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions)
 {
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.h b/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.h
index b61619d41d..8924fa8369 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.h
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ public:
     const std::string& projectName,
     const char* projectDir,
     const std::string& targetName,
-    const char* config,
+    const std::string& config,
     bool fast,
     std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions = std::vector<std::string>()
     );
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.cxx
index a2991e1002..0bc572b36e 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.cxx
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator::GenerateBuildCommand(
   const std::string& projectName,
   const char* projectDir,
   const std::string& targetName,
-  const char* config,
+  const std::string& config,
   bool fast,
   std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions)
 {
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator::GenerateBuildCommand(
     makeCommand.push_back(targetProject);
     }
   std::string configArg = "/p:Configuration=";
-  if(config && strlen(config))
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     configArg += config;
     }
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.h
index 97ac9bc017..085f2d2aec 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public:
     const std::string& projectName,
     const char* projectDir,
     const std::string& targetName,
-    const char* config,
+    const std::string& config,
     bool fast,
     std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions = std::vector<std::string>()
     );
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator.cxx
index a7f65872b5..f69bcfd992 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator.cxx
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator::GenerateBuildCommand(
   const std::string& projectName,
   const char* /*projectDir*/,
   const std::string& targetName,
-  const char* config,
+  const std::string& config,
   bool /*fast*/,
   std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions
   )
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator::GenerateBuildCommand(
     targetArg += "ALL_BUILD";
     }
   targetArg += " - ";
-  if(config && strlen(config))
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     targetArg += config;
     }
@@ -419,11 +419,11 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator
 void
 cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator
 ::AppendDirectoryForConfig(const char* prefix,
-                           const char* config,
+                           const std::string& config,
                            const char* suffix,
                            std::string& dir)
 {
-  if(config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     dir += prefix;
     dir += config;
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator.h
index 3665f7b784..22ec926a8e 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio6Generator.h
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public:
     const std::string& projectName,
     const char* projectDir,
     const std::string& targetName,
-    const char* config,
+    const std::string& config,
     bool fast,
     std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions = std::vector<std::string>()
     );
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ public:
 
   /** Append the subdirectory for the given configuration.  */
   virtual void AppendDirectoryForConfig(const char* prefix,
-                                        const char* config,
+                                        const std::string& config,
                                         const char* suffix,
                                         std::string& dir);
 
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
index 2a97edc801..18f7f195f6 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator::GenerateBuildCommand(
   const std::string& projectName,
   const char* /*projectDir*/,
   const std::string& targetName,
-  const char* config,
+  const std::string& config,
   bool /*fast*/,
   std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions)
 {
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator::GenerateBuildCommand(
     makeCommand.push_back("/build");
     }
 
-  if(config && strlen(config))
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     makeCommand.push_back(config);
     }
@@ -962,11 +962,11 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator
 void
 cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator
 ::AppendDirectoryForConfig(const char* prefix,
-                           const char* config,
+                           const std::string& config,
                            const char* suffix,
                            std::string& dir)
 {
-  if(config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     dir += prefix;
     dir += config;
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.h
index 2e58f6c151..009f0025b9 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.h
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public:
     const std::string& projectName,
     const char* projectDir,
     const std::string& targetName,
-    const char* config,
+    const std::string& config,
     bool fast,
     std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions = std::vector<std::string>()
     );
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public:
 
   /** Append the subdirectory for the given configuration.  */
   virtual void AppendDirectoryForConfig(const char* prefix,
-                                        const char* config,
+                                        const std::string& config,
                                         const char* suffix,
                                         std::string& dir);
 
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalXCodeGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalXCodeGenerator.cxx
index 08e9adf431..c0077b923f 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalXCodeGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalXCodeGenerator.cxx
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ cmGlobalXCodeGenerator::GenerateBuildCommand(
   const std::string& projectName,
   const char* /*projectDir*/,
   const std::string& targetName,
-  const char* config,
+  const std::string& config,
   bool /*fast*/,
   std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions)
 {
@@ -298,11 +298,6 @@ cmGlobalXCodeGenerator::GenerateBuildCommand(
     makeCommand.push_back("build");
     }
   makeCommand.push_back("-target");
-  // if it is a null string for config don't use it
-  if(config && *config == 0)
-    {
-    config = 0;
-    }
   if (!realTarget.empty())
     {
     makeCommand.push_back(realTarget);
@@ -319,7 +314,7 @@ cmGlobalXCodeGenerator::GenerateBuildCommand(
   else
     {
     makeCommand.push_back("-configuration");
-    makeCommand.push_back(config?config:"Debug");
+    makeCommand.push_back(!config.empty()?config:"Debug");
     }
   makeCommand.insert(makeCommand.end(),
                      makeOptions.begin(), makeOptions.end());
@@ -1547,7 +1542,7 @@ void  cmGlobalXCodeGenerator
                             cmTarget& target,
                             std::vector<cmCustomCommand>
                             const & commands,
-                            const char* configName,
+                            const std::string& configName,
                             const std::map<std::string,
                             std::string>& multipleOutputPairs
                            )
@@ -1690,8 +1685,8 @@ void  cmGlobalXCodeGenerator
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmGlobalXCodeGenerator::CreateBuildSettings(cmTarget& target,
-                                                 cmXCodeObject* buildSettings,
-                                                 const char* configName)
+                                                cmXCodeObject* buildSettings,
+                                                const std::string& configName)
 {
   if(target.GetType() == cmTarget::INTERFACE_LIBRARY)
     {
@@ -1804,7 +1799,7 @@ void cmGlobalXCodeGenerator::CreateBuildSettings(cmTarget& target,
       this->CurrentLocalGenerator->
         AppendFlags(extraLinkOptions, targetLinkFlags);
       }
-    if(configName && *configName)
+    if(!configName.empty())
       {
       std::string linkFlagsVar = "LINK_FLAGS_";
       linkFlagsVar += cmSystemTools::UpperCase(configName);
@@ -2738,7 +2733,7 @@ void cmGlobalXCodeGenerator
 ::AppendBuildSettingAttribute(cmXCodeObject* target,
                               const char* attribute,
                               const char* value,
-                              const char* configName)
+                              const std::string& configName)
 {
   if(this->XcodeVersion < 21)
     {
@@ -2761,9 +2756,9 @@ void cmGlobalXCodeGenerator
     for(std::vector<cmXCodeObject*>::iterator i = list.begin();
         i != list.end(); ++i)
       {
-      if(configName)
+      if(!configName.empty())
         {
-        if(strcmp((*i)->GetObject("name")->GetString(), configName) == 0)
+        if((*i)->GetObject("name")->GetString() == configName)
           {
           cmXCodeObject* settings = (*i)->GetObject("buildSettings");
           this->AppendOrAddBuildSetting(settings, attribute, value);
@@ -3777,13 +3772,13 @@ std::string cmGlobalXCodeGenerator::XCodeEscapePath(const char* p)
 void
 cmGlobalXCodeGenerator
 ::AppendDirectoryForConfig(const char* prefix,
-                           const char* config,
+                           const std::string& config,
                            const char* suffix,
                            std::string& dir)
 {
   if(this->XcodeVersion > 20)
     {
-    if(config)
+    if(!config.empty())
       {
       dir += prefix;
       dir += config;
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalXCodeGenerator.h b/Source/cmGlobalXCodeGenerator.h
index d2dd491f38..03e75c4d67 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalXCodeGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalXCodeGenerator.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ public:
     const std::string& projectName,
     const char* projectDir,
     const std::string& targetName,
-    const char* config,
+    const std::string& config,
     bool fast,
     std::vector<std::string> const& makeOptions = std::vector<std::string>()
     );
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public:
 
   /** Append the subdirectory for the given configuration.  */
   virtual void AppendDirectoryForConfig(const char* prefix,
-                                        const char* config,
+                                        const std::string& config,
                                         const char* suffix,
                                         std::string& dir);
 
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ private:
   void CreateCustomRulesMakefile(const char* makefileBasename,
                                  cmTarget& target,
                                  std::vector<cmCustomCommand> const & commands,
-                                 const char* configName,
+                                 const std::string& configName,
                                  const std::map<std::string, std::string>&
                                      multipleOutputPairs
                                 );
@@ -147,12 +147,13 @@ private:
   void AppendOrAddBuildSetting(cmXCodeObject* settings, const char* attr,
                                const char* value);
   void AppendBuildSettingAttribute(cmXCodeObject* target, const char* attr,
-                                   const char* value, const char* configName);
+                                   const char* value,
+                                   const std::string& configName);
   cmXCodeObject* CreateUtilityTarget(cmTarget& target);
   void AddDependAndLinkInformation(cmXCodeObject* target);
   void CreateBuildSettings(cmTarget& target,
                            cmXCodeObject* buildSettings,
-                           const char* buildType);
+                           const std::string& buildType);
   std::string ExtractFlag(const char* flag, std::string& flags);
   // delete all objects in the this->XCodeObjects vector.
   void ClearXCodeObjects();
diff --git a/Source/cmInstallExportGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmInstallExportGenerator.cxx
index 045cff649a..d2737a1e72 100644
--- a/Source/cmInstallExportGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmInstallExportGenerator.cxx
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ void cmInstallExportGenerator::GenerateScript(std::ostream& os)
   this->EFGen->SetExportOld(this->ExportOld);
   if(this->ConfigurationTypes->empty())
     {
-    if(this->ConfigurationName && *this->ConfigurationName)
+    if(!this->ConfigurationName.empty())
       {
       this->EFGen->AddConfiguration(this->ConfigurationName);
       }
diff --git a/Source/cmInstallFilesGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmInstallFilesGenerator.cxx
index ec15044c74..65942180af 100644
--- a/Source/cmInstallFilesGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmInstallFilesGenerator.cxx
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ void cmInstallFilesGenerator::GenerateScriptActions(std::ostream& os,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmInstallFilesGenerator::GenerateScriptForConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                                                      const char* config,
-                                                      Indent const& indent)
+                                                    const std::string& config,
+                                                    Indent const& indent)
 {
   std::vector<std::string> files;
   cmListFileBacktrace lfbt;
diff --git a/Source/cmInstallFilesGenerator.h b/Source/cmInstallFilesGenerator.h
index 9dea296d23..23bf935db5 100644
--- a/Source/cmInstallFilesGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmInstallFilesGenerator.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public:
 protected:
   virtual void GenerateScriptActions(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent);
   virtual void GenerateScriptForConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                                       const char* config,
+                                       const std::string& config,
                                        Indent const& indent);
   void AddFilesInstallRule(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
                            std::vector<std::string> const& files);
diff --git a/Source/cmInstallGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmInstallGenerator.cxx
index d105a0c209..0fad9d66cd 100644
--- a/Source/cmInstallGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmInstallGenerator.cxx
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ void cmInstallGenerator::GenerateScript(std::ostream& os)
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmInstallGenerator::InstallsForConfig(const char* config)
+bool cmInstallGenerator::InstallsForConfig(const std::string& config)
 {
   return this->GeneratesForConfig(config);
 }
diff --git a/Source/cmInstallGenerator.h b/Source/cmInstallGenerator.h
index c89ab8ac51..c72e9e96cc 100644
--- a/Source/cmInstallGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmInstallGenerator.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public:
   std::string GetInstallDestination() const;
 
   /** Test if this generator installs something for a given configuration.  */
-  bool InstallsForConfig(const char*);
+  bool InstallsForConfig(const std::string& config);
 
 protected:
   virtual void GenerateScript(std::ostream& os);
diff --git a/Source/cmInstallTargetGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmInstallTargetGenerator.cxx
index 5df6e4bcde..ec2b518647 100644
--- a/Source/cmInstallTargetGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmInstallTargetGenerator.cxx
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ void cmInstallTargetGenerator::GenerateScript(std::ostream& os)
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmInstallTargetGenerator::GenerateScriptForConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                                                       const char* config,
-                                                       Indent const& indent)
+                                                    const std::string& config,
+                                                    Indent const& indent)
 {
   // Compute the build tree directory from which to copy the target.
   std::string fromDirConfig;
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ void cmInstallTargetGenerator::GenerateScriptForConfig(std::ostream& os,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 std::string
-cmInstallTargetGenerator::GetInstallFilename(const char* config) const
+cmInstallTargetGenerator::GetInstallFilename(const std::string& config) const
 {
   NameType nameType = this->ImportLibrary? NameImplib : NameNormal;
   return
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ cmInstallTargetGenerator::GetInstallFilename(const char* config) const
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 std::string
 cmInstallTargetGenerator::GetInstallFilename(cmTarget const* target,
-                                             const char* config,
+                                             const std::string& config,
                                              NameType nameType)
 {
   std::string fname;
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ cmInstallTargetGenerator::GetInstallFilename(cmTarget const* target,
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void
 cmInstallTargetGenerator
-::AddTweak(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent, const char* config,
+::AddTweak(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent, const std::string& config,
            std::string const& file, TweakMethod tweak)
 {
   cmOStringStream tw;
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ cmInstallTargetGenerator
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void
 cmInstallTargetGenerator
-::AddTweak(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent, const char* config,
+::AddTweak(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent, const std::string& config,
            std::vector<std::string> const& files, TweakMethod tweak)
 {
   if(files.size() == 1)
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ std::string cmInstallTargetGenerator::GetDestDirPath(std::string const& file)
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmInstallTargetGenerator::PreReplacementTweaks(std::ostream& os,
                                                     Indent const& indent,
-                                                    const char* config,
+                                                    const std::string& config,
                                                     std::string const& file)
 {
   this->AddRPathCheckRule(os, indent, config, file);
@@ -478,9 +478,9 @@ void cmInstallTargetGenerator::PreReplacementTweaks(std::ostream& os,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmInstallTargetGenerator::PostReplacementTweaks(std::ostream& os,
-                                                     Indent const& indent,
-                                                     const char* config,
-                                                     std::string const& file)
+                                                    Indent const& indent,
+                                                    const std::string& config,
+                                                    std::string const& file)
 {
   this->AddInstallNamePatchRule(os, indent, config, file);
   this->AddChrpathPatchRule(os, indent, config, file);
@@ -492,7 +492,8 @@ void cmInstallTargetGenerator::PostReplacementTweaks(std::ostream& os,
 void
 cmInstallTargetGenerator
 ::AddInstallNamePatchRule(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
-                          const char* config, std::string const& toDestDirPath)
+                          const std::string& config,
+                          std::string const& toDestDirPath)
 {
   if(this->ImportLibrary ||
      !(this->Target->GetType() == cmTarget::SHARED_LIBRARY ||
@@ -605,7 +606,8 @@ cmInstallTargetGenerator
 void
 cmInstallTargetGenerator
 ::AddRPathCheckRule(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
-                    const char* config, std::string const& toDestDirPath)
+                    const std::string& config,
+                    std::string const& toDestDirPath)
 {
   // Skip the chrpath if the target does not need it.
   if(this->ImportLibrary || !this->Target->IsChrpathUsed(config))
@@ -642,7 +644,8 @@ cmInstallTargetGenerator
 void
 cmInstallTargetGenerator
 ::AddChrpathPatchRule(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
-                      const char* config, std::string const& toDestDirPath)
+                      const std::string& config,
+                      std::string const& toDestDirPath)
 {
   // Skip the chrpath if the target does not need it.
   if(this->ImportLibrary || !this->Target->IsChrpathUsed(config))
diff --git a/Source/cmInstallTargetGenerator.h b/Source/cmInstallTargetGenerator.h
index 18c3957076..0f21da79e9 100644
--- a/Source/cmInstallTargetGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmInstallTargetGenerator.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public:
   void SetNamelinkMode(NamelinkModeType mode) { this->NamelinkMode = mode; }
   NamelinkModeType GetNamelinkMode() const { return this->NamelinkMode; }
 
-  std::string GetInstallFilename(const char* config) const;
+  std::string GetInstallFilename(const std::string& config) const;
 
   enum NameType
   {
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ public:
   };
 
   static std::string GetInstallFilename(cmTarget const* target,
-                                        const char* config,
+                                        const std::string& config,
                                         NameType nameType = NameNormal);
 
   cmTarget* GetTarget() const { return this->Target; }
@@ -63,30 +63,33 @@ public:
 protected:
   virtual void GenerateScript(std::ostream& os);
   virtual void GenerateScriptForConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                                       const char* config,
+                                       const std::string& config,
                                        Indent const& indent);
   typedef void (cmInstallTargetGenerator::*TweakMethod)(
-    std::ostream&, Indent const&, const char*, std::string const&
+    std::ostream&, Indent const&, const std::string&, std::string const&
     );
   void AddTweak(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
-                const char* config, std::string const& file,
+                const std::string& config, std::string const& file,
                 TweakMethod tweak);
   void AddTweak(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
-                const char* config, std::vector<std::string> const& files,
+                const std::string& config,
+                std::vector<std::string> const& files,
                 TweakMethod tweak);
   std::string GetDestDirPath(std::string const& file);
   void PreReplacementTweaks(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
-                            const char* config, std::string const& file);
+                            const std::string& config,
+                            std::string const& file);
   void PostReplacementTweaks(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
-                             const char* config, std::string const& file);
+                             const std::string& config,
+                             std::string const& file);
   void AddInstallNamePatchRule(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
-                               const char* config,
+                               const std::string& config,
                                const std::string& toDestDirPath);
   void AddChrpathPatchRule(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
-                           const char* config,
+                           const std::string& config,
                            std::string const& toDestDirPath);
   void AddRPathCheckRule(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
-                         const char* config,
+                         const std::string& config,
                          std::string const& toDestDirPath);
 
   void AddStripRule(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent,
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmLocalGenerator.cxx
index e36266a7f7..cd9f9bdb80 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmLocalGenerator.cxx
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ void cmLocalGenerator::GenerateTestFiles()
 
   // Compute the set of configurations.
   std::vector<std::string> configurationTypes;
-  const char* config =
+  const std::string& config =
     this->Makefile->GetConfigurations(configurationTypes, false);
 
   std::string file = this->Makefile->GetStartOutputDirectory();
@@ -384,11 +384,11 @@ void cmLocalGenerator::GenerateInstallRules()
 
   // Compute the set of configurations.
   std::vector<std::string> configurationTypes;
-  const char* config =
+  const std::string& config =
     this->Makefile->GetConfigurations(configurationTypes, false);
 
   // Choose a default install configuration.
-  const char* default_config = config;
+  const char* default_config = config.c_str();
   const char* default_order[] = {"RELEASE", "MINSIZEREL",
                                  "RELWITHDEBINFO", "DEBUG", 0};
   for(const char** c = default_order; *c && !default_config; ++c)
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ void cmLocalGenerator::GenerateTargetManifest()
       }
     if(configNames.empty())
       {
-      target.GenerateTargetManifest(0);
+      target.GenerateTargetManifest("");
       }
     else
       {
@@ -712,8 +712,8 @@ void cmLocalGenerator::AddBuildTargetRule(const std::string& llang,
   vars.LinkFlags = linkFlags.c_str();
 
   std::string langFlags;
-  this->AddLanguageFlags(langFlags, llang, 0);
-  this->AddArchitectureFlags(langFlags, &target, llang, 0);
+  this->AddLanguageFlags(langFlags, llang, "");
+  this->AddArchitectureFlags(langFlags, &target, llang, "");
   vars.LanguageCompileFlags = langFlags.c_str();
 
   cmCustomCommandLines commandLines;
@@ -1292,7 +1292,7 @@ std::string cmLocalGenerator::GetIncludeFlags(
                                      cmGeneratorTarget* target,
                                      const std::string& lang,
                                      bool forResponseFile,
-                                     const char *config)
+                                     const std::string& config)
 {
   if(lang.empty())
     {
@@ -1370,7 +1370,7 @@ std::string cmLocalGenerator::GetIncludeFlags(
     if(!flagUsed || repeatFlag)
       {
       if(sysIncludeFlag && target &&
-         target->IsSystemIncludeDirectory(i->c_str(), config))
+         target->IsSystemIncludeDirectory(*i, config))
         {
         includeFlags << sysIncludeFlag;
         }
@@ -1405,7 +1405,7 @@ std::string cmLocalGenerator::GetIncludeFlags(
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmLocalGenerator::AddCompileDefinitions(std::set<std::string>& defines,
                                              cmTarget const* target,
-                                             const char* config)
+                                             const std::string& config)
 {
   std::vector<std::string> targetDefines;
   target->GetCompileDefinitions(targetDefines,
@@ -1416,7 +1416,7 @@ void cmLocalGenerator::AddCompileDefinitions(std::set<std::string>& defines,
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmLocalGenerator::AddCompileOptions(
   std::string& flags, cmTarget* target,
-  const std::string& lang, const char* config
+  const std::string& lang, const std::string& config
   )
 {
   std::string langFlagRegexVar = std::string("CMAKE_")+lang+"_FLAG_REGEX";
@@ -1465,7 +1465,7 @@ void cmLocalGenerator::AddCompileOptions(
 void cmLocalGenerator::GetIncludeDirectories(std::vector<std::string>& dirs,
                                              cmGeneratorTarget* target,
                                              const std::string& lang,
-                                             const char *config,
+                                             const std::string& config,
                                              bool stripImplicitInclDirs
                                             )
 {
@@ -1698,7 +1698,7 @@ void cmLocalGenerator::GetTargetFlags(std::string& linkLibs,
            target->Target->GetName().c_str());
         return;
         }
-      this->AddLanguageFlags(flags, linkLanguage, buildType.c_str());
+      this->AddLanguageFlags(flags, linkLanguage, buildType);
       this->OutputLinkLibraries(linkLibs, frameworkPath, linkPath,
                                 *target, false, false);
       if(cmSystemTools::IsOn
@@ -1945,7 +1945,7 @@ void cmLocalGenerator::OutputLinkLibraries(std::string& linkLibraries,
 void cmLocalGenerator::AddArchitectureFlags(std::string& flags,
                                             cmGeneratorTarget* target,
                                             const std::string& lang,
-                                            const char* config)
+                                            const std::string& config)
 {
   // Only add Mac OS X specific flags on Darwin platforms (OSX and iphone):
   if(!this->Makefile->IsOn("APPLE"))
@@ -2002,7 +2002,7 @@ void cmLocalGenerator::AddArchitectureFlags(std::string& flags,
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmLocalGenerator::AddLanguageFlags(std::string& flags,
                                         const std::string& lang,
-                                        const char* config)
+                                        const std::string& config)
 {
   // Add language-specific flags.
   std::string flagsVar = "CMAKE_";
@@ -2013,7 +2013,7 @@ void cmLocalGenerator::AddLanguageFlags(std::string& flags,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool cmLocalGenerator::GetRealDependency(const std::string& inName,
-                                         const char* config,
+                                         const std::string& config,
                                          std::string& dep)
 {
   // Older CMake code may specify the dependency using the target
@@ -2211,7 +2211,7 @@ void cmLocalGenerator
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmLocalGenerator::AddCMP0018Flags(std::string &flags, cmTarget* target,
                                        std::string const& lang,
-                                       const char *config)
+                                       const std::string& config)
 {
   int targetType = target->GetType();
 
@@ -2327,13 +2327,13 @@ void cmLocalGenerator::AddPositionIndependentFlags(std::string& flags,
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmLocalGenerator::AddConfigVariableFlags(std::string& flags,
                                               const std::string& var,
-                                              const char* config)
+                                              const std::string& config)
 {
   // Add the flags from the variable itself.
   std::string flagsVar = var;
   this->AppendFlags(flags, this->Makefile->GetDefinition(flagsVar.c_str()));
   // Add the flags from the build-type specific variable.
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     flagsVar += "_";
     flagsVar += cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
@@ -2837,7 +2837,7 @@ cmLocalGenerator::ConvertToRelativePath(const std::vector<std::string>& local,
 void
 cmLocalGenerator
 ::GenerateTargetInstallRules(
-  std::ostream& os, const char* config,
+  std::ostream& os, const std::string& config,
   std::vector<std::string> const& configurationTypes)
 {
   // Convert the old-style install specification from each target to
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h b/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h
index 3fe6a26de4..4d62833d9f 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h
@@ -138,16 +138,16 @@ public:
 
 
   void AddArchitectureFlags(std::string& flags, cmGeneratorTarget* target,
-                            const std::string&lang, const char* config);
+                            const std::string&lang, const std::string& config);
 
   void AddLanguageFlags(std::string& flags, const std::string& lang,
-                        const char* config);
+                        const std::string& config);
   void AddCMP0018Flags(std::string &flags, cmTarget* target,
-                       std::string const& lang, const char *config);
+                       std::string const& lang, const std::string& config);
   void AddVisibilityPresetFlags(std::string &flags, cmTarget* target,
                                 const std::string& lang);
   void AddConfigVariableFlags(std::string& flags, const std::string& var,
-                              const char* config);
+                              const std::string& config);
   ///! Append flags to a string.
   virtual void AppendFlags(std::string& flags, const char* newFlags);
   virtual void AppendFlagEscape(std::string& flags,
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ public:
                               cmGeneratorTarget* target,
                               const std::string& lang,
                               bool forResponseFile = false,
-                              const char *config = 0);
+                              const std::string& config = "");
 
   /**
    * Encode a list of preprocessor definitions for the compiler
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ public:
    *   the source directory of this generator.  This should only be
    *   used for dependencies of custom commands.
    */
-  bool GetRealDependency(const std::string& name, const char* config,
+  bool GetRealDependency(const std::string& name, const std::string& config,
                          std::string& dep);
 
   ///! for existing files convert to output path and short path if spaces
@@ -227,13 +227,13 @@ public:
   void GetIncludeDirectories(std::vector<std::string>& dirs,
                              cmGeneratorTarget* target,
                              const std::string& lang = "C",
-                             const char *config = 0,
+                             const std::string& config = "",
                              bool stripImplicitInclDirs = true);
   void AddCompileOptions(std::string& flags, cmTarget* target,
-                         const std::string& lang, const char* config);
+                         const std::string& lang, const std::string& config);
   void AddCompileDefinitions(std::set<std::string>& defines,
                              cmTarget const* target,
-                             const char* config);
+                             const std::string& config);
 
   /** Compute the language used to compile the given source file.  */
   std::string GetSourceFileLanguage(const cmSourceFile& source);
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ protected:
 
   // Handle old-style install rules stored in the targets.
   void GenerateTargetInstallRules(
-    std::ostream& os, const char* config,
+    std::ostream& os, const std::string& config,
     std::vector<std::string> const& configurationTypes);
 
   std::string& CreateSafeUniqueObjectFileName(const std::string& sin,
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator.cxx b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator.cxx
index b0c577ecb4..0e246a52ad 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator.cxx
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator::EventWriter
 {
 public:
   EventWriter(cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator* lg,
-              const char* config, std::string& code):
+              const std::string& config, std::string& code):
     LG(lg), Config(config), Code(code), First(true) {}
   void Start(const char* event)
     {
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public:
     }
 private:
   cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator* LG;
-  const char* Config;
+  std::string Config;
   std::string& Code;
   bool First;
   std::string Event;
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@ void cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator::SetBuildType(BuildType b,
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmsys::auto_ptr<cmCustomCommand>
 cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator::MaybeCreateOutputDir(cmTarget& target,
-                                                    const char* config)
+                                                    const std::string& config)
 {
   cmsys::auto_ptr<cmCustomCommand> pcc;
 
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@ cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator::MaybeCreateOutputDir(cmTarget& target,
 // look for custom rules on a target and collect them together
 std::string
 cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator::CreateTargetRules(cmTarget &target,
-                                              const char* configName,
+                                              const std::string& configName,
                                               const std::string& /* libName */)
 {
   if (target.GetType() >= cmTarget::UTILITY )
@@ -863,7 +863,7 @@ inline std::string removeQuotes(const std::string& s)
 
 std::string
 cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator::GetTargetIncludeOptions(cmTarget &target,
-                                                       const char *config)
+                                                  const std::string& config)
 {
   std::string includeOptions;
 
@@ -1704,7 +1704,7 @@ void cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator
       flagsRelWithDebInfo = this->Makefile->GetSafeDefinition(flagVar.c_str());
       flagsRelWithDebInfo += " -DCMAKE_INTDIR=\\\"RelWithDebInfo\\\" ";
 
-      this->AddCompileOptions(flags, &target, linkLanguage, 0);
+      this->AddCompileOptions(flags, &target, linkLanguage, "");
       this->AddCompileOptions(flagsDebug, &target, linkLanguage, "Debug");
       this->AddCompileOptions(flagsRelease, &target, linkLanguage, "Release");
       this->AddCompileOptions(flagsMinSizeRel, &target, linkLanguage,
@@ -1730,7 +1730,7 @@ void cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator
     std::set<std::string> minsizeDefinesSet;
     std::set<std::string> debugrelDefinesSet;
 
-    this->AddCompileDefinitions(definesSet, &target, 0);
+    this->AddCompileDefinitions(definesSet, &target, "");
     this->AddCompileDefinitions(debugDefinesSet, &target, "DEBUG");
     this->AddCompileDefinitions(releaseDefinesSet, &target, "RELEASE");
     this->AddCompileDefinitions(minsizeDefinesSet, &target, "MINSIZEREL");
@@ -1800,7 +1800,7 @@ void cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator::WriteDSPFooter(std::ostream& fout)
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator
 ::ComputeLinkOptions(cmTarget& target,
-                     const char* configName,
+                     const std::string& configName,
                      const std::string extraOptions,
                      std::string& options)
 {
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator.h b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator.h
index 6702111ff1..47718337b7 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio6Generator.h
@@ -81,16 +81,17 @@ private:
   class EventWriter;
   friend class EventWriter;
   cmsys::auto_ptr<cmCustomCommand>
-  MaybeCreateOutputDir(cmTarget& target, const char* config);
+  MaybeCreateOutputDir(cmTarget& target, const std::string& config);
   std::string CreateTargetRules(cmTarget &target,
-                                const char* configName,
+                                const std::string& configName,
                                 const std::string& libName);
-  void ComputeLinkOptions(cmTarget& target, const char* configName,
+  void ComputeLinkOptions(cmTarget& target, const std::string& configName,
                           const std::string extraOptions,
                           std::string& options);
   void OutputObjects(cmTarget& target, const char* tool,
                      std::string& options);
-  std::string GetTargetIncludeOptions(cmTarget &target, const char *config);
+  std::string GetTargetIncludeOptions(cmTarget &target,
+                                      const std::string& config);
   std::vector<std::string> Configurations;
 
   std::string GetConfigName(std::string const& configuration) const;
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
index 6ad5e04e9c..5f98a713eb 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ class cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator::EventWriter
 {
 public:
   EventWriter(cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator* lg,
-              const char* config, std::ostream& os):
+              const std::string& config, std::ostream& os):
     LG(lg), Config(config), Stream(os), First(true) {}
   void Start(const char* tool)
     {
@@ -629,14 +629,14 @@ public:
     }
 private:
   cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator* LG;
-  const char* Config;
+  std::string Config;
   std::ostream& Stream;
   bool First;
 };
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator::WriteConfiguration(std::ostream& fout,
-                                                const char* configName,
+                                                const std::string& configName,
                                                 const std::string& libName,
                                                 cmTarget &target)
 {
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ void cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator::WriteConfiguration(std::ostream& fout,
                         table,
                         this->ExtraFlagTable);
   targetOptions.FixExceptionHandlingDefault();
-  std::string asmLocation = std::string(configName) + "/";
+  std::string asmLocation = configName + "/";
   targetOptions.AddFlag("AssemblerListingLocation", asmLocation.c_str());
   targetOptions.Parse(flags.c_str());
   targetOptions.Parse(defineFlags.c_str());
@@ -944,7 +944,8 @@ void cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator::WriteConfiguration(std::ostream& fout,
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 std::string
 cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator
-::GetBuildTypeLinkerFlags(std::string rootLinkerFlags, const char* configName)
+::GetBuildTypeLinkerFlags(std::string rootLinkerFlags,
+                          const std::string& configName)
 {
   std::string configTypeUpper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(configName);
   std::string extraLinkOptionsBuildTypeDef =
@@ -958,7 +959,8 @@ cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator
 }
 
 void cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator::OutputBuildTool(std::ostream& fout,
-  const char* configName, cmTarget &target, const Options& targetOptions)
+  const std::string& configName, cmTarget &target,
+  const Options& targetOptions)
 {
   cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator* gg =
     static_cast<cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator*>(this->GlobalGenerator);
@@ -1903,7 +1905,7 @@ void cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator::WriteVCProjEndGroup(std::ostream& fout)
 // look for custom rules on a target and collect them together
 void cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator
 ::OutputTargetRules(std::ostream& fout,
-                    const char* configName,
+                    const std::string& configName,
                     cmTarget &target,
                     const std::string& /*libName*/)
 {
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.h b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.h
index 2823a2cc3e..f9bb6e195e 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.h
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ private:
   typedef cmVisualStudioGeneratorOptions Options;
   typedef cmLocalVisualStudio7GeneratorFCInfo FCInfo;
   std::string GetBuildTypeLinkerFlags(std::string rootLinkerFlags,
-                                      const char* configName);
+                                      const std::string& configName);
   void FixGlobalTargets();
   void WriteProjectFiles();
   void WriteVCProjHeader(std::ostream& fout, const std::string& libName,
@@ -82,14 +82,14 @@ private:
   void WriteConfigurations(std::ostream& fout,
                            const std::string& libName, cmTarget &tgt);
   void WriteConfiguration(std::ostream& fout,
-                          const char* configName,
+                          const std::string& configName,
                           const std::string& libName, cmTarget &tgt);
   std::string EscapeForXML(const std::string& s);
   std::string ConvertToXMLOutputPath(const char* path);
   std::string ConvertToXMLOutputPathSingle(const char* path);
-  void OutputTargetRules(std::ostream& fout, const char* configName,
+  void OutputTargetRules(std::ostream& fout, const std::string& configName,
                          cmTarget &target, const std::string& libName);
-  void OutputBuildTool(std::ostream& fout, const char* configName,
+  void OutputBuildTool(std::ostream& fout, const std::string& configName,
                        cmTarget& t, const Options& targetOptions);
   void OutputLibraryDirectories(std::ostream& fout,
                                 std::vector<std::string> const& dirs);
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator.cxx
index ef2bb1d992..11b0387727 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator.cxx
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator::~cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator()
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmsys::auto_ptr<cmCustomCommand>
 cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator::MaybeCreateImplibDir(cmTarget& target,
-                                                   const char* config,
+                                                   const std::string& config,
                                                    bool isFortran)
 {
   cmsys::auto_ptr<cmCustomCommand> pcc;
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ const char* cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator::GetReportErrorLabel() const
 std::string
 cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator
 ::ConstructScript(cmCustomCommand const& cc,
-                  const char* configName,
+                  const std::string& configName,
                   const char* newline_text)
 {
   bool useLocal = this->CustomCommandUseLocal();
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator.h b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator.h
index 1a3499a96c..2297072b53 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudioGenerator.h
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public:
 
   /** Construct a script from the given list of command lines.  */
   std::string ConstructScript(cmCustomCommand const& cc,
-                              const char* configName,
+                              const std::string& configName,
                               const char* newline = "\n");
 
   /** Label to which to jump in a batch file after a failed step in a
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ protected:
 
   /** Construct a custom command to make exe import lib dir.  */
   cmsys::auto_ptr<cmCustomCommand>
-  MaybeCreateImplibDir(cmTarget& target, const char* config, bool isFortran);
+  MaybeCreateImplibDir(cmTarget& target, const std::string& config,
+                       bool isFortran);
 
   VSVersion Version;
 };
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalXCodeGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmLocalXCodeGenerator.cxx
index fb8c2d15e3..5857aefa0a 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalXCodeGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmLocalXCodeGenerator.cxx
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ void cmLocalXCodeGenerator::Generate()
       iter != targets.end(); ++iter)
     {
     cmTarget* t = &iter->second;
-    t->HasMacOSXRpathInstallNameDir(NULL);
+    t->HasMacOSXRpathInstallNameDir("");
     }
 }
 
@@ -68,6 +68,6 @@ void cmLocalXCodeGenerator::GenerateInstallRules()
       iter != targets.end(); ++iter)
     {
     cmTarget* t = &iter->second;
-    t->HasMacOSXRpathInstallNameDir(NULL);
+    t->HasMacOSXRpathInstallNameDir("");
     }
 }
diff --git a/Source/cmMakefile.cxx b/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
index d107ddf97d..1ef4d46ba4 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
@@ -2734,7 +2734,7 @@ void cmMakefile::AddDefaultDefinitions()
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-const char*
+std::string
 cmMakefile::GetConfigurations(std::vector<std::string>& configs,
                               bool single) const
 {
@@ -2745,12 +2745,12 @@ cmMakefile::GetConfigurations(std::vector<std::string>& configs,
       {
       cmSystemTools::ExpandListArgument(configTypes, configs);
       }
-    return 0;
+    return "";
     }
   else
     {
-    const char* buildType = this->GetDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
-    if(single && buildType && *buildType)
+    const std::string& buildType = this->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
+    if(single && !buildType.empty())
       {
       configs.push_back(buildType);
       }
@@ -3801,11 +3801,12 @@ bool cmMakefile::GetPropertyAsBool(const std::string& prop) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-const char* cmMakefile::GetFeature(const char* feature, const char* config)
+const char* cmMakefile::GetFeature(const char* feature,
+                                   const std::string& config)
 {
   // TODO: Define accumulation policy for features (prepend, append, replace).
   // Currently we always replace.
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     std::string featureConfig = feature;
     featureConfig += "_";
diff --git a/Source/cmMakefile.h b/Source/cmMakefile.h
index 86cedb0303..1c3ad73f6e 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefile.h
+++ b/Source/cmMakefile.h
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ public:
     }
 
   /** Get the configurations to be generated.  */
-  const char* GetConfigurations(std::vector<std::string>& configs,
+  std::string GetConfigurations(std::vector<std::string>& configs,
                                 bool single = true) const;
 
   /**
@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@ public:
                           cmProperty::ScopeType scope) const;
   bool GetPropertyAsBool(const std::string& prop) const;
 
-  const char* GetFeature(const char* feature, const char* config);
+  const char* GetFeature(const char* feature, const std::string& config);
 
   // Get the properties
   cmPropertyMap &GetProperties() { return this->Properties; };
diff --git a/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.cxx
index 0a836a5645..1af5d6c79b 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.cxx
@@ -133,7 +133,8 @@ void cmMakefileTargetGenerator::WriteTargetBuildRules()
      this->Makefile->GetProperty
      ("ADDITIONAL_MAKE_CLEAN_FILES"))
     {
-    const char *config = this->Makefile->GetDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
+    const std::string& config =
+      this->Makefile->GetDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
     cmListFileBacktrace lfbt;
     cmGeneratorExpression ge(lfbt);
     cmsys::auto_ptr<cmCompiledGeneratorExpression> cge =
@@ -1070,7 +1071,8 @@ void cmMakefileTargetGenerator::WriteTargetDependRules()
     << "set(CMAKE_C_TARGET_INCLUDE_PATH\n";
   std::vector<std::string> includes;
 
-  const char *config = this->Makefile->GetDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
+  const std::string& config =
+    this->Makefile->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
   this->LocalGenerator->GetIncludeDirectories(includes,
                                               this->GeneratorTarget,
                                               "C", config);
@@ -1567,7 +1569,8 @@ std::string cmMakefileTargetGenerator::GetFrameworkFlags(std::string const& l)
 #endif
   std::vector<std::string> includes;
 
-  const char *config = this->Makefile->GetDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
+  const std::string& config =
+    this->Makefile->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
   this->LocalGenerator->GetIncludeDirectories(includes,
                                               this->GeneratorTarget,
                                               "C", config);
@@ -1952,7 +1955,8 @@ void cmMakefileTargetGenerator::AddIncludeFlags(std::string& flags,
 
 
   std::vector<std::string> includes;
-  const char *config = this->Makefile->GetDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
+  const std::string& config =
+    this->Makefile->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
   this->LocalGenerator->GetIncludeDirectories(includes,
                                               this->GeneratorTarget,
                                               lang, config);
@@ -2059,7 +2063,8 @@ void cmMakefileTargetGenerator::AddFortranFlags(std::string& flags)
      this->Makefile->GetDefinition("CMAKE_Fortran_MODPATH_FLAG"))
     {
     std::vector<std::string> includes;
-    const char *config = this->Makefile->GetDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
+    const std::string& config =
+      this->Makefile->GetDefinition("CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE");
     this->LocalGenerator->GetIncludeDirectories(includes,
                                                 this->GeneratorTarget,
                                                 "C", config);
diff --git a/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.h b/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.h
index 5f697a502e..21eece4db9 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.h
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ protected:
   cmLocalUnixMakefileGenerator3 *LocalGenerator;
   cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3 *GlobalGenerator;
   cmMakefile *Makefile;
-  const char *ConfigName;
+  std::string ConfigName;
 
   enum CustomCommandDriveType { OnBuild, OnDepends, OnUtility };
   CustomCommandDriveType CustomCommandDriver;
diff --git a/Source/cmOSXBundleGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmOSXBundleGenerator.cxx
index 78b59b3829..449f923f63 100644
--- a/Source/cmOSXBundleGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmOSXBundleGenerator.cxx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmOSXBundleGenerator::
 cmOSXBundleGenerator(cmGeneratorTarget* target,
-                     const char* configName)
+                     const std::string& configName)
  : GT(target)
  , Makefile(target->Target->GetMakefile())
  , LocalGenerator(Makefile->GetLocalGenerator())
diff --git a/Source/cmOSXBundleGenerator.h b/Source/cmOSXBundleGenerator.h
index 97ae7314bb..95b4aef6c4 100644
--- a/Source/cmOSXBundleGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmOSXBundleGenerator.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class cmOSXBundleGenerator
 {
 public:
   cmOSXBundleGenerator(cmGeneratorTarget* target,
-                       const char* configName);
+                       const std::string& configName);
 
   // create an app bundle at a given root, and return
   // the directory within the bundle that contains the executable
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ private:
   cmGeneratorTarget* GT;
   cmMakefile* Makefile;
   cmLocalGenerator* LocalGenerator;
-  const char* ConfigName;
+  std::string ConfigName;
   std::set<std::string>* MacContentFolders;
 };
 
diff --git a/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.cxx b/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.cxx
index fbb3b1c61c..8eee991a0a 100644
--- a/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.cxx
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ bool cmQtAutoGenerators::InitializeAutogenTarget(cmTarget* target)
 }
 
 static void GetCompileDefinitionsAndDirectories(cmTarget const* target,
-                                                const char * config,
+                                                const std::string& config,
                                                 std::string &incs,
                                                 std::string &defs)
 {
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ void cmQtAutoGenerators::SetupAutoGenerateTarget(cmTarget const* target)
     qtVersion = makefile->GetDefinition("QT_VERSION_MAJOR");
     }
   if (const char *targetQtVersion =
-      target->GetLinkInterfaceDependentStringProperty("QT_MAJOR_VERSION", 0))
+      target->GetLinkInterfaceDependentStringProperty("QT_MAJOR_VERSION", ""))
     {
     qtVersion = targetQtVersion;
     }
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ void cmQtAutoGenerators::SetupAutoMocTarget(cmTarget const* target,
   std::string _moc_incs;
   std::string _moc_compile_defs;
   std::vector<std::string> configs;
-  const char *config = makefile->GetConfigurations(configs);
+  const std::string& config = makefile->GetConfigurations(configs);
   GetCompileDefinitionsAndDirectories(target, config,
                                       _moc_incs, _moc_compile_defs);
 
@@ -675,7 +675,7 @@ void cmQtAutoGenerators::MergeUicOptions(std::vector<std::string> &opts,
   opts.insert(opts.end(), extraOpts.begin(), extraOpts.end());
 }
 
-static void GetUicOpts(cmTarget const* target, const char * config,
+static void GetUicOpts(cmTarget const* target, const std::string& config,
                        std::string &optString)
 {
   std::vector<std::string> opts;
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ void cmQtAutoGenerators::SetupAutoUicTarget(cmTarget const* target,
 
   std::string _uic_opts;
   std::vector<std::string> configs;
-  const char *config = makefile->GetConfigurations(configs);
+  const std::string& config = makefile->GetConfigurations(configs);
   GetUicOpts(target, config, _uic_opts);
 
   if (!_uic_opts.empty())
@@ -967,7 +967,8 @@ static cmGlobalGenerator* CreateGlobalGenerator(cmake* cm,
   return gg;
 }
 
-bool cmQtAutoGenerators::Run(const char* targetDirectory, const char *config)
+bool cmQtAutoGenerators::Run(const char* targetDirectory,
+                             const std::string& config)
 {
   bool success = true;
   cmake cm;
@@ -994,7 +995,7 @@ bool cmQtAutoGenerators::Run(const char* targetDirectory, const char *config)
 
 bool cmQtAutoGenerators::ReadAutogenInfoFile(cmMakefile* makefile,
                                       const char* targetDirectory,
-                                      const char *config)
+                                      const std::string& config)
 {
   std::string filename(cmSystemTools::CollapseFullPath(targetDirectory));
   cmSystemTools::ConvertToUnixSlashes(filename);
@@ -1027,7 +1028,7 @@ bool cmQtAutoGenerators::ReadAutogenInfoFile(cmMakefile* makefile,
   {
   std::string compileDefsPropOrig = "AM_MOC_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS";
   std::string compileDefsProp = compileDefsPropOrig;
-  if(config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     compileDefsProp += "_";
     compileDefsProp += config;
@@ -1039,7 +1040,7 @@ bool cmQtAutoGenerators::ReadAutogenInfoFile(cmMakefile* makefile,
   {
   std::string includesPropOrig = "AM_MOC_INCLUDES";
   std::string includesProp = includesPropOrig;
-  if(config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     includesProp += "_";
     includesProp += config;
@@ -1058,7 +1059,7 @@ bool cmQtAutoGenerators::ReadAutogenInfoFile(cmMakefile* makefile,
                         = makefile->GetSafeDefinition("AM_UIC_OPTIONS_FILES");
   std::string uicOptionsPropOrig = "AM_UIC_TARGET_OPTIONS";
   std::string uicOptionsProp = uicOptionsPropOrig;
-  if(config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     uicOptionsProp += "_";
     uicOptionsProp += config;
diff --git a/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.h b/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.h
index 2840fbf4b7..af4ceb9f8c 100644
--- a/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.h
+++ b/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class cmQtAutoGenerators
 {
 public:
   cmQtAutoGenerators();
-  bool Run(const char* targetDirectory, const char *config);
+  bool Run(const char* targetDirectory, const std::string& config);
 
   bool InitializeAutogenTarget(cmTarget* target);
   void SetupAutoGenerateTarget(cmTarget const* target);
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ private:
 
   bool ReadAutogenInfoFile(cmMakefile* makefile,
                            const char* targetDirectory,
-                           const char *config);
+                           const std::string& config);
   bool ReadOldMocDefinitionsFile(cmMakefile* makefile,
                                  const char* targetDirectory);
   void WriteOldMocDefinitionsFile(const char* targetDirectory);
diff --git a/Source/cmScriptGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmScriptGenerator.cxx
index 7a8efc10c9..7685d40f58 100644
--- a/Source/cmScriptGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmScriptGenerator.cxx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ cmScriptGenerator
                     std::vector<std::string> const& configurations):
   RuntimeConfigVariable(config_var),
   Configurations(configurations),
-  ConfigurationName(0),
+  ConfigurationName(""),
   ConfigurationTypes(0),
   ActionsPerConfig(false)
 {
@@ -34,21 +34,21 @@ cmScriptGenerator
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void
 cmScriptGenerator
-::Generate(std::ostream& os, const char* config,
+::Generate(std::ostream& os, const std::string& config,
            std::vector<std::string> const& configurationTypes)
 {
   this->ConfigurationName = config;
   this->ConfigurationTypes = &configurationTypes;
   this->GenerateScript(os);
-  this->ConfigurationName = 0;
+  this->ConfigurationName = "";
   this->ConfigurationTypes = 0;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-static void cmScriptGeneratorEncodeConfig(const char* config,
+static void cmScriptGeneratorEncodeConfig(const std::string& config,
                                           std::string& result)
 {
-  for(const char* c = config; *c; ++c)
+  for(const char* c = config.c_str(); *c; ++c)
     {
     if(*c >= 'a' && *c <= 'z')
       {
@@ -73,12 +73,12 @@ static void cmScriptGeneratorEncodeConfig(const char* config,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 std::string
-cmScriptGenerator::CreateConfigTest(const char* config)
+cmScriptGenerator::CreateConfigTest(const std::string& config)
 {
   std::string result = "\"${";
   result += this->RuntimeConfigVariable;
   result += "}\" MATCHES \"^(";
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     cmScriptGeneratorEncodeConfig(config, result);
     }
@@ -142,14 +142,15 @@ void cmScriptGenerator::GenerateScriptActions(std::ostream& os,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmScriptGenerator::GenerateScriptForConfig(std::ostream&, const char*,
+void cmScriptGenerator::GenerateScriptForConfig(std::ostream&,
+                                                const std::string&,
                                                 Indent const&)
 {
   // No actions for this generator.
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmScriptGenerator::GeneratesForConfig(const char* config)
+bool cmScriptGenerator::GeneratesForConfig(const std::string& config)
 {
   // If this is not a configuration-specific rule then we install.
   if(this->Configurations.empty())
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@ bool cmScriptGenerator::GeneratesForConfig(const char* config)
 
   // This is a configuration-specific rule.  Check if the config
   // matches this rule.
-  std::string config_upper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config?config:"");
+  std::string config_upper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
   for(std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator i =
         this->Configurations.begin();
       i != this->Configurations.end(); ++i)
diff --git a/Source/cmScriptGenerator.h b/Source/cmScriptGenerator.h
index 3515e204e5..9ab04f17b0 100644
--- a/Source/cmScriptGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmScriptGenerator.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public:
                     std::vector<std::string> const& configurations);
   virtual ~cmScriptGenerator();
 
-  void Generate(std::ostream& os, const char* config,
+  void Generate(std::ostream& os, const std::string& config,
                 std::vector<std::string> const& configurationTypes);
 
   const std::vector<std::string>& GetConfigurations() const
@@ -63,15 +63,15 @@ protected:
   virtual void GenerateScriptConfigs(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent);
   virtual void GenerateScriptActions(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent);
   virtual void GenerateScriptForConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                                       const char* config,
+                                       const std::string& config,
                                        Indent const& indent);
   virtual void GenerateScriptNoConfig(std::ostream&, Indent const&) {}
   virtual bool NeedsScriptNoConfig() const { return false; }
 
   // Test if this generator does something for a given configuration.
-  bool GeneratesForConfig(const char*);
+  bool GeneratesForConfig(const std::string&);
 
-  std::string CreateConfigTest(const char* config);
+  std::string CreateConfigTest(const std::string& config);
   std::string CreateConfigTest(std::vector<std::string> const& configs);
   std::string CreateComponentTest(const char* component);
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ protected:
   std::vector<std::string> const Configurations;
 
   // Information used during generation.
-  const char* ConfigurationName;
+  std::string ConfigurationName;
   std::vector<std::string> const* ConfigurationTypes;
 
   // True if the subclass needs to generate an explicit rule for each
diff --git a/Source/cmTarget.cxx b/Source/cmTarget.cxx
index 3273437c07..b8e662ae4c 100644
--- a/Source/cmTarget.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmTarget.cxx
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ public:
     const char* ExplicitLibraries;
   };
   void ComputeLinkInterface(cmTarget const* thisTarget,
-                            const char* config, OptionalLinkInterface& iface,
+                            const std::string& config,
+                            OptionalLinkInterface& iface,
                             cmTarget const* head,
                             const char *explicitLibraries) const;
 
@@ -692,10 +693,11 @@ const std::vector<std::string>& cmTarget::GetLinkDirectories() const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-cmTarget::LinkLibraryType cmTarget::ComputeLinkType(const char* config) const
+cmTarget::LinkLibraryType cmTarget::ComputeLinkType(
+                                      const std::string& config) const
 {
   // No configuration is always optimized.
-  if(!(config && *config))
+  if(config.empty())
     {
     return cmTarget::OPTIMIZED;
     }
@@ -755,7 +757,7 @@ bool cmTarget::NameResolvesToFramework(const std::string& libname) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmTarget::GetDirectLinkLibraries(const char *config,
+void cmTarget::GetDirectLinkLibraries(const std::string& config,
                             std::vector<std::string> &libs,
                             cmTarget const* head) const
 {
@@ -789,7 +791,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetDirectLinkLibraries(const char *config,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmTarget::GetInterfaceLinkLibraries(const char *config,
+void cmTarget::GetInterfaceLinkLibraries(const std::string& config,
                                          std::vector<std::string> &libs,
                                          cmTarget const* head) const
 {
@@ -1565,7 +1567,7 @@ static void processIncludeDirectories(cmTarget const* tgt,
       std::vector<std::string> &includes,
       std::set<std::string> &uniqueIncludes,
       cmGeneratorExpressionDAGChecker *dagChecker,
-      const char *config, bool debugIncludes)
+      const std::string& config, bool debugIncludes)
 {
   cmMakefile *mf = tgt->GetMakefile();
 
@@ -1730,7 +1732,7 @@ static void processIncludeDirectories(cmTarget const* tgt,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 std::vector<std::string>
-cmTarget::GetIncludeDirectories(const char *config) const
+cmTarget::GetIncludeDirectories(const std::string& config) const
 {
   std::vector<std::string> includes;
   std::set<std::string> uniqueIncludes;
@@ -1767,8 +1769,7 @@ cmTarget::GetIncludeDirectories(const char *config) const
                             config,
                             debugIncludes);
 
-  std::string configString = config ? config : "";
-  if (!this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceIncludeDirectoriesDone[configString])
+  if (!this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceIncludeDirectoriesDone[config])
     {
     for (std::vector<cmValueWithOrigin>::const_iterator
         it = this->Internal->LinkImplementationPropertyEntries.begin(),
@@ -1805,7 +1806,7 @@ cmTarget::GetIncludeDirectories(const char *config) const
                                                               includeGenex);
 
       this->Internal
-        ->CachedLinkInterfaceIncludeDirectoriesEntries[configString].push_back(
+        ->CachedLinkInterfaceIncludeDirectoriesEntries[config].push_back(
                         new cmTargetInternals::TargetPropertyEntry(cge,
                                                               it->Value));
       }
@@ -1833,14 +1834,14 @@ cmTarget::GetIncludeDirectories(const char *config) const
         cmsys::auto_ptr<cmCompiledGeneratorExpression> cge =
                   ge.Parse(libDir.c_str());
         this->Internal
-                ->CachedLinkInterfaceIncludeDirectoriesEntries[configString]
+                ->CachedLinkInterfaceIncludeDirectoriesEntries[config]
                 .push_back(new cmTargetInternals::TargetPropertyEntry(cge));
         }
       }
     }
 
   processIncludeDirectories(this,
-    this->Internal->CachedLinkInterfaceIncludeDirectoriesEntries[configString],
+    this->Internal->CachedLinkInterfaceIncludeDirectoriesEntries[config],
                             includes,
                             uniqueIncludes,
                             &dagChecker,
@@ -1854,7 +1855,7 @@ cmTarget::GetIncludeDirectories(const char *config) const
     }
   else
     {
-    this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceIncludeDirectoriesDone[configString]
+    this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceIncludeDirectoriesDone[config]
                                                                       = true;
     }
 
@@ -1867,7 +1868,7 @@ static void processCompileOptionsInternal(cmTarget const* tgt,
       std::vector<std::string> &options,
       std::set<std::string> &uniqueOptions,
       cmGeneratorExpressionDAGChecker *dagChecker,
-      const char *config, bool debugOptions, const char *logName)
+      const std::string& config, bool debugOptions, const char *logName)
 {
   cmMakefile *mf = tgt->GetMakefile();
 
@@ -1926,7 +1927,7 @@ static void processCompileOptions(cmTarget const* tgt,
       std::vector<std::string> &options,
       std::set<std::string> &uniqueOptions,
       cmGeneratorExpressionDAGChecker *dagChecker,
-      const char *config, bool debugOptions)
+      const std::string& config, bool debugOptions)
 {
   processCompileOptionsInternal(tgt, entries, options, uniqueOptions,
                                 dagChecker, config, debugOptions, "options");
@@ -1934,7 +1935,7 @@ static void processCompileOptions(cmTarget const* tgt,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmTarget::GetAutoUicOptions(std::vector<std::string> &result,
-                                 const char *config) const
+                                 const std::string& config) const
 {
   const char *prop
             = this->GetLinkInterfaceDependentStringProperty("AUTOUIC_OPTIONS",
@@ -1960,7 +1961,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetAutoUicOptions(std::vector<std::string> &result,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmTarget::GetCompileOptions(std::vector<std::string> &result,
-                                 const char *config) const
+                                 const std::string& config) const
 {
   std::set<std::string> uniqueOptions;
   cmListFileBacktrace lfbt;
@@ -1996,8 +1997,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetCompileOptions(std::vector<std::string> &result,
                             config,
                             debugOptions);
 
-  std::string configString = config ? config : "";
-  if (!this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceCompileOptionsDone[configString])
+  if (!this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceCompileOptionsDone[config])
     {
     for (std::vector<cmValueWithOrigin>::const_iterator
         it = this->Internal->LinkImplementationPropertyEntries.begin(),
@@ -2034,14 +2034,14 @@ void cmTarget::GetCompileOptions(std::vector<std::string> &result,
                                                                 optionGenex);
 
       this->Internal
-        ->CachedLinkInterfaceCompileOptionsEntries[configString].push_back(
+        ->CachedLinkInterfaceCompileOptionsEntries[config].push_back(
                         new cmTargetInternals::TargetPropertyEntry(cge,
                                                               it->Value));
       }
     }
 
   processCompileOptions(this,
-    this->Internal->CachedLinkInterfaceCompileOptionsEntries[configString],
+    this->Internal->CachedLinkInterfaceCompileOptionsEntries[config],
                             result,
                             uniqueOptions,
                             &dagChecker,
@@ -2054,7 +2054,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetCompileOptions(std::vector<std::string> &result,
     }
   else
     {
-    this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceCompileOptionsDone[configString] = true;
+    this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceCompileOptionsDone[config] = true;
     }
 }
 
@@ -2064,7 +2064,7 @@ static void processCompileDefinitions(cmTarget const* tgt,
       std::vector<std::string> &options,
       std::set<std::string> &uniqueOptions,
       cmGeneratorExpressionDAGChecker *dagChecker,
-      const char *config, bool debugOptions)
+      const std::string& config, bool debugOptions)
 {
   processCompileOptionsInternal(tgt, entries, options, uniqueOptions,
                                 dagChecker, config, debugOptions,
@@ -2073,7 +2073,7 @@ static void processCompileDefinitions(cmTarget const* tgt,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmTarget::GetCompileDefinitions(std::vector<std::string> &list,
-                                            const char *config) const
+                                            const std::string& config) const
 {
   std::set<std::string> uniqueOptions;
   cmListFileBacktrace lfbt;
@@ -2109,8 +2109,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetCompileDefinitions(std::vector<std::string> &list,
                             config,
                             debugDefines);
 
-  std::string configString = config ? config : "";
-  if (!this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceCompileDefinitionsDone[configString])
+  if (!this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceCompileDefinitionsDone[config])
     {
     for (std::vector<cmValueWithOrigin>::const_iterator
         it = this->Internal->LinkImplementationPropertyEntries.begin(),
@@ -2147,11 +2146,11 @@ void cmTarget::GetCompileDefinitions(std::vector<std::string> &list,
                                                                 defsGenex);
 
       this->Internal
-        ->CachedLinkInterfaceCompileDefinitionsEntries[configString].push_back(
+        ->CachedLinkInterfaceCompileDefinitionsEntries[config].push_back(
                         new cmTargetInternals::TargetPropertyEntry(cge,
                                                               it->Value));
       }
-    if (config)
+    if (!config.empty())
       {
       std::string configPropName = "COMPILE_DEFINITIONS_"
                                           + cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
@@ -2174,7 +2173,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetCompileDefinitions(std::vector<std::string> &list,
             cmsys::auto_ptr<cmCompiledGeneratorExpression> cge =
                                                         ge.Parse(configProp);
             this->Internal
-              ->CachedLinkInterfaceCompileDefinitionsEntries[configString]
+              ->CachedLinkInterfaceCompileDefinitionsEntries[config]
                   .push_back(new cmTargetInternals::TargetPropertyEntry(cge));
             }
             break;
@@ -2189,7 +2188,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetCompileDefinitions(std::vector<std::string> &list,
     }
 
   processCompileDefinitions(this,
-    this->Internal->CachedLinkInterfaceCompileDefinitionsEntries[configString],
+    this->Internal->CachedLinkInterfaceCompileDefinitionsEntries[config],
                             list,
                             uniqueOptions,
                             &dagChecker,
@@ -2203,7 +2202,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetCompileDefinitions(std::vector<std::string> &list,
     }
   else
     {
-    this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceCompileDefinitionsDone[configString]
+    this->Internal->CacheLinkInterfaceCompileDefinitionsDone[config]
                                                                       = true;
     }
 }
@@ -2333,7 +2332,8 @@ bool cmTarget::HaveWellDefinedOutputFiles() const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-cmTarget::OutputInfo const* cmTarget::GetOutputInfo(const char* config) const
+cmTarget::OutputInfo const* cmTarget::GetOutputInfo(
+    const std::string& config) const
 {
   // There is no output information for imported targets.
   if(this->IsImported())
@@ -2355,7 +2355,7 @@ cmTarget::OutputInfo const* cmTarget::GetOutputInfo(const char* config) const
 
   // Lookup/compute/cache the output information for this configuration.
   std::string config_upper;
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     config_upper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
     }
@@ -2378,7 +2378,8 @@ cmTarget::OutputInfo const* cmTarget::GetOutputInfo(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-cmTarget::CompileInfo const* cmTarget::GetCompileInfo(const char* config) const
+cmTarget::CompileInfo const* cmTarget::GetCompileInfo(
+                                            const std::string& config) const
 {
   // There is no compile information for imported targets.
   if(this->IsImported())
@@ -2399,7 +2400,7 @@ cmTarget::CompileInfo const* cmTarget::GetCompileInfo(const char* config) const
 
   // Lookup/compute/cache the compile information for this configuration.
   std::string config_upper;
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     config_upper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
     }
@@ -2417,7 +2418,8 @@ cmTarget::CompileInfo const* cmTarget::GetCompileInfo(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetDirectory(const char* config, bool implib) const
+std::string cmTarget::GetDirectory(const std::string& config,
+                                   bool implib) const
 {
   if (this->IsImported())
     {
@@ -2435,7 +2437,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetDirectory(const char* config, bool implib) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetPDBDirectory(const char* config) const
+std::string cmTarget::GetPDBDirectory(const std::string& config) const
 {
   if(OutputInfo const* info = this->GetOutputInfo(config))
     {
@@ -2446,7 +2448,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetPDBDirectory(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetCompilePDBDirectory(const char* config) const
+std::string cmTarget::GetCompilePDBDirectory(const std::string& config) const
 {
   if(CompileInfo const* info = this->GetCompileInfo(config))
     {
@@ -2456,7 +2458,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetCompilePDBDirectory(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-const char* cmTarget::GetLocation(const char* config) const
+const char* cmTarget::GetLocation(const std::string& config) const
 {
   static std::string location;
   if (this->IsImported())
@@ -2547,9 +2549,10 @@ void cmTarget::GetTargetVersion(bool soversion,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-const char* cmTarget::GetFeature(const char* feature, const char* config) const
+const char* cmTarget::GetFeature(const char* feature,
+                                 const std::string& config) const
 {
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     std::string featureConfig = feature;
     featureConfig += "_";
@@ -2798,7 +2801,8 @@ bool cmTarget::GetPropertyAsBool(const std::string& prop) const
 class cmTargetCollectLinkLanguages
 {
 public:
-  cmTargetCollectLinkLanguages(cmTarget const* target, const char* config,
+  cmTargetCollectLinkLanguages(cmTarget const* target,
+                               const std::string& config,
                                std::set<std::string>& languages,
                                cmTarget const* head):
     Config(config), Languages(languages), HeadTarget(head),
@@ -2870,7 +2874,7 @@ public:
       }
     }
 private:
-  const char* Config;
+  std::string Config;
   std::set<std::string>& Languages;
   cmTarget const* HeadTarget;
   cmMakefile* Makefile;
@@ -2879,7 +2883,7 @@ private:
 };
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetLinkerLanguage(const char* config,
+std::string cmTarget::GetLinkerLanguage(const std::string& config,
                                         cmTarget const* head) const
 {
   cmTarget const* headTarget = head ? head : this;
@@ -2887,10 +2891,11 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetLinkerLanguage(const char* config,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-cmTarget::LinkClosure const* cmTarget::GetLinkClosure(const char* config,
+cmTarget::LinkClosure const* cmTarget::GetLinkClosure(
+                                                  const std::string& config,
                                                   cmTarget const* head) const
 {
-  TargetConfigPair key(head, cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config ? config : ""));
+  TargetConfigPair key(head, cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config));
   cmTargetInternals::LinkClosureMapType::iterator
     i = this->Internal->LinkClosureMap.find(key);
   if(i == this->Internal->LinkClosureMap.end())
@@ -2957,7 +2962,7 @@ public:
 };
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmTarget::ComputeLinkClosure(const char* config, LinkClosure& lc,
+void cmTarget::ComputeLinkClosure(const std::string& config, LinkClosure& lc,
                                   cmTarget const* head) const
 {
   // Get languages built in this target.
@@ -3070,7 +3075,7 @@ const char* cmTarget::GetPrefixVariableInternal(bool implib) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetPDBName(const char* config) const
+std::string cmTarget::GetPDBName(const std::string& config) const
 {
   std::string prefix;
   std::string base;
@@ -3078,8 +3083,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetPDBName(const char* config) const
   this->GetFullNameInternal(config, false, prefix, base, suffix);
 
   std::vector<std::string> props;
-  std::string configUpper =
-    cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config? config : "");
+  std::string configUpper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
   if(!configUpper.empty())
     {
     // PDB_NAME_<CONFIG>
@@ -3102,7 +3106,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetPDBName(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetCompilePDBName(const char* config) const
+std::string cmTarget::GetCompilePDBName(const std::string& config) const
 {
   std::string prefix;
   std::string base;
@@ -3110,7 +3114,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetCompilePDBName(const char* config) const
   this->GetFullNameInternal(config, false, prefix, base, suffix);
 
   // Check for a per-configuration output directory target property.
-  std::string configUpper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config? config : "");
+  std::string configUpper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
   std::string configProp = "COMPILE_PDB_NAME_";
   configProp += configUpper;
   const char* config_name = this->GetProperty(configProp.c_str());
@@ -3129,7 +3133,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetCompilePDBName(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetCompilePDBPath(const char* config) const
+std::string cmTarget::GetCompilePDBPath(const std::string& config) const
 {
   std::string dir = this->GetCompilePDBDirectory(config);
   std::string name = this->GetCompilePDBName(config);
@@ -3145,7 +3149,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetCompilePDBPath(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmTarget::HasSOName(const char* config) const
+bool cmTarget::HasSOName(const std::string& config) const
 {
   // soname is supported only for shared libraries and modules,
   // and then only when the platform supports an soname flag.
@@ -3157,7 +3161,7 @@ bool cmTarget::HasSOName(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetSOName(const char* config) const
+std::string cmTarget::GetSOName(const std::string& config) const
 {
   if(this->IsImported())
     {
@@ -3199,7 +3203,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetSOName(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmTarget::HasMacOSXRpathInstallNameDir(const char* config) const
+bool cmTarget::HasMacOSXRpathInstallNameDir(const std::string& config) const
 {
   bool install_name_is_rpath = false;
   bool macosx_rpath = false;
@@ -3311,7 +3315,8 @@ bool cmTarget::MacOSXRpathInstallNameDirDefault() const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmTarget::IsImportedSharedLibWithoutSOName(const char* config) const
+bool cmTarget::IsImportedSharedLibWithoutSOName(
+                                          const std::string& config) const
 {
   if(this->IsImported() && this->GetType() == cmTarget::SHARED_LIBRARY)
     {
@@ -3324,7 +3329,7 @@ bool cmTarget::IsImportedSharedLibWithoutSOName(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::NormalGetRealName(const char* config) const
+std::string cmTarget::NormalGetRealName(const std::string& config) const
 {
   // This should not be called for imported targets.
   // TODO: Split cmTarget into a class hierarchy to get compile-time
@@ -3362,7 +3367,8 @@ std::string cmTarget::NormalGetRealName(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetFullName(const char* config, bool implib) const
+std::string cmTarget::GetFullName(const std::string& config,
+                                  bool implib) const
 {
   if(this->IsImported())
     {
@@ -3376,7 +3382,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetFullName(const char* config, bool implib) const
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 std::string
-cmTarget::GetFullNameImported(const char* config, bool implib) const
+cmTarget::GetFullNameImported(const std::string& config, bool implib) const
 {
   return cmSystemTools::GetFilenameName(
     this->ImportedGetFullPath(config, implib));
@@ -3384,14 +3390,15 @@ cmTarget::GetFullNameImported(const char* config, bool implib) const
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmTarget::GetFullNameComponents(std::string& prefix, std::string& base,
-                                     std::string& suffix, const char* config,
+                                     std::string& suffix,
+                                     const std::string& config,
                                      bool implib) const
 {
   this->GetFullNameInternal(config, implib, prefix, base, suffix);
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetFullPath(const char* config, bool implib,
+std::string cmTarget::GetFullPath(const std::string& config, bool implib,
                                   bool realname) const
 {
   if(this->IsImported())
@@ -3405,8 +3412,8 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetFullPath(const char* config, bool implib,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::NormalGetFullPath(const char* config, bool implib,
-                                        bool realname) const
+std::string cmTarget::NormalGetFullPath(const std::string& config,
+                                        bool implib, bool realname) const
 {
   std::string fpath = this->GetDirectory(config, implib);
   fpath += "/";
@@ -3434,7 +3441,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::NormalGetFullPath(const char* config, bool implib,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 std::string
-cmTarget::ImportedGetFullPath(const char* config, bool implib) const
+cmTarget::ImportedGetFullPath(const std::string& config, bool implib) const
 {
   std::string result;
   if(cmTarget::ImportInfo const* info = this->GetImportInfo(config, this))
@@ -3451,7 +3458,7 @@ cmTarget::ImportedGetFullPath(const char* config, bool implib) const
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 std::string
-cmTarget::GetFullNameInternal(const char* config, bool implib) const
+cmTarget::GetFullNameInternal(const std::string& config, bool implib) const
 {
   std::string prefix;
   std::string base;
@@ -3461,7 +3468,7 @@ cmTarget::GetFullNameInternal(const char* config, bool implib) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmTarget::GetFullNameInternal(const char* config,
+void cmTarget::GetFullNameInternal(const std::string& config,
                                    bool implib,
                                    std::string& outPrefix,
                                    std::string& outBase,
@@ -3507,7 +3514,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetFullNameInternal(const char* config,
                               ? this->GetProperty("IMPORT_SUFFIX")
                               : this->GetProperty("SUFFIX"));
   const char* configPostfix = 0;
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     std::string configProp = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
     configProp += "_POSTFIX";
@@ -3604,7 +3611,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetLibraryNames(std::string& name,
                                std::string& realName,
                                std::string& impName,
                                std::string& pdbName,
-                               const char* config) const
+                               const std::string& config) const
 {
   // This should not be called for imported targets.
   // TODO: Split cmTarget into a class hierarchy to get compile-time
@@ -3708,7 +3715,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetExecutableNames(std::string& name,
                                   std::string& realName,
                                   std::string& impName,
                                   std::string& pdbName,
-                                  const char* config) const
+                                  const std::string& config) const
 {
   // This should not be called for imported targets.
   // TODO: Split cmTarget into a class hierarchy to get compile-time
@@ -3804,7 +3811,7 @@ void cmTarget::SetPropertyDefault(const std::string& property,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmTarget::HaveBuildTreeRPATH(const char *config) const
+bool cmTarget::HaveBuildTreeRPATH(const std::string& config) const
 {
   if (this->GetPropertyAsBool("SKIP_BUILD_RPATH"))
     {
@@ -3824,7 +3831,7 @@ bool cmTarget::HaveInstallTreeRPATH() const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmTarget::NeedRelinkBeforeInstall(const char* config) const
+bool cmTarget::NeedRelinkBeforeInstall(const std::string& config) const
 {
   // Only executables and shared libraries can have an rpath and may
   // need relinking.
@@ -3888,7 +3895,8 @@ bool cmTarget::NeedRelinkBeforeInstall(const char* config) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetInstallNameDirForBuildTree(const char* config) const
+std::string cmTarget::GetInstallNameDirForBuildTree(
+    const std::string& config) const
 {
   // If building directly for installation then the build tree install_name
   // is the same as the install tree.
@@ -4010,10 +4018,11 @@ const char* cmTarget::GetOutputTargetType(bool implib) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmTarget::ComputeOutputDir(const char* config,
+bool cmTarget::ComputeOutputDir(const std::string& config,
                                 bool implib, std::string& out) const
 {
   bool usesDefaultOutputDir = false;
+  std::string conf = config;
 
   // Look for a target property defining the target output directory
   // based on the target type.
@@ -4027,7 +4036,7 @@ bool cmTarget::ComputeOutputDir(const char* config,
     }
 
   // Check for a per-configuration output directory target property.
-  std::string configUpper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config? config : "");
+  std::string configUpper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(conf);
   const char* configProp = 0;
   std::string configPropStr = targetTypeName;
   if(!configPropStr.empty())
@@ -4044,7 +4053,7 @@ bool cmTarget::ComputeOutputDir(const char* config,
     out = config_outdir;
 
     // Skip per-configuration subdirectory.
-    config = 0;
+    conf = "";
     }
   else if(const char* outdir = this->GetProperty(propertyName))
     {
@@ -4077,21 +4086,21 @@ bool cmTarget::ComputeOutputDir(const char* config,
          (out.c_str(), this->Makefile->GetStartOutputDirectory()));
 
   // The generator may add the configuration's subdirectory.
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!conf.empty())
     {
     const char *platforms = this->Makefile->GetDefinition(
       "CMAKE_XCODE_EFFECTIVE_PLATFORMS");
     std::string suffix =
       usesDefaultOutputDir && platforms ? "$(EFFECTIVE_PLATFORM_NAME)" : "";
     this->Makefile->GetLocalGenerator()->GetGlobalGenerator()->
-      AppendDirectoryForConfig("/", config, suffix.c_str(), out);
+      AppendDirectoryForConfig("/", conf, suffix.c_str(), out);
     }
 
   return usesDefaultOutputDir;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmTarget::ComputePDBOutputDir(const char* kind, const char* config,
+bool cmTarget::ComputePDBOutputDir(const char* kind, const std::string& config,
                                    std::string& out) const
 {
   // Look for a target property defining the target output directory
@@ -4103,9 +4112,10 @@ bool cmTarget::ComputePDBOutputDir(const char* kind, const char* config,
     propertyNameStr += "_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY";
     propertyName = propertyNameStr.c_str();
     }
+  std::string conf = config;
 
   // Check for a per-configuration output directory target property.
-  std::string configUpper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config? config : "");
+  std::string configUpper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(conf);
   const char* configProp = 0;
   std::string configPropStr = kind;
   if(!configPropStr.empty())
@@ -4122,7 +4132,7 @@ bool cmTarget::ComputePDBOutputDir(const char* kind, const char* config,
     out = config_outdir;
 
     // Skip per-configuration subdirectory.
-    config = 0;
+    conf = "";
     }
   else if(const char* outdir = this->GetProperty(propertyName))
     {
@@ -4141,27 +4151,29 @@ bool cmTarget::ComputePDBOutputDir(const char* kind, const char* config,
          (out.c_str(), this->Makefile->GetStartOutputDirectory()));
 
   // The generator may add the configuration's subdirectory.
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!conf.empty())
     {
     this->Makefile->GetLocalGenerator()->GetGlobalGenerator()->
-      AppendDirectoryForConfig("/", config, "", out);
+      AppendDirectoryForConfig("/", conf, "", out);
     }
   return true;
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmTarget::UsesDefaultOutputDir(const char* config, bool implib) const
+bool cmTarget::UsesDefaultOutputDir(const std::string& config,
+                                    bool implib) const
 {
   std::string dir;
   return this->ComputeOutputDir(config, implib, dir);
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetOutputName(const char* config, bool implib) const
+std::string cmTarget::GetOutputName(const std::string& config,
+                                    bool implib) const
 {
   std::vector<std::string> props;
   std::string type = this->GetOutputTargetType(implib);
-  std::string configUpper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config? config : "");
+  std::string configUpper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
   if(!type.empty() && !configUpper.empty())
     {
     // <ARCHIVE|LIBRARY|RUNTIME>_OUTPUT_NAME_<CONFIG>
@@ -4495,7 +4507,7 @@ std::string compatibilityAgree(CompatibleType t, bool dominant)
 template<typename PropertyType>
 PropertyType checkInterfacePropertyCompatibility(cmTarget const* tgt,
                                           const std::string &p,
-                                          const char *config,
+                                          const std::string& config,
                                           const char *defaultValue,
                                           CompatibleType t,
                                           PropertyType *)
@@ -4679,7 +4691,7 @@ PropertyType checkInterfacePropertyCompatibility(cmTarget const* tgt,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceDependentBoolProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                                     const char *config) const
+                                              const std::string& config) const
 {
   return checkInterfacePropertyCompatibility<bool>(this, p, config, "FALSE",
                                                    BoolType, 0);
@@ -4687,8 +4699,8 @@ bool cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceDependentBoolProperty(const std::string &p,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 const char * cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceDependentStringProperty(
-                                                      const std::string &p,
-                                                      const char *config) const
+                                              const std::string &p,
+                                              const std::string& config) const
 {
   return checkInterfacePropertyCompatibility<const char *>(this,
                                                            p,
@@ -4699,8 +4711,8 @@ const char * cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceDependentStringProperty(
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 const char * cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceDependentNumberMinProperty(
-                                                      const std::string &p,
-                                                      const char *config) const
+                                              const std::string &p,
+                                              const std::string& config) const
 {
   return checkInterfacePropertyCompatibility<const char *>(this,
                                                            p,
@@ -4711,8 +4723,8 @@ const char * cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceDependentNumberMinProperty(
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 const char * cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceDependentNumberMaxProperty(
-                                                      const std::string &p,
-                                                      const char *config) const
+                                              const std::string &p,
+                                              const std::string& config) const
 {
   return checkInterfacePropertyCompatibility<const char *>(this,
                                                            p,
@@ -4724,7 +4736,7 @@ const char * cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceDependentNumberMaxProperty(
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool isLinkDependentProperty(cmTarget const* tgt, const std::string &p,
                              const std::string& interfaceProperty,
-                             const char *config)
+                             const std::string& config)
 {
   std::vector<cmTarget*> deps;
   tgt->GetTransitiveTargetClosure(config, tgt, deps);
@@ -4762,7 +4774,7 @@ bool isLinkDependentProperty(cmTarget const* tgt, const std::string &p,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool cmTarget::IsLinkInterfaceDependentBoolProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                           const char *config) const
+                                           const std::string& config) const
 {
   if (this->TargetTypeValue == OBJECT_LIBRARY
       || this->TargetTypeValue == INTERFACE_LIBRARY)
@@ -4776,7 +4788,7 @@ bool cmTarget::IsLinkInterfaceDependentBoolProperty(const std::string &p,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool cmTarget::IsLinkInterfaceDependentStringProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                    const char *config) const
+                                    const std::string& config) const
 {
   if (this->TargetTypeValue == OBJECT_LIBRARY
       || this->TargetTypeValue == INTERFACE_LIBRARY)
@@ -4790,7 +4802,7 @@ bool cmTarget::IsLinkInterfaceDependentStringProperty(const std::string &p,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool cmTarget::IsLinkInterfaceDependentNumberMinProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                    const char *config) const
+                                    const std::string& config) const
 {
   if (this->TargetTypeValue == OBJECT_LIBRARY
       || this->TargetTypeValue == INTERFACE_LIBRARY)
@@ -4803,7 +4815,7 @@ bool cmTarget::IsLinkInterfaceDependentNumberMinProperty(const std::string &p,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool cmTarget::IsLinkInterfaceDependentNumberMaxProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                    const char *config) const
+                                    const std::string& config) const
 {
   if (this->TargetTypeValue == OBJECT_LIBRARY
       || this->TargetTypeValue == INTERFACE_LIBRARY)
@@ -4829,7 +4841,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetLanguages(std::set<std::string>& languages) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool cmTarget::IsChrpathUsed(const char* config) const
+bool cmTarget::IsChrpathUsed(const std::string& config) const
 {
   // Only certain target types have an rpath.
   if(!(this->GetType() == cmTarget::SHARED_LIBRARY ||
@@ -4897,7 +4909,8 @@ bool cmTarget::IsChrpathUsed(const char* config) const
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmTarget::ImportInfo const*
-cmTarget::GetImportInfo(const char* config, cmTarget const* headTarget) const
+cmTarget::GetImportInfo(const std::string& config,
+                        cmTarget const* headTarget) const
 {
   // There is no imported information for non-imported targets.
   if(!this->IsImported())
@@ -4908,7 +4921,7 @@ cmTarget::GetImportInfo(const char* config, cmTarget const* headTarget) const
   // Lookup/compute/cache the import information for this
   // configuration.
   std::string config_upper;
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     config_upper = cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
     }
@@ -5262,7 +5275,8 @@ void cmTarget::ComputeImportInfo(std::string const& desired_config,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-cmTarget::LinkInterface const* cmTarget::GetLinkInterface(const char* config,
+cmTarget::LinkInterface const* cmTarget::GetLinkInterface(
+                                                  const std::string& config,
                                                   cmTarget const* head) const
 {
   // Imported targets have their own link interface.
@@ -5284,7 +5298,7 @@ cmTarget::LinkInterface const* cmTarget::GetLinkInterface(const char* config,
     }
 
   // Lookup any existing link interface for this configuration.
-  TargetConfigPair key(head, cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config? config : ""));
+  TargetConfigPair key(head, cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config));
 
   cmTargetInternals::LinkInterfaceMapType::iterator
     i = this->Internal->LinkInterfaceMap.find(key);
@@ -5315,7 +5329,7 @@ cmTarget::LinkInterface const* cmTarget::GetLinkInterface(const char* config,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmTarget::LinkInterface const*
-cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceLibraries(const char* config,
+cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceLibraries(const std::string& config,
                                     cmTarget const* head) const
 {
   // Imported targets have their own link interface.
@@ -5337,7 +5351,7 @@ cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceLibraries(const char* config,
     }
 
   // Lookup any existing link interface for this configuration.
-  TargetConfigPair key(head, cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config? config : ""));
+  TargetConfigPair key(head, cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config));
 
   cmTargetInternals::LinkInterfaceMapType::iterator
     i = this->Internal->LinkInterfaceMap.find(key);
@@ -5359,7 +5373,7 @@ cmTarget::GetLinkInterfaceLibraries(const char* config,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void processILibs(const char* config,
+void processILibs(const std::string& config,
                   cmTarget const* headTarget,
                   std::string const& name,
                   std::vector<cmTarget*>& tgts, std::set<cmTarget*>& emitted)
@@ -5387,7 +5401,7 @@ void processILibs(const char* config,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmTarget::GetTransitiveTargetClosure(const char* config,
+void cmTarget::GetTransitiveTargetClosure(const std::string& config,
                                       cmTarget const* headTarget,
                                       std::vector<cmTarget*> &tgts) const
 {
@@ -5404,7 +5418,7 @@ void cmTarget::GetTransitiveTargetClosure(const char* config,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmTarget::GetTransitivePropertyTargets(const char* config,
+void cmTarget::GetTransitivePropertyTargets(const std::string& config,
                                       cmTarget const* headTarget,
                                       std::vector<cmTarget*> &tgts) const
 {
@@ -5464,14 +5478,14 @@ void cmTarget::GetTransitivePropertyTargets(const char* config,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-const char* cmTarget::ComputeLinkInterfaceLibraries(const char* config,
+const char* cmTarget::ComputeLinkInterfaceLibraries(const std::string& config,
                                            LinkInterface& iface,
                                            cmTarget const* headTarget,
                                            bool &exists) const
 {
   // Construct the property name suffix for this configuration.
   std::string suffix = "_";
-  if(config && *config)
+  if(!config.empty())
     {
     suffix += cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
     }
@@ -5642,7 +5656,7 @@ const char* cmTarget::ComputeLinkInterfaceLibraries(const char* config,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmTargetInternals::ComputeLinkInterface(cmTarget const* thisTarget,
-                                             const char* config,
+                                             const std::string& config,
                                              OptionalLinkInterface& iface,
                                              cmTarget const* headTarget,
                                           const char* explicitLibraries) const
@@ -5714,7 +5728,7 @@ void cmTargetInternals::ComputeLinkInterface(cmTarget const* thisTarget,
     {
     // Construct the property name suffix for this configuration.
     std::string suffix = "_";
-    if(config && *config)
+    if(!config.empty())
       {
       suffix += cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config);
       }
@@ -5742,7 +5756,8 @@ void cmTargetInternals::ComputeLinkInterface(cmTarget const* thisTarget,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmTarget::LinkImplementation const*
-cmTarget::GetLinkImplementation(const char* config, cmTarget const* head) const
+cmTarget::GetLinkImplementation(const std::string& config,
+                                cmTarget const* head) const
 {
   // There is no link implementation for imported targets.
   if(this->IsImported())
@@ -5751,7 +5766,7 @@ cmTarget::GetLinkImplementation(const char* config, cmTarget const* head) const
     }
 
   // Lookup any existing link implementation for this configuration.
-  TargetConfigPair key(head, cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config? config : ""));
+  TargetConfigPair key(head, cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config));
 
   cmTargetInternals::LinkImplMapType::iterator
     i = this->Internal->LinkImplMap.find(key);
@@ -5776,7 +5791,7 @@ cmTarget::GetLinkImplementation(const char* config, cmTarget const* head) const
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmTarget::LinkImplementation const*
-cmTarget::GetLinkImplementationLibraries(const char* config,
+cmTarget::GetLinkImplementationLibraries(const std::string& config,
                                          cmTarget const* head) const
 {
   // There is no link implementation for imported targets.
@@ -5786,7 +5801,7 @@ cmTarget::GetLinkImplementationLibraries(const char* config,
     }
 
   // Lookup any existing link implementation for this configuration.
-  TargetConfigPair key(head, cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config? config : ""));
+  TargetConfigPair key(head, cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config));
 
   cmTargetInternals::LinkImplMapType::iterator
     i = this->Internal->LinkImplMap.find(key);
@@ -5805,7 +5820,7 @@ cmTarget::GetLinkImplementationLibraries(const char* config,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmTarget::ComputeLinkImplementation(const char* config,
+void cmTarget::ComputeLinkImplementation(const std::string& config,
                                          LinkImplementation& impl,
                                          cmTarget const* head) const
 {
@@ -5970,14 +5985,14 @@ std::string cmTarget::CheckCMP0004(std::string const& item) const
 template<typename PropertyType>
 PropertyType getLinkInterfaceDependentProperty(cmTarget const* tgt,
                                                const std::string& prop,
-                                               const char *config,
+                                               const std::string& config,
                                                CompatibleType,
                                                PropertyType *);
 
 template<>
 bool getLinkInterfaceDependentProperty(cmTarget const* tgt,
                                        const std::string& prop,
-                                       const char *config,
+                                       const std::string& config,
                                        CompatibleType, bool *)
 {
   return tgt->GetLinkInterfaceDependentBoolProperty(prop, config);
@@ -5986,7 +6001,7 @@ bool getLinkInterfaceDependentProperty(cmTarget const* tgt,
 template<>
 const char * getLinkInterfaceDependentProperty(cmTarget const* tgt,
                                                const std::string& prop,
-                                               const char *config,
+                                               const std::string& config,
                                                CompatibleType t,
                                                const char **)
 {
@@ -6012,7 +6027,7 @@ void checkPropertyConsistency(cmTarget const* depender,
                               cmTarget const* dependee,
                               const std::string& propName,
                               std::set<std::string> &emitted,
-                              const char *config,
+                              const std::string& config,
                               CompatibleType t,
                               PropertyType *)
 {
@@ -6101,7 +6116,7 @@ static std::string intersect(const std::set<std::string> &s1,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmTarget::CheckPropertyCompatibility(cmComputeLinkInformation *info,
-                                          const char* config) const
+                                          const std::string& config) const
 {
   const cmComputeLinkInformation::ItemVector &deps = info->GetItems();
 
@@ -6205,12 +6220,12 @@ void cmTarget::CheckPropertyCompatibility(cmComputeLinkInformation *info,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmComputeLinkInformation*
-cmTarget::GetLinkInformation(const char* config, cmTarget const* head) const
+cmTarget::GetLinkInformation(const std::string& config,
+                             cmTarget const* head) const
 {
   cmTarget const* headTarget = head ? head : this;
   // Lookup any existing information for this configuration.
-  TargetConfigPair key(headTarget,
-                                  cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config?config:""));
+  TargetConfigPair key(headTarget, cmSystemTools::UpperCase(config));
   cmTargetLinkInformationMap::iterator
     i = this->LinkInformation.find(key);
   if(i == this->LinkInformation.end())
@@ -6237,7 +6252,7 @@ cmTarget::GetLinkInformation(const char* config, cmTarget const* head) const
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetFrameworkDirectory(const char* config,
+std::string cmTarget::GetFrameworkDirectory(const std::string& config,
                                             bool rootDir) const
 {
   std::string fpath;
@@ -6252,7 +6267,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetFrameworkDirectory(const char* config,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetCFBundleDirectory(const char* config,
+std::string cmTarget::GetCFBundleDirectory(const std::string& config,
                                            bool contentOnly) const
 {
   std::string fpath;
@@ -6271,7 +6286,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetCFBundleDirectory(const char* config,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetAppBundleDirectory(const char* config,
+std::string cmTarget::GetAppBundleDirectory(const std::string& config,
                                             bool contentOnly) const
 {
   std::string fpath = this->GetFullName(config, false);
@@ -6283,7 +6298,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::GetAppBundleDirectory(const char* config,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 std::string cmTarget::BuildMacContentDirectory(const std::string& base,
-                                               const char* config,
+                                               const std::string& config,
                                                bool contentOnly) const
 {
   std::string fpath = base;
@@ -6303,7 +6318,7 @@ std::string cmTarget::BuildMacContentDirectory(const std::string& base,
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-std::string cmTarget::GetMacContentDirectory(const char* config,
+std::string cmTarget::GetMacContentDirectory(const std::string& config,
                                              bool implib) const
 {
   // Start with the output directory for the target.
diff --git a/Source/cmTarget.h b/Source/cmTarget.h
index 41f84a60da..65fbb0feb9 100644
--- a/Source/cmTarget.h
+++ b/Source/cmTarget.h
@@ -155,15 +155,15 @@ public:
   return this->LinkLibraries;}
   const LinkLibraryVectorType &GetOriginalLinkLibraries() const
     {return this->OriginalLinkLibraries;}
-  void GetDirectLinkLibraries(const char *config,
+  void GetDirectLinkLibraries(const std::string& config,
                               std::vector<std::string> &,
                               cmTarget const* head) const;
-  void GetInterfaceLinkLibraries(const char *config,
+  void GetInterfaceLinkLibraries(const std::string& config,
                               std::vector<std::string> &,
                               cmTarget const* head) const;
 
   /** Compute the link type to use for the given configuration.  */
-  LinkLibraryType ComputeLinkType(const char* config) const;
+  LinkLibraryType ComputeLinkType(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /**
    * Clear the dependency information recorded for this target, if any.
@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ public:
   bool GetPropertyAsBool(const std::string& prop) const;
   void CheckProperty(const std::string& prop, cmMakefile* context) const;
 
-  const char* GetFeature(const char* feature, const char* config) const;
+  const char* GetFeature(const char* feature,
+                         const std::string& config) const;
 
   bool IsImported() const {return this->IsImportedTarget;}
 
@@ -264,14 +265,14 @@ public:
 
   /** Get the link interface for the given configuration.  Returns 0
       if the target cannot be linked.  */
-  LinkInterface const* GetLinkInterface(const char* config,
+  LinkInterface const* GetLinkInterface(const std::string& config,
                                         cmTarget const* headTarget) const;
-  LinkInterface const* GetLinkInterfaceLibraries(const char* config,
+  LinkInterface const* GetLinkInterfaceLibraries(const std::string& config,
                                         cmTarget const* headTarget) const;
-  void GetTransitivePropertyTargets(const char* config,
+  void GetTransitivePropertyTargets(const std::string& config,
                                         cmTarget const* headTarget,
                                         std::vector<cmTarget*> &libs) const;
-  void GetTransitiveTargetClosure(const char* config,
+  void GetTransitiveTargetClosure(const std::string& config,
                                         cmTarget const* headTarget,
                                         std::vector<cmTarget*> &libs) const;
 
@@ -289,10 +290,11 @@ public:
     // Needed only for OLD behavior of CMP0003.
     std::vector<std::string> WrongConfigLibraries;
   };
-  LinkImplementation const* GetLinkImplementation(const char* config,
+  LinkImplementation const* GetLinkImplementation(const std::string& config,
                                                   cmTarget const* head) const;
 
-  LinkImplementation const* GetLinkImplementationLibraries(const char* config,
+  LinkImplementation const* GetLinkImplementationLibraries(
+                                                  const std::string& config,
                                                   cmTarget const* head) const;
 
   /** Link information from the transitive closure of the link
@@ -305,7 +307,7 @@ public:
     // Languages whose runtime libraries must be linked.
     std::vector<std::string> Languages;
   };
-  LinkClosure const* GetLinkClosure(const char* config,
+  LinkClosure const* GetLinkClosure(const std::string& config,
                                     cmTarget const* head) const;
 
   /** Strip off leading and trailing whitespace from an item named in
@@ -316,23 +318,24 @@ public:
       configuration name is given then the generator will add its
       subdirectory for that configuration.  Otherwise just the canonical
       output directory is given.  */
-  std::string GetDirectory(const char* config = 0, bool implib = false) const;
+  std::string GetDirectory(const std::string& config = "",
+                           bool implib = false) const;
 
   /** Get the directory in which this targets .pdb files will be placed.
       If the configuration name is given then the generator will add its
       subdirectory for that configuration.  Otherwise just the canonical
       pdb output directory is given.  */
-  std::string GetPDBDirectory(const char* config) const;
+  std::string GetPDBDirectory(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Get the directory in which to place the target compiler .pdb file.
       If the configuration name is given then the generator will add its
       subdirectory for that configuration.  Otherwise just the canonical
       compiler pdb output directory is given.  */
-  std::string GetCompilePDBDirectory(const char* config = 0) const;
+  std::string GetCompilePDBDirectory(const std::string& config = "") const;
 
   /** Get the location of the target in the build tree for the given
       configuration.  */
-  const char* GetLocation(const char* config) const;
+  const char* GetLocation(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Get the location of the target in the build tree with a placeholder
       referencing the configuration in the native build system.  This
@@ -351,44 +354,46 @@ public:
   GetTargetVersion(bool soversion, int& major, int& minor, int& patch) const;
 
   ///! Return the preferred linker language for this target
-  std::string GetLinkerLanguage(const char* config = 0,
+  std::string GetLinkerLanguage(const std::string& config = "",
                                 cmTarget const* head = 0) const;
 
   /** Get the full name of the target according to the settings in its
       makefile.  */
-  std::string GetFullName(const char* config=0, bool implib = false) const;
+  std::string GetFullName(const std::string& config="",
+                          bool implib = false) const;
   void GetFullNameComponents(std::string& prefix,
                              std::string& base, std::string& suffix,
-                             const char* config=0, bool implib = false) const;
+                             const std::string& config="",
+                             bool implib = false) const;
 
   /** Get the name of the pdb file for the target.  */
-  std::string GetPDBName(const char* config) const;
+  std::string GetPDBName(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Get the name of the compiler pdb file for the target.  */
-  std::string GetCompilePDBName(const char* config=0) const;
+  std::string GetCompilePDBName(const std::string& config="") const;
 
   /** Get the path for the MSVC /Fd option for this target.  */
-  std::string GetCompilePDBPath(const char* config=0) const;
+  std::string GetCompilePDBPath(const std::string& config="") const;
 
   /** Whether this library has soname enabled and platform supports it.  */
-  bool HasSOName(const char* config) const;
+  bool HasSOName(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Get the soname of the target.  Allowed only for a shared library.  */
-  std::string GetSOName(const char* config) const;
+  std::string GetSOName(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Whether this library has \@rpath and platform supports it.  */
-  bool HasMacOSXRpathInstallNameDir(const char* config) const;
+  bool HasMacOSXRpathInstallNameDir(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Whether this library defaults to \@rpath.  */
   bool MacOSXRpathInstallNameDirDefault() const;
 
   /** Test for special case of a third-party shared library that has
       no soname at all.  */
-  bool IsImportedSharedLibWithoutSOName(const char* config) const;
+  bool IsImportedSharedLibWithoutSOName(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Get the full path to the target according to the settings in its
       makefile and the configuration type.  */
-  std::string GetFullPath(const char* config=0, bool implib = false,
+  std::string GetFullPath(const std::string& config="", bool implib = false,
                           bool realname = false) const;
 
   /** Get the names of the library needed to generate a build rule
@@ -396,14 +401,15 @@ public:
       should be called only on a library target.  */
   void GetLibraryNames(std::string& name, std::string& soName,
                        std::string& realName, std::string& impName,
-                       std::string& pdbName, const char* config) const;
+                       std::string& pdbName, const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Get the names of the executable needed to generate a build rule
       that takes into account executable version numbers.  This should
       be called only on an executable target.  */
   void GetExecutableNames(std::string& name, std::string& realName,
                           std::string& impName,
-                          std::string& pdbName, const char* config) const;
+                          std::string& pdbName,
+                          const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Does this target have a GNU implib to convert to MS format?  */
   bool HasImplibGNUtoMS() const;
@@ -416,24 +422,24 @@ public:
   /**
    * Compute whether this target must be relinked before installing.
    */
-  bool NeedRelinkBeforeInstall(const char* config) const;
+  bool NeedRelinkBeforeInstall(const std::string& config) const;
 
-  bool HaveBuildTreeRPATH(const char *config) const;
+  bool HaveBuildTreeRPATH(const std::string& config) const;
   bool HaveInstallTreeRPATH() const;
 
   /** Return true if builtin chrpath will work for this target */
-  bool IsChrpathUsed(const char* config) const;
+  bool IsChrpathUsed(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Return the install name directory for the target in the
     * build tree.  For example: "\@rpath/", "\@loader_path/",
     * or "/full/path/to/library".  */
-  std::string GetInstallNameDirForBuildTree(const char* config) const;
+  std::string GetInstallNameDirForBuildTree(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Return the install name directory for the target in the
     * install tree.  For example: "\@rpath/" or "\@loader_path/". */
   std::string GetInstallNameDirForInstallTree() const;
 
-  cmComputeLinkInformation* GetLinkInformation(const char* config,
+  cmComputeLinkInformation* GetLinkInformation(const std::string& config,
                                                cmTarget const* head = 0) const;
 
   // Get the properties
@@ -452,7 +458,7 @@ public:
   const char* GetExportMacro() const;
 
   void GetCompileDefinitions(std::vector<std::string> &result,
-                             const char *config) const;
+                             const std::string& config) const;
 
   // Compute the set of languages compiled by the target.  This is
   // computed every time it is called because the languages can change
@@ -500,26 +506,29 @@ public:
 
   /** Return whether this target uses the default value for its output
       directory.  */
-  bool UsesDefaultOutputDir(const char* config, bool implib) const;
+  bool UsesDefaultOutputDir(const std::string& config, bool implib) const;
 
   /** @return the mac content directory for this target. */
-  std::string GetMacContentDirectory(const char* config,
+  std::string GetMacContentDirectory(const std::string& config,
                                      bool implib) const;
 
   /** @return whether this target have a well defined output file name. */
   bool HaveWellDefinedOutputFiles() const;
 
   /** @return the Mac framework directory without the base. */
-  std::string GetFrameworkDirectory(const char* config, bool rootDir) const;
+  std::string GetFrameworkDirectory(const std::string& config,
+                                    bool rootDir) const;
 
   /** @return the Mac CFBundle directory without the base */
-  std::string GetCFBundleDirectory(const char* config, bool contentOnly) const;
+  std::string GetCFBundleDirectory(const std::string& config,
+                                   bool contentOnly) const;
 
   /** @return the Mac App directory without the base */
-  std::string GetAppBundleDirectory(const char* config,
+  std::string GetAppBundleDirectory(const std::string& config,
                                     bool contentOnly) const;
 
-  std::vector<std::string> GetIncludeDirectories(const char *config) const;
+  std::vector<std::string> GetIncludeDirectories(
+                     const std::string& config) const;
   void InsertInclude(const cmValueWithOrigin &entry,
                      bool before = false);
   void InsertCompileOption(const cmValueWithOrigin &entry,
@@ -529,29 +538,29 @@ public:
   void AppendBuildInterfaceIncludes();
 
   void GetCompileOptions(std::vector<std::string> &result,
-                         const char *config) const;
+                         const std::string& config) const;
   void GetAutoUicOptions(std::vector<std::string> &result,
-                         const char *config) const;
+                         const std::string& config) const;
 
   bool IsNullImpliedByLinkLibraries(const std::string &p) const;
   bool IsLinkInterfaceDependentBoolProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                            const char *config) const;
+                         const std::string& config) const;
   bool IsLinkInterfaceDependentStringProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                              const char *config) const;
+                         const std::string& config) const;
   bool IsLinkInterfaceDependentNumberMinProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                                 const char *config) const;
+                         const std::string& config) const;
   bool IsLinkInterfaceDependentNumberMaxProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                                 const char *config) const;
+                         const std::string& config) const;
 
   bool GetLinkInterfaceDependentBoolProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                             const char *config) const;
+                                             const std::string& config) const;
 
   const char *GetLinkInterfaceDependentStringProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                                    const char *config) const;
+                         const std::string& config) const;
   const char *GetLinkInterfaceDependentNumberMinProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                                    const char *config) const;
+                         const std::string& config) const;
   const char *GetLinkInterfaceDependentNumberMaxProperty(const std::string &p,
-                                                    const char *config) const;
+                         const std::string& config) const;
 
   std::string GetDebugGeneratorExpressions(const std::string &value,
                                   cmTarget::LinkLibraryType llt) const;
@@ -631,8 +640,9 @@ private:
 
   const char* GetSuffixVariableInternal(bool implib) const;
   const char* GetPrefixVariableInternal(bool implib) const;
-  std::string GetFullNameInternal(const char* config, bool implib) const;
-  void GetFullNameInternal(const char* config, bool implib,
+  std::string GetFullNameInternal(const std::string& config,
+                                  bool implib) const;
+  void GetFullNameInternal(const std::string& config, bool implib,
                            std::string& outPrefix, std::string& outBase,
                            std::string& outSuffix) const;
 
@@ -645,23 +655,25 @@ private:
   const char* GetOutputTargetType(bool implib) const;
 
   // Get the target base name.
-  std::string GetOutputName(const char* config, bool implib) const;
+  std::string GetOutputName(const std::string& config, bool implib) const;
 
-  std::string GetFullNameImported(const char* config, bool implib) const;
+  std::string GetFullNameImported(const std::string& config,
+                                  bool implib) const;
 
-  std::string ImportedGetFullPath(const char* config, bool implib) const;
-  std::string NormalGetFullPath(const char* config, bool implib,
+  std::string ImportedGetFullPath(const std::string& config,
+                                  bool implib) const;
+  std::string NormalGetFullPath(const std::string& config, bool implib,
                                 bool realname) const;
 
   /** Get the real name of the target.  Allowed only for non-imported
       targets.  When a library or executable file is versioned this is
       the full versioned name.  If the target is not versioned this is
       the same as GetFullName.  */
-  std::string NormalGetRealName(const char* config) const;
+  std::string NormalGetRealName(const std::string& config) const;
 
   /** Append to @a base the mac content directory and return it. */
   std::string BuildMacContentDirectory(const std::string& base,
-                                       const char* config,
+                                       const std::string& config,
                                        bool contentOnly) const;
 
 private:
@@ -698,37 +710,38 @@ private:
 
   // Cache target output paths for each configuration.
   struct OutputInfo;
-  OutputInfo const* GetOutputInfo(const char* config) const;
+  OutputInfo const* GetOutputInfo(const std::string& config) const;
   bool
-  ComputeOutputDir(const char* config, bool implib, std::string& out) const;
-  bool ComputePDBOutputDir(const char* kind, const char* config,
+  ComputeOutputDir(const std::string& config,
+                   bool implib, std::string& out) const;
+  bool ComputePDBOutputDir(const char* kind, const std::string& config,
                            std::string& out) const;
 
   // Cache import information from properties for each configuration.
   struct ImportInfo;
-  ImportInfo const* GetImportInfo(const char* config,
+  ImportInfo const* GetImportInfo(const std::string& config,
                                         cmTarget const* workingTarget) const;
   void ComputeImportInfo(std::string const& desired_config, ImportInfo& info,
                                         cmTarget const* head) const;
 
   // Cache target compile paths for each configuration.
   struct CompileInfo;
-  CompileInfo const* GetCompileInfo(const char* config) const;
+  CompileInfo const* GetCompileInfo(const std::string& config) const;
 
   mutable cmTargetLinkInformationMap LinkInformation;
   void CheckPropertyCompatibility(cmComputeLinkInformation *info,
-                                  const char* config) const;
+                                  const std::string& config) const;
 
-  const char* ComputeLinkInterfaceLibraries(const char* config,
+  const char* ComputeLinkInterfaceLibraries(const std::string& config,
                                             LinkInterface& iface,
                                             cmTarget const* head,
                                             bool &exists) const;
 
-  void ComputeLinkImplementation(const char* config,
+  void ComputeLinkImplementation(const std::string& config,
                                  LinkImplementation& impl,
                                  cmTarget const* head) const;
   void ComputeLinkImplementationLanguages(LinkImplementation& impl) const;
-  void ComputeLinkClosure(const char* config, LinkClosure& lc,
+  void ComputeLinkClosure(const std::string& config, LinkClosure& lc,
                           cmTarget const* head) const;
 
   void ClearLinkMaps();
diff --git a/Source/cmTestGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmTestGenerator.cxx
index 5dc3e6042e..a21e1aae33 100644
--- a/Source/cmTestGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmTestGenerator.cxx
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ void cmTestGenerator::GenerateScriptActions(std::ostream& os,
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmTestGenerator::GenerateScriptForConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                                              const char* config,
+                                              const std::string& config,
                                               Indent const& indent)
 {
   this->TestGenerated = true;
diff --git a/Source/cmTestGenerator.h b/Source/cmTestGenerator.h
index 2c69fc3c5d..5446553cf4 100644
--- a/Source/cmTestGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmTestGenerator.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ protected:
   virtual void GenerateScriptConfigs(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent);
   virtual void GenerateScriptActions(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent);
   virtual void GenerateScriptForConfig(std::ostream& os,
-                                       const char* config,
+                                       const std::string& config,
                                        Indent const& indent);
   virtual void GenerateScriptNoConfig(std::ostream& os, Indent const& indent);
   virtual bool NeedsScriptNoConfig() const;
diff --git a/Source/cmVisualStudio10TargetGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmVisualStudio10TargetGenerator.cxx
index aa721b75c3..90155b4132 100644
--- a/Source/cmVisualStudio10TargetGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmVisualStudio10TargetGenerator.cxx
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ cmVisualStudio10TargetGenerator::~cmVisualStudio10TargetGenerator()
 
 void cmVisualStudio10TargetGenerator::WritePlatformConfigTag(
   const char* tag,
-  const char* config,
+  const std::string& config,
   int indentLevel,
   const char* attribute,
   const char* end,
diff --git a/Source/cmVisualStudio10TargetGenerator.h b/Source/cmVisualStudio10TargetGenerator.h
index 8d6925430f..02b951cc81 100644
--- a/Source/cmVisualStudio10TargetGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmVisualStudio10TargetGenerator.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public:
   // used by cmVisualStudioGeneratorOptions
   void WritePlatformConfigTag(
     const char* tag,
-    const char* config,
+    const std::string& config,
     int indentLevel,
     const char* attribute = 0,
     const char* end = 0,
diff --git a/Source/cmXCodeObject.h b/Source/cmXCodeObject.h
index 8eaf2aab4a..3a6528ae9e 100644
--- a/Source/cmXCodeObject.h
+++ b/Source/cmXCodeObject.h
@@ -122,26 +122,18 @@ public:
 
   void CopyAttributes(cmXCodeObject* );
 
-  void AddDependLibrary(const char* configName,
+  void AddDependLibrary(const std::string& configName,
                         const std::string& l)
     {
-      if(!configName)
-        {
-        configName = "";
-        }
       this->DependLibraries[configName].push_back(l);
     }
   std::map<std::string, StringVec> const& GetDependLibraries()
     {
       return this->DependLibraries;
     }
-  void AddDependTarget(const char* configName,
+  void AddDependTarget(const std::string& configName,
                        const std::string& tName)
     {
-      if(!configName)
-        {
-        configName = "";
-        }
       this->DependTargets[configName].push_back(tName);
     }
   std::map<std::string, StringVec> const& GetDependTargets()
diff --git a/Source/cmcmd.cxx b/Source/cmcmd.cxx
index 603b6d0c0e..047f09da53 100644
--- a/Source/cmcmd.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmcmd.cxx
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ int cmcmd::ExecuteCMakeCommand(std::vector<std::string>& args)
     else if (args[1] == "cmake_autogen" && args.size() >= 4)
       {
         cmQtAutoGenerators autogen;
-        const char *config = args[3].empty() ? 0 : args[3].c_str();
+        std::string const& config = args[3];
         bool autogenSuccess = autogen.Run(args[2].c_str(), config);
         return autogenSuccess ? 0 : 1;
       }