diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/InDetCoolCoralClientUtils/src/TRT_COOLCORALClient.cpp b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/InDetCoolCoralClientUtils/src/TRT_COOLCORALClient.cpp
index 28dbac97546e6ca313c7c735765c5b96df3205ed..3e49e48623fb50e4817530205762fb29407e2f6f 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/InDetCoolCoralClientUtils/src/TRT_COOLCORALClient.cpp
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/InDetCoolCoralClientUtils/src/TRT_COOLCORALClient.cpp
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ void TRT_COOLCORALClient::GetHVLineFromPad( const DetectorType& detector,
 
   std::map<float,std::string>::iterator PadMap_iter;
 
-  for (PadMap_iter=PadMap.begin(); PadMap_iter != PadMap.end(); PadMap_iter++)
+  for (PadMap_iter=PadMap.begin(); PadMap_iter != PadMap.end(); ++PadMap_iter)
     {
       std::string theString = (*PadMap_iter).second;
       int bg = theString.find_first_of("d");
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/AnalysisResultList_t.hh b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/AnalysisResultList_t.hh
index 699085e27d6ae943be3d9c7998d3158bbb334c00..6e6b7fde0cdceab2534dd421a83371e9910bc1ed 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/AnalysisResultList_t.hh
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/AnalysisResultList_t.hh
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ namespace CAN {
     template <class T>
     const std::map<std::string, std::map<std::string, T> > &getMap() const;
 
-    void throwValueDoesNotExist(const std::string &var_name, const std::string conn_name) const {
+    void throwValueDoesNotExist(const std::string &var_name, const std::string& conn_name) const {
       std::stringstream message;
       message << "No value of name " << var_name << " for connectivity object " << conn_name << ".";
       throw AnalysisResultValueNotFound("AnalysisResultList_t::value<T>",message.str());
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/CoralClient.hh b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/CoralClient.hh
index 55575c8cf023467c5a7de617e21fc1a933ad1253..dc5285d607b21f1ec25f3dafc9d1e058cf47cb16 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/CoralClient.hh
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/CoralClient.hh
@@ -98,15 +98,16 @@ protected:
 
 public:
   // added table name -- A.X.
-  PixCoralClient(std::string id1, bool verbose = false, coral::AccessMode access_mode = coral::Update, const char* tableName = "CALIB_ANAL");
+  PixCoralClient(const std::string& id1,
+                 bool verbose = false, coral::AccessMode access_mode = coral::Update, const char* tableName = "CALIB_ANAL");
   PixCoralClient(bool verbose = false, coral::AccessMode access_mode = coral::Update, const char* tableName = "CALIB_ANAL");
   ~PixCoralClient();
 
   void disconnect();
   
   void printTables(const char* option = 0); // added option -- A.X.
-  void printTableDesc(std::string tableName);
-  void printTableContent(std::string tableName);
+  void printTableDesc(const std::string& tableName);
+  void printTableContent(const std::string& tableName);
   void createTables(const char* option = 0); // added option -- A.X.
   template <typename T> void createTable();
   template <typename T> int fillTable(long long fk, CAN::AnalysisResultList_t *results);
@@ -118,13 +119,13 @@ public:
   void fillTables(const char* option);
 
   //PVSS methods
-  double get_value_from_PVSSarch(std::string,const coral::TimeStamp &,const coral::TimeStamp &);
-  double get_values_from_PVSSarch(std::string,const coral::TimeStamp &,const coral::TimeStamp &);
+  double get_value_from_PVSSarch(const std::string&,const coral::TimeStamp &,const coral::TimeStamp &);
+  double get_values_from_PVSSarch(const std::string&,const coral::TimeStamp &,const coral::TimeStamp &);
   void get_alias_from_PVSSarch();
 
-  void queryTable(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, std::string varname="", std::string connName="");
-  CAN::AnalysisResultList_t getAnalysisResultsFromDB(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, std::string varname="", std::string connName="");
-  CAN::AnalysisResultList_t getAnalysisResultsFromDB(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, const std::vector<std::string> &connName, std::string varname="");
+  void queryTable(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, const std::string& varname="", const std::string& connName="");
+  CAN::AnalysisResultList_t getAnalysisResultsFromDB(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, const std::string& varname="", const std::string& connName="");
+  CAN::AnalysisResultList_t getAnalysisResultsFromDB(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, const std::vector<std::string> &connName, const std::string& varname="");
 
   /** Get analysis results for a list of connectivity objects.
    * @param analysis_id list of analysis serial numbers,
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDDb.h b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDDb.h
index a2ba6c0773ad864d361cd4f7bccf15ef4a27e7ee..88282cd0e4eb17f9f15d4a8551a9a91713df237e 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDDb.h
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDDb.h
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 /*
-  Copyright (C) 2002-2017 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration
+  Copyright (C) 2002-2020 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration
 */
 
-#ifndef _PCDDb_h_
-#define _PCDDb_h_
+#ifndef PIXELCORALCLIENTUTILS_PCDDB_H
+#define PIXELCORALCLIENTUTILS_PCDDB_H
 
 #include <string>
 
@@ -20,10 +20,12 @@ namespace coral {
 class PCDDb
 {
  public:
-  PCDDb(std::string connString, std::string tableName, bool verbose, bool load_text);
+  PCDDb(const std::string& connString,
+        const std::string& tableName,
+        bool verbose, bool load_text);
   ~PCDDb();
 
-  bool init(std::string tag, int revision);
+  bool init(const std::string& tag, int revision);
   int next();
   bool set(int idmod_cur, PixelCoralClientUtils::PixelCalibData& pcd);
 
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDio.h b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDio.h
index ba296d00cb6f4363a786886a4377a62bafdba126..ca3bfa03d2776fc479260a615439e616f1a15250 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDio.h
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDio.h
@@ -17,12 +17,14 @@ namespace coral {
 class PCDio
 {
  public:
-  PCDio(std::string connString, std::string tableName, int verbose);
+  PCDio(const std::string& connString,
+        const std::string& tableName,
+        int verbose);
   ~PCDio();
 
   void init(coral::AccessMode access_mode);
-  void load(std::string tag, int revision);
-  void save(std::string tag, int revision, std::string sources);
+  void load(const std::string& tag, int revision);
+  void save(const std::string& tag, int revision, const std::string& sources);
 
  private:
   std::string m_connString;
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDkr.h b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDkr.h
index 2877810b631977f39e34b46292180bc1c12787b3..7b72f5cee190b09e4c6a5be464bb0c4dadd26f76 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDkr.h
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDkr.h
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 /*
-  Copyright (C) 2002-2017 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration
+  Copyright (C) 2002-2020 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration
 */
 
-#ifndef _PCDkr_h_
-#define _PCDkr_h_
+#ifndef PIXELCORALCLIENTUTILS_PCDKR_H
+#define PIXELCORALCLIENTUTILS_PCDKR_H
 
 #include "RelationalAccess/AccessMode.h"
 
@@ -16,13 +16,15 @@ namespace coral {
 class PCDkr
 {
  public:
-  PCDkr(std::string connString, std::string tableName, int verbose);
+  PCDkr(const std::string& connString,
+        const std::string& tableName,
+        int verbose);
   ~PCDkr();
 
   void init(coral::AccessMode access_mode);
   void load();
-  void save(std::string tag, std::string cid);
-  void validate(std::string tag);
+  void save(cosnt std::string& tag, const std::string& cid);
+  void validate(const std::string& tag);
 
  private:
   std::string m_connString;
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixCalibCoralCoolDb.h b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixCalibCoralCoolDb.h
index b410b5a50ea7a37b58abdb16650bcbb708bcdbab..a94d8339ec62281ce6cd9107c91dbbf639f5ce21 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixCalibCoralCoolDb.h
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixCalibCoralCoolDb.h
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 class ATLAS_NOT_THREAD_SAFE PixCalibCoralCoolDb // Use of singleton databaseService
 {
  public:
-  PixCalibCoralCoolDb(std::string dbString, int verbose);
+  PixCalibCoralCoolDb(const std::string& dbString, int verbose);
   ~PixCalibCoralCoolDb();
 
   bool init();
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class ATLAS_NOT_THREAD_SAFE PixCalibCoralCoolDb // Use of singleton databaseServ
 /* 	    cool::ValidityKey vk2); */
 
   bool saveCalibData(std::string textfile, long long FK);
-  bool referenceToRunInterval(long long FK, cool::ValidityKey vk1, cool::ValidityKey vk2, const std::string tagname );
+  bool referenceToRunInterval(long long FK, cool::ValidityKey vk1, cool::ValidityKey vk2, const std::string& tagname );
 
  private:
   std::string m_dbstring;
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixCalibKnowledgeDb.h b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixCalibKnowledgeDb.h
index a2800efd0830d5b5013d06321c98bc30f031a240..2d94ce1e40533d33436bc432165913ae41b72a3a 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixCalibKnowledgeDb.h
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixCalibKnowledgeDb.h
@@ -16,13 +16,15 @@ namespace coral {
 class PixCalibKnowledgeDb
 {
  public:
-  PixCalibKnowledgeDb(std::string connString, std::string tableName, int verbose);
+  PixCalibKnowledgeDb(const std::string& connString,
+                      const std::string& tableName,
+                      int verbose);
   ~PixCalibKnowledgeDb();
 
   void init(coral::AccessMode access_mode);
   //long long findFK(std::string tag);
 
-  void saveCorrespondingConfig(long int UnixTimeInSeconds, long int RunNumber, std::string calibtags_in_string, std::string idTag, std::string connTag, std::string cfgTag, std::string cfgModTag );
+  void saveCorrespondingConfig(long int UnixTimeInSeconds, long int RunNumber, const std::string& calibtags_in_string, const std::string& idTag, const std::string& connTag, const std::string& cfgTag, const std::string& cfgModTag );
 
   void readCorrespondingCalibTag(long int Utime);
 
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/SpecialPixelMap.hh b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/SpecialPixelMap.hh
index 4f3dfc396ebfd683dd718a4f5866cdd0d2ad8b19..b857b789885528f700f9c60542492626983667fb 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/SpecialPixelMap.hh
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/PixelCoralClientUtils/SpecialPixelMap.hh
@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@ class ModuleSpecialPixelMap : private std::map<unsigned int, unsigned int>{
    //!< construct from blob
    ModuleSpecialPixelMap(const std::map<unsigned int, unsigned int>& pixels, 
 			 unsigned int module_status,
-			 std::vector<unsigned int> chip_status,
-			 std::vector<std::vector<unsigned int> > column_pair_status,unsigned int mchips = 16); 
+			 const std::vector<unsigned int>& chip_status,
+			 const std::vector<std::vector<unsigned int> >& column_pair_status,unsigned int mchips = 16); 
    //!< construct from contents
    virtual ~ModuleSpecialPixelMap();
 
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/CoralClient.cc b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/CoralClient.cc
index 56e0fd019b9f1872977b3001d8d6bee5b46f0df8..3d8d54d390e7ca7680900b95faec8b61fd3b039f 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/CoralClient.cc
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/CoralClient.cc
@@ -95,7 +95,8 @@ std::string connectionString(const std::string &connection_string_in) {
 /** Constructor.
     Open a database identified by the connection string.
 */
-PixCoralClient::PixCoralClient(std::string id1, bool verbose, coral::AccessMode access_mode, const char* tableName)
+PixCoralClient::PixCoralClient(const std::string& id1,
+                               bool verbose, coral::AccessMode access_mode, const char* tableName)
   : m_connString(connectionString(id1)),
     m_accessMode(access_mode),
     m_connectionService(connectionService(verbose)),
@@ -180,7 +181,7 @@ void PixCoralClient::printTables(const char* /* option */)
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** Get the description of a table identified by an input string on the database and print it on stdout.
  */
-void PixCoralClient::printTableDesc(std::string tableName)
+void PixCoralClient::printTableDesc(const std::string& tableName)
 {
   if (m_verbose) std::cout << "\nCOOLCORAL Client: " << tableName <<" Table description" << std::endl;
 
@@ -215,7 +216,7 @@ void PixCoralClient::printTableDesc(std::string tableName)
 /** Get the content of a table identified by an input string on the 
     database and print its number of lines.
  */
-void PixCoralClient::printTableContent(std::string tableName){
+void PixCoralClient::printTableContent(const std::string& tableName){
   if (m_verbose) std::cout << "\nCOOLCORAL Client: " << tableName 
 			   <<" Table content"<< std::endl;
    
@@ -553,7 +554,7 @@ void PixCoralClient::fillTables(const char* option){
 /** Get results for a particular analysis ID
     Optionally get only variable "varname" and/or connectivity object connName
  */
-void PixCoralClient::queryTable(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, std::string varname, std::string connName){
+void PixCoralClient::queryTable(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, const std::string& varname, const std::string& connName){
 
   std::cout << "\n COOLCORAL Client: " << m_pixeltable <<" Putting table content in AnalysisResultList for analysis " << anal_id;
   if (varname != "") std::cout<<", variable " << varname;
@@ -1212,7 +1213,7 @@ int PixCoralClient::fillTable(long long fk, CAN::AnalysisResultList_t *results){
   unsigned int empty_conn_names=0;
   for (typename std::map<std::string, std::map<std::string, T> >::const_iterator iter=results->begin<T>();
        iter != results->end<T>();
-       iter ++) {
+       ++iter) {
 
     if (iter->first.empty()) {
       empty_var_names++;
@@ -1232,7 +1233,7 @@ int PixCoralClient::fillTable(long long fk, CAN::AnalysisResultList_t *results){
     std::unique_ptr<coral::IBulkOperation>  pixel_bulk_2(pixel_editor_2.bulkInsert(pixel_row_2,iter->second.size()));
     for (typename std::map<std::string, T >::const_iterator val_iter=iter->second.begin();
 	 val_iter != iter->second.end();
-	 val_iter ++) {
+	 ++val_iter) {
 
       if (val_iter->first.empty()) {
 	empty_conn_names++;
@@ -1429,7 +1430,7 @@ int PixCoralClient::fillTablePixelCalibData(long long fk, const char* option){
     and fill an AnalysisResultList_t container
     Optionally get only variable "varname" and/or connectivity object connName
  */
-CAN::AnalysisResultList_t PixCoralClient::getAnalysisResultsFromDB(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, std::string varname, std::string connName){
+CAN::AnalysisResultList_t PixCoralClient::getAnalysisResultsFromDB(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, const std::string& varname, const std::string& connName){
 
   if (m_verbose) {
     std::cout << "\n COOLCORAL Client: " << m_pixeltable <<" Putting table content in AnalysisResultList for analysis " << anal_id;
@@ -1566,7 +1567,7 @@ CAN::AnalysisResultList_t PixCoralClient::getAnalysisResultsFromDB(CAN::SerialNu
     objects connName and fill an AnalysisResultList_t container
     Optionally get only variable "varname" 
  */
-CAN::AnalysisResultList_t PixCoralClient::getAnalysisResultsFromDB(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, const std::vector<std::string> &connName, std::string varname){
+CAN::AnalysisResultList_t PixCoralClient::getAnalysisResultsFromDB(CAN::SerialNumber_t anal_id, const std::vector<std::string> &connName, const std::string& varname){
 
   if (m_verbose) {
     std::cout << "\n COOLCORAL Client: " << m_pixeltable <<" Putting table content in AnalysisResultList for analysis " << anal_id;
@@ -2058,7 +2059,7 @@ PixelMap_t PixCoralClient::CLOBtoPixelMap(const std::string & clob) {
 //------------------------------------------------
 /// Get value from PVSS archive
 //------------------------------------------------
-double PixCoralClient::get_value_from_PVSSarch(std::string element_name, const coral::TimeStamp &since, const coral::TimeStamp &until)
+double PixCoralClient::get_value_from_PVSSarch(const std::string& element_name, const coral::TimeStamp &since, const coral::TimeStamp &until)
 {
   double result=0;
 
@@ -2125,7 +2126,7 @@ double PixCoralClient::get_value_from_PVSSarch(std::string element_name, const c
 //------------------------------------------------
 /// Get value from PVSS archive
 //------------------------------------------------
-double PixCoralClient::get_values_from_PVSSarch(std::string element_name, const coral::TimeStamp &since, const coral::TimeStamp &until){
+double PixCoralClient::get_values_from_PVSSarch(const std::string& element_name, const coral::TimeStamp &since, const coral::TimeStamp &until){
 
     double result=0;
 
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDDb.cxx b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDDb.cxx
index e1c5a5b91164fa75b32e9aa0d006592b6f002822..eece038f893566a6d7354efb81bdf731d7909eda 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDDb.cxx
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDDb.cxx
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ using namespace std;
 /** Constructor.
     Open the default database and seal context.
 */
-PCDDb::PCDDb(std::string connString, std::string tableName, bool verbose, bool /*load_text*/) :
+PCDDb::PCDDb(const std::string& connString,
+             const std::string& tableName,
+             bool verbose, bool /*load_text*/) :
   m_verbose(verbose),
   m_session(0), m_connString(connString), m_pixeltable(tableName),
   m_query(0), m_query_2(0), m_cursor(0)
@@ -82,7 +84,7 @@ PCDDb::~PCDDb()
   }
 }
 
-bool PCDDb::init (std::string tag, int revision)
+bool PCDDb::init (const std::string& tag, int revision)
 {
   if (m_verbose) cout << "PCDDb::init(" << tag << ", " << revision << ")" << endl;
 
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDio.cc b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDio.cc
index e7155498294f88ec9ab5717631558c10287b22e5..3f30e34ab259b39956405bc39f9e67cc0472af1f 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDio.cc
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDio.cc
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ using namespace std;
 /** Constructor.
     Open the default database and seal context.
  */
-PCDio::PCDio(string connString, string tableName, int verbose) :
+PCDio::PCDio(const std::string& connString,
+             const std::string& tableName,
+             int verbose) :
   m_connString(connString), m_pixeltable(tableName),
   m_verbose(verbose), m_session(0) {}
 
@@ -72,7 +74,7 @@ void PCDio::init(coral::AccessMode access_mode)
 
 /** DB -> pcd.sav
  */
-void PCDio::load(string tag, int revision)
+void PCDio::load(const std::string& tag, int revision)
 {
   // start timer
   struct timeval start_time, end_time;
@@ -277,7 +279,7 @@ void PCDio::load(string tag, int revision)
 
 /** pcd.dat -> DB
  */
-void PCDio::save(string tag, int revision, string sources)
+void PCDio::save(const std::string& tag, int revision, const std::string& sources)
 {
   // start timer
   struct timeval start_time, end_time;
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDkr.cc b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDkr.cc
index 1efa3485bb0a856514a1a86226504560a37a21a7..8acd6984d1cdb97dfab8617719e0e106339ca261 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDkr.cc
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PCDkr.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
-  Copyright (C) 2002-2017 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration
+  Copyright (C) 2002-2020 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration
 */
 
 #include "PixelCoralClientUtils/PCDkr.h"
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ using namespace std;
 /** Constructor.
     Open the default database and seal context.
  */
-PCDkr::PCDkr(string connString, string tableName, int verbose) :
+PCDkr::PCDkr(const std::string& connString,
+             const std::string& tableName,
+             int verbose) :
   m_connString(connString), m_pixeltable(tableName),
   m_verbose(verbose), m_session(0) {}
 
@@ -115,7 +117,7 @@ void PCDkr::load()
 
 /** add a new record to DB
  */
-void PCDkr::save(string tag, string cid)
+void PCDkr::save(const std::string& tag, const std::string& cid)
 {
   // start timer
   struct timeval start_time, end_time;
@@ -171,7 +173,7 @@ void PCDkr::createTable()
 /** validate a record
     example: Integration_Basic/src/DmlOperations.cpp
  */
-void PCDkr::validate(string tag)
+void PCDkr::validate(const std::string& tag)
 {
   transactionStartUpdate(); 
 
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PixCalibCoralCoolDb.cc b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PixCalibCoralCoolDb.cc
index 8417b56de912000e3ac93feeee986107623a6840..0fcfe824b3e239c790f80ca40e927bed50798a0b 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PixCalibCoralCoolDb.cc
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PixCalibCoralCoolDb.cc
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ using namespace std;
 //
 // this code is based on CoraCoolExample by R. Hawkings
 //
-PixCalibCoralCoolDb::PixCalibCoralCoolDb(string dbString, int /*verbose*/) :
+PixCalibCoralCoolDb::PixCalibCoralCoolDb(const std::string& dbString,
+                                         int /*verbose*/) :
   m_dbstring(dbString)
 {
 
@@ -207,7 +208,7 @@ bool PixCalibCoralCoolDb::saveCalibData ( string textfile , long long FK )
   return true;
 }
 
-bool PixCalibCoralCoolDb::referenceToRunInterval(long long FK, cool::ValidityKey vk1,cool::ValidityKey vk2, const std::string tagname)
+bool PixCalibCoralCoolDb::referenceToRunInterval(long long FK, cool::ValidityKey vk1,cool::ValidityKey vk2, const std::string& tagname)
 {
   cool::RecordSpecification payloadspec;
   // primary / foreign keys
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PixCalibKnowledgeDb.cc b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PixCalibKnowledgeDb.cc
index 7024e53e03bf3f8c0a05bb35e8b62d342ef645ee..e30b2e2f11415e9da883d5cd8693aa4c69540431 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PixCalibKnowledgeDb.cc
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/PixCalibKnowledgeDb.cc
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ using namespace std;
 /** Constructor.
     Open the default database and seal context.
  */
-PixCalibKnowledgeDb::PixCalibKnowledgeDb(string connString, string tableName, int verbose) :
+PixCalibKnowledgeDb::PixCalibKnowledgeDb(const std::string& connString,
+                                         const std::string& tableName,
+                                         int verbose) :
   m_connString(connString), m_pixeltable(tableName),
   m_verbose(verbose), m_session(0) {}
 
@@ -70,7 +72,7 @@ void PixCalibKnowledgeDb::init(coral::AccessMode access_mode)
 }
 
 void PixCalibKnowledgeDb::saveCorrespondingConfig
-(long int UNIXTimeInSeconds, long int RunNumber, std::string calibtags_in_string, std::string idTag, std::string connTag, std::string cfgTag, std::string cfgModTag )
+(long int UNIXTimeInSeconds, long int RunNumber, const std::string& calibtags_in_string, const std::string& idTag, const std::string& connTag, const std::string& cfgTag, const std::string& cfgModTag )
 {
 
    // create tables if needed
diff --git a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/SpecialPixelMap.cc b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/SpecialPixelMap.cc
index 212c6ecdcca3a7d5b9184d19c88657a14601dfe7..4107349e998a23158ad320349938a5d0dec396ae 100644
--- a/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/SpecialPixelMap.cc
+++ b/InnerDetector/InDetConditions/PixelCoralClientUtils/src/SpecialPixelMap.cc
@@ -205,8 +205,8 @@ ModuleSpecialPixelMap::ModuleSpecialPixelMap(const coral::Blob& blob, unsigned i
 
 ModuleSpecialPixelMap::ModuleSpecialPixelMap(const std::map<unsigned int, unsigned int>& pixels, 
 					     unsigned int module_status,
-					     std::vector<unsigned int> chip_status,
-					     std::vector<std::vector<unsigned int> > column_pair_status,
+					     const std::vector<unsigned int>& chip_status,
+					     const std::vector<std::vector<unsigned int> >& column_pair_status,
 					     unsigned int mchips) :
   std::map<unsigned int, unsigned int>(pixels),
   m_chipsPerModule(mchips),
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ ModuleSpecialPixelMap& ModuleSpecialPixelMap::operator+=(ModuleSpecialPixelMap m
     mspm.resetSpecialRegions();
     resetSpecialRegions();
     
-    for(ModuleSpecialPixelMap::const_iterator pixel = mspm.begin(); pixel != mspm.end(); pixel++){
+    for(ModuleSpecialPixelMap::const_iterator pixel = mspm.begin(); pixel != mspm.end(); ++pixel){
       (*this)[(*pixel).first] |= (*pixel).second;
     }
     
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ unsigned int ModuleSpecialPixelMap::pixelStatus(unsigned int pixelID) const{
 bool ModuleSpecialPixelMap::pixelStatusBit(unsigned int pixelID, unsigned int bit) const{
   if(bit < 32){
     unsigned int status = pixelStatus(pixelID); 
-    return  static_cast<bool>(status & (1 << bit));
+    return  static_cast<bool>(status & (1u << bit));
   }   
   else {
     std::cout << "Requested bit " << bit << " out of range ([0,31] allowed)" << std::endl;
@@ -906,7 +906,7 @@ void ModuleSpecialPixelMap::print(int component,
        unsigned int pixelStatus = pixel->second;
        std::cout << " status: ";
        for(int i = 31; i >= 0; i--){
- 	bool statusBit = pixelStatus & (1 << i);
+ 	bool statusBit = pixelStatus & (1u << i);
  	std::cout << statusBit;
  	if(!(i%4)) std::cout << ' ';
        }
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ void ModuleSpecialPixelMap::print(int component,
        unsigned int pixelStatus = pixel->second;
        std::cout << " status: ";
        for(int i = 31; i >= 0; i--){
- 	bool statusBit = pixelStatus & (1 << i);
+ 	bool statusBit = pixelStatus & (1u << i);
  	std::cout << statusBit;
  	if(!(i%4)) std::cout << ' ';
        }
@@ -1424,12 +1424,7 @@ unsigned int ModuleSpecialPixelMap::encodePixelID(int component, unsigned int mo
       if(pixel_phi_index > (mrows+ng-1) && pixel_phi_index < 2*mrows){
         chip = mch/2 -(1 + pixel_eta_index / mcolumns);
         column = mcolumns - (1 + pixel_eta_index % mcolumns);
-        if(pixel_phi_index > (mrows+ng-1))row = 2*mrows - 1 - pixel_phi_index;
-        else if(ng>0){
-          for(int k = 0; k<ng; ++k){
-            if(pixel_phi_index ==(mrows+k))row =mrowsrdo-1-2*k;
-          }
-        }
+        row = 2*mrows - 1 - pixel_phi_index;
       }
       else if(pixel_phi_index < mrows){
         chip = pixel_eta_index / mcolumns + mch/2;