# HG changeset patch
# User Ben Abbott <bpabbott@mac.com>
# Date 1204184479 18000
# Node ID 3422f39573b18cbab5d4731a92e7fad3f53d61de
# Parent  3e107d73aeb4c9315f487f6396a627e3ecabeccc
strcat.m: Matlab compatibility, with cstrcat.m replacing conventional strcat.m.

diff --git a/doc/ChangeLog b/doc/ChangeLog
--- a/doc/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2008-02-25  Ben Abbott <bpabbott@mac.com>
+
+	* interpreter/geometryimages.m, interpreter/interpimages.m,
+	interpreter/plotimages.m, interpreter/sparseimages.m:
+	Use cstrcat instead of strcat.
+
 2008-02-22  David Bateman  <dbateman@free.fr>
 
 	* interpreter/sparse.txi: Remove refernces to spdiag, spcumprod,
diff --git a/doc/interpreter/geometryimages.m b/doc/interpreter/geometryimages.m
--- a/doc/interpreter/geometryimages.m
+++ b/doc/interpreter/geometryimages.m
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@
     plot (xc, yc, "g-", "LineWidth", 3);
     axis([0, 1, 0, 1]);
     legend ("Delaunay Triangulation", "Voronoi Diagram");
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "triplot"))
     rand ("state", 2)
     x = rand (20, 1);
     y = rand (20, 1);
     tri = delaunay (x, y);
     triplot (tri, x, y);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "griddata"))
     rand("state",1);
     x=2*rand(1000,1)-1;
@@ -59,14 +59,14 @@
     z=sin(2*(x.^2+y.^2));
     [xx,yy]=meshgrid(linspace(-1,1,32));
     griddata(x,y,z,xx,yy);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "convhull"))
     x = -3:0.05:3;
     y = abs (sin (x));
     k = convhull (x, y);
     plot (x(k),y(k),'r-',x,y,'b+');
     axis ([-3.05, 3.05, -0.05, 1.05]);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ)) 
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ)) 
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "delaunay"))
     rand ("state", 1);
     x = rand (1, 10);
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
     Y = [ y(T(:,1)); y(T(:,2)); y(T(:,3)); y(T(:,1)) ];
     axis ([0, 1, 0, 1]);
     plot(X, Y, "b", x, y, "r*");
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ)) 
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ)) 
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "inpolygon"))
     randn ("state", 2);
     x = randn (100, 1);
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@
     in = inpolygon (x, y, vx, vy);
     plot(vx, vy, x(in), y(in), "r+", x(!in), y(!in), "bo");
     axis ([-2, 2, -2, 2]);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ)) 
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ)) 
   else
     error ("unrecognized plot requested");
   endif
@@ -129,14 +129,14 @@
     plot (xc, yc, "g-", "LineWidth", 3);
     axis([0, 1, 0, 1]);
     legend ("Delaunay Triangulation", "Voronoi Diagram");
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "triplot"))
     rand ("state", 2)
     x = rand (20, 1);
     y = rand (20, 1);
     tri = delaunay (x, y);
     triplot (tri, x, y);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "griddata"))
     rand("state",1);
     x=2*rand(1000,1)-1;
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@
     z=sin(2*(x.^2+y.^2));
     [xx,yy]=meshgrid(linspace(-1,1,32));
     griddata(x,y,z,xx,yy);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   else
     error ("unrecognized plot requested");
   endif
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@
       mesh (x, y, z);
       title ("Sorry, graphics not available because octave was\\ncompiled without the QHULL library.");
     unwind_protect_cleanup
-      print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ));
+      print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ));
       bury_output ();
     end_unwind_protect
   endif
diff --git a/doc/interpreter/interpimages.m b/doc/interpreter/interpimages.m
--- a/doc/interpreter/interpimages.m
+++ b/doc/interpreter/interpimages.m
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
     plot (ti, yp, 'g', ti, interp1(t, y, ti, 'spline'), 'b', ...
 	  ti, interpft (y, k), 'c', t, y, 'r+');
     legend ('sin(4t+0.3)cos(3t-0.1','spline','interpft','data');
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "interpn"))
     x = y = z = -1:1;
     f = @(x,y,z) x.^2 - y - z.^2;
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
     [xxi, yyi, zzi] = ndgrid (xi, yi, zi);
     vi = interpn(x, y, z, v, xxi, yyi, zzi, 'spline');
     mesh (zi, yi, squeeze (vi(1,:,:)));
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "interpderiv1"))
     t = -2:2;
     dt = 1;
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
     yp = interp1(t,y,ti,'pchip');
     plot (ti, ys,'r-', ti, yp,'g-');
     legend('spline','pchip', 4);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "interpderiv2"))
     t = -2:2;
     dt = 1;
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
     ddyp = diff(diff(interp1(t,y,ti,'pchip'))./dti)./dti;
     plot (ti(2:end-1),ddys,'r*', ti(2:end-1),ddyp,'g+');
     legend('spline','pchip');
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))
   endif
   bury_output ();  
 endfunction
diff --git a/doc/interpreter/plotimages.m b/doc/interpreter/plotimages.m
--- a/doc/interpreter/plotimages.m
+++ b/doc/interpreter/plotimages.m
@@ -26,42 +26,42 @@
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "plot"))
     x = -10:0.1:10;
     plot (x, sin (x));
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "hist"))
     hist (randn (10000, 1), 30);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "errorbar"))
     x = 0:0.1:10;
     y = sin (x);
     yp =  0.1 .* randn (size (x));
     ym = -0.1 .* randn (size (x));
     errorbar (x, sin (x), ym, yp);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "polar"))
     polar (0:0.1:10*pi, 0:0.1:10*pi);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "mesh"))
     tx = ty = linspace (-8, 8, 41)';
     [xx, yy] = meshgrid (tx, ty);
     r = sqrt (xx .^ 2 + yy .^ 2) + eps;
     tz = sin (r) ./ r;
     mesh (tx, ty, tz);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "plot3"))
     t = 0:0.1:10*pi;
     r = linspace (0, 1, numel (t));
     z = linspace (0, 1, numel (t));
     plot3 (r.*sin(t), r.*cos(t), z);
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))    
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))    
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "extended"))
     x = 0:0.01:3;
     plot(x,erf(x));
     hold on;
     plot(x,x,"r");
     axis([0, 3, 0, 1]);
-    text(0.65, 0.6175, strcat('\leftarrow x = {2/\surd\pi {\fontsize{16}',
+    text(0.65, 0.6175, cstrcat('\leftarrow x = {2/\surd\pi {\fontsize{16}',
       '\int_{\fontsize{8}0}^{\fontsize{8}x}} e^{-t^2} dt} = 0.6175'))
-    print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))
+    print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))
   else
     error ("unrecognized plot requested");
   endif
diff --git a/doc/interpreter/sparseimages.m b/doc/interpreter/sparseimages.m
--- a/doc/interpreter/sparseimages.m
+++ b/doc/interpreter/sparseimages.m
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 	      [1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6], 1, 6, 6);
   xy = [0,4,8,6,4,2;5,0,5,7,5,7]';
   gplot (A, xy)
-  print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ))
+  print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ))
   bury_output ();
 endfunction
 
@@ -66,16 +66,16 @@
     fputs (fid, "+---------------------------------+\n");
     fclose (fid);
   elseif (strcmp (nm, "spmatrix"))
-    printsparse(a,strcat("spmatrix.",typ));
+    printsparse(a,cstrcat("spmatrix.",typ));
   else
     if (!isempty(findstr(octave_config_info ("DEFS"),"HAVE_COLAMD")) &&
 	!isempty(findstr(octave_config_info ("DEFS"),"HAVE_CHOLMOD")))
       if (strcmp (nm, "spchol"))
 	r1 = chol(a);
-	printsparse(r1,strcat("spchol.",typ));
+	printsparse(r1,cstrcat("spchol.",typ));
       elseif (strcmp (nm, "spcholperm"))
 	[r2,p2,q2]=chol(a);
-	printsparse(r2,strcat("spcholperm.",typ));
+	printsparse(r2,cstrcat("spcholperm.",typ));
       endif
       ## printf("Text NNZ: Matrix %d, Chol %d, PermChol %d\n",nnz(a),nnz(r1),nnz(r2));
     endif
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
   if (strcmp (nm, "spmatrix"))
     spy(a);
     axis("ij")
-    print(strcat("spmatrix.",typ),strcat("-d",typ))
+    print(cstrcat("spmatrix.",typ),cstrcat("-d",typ))
     bury_output ();
   else
     if (!isempty(findstr(octave_config_info ("DEFS"),"HAVE_COLAMD")) &&
@@ -98,13 +98,13 @@
 	r1 = chol(a);
 	spy(r1);
 	axis("ij")
-	print(strcat("spchol.",typ),strcat("-d",typ))
+	print(cstrcat("spchol.",typ),cstrcat("-d",typ))
 	bury_output ();
       elseif (strcmp (nm, "spcholperm"))
 	[r2,p2,q2]=chol(a);
 	spy(r2);
 	axis("ij")
-	print(strcat("spcholperm.",typ),strcat("-d",typ))
+	print(cstrcat("spcholperm.",typ),cstrcat("-d",typ))
 	bury_output ();
       endif
       ## printf("Image NNZ: Matrix %d, Chol %d, PermChol %d\n",nnz(a),nnz(r1),nnz(r2));
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@
 
     plot3 (xelems, yelems, velems);
     view (10, 10);
-    print(strcat(nm,".",typ),strcat("-d",typ))
+    print(cstrcat(nm,".",typ),cstrcat("-d",typ))
     bury_output ();
   endif
 endfunction
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@
       mesh (x, y, z);
       title ("Sorry, graphics not available because octave was\\ncompiled without the sparse matrix implementation.");
     unwind_protect_cleanup
-      print (strcat (nm, ".", typ), strcat ("-d", typ));
+      print (cstrcat (nm, ".", typ), cstrcat ("-d", typ));
       bury_output ();
     end_unwind_protect
   endif
diff --git a/scripts/ChangeLog b/scripts/ChangeLog
--- a/scripts/ChangeLog
+++ b/scripts/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,23 @@
+2008-02-25  Ben Abbott <bpabbott@mac.com>
+
+	* control/system/zpout.m, finance/irr.m, general/int2str.m,
+	general/num2str.m, miscellaneous/bug_report.m,
+	miscellaneous/copyfile.m, miscellaneous/dir.m,
+	miscellaneous/edit.m, miscellaneous/fullfile.m,
+	miscellaneous/mkoctfile.m, miscellaneous/movefile.m,
+	miscellaneous/tempdir.m, miscellaneous/unpack.m,
+	path/__extractpath__.m, pkg/pkg.m, plot/__ezplot__.m,
+	plot/__go_draw_axes__.m, plot/legend.m, plot/print.m,
+	signal/spectral_adf.m, signal/spectral_xdf.m,
+	statistics/tests/z_test.m, statistics/tests/z_test_2.m,
+	strings/Makefile.in, strings/strcat.m, strings/strvcat.m,
+	testfun/assert.m, testfun/demo.m, testfun/speed.m,
+	testfun/test.m: Use cstrcat instead of strcat.
+
+	* strings/strcat.m: New compatible version.
+
+	* strings/cstrcat.m: Rename from strings/strcat.m.
+
 2008-02-25  John W. Eaton  <jwe@octave.org>
 
 	* strings/isstrprop.m: New file.
@@ -419,7 +439,7 @@
 2007-12-19  Alexander Barth  <barth.alexander@gmail.com>
 	    Peter A. Gustafson  <petegus@umich.edu>
 
-	* scripts/contourc.m: Allow usage of irregular spaced x, y data.
+	* plot/contourc.m: Allow usage of irregular spaced x, y data.
 
 2007-12-19  John W. Eaton  <jwe@octave.org>
 
diff --git a/scripts/control/system/zpout.m b/scripts/control/system/zpout.m
--- a/scripts/control/system/zpout.m
+++ b/scripts/control/system/zpout.m
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
       if (nzr > 1)
 	numstring = sprintf ("%s %s^%d", numstring, x, nzr);
       else
-	numstring = strcat (numstring, x);
+	numstring = cstrcat (numstring, x);
       endif
     endif
     zer = sortcom (-zer);
diff --git a/scripts/finance/irr.m b/scripts/finance/irr.m
--- a/scripts/finance/irr.m
+++ b/scripts/finance/irr.m
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
   if (! (isvector (p)))
     error ("irr: p must be a vector");
   else
-    p_string = strcat ("[", sprintf ("%.15f, ", p), "]");
+    p_string = cstrcat ("[", sprintf ("%.15f, ", p), "]");
   endif
 
   if (! isscalar (i))
diff --git a/scripts/general/int2str.m b/scripts/general/int2str.m
--- a/scripts/general/int2str.m
+++ b/scripts/general/int2str.m
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@
       ifmt = get_fmt (x(idx{:}), 0);
       idx(2) = 2:sz(2);
       rfmt = get_fmt (x(idx{:}), 2);
-      fmt = strcat (ifmt, repmat (rfmt, 1, nc-1), "\n")
+      fmt = cstrcat (ifmt, repmat (rfmt, 1, nc-1), "\n")
     else
-      fmt = strcat (get_fmt (x, 0), "\n");
+      fmt = cstrcat (get_fmt (x, 0), "\n");
     endif
     tmp = sprintf (fmt, permute (x, [2, 1, 3 : nd]));
     tmp(end) = "";
diff --git a/scripts/general/num2str.m b/scripts/general/num2str.m
--- a/scripts/general/num2str.m
+++ b/scripts/general/num2str.m
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
   elseif (iscomplex (x))
     if (nargin == 2)
       if (ischar (arg))
-	fmt = strcat (arg, "%-+", arg(2:end), "i");
+	fmt = cstrcat (arg, "%-+", arg(2:end), "i");
       else
 	if (isnumeric (x) && round (x) == x && abs (x) < (10 .^ arg))
 	  fmt = sprintf ("%%%dd%%-+%ddi  ", arg, arg);
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
     x = horzcat (real (x), imag (x));
     x = x(idx{:});
 
-    fmt = strcat (deblank (repmat (fmt, 1, nc)), "\n");
+    fmt = cstrcat (deblank (repmat (fmt, 1, nc)), "\n");
     tmp = sprintf (fmt, permute (x, [2, 1, 3:nd]));
 
     ## Put the "i"'s where they are supposed to be.
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@
 	fmt = "%11.5g";
       endif
     endif
-    fmt = strcat (deblank (repmat (fmt, 1, columns (x))), "\n");
+    fmt = cstrcat (deblank (repmat (fmt, 1, columns (x))), "\n");
     nd = ndims (x);
     tmp = sprintf (fmt, permute (x, [2, 1, 3:nd]));
     tmp(length (tmp)) = "";
diff --git a/scripts/miscellaneous/bug_report.m b/scripts/miscellaneous/bug_report.m
--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/bug_report.m
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/bug_report.m
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
       endif
     endif
 
-    cmd = strcat ("octave-bug-", OCTAVE_VERSION);
+    cmd = cstrcat ("octave-bug-", OCTAVE_VERSION);
 
     if (length (subject) > 0)
       cmd = sprintf ("%s -s \"%s\"", cmd, subject);
diff --git a/scripts/miscellaneous/copyfile.m b/scripts/miscellaneous/copyfile.m
--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/copyfile.m
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/copyfile.m
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
     endif
 
     if (nargin == 3 && strcmp (force, "f"))
-      cmd = strcat (cmd, " ", cmd_force_flag);
+      cmd = cstrcat (cmd, " ", cmd_force_flag);
     endif
 
     ## If f1 isn't a cellstr convert it to one.
diff --git a/scripts/miscellaneous/dir.m b/scripts/miscellaneous/dir.m
--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/dir.m
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/dir.m
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@
 	    endif
 	  endif
 	  [dummy, fn, ext] = fileparts (fn);
-	  fn = strcat (fn, ext);
+	  fn = cstrcat (fn, ext);
 	  info(i,1).name = fn;
 	  lt = localtime (st.mtime);
 	  info(i,1).date = strftime ("%d-%b-%Y %T", lt);
diff --git a/scripts/miscellaneous/edit.m b/scripts/miscellaneous/edit.m
--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/edit.m
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/edit.m
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@
 
   ## Pick up globals or default them.
 
-  persistent FUNCTION = struct ("EDITOR", strcat (EDITOR (), " %s"),
+  persistent FUNCTION = struct ("EDITOR", cstrcat (EDITOR (), " %s"),
   				"HOME", fullfile (default_home, "octave"),
   				"AUTHOR", default_user(1),
   				"EMAIL",  [],
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@
   ## Start the editor without a file if no file is given.
   if (nargin < 1)
     if (exist (FUNCTION.HOME, "dir") == 7 && (isunix () || ! ispc ()))
-      system (strcat ("cd \"", FUNCTION.HOME, "\" ; ",
+      system (cstrcat ("cd \"", FUNCTION.HOME, "\" ; ",
 		      sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, "")),
 	      [], FUNCTION.MODE);
     else
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@
     ## If the file exists, then edit it.
     if (FUNCTION.EDITINPLACE)
       ## Edit in place even if it is protected.
-      system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, strcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
+      system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
               [], FUNCTION.MODE);
       return;
     else
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@
       fid = fopen (fileandpath, "r+t");
       if (fid < 0)
         from = fileandpath;
-        fileandpath = strcat (FUNCTION.HOME, from (rindex (from, filesep):end));
+        fileandpath = cstrcat (FUNCTION.HOME, from (rindex (from, filesep):end));
         [status, msg] = copyfile (from, fileandpath, 1);
         if (status == 0)
           error (msg);
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@
       else
         fclose (fid);
       endif
-      system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, strcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
+      system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
               [], FUNCTION.MODE);
       return;
     endif
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@
     case {"cc", "m"}
       0;
     otherwise
-      system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, strcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
+      system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
 	      [], FUNCTION.MODE);
       return;
   endswitch
@@ -328,25 +328,25 @@
     if (isempty (host))
       FUNCTION.EMAIL = " ";
     else
-      FUNCTION.EMAIL = strcat ("<", default_user(0), "@", host, ">");
+      FUNCTION.EMAIL = cstrcat ("<", default_user(0), "@", host, ">");
     endif
   endif
 
   ## Fill in the revision string.
   now = localtime (time);
-  revs = strcat ("Created: ", strftime ("%Y-%m-%d", now));
+  revs = cstrcat ("Created: ", strftime ("%Y-%m-%d", now));
 
   ## Fill in the copyright string.
-  copyright = strcat (strftime ("Copyright (C) %Y ", now), FUNCTION.AUTHOR);
+  copyright = cstrcat (strftime ("Copyright (C) %Y ", now), FUNCTION.AUTHOR);
 
   ## Fill in the author tag field.
-  author = strcat ("Author: ", FUNCTION.AUTHOR, " ", FUNCTION.EMAIL);
+  author = cstrcat ("Author: ", FUNCTION.AUTHOR, " ", FUNCTION.EMAIL);
 
   ## Fill in the header.
   uclicense = toupper (FUNCTION.LICENSE);
   switch (uclicense)
     case "GPL"
-      head = strcat (copyright, "\n\n", "\
+      head = cstrcat (copyright, "\n\n", "\
 This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify\n\
 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by\n\
 the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or\n\
@@ -361,10 +361,10 @@
 along with Octave; see the file COPYING.  If not, see\n\
 <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.\
 ");
-      tail = strcat (author, "\n", revs);
+      tail = cstrcat (author, "\n", revs);
 
     case "BSD"
-      head = strcat (copyright, "\n\n", "\
+      head = cstrcat (copyright, "\n\n", "\
 This program is free software; redistribution and use in source and\n\
 binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that\n\
 the following conditions are met:\n\
@@ -387,16 +387,16 @@
 OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF\n\
 SUCH DAMAGE.\
 ");
-      tail = strcat (author, "\n", revs);
+      tail = cstrcat (author, "\n", revs);
 
     case "PD"
       head = "";
-      tail = strcat (author, "\n", revs, "\n\n",
+      tail = cstrcat (author, "\n", revs, "\n\n",
 		     "This program is granted to the public domain.");
 
     otherwise
       head = "";
-      tail = strcat (copyright, "\n\n", FUNCTION.LICENSE, "\n",
+      tail = cstrcat (copyright, "\n\n", FUNCTION.LICENSE, "\n",
 		     author, "\n", revs);
   endswitch
 
@@ -405,41 +405,41 @@
   switch (ext)
     case {"cc", "C", "cpp"}
       if (isempty (head))
-	comment = strcat ("/*\n", tail, "\n\n*/\n\n");
+	comment = cstrcat ("/*\n", tail, "\n\n*/\n\n");
       else
-	comment = strcat ("/*\n", head, "\n\n", tail, "\n\n*/\n\n");
+	comment = cstrcat ("/*\n", head, "\n\n", tail, "\n\n*/\n\n");
       endif
       ## If we are shadowing an m-file, paste the code for the m-file.
       if (any (exists == [2, 103]))
-	code = strcat ("\\ ", strrep (type (name), "\n", "\n// "));
+	code = cstrcat ("\\ ", strrep (type (name), "\n", "\n// "));
       else
 	code = " ";
       endif
-      body = strcat ("#include <octave/oct.h>\n\n",
+      body = cstrcat ("#include <octave/oct.h>\n\n",
                      "DEFUN_DLD(", name, ",args,nargout,\"\\\n",
 		     name, "\\n\\\n\")\n{\n",
 		     "  octave_value_list retval;\n",
 		     "  int nargin = args.length();\n\n",
 		     code, "\n  return retval;\n}\n");
 
-      text = strcat (comment, body);
+      text = cstrcat (comment, body);
     case "m"
       ## If we are editing a function defined on the fly, paste the
       ## code.
       if (any (exists == [2, 103]))
 	body = type (name);
       else
-	body = strcat ("function [ ret ] = ", name, " ()\n\nendfunction\n");
+	body = cstrcat ("function [ ret ] = ", name, " ()\n\nendfunction\n");
       endif
       if (isempty (head))
-	comment = strcat ("## ", name, "\n\n",
+	comment = cstrcat ("## ", name, "\n\n",
 			  "## ", strrep (tail, "\n", "\n## "), "\n\n");
       else
-	comment = strcat ("## ", strrep(head,"\n","\n## "), "\n\n", ...
+	comment = cstrcat ("## ", strrep(head,"\n","\n## "), "\n\n", ...
 			  "## ", name, "\n\n", ...
 			  "## ", strrep (tail, "\n", "\n## "), "\n\n");
       endif
-      text = strcat (comment, body);
+      text = cstrcat (comment, body);
   endswitch
 
   ## Write the initial file (if there is anything to write)
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@
   fclose (fid);
 
   ## Finally we are ready to edit it!
-  system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, strcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
+  system (sprintf (FUNCTION.EDITOR, cstrcat ("\"", fileandpath, "\"")),
 	  [], FUNCTION.MODE);
 
 endfunction
diff --git a/scripts/miscellaneous/fullfile.m b/scripts/miscellaneous/fullfile.m
--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/fullfile.m
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/fullfile.m
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 	elseif (i == nargs && strcmp (tmp, filesep))
 	  tmp = "";
 	endif
-	filename = strcat (filename, filesep, tmp);
+	filename = cstrcat (filename, filesep, tmp);
       endfor
     elseif (nargs == 1)
       filename = varargin{1};
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@
 
 %!shared fs, fsx, xfs, fsxfs, xfsy
 %! fs = filesep ();
-%! fsx = strcat (fs, "x");
-%! xfs = strcat ("x", fs);
-%! fsxfs = strcat (fs, "x", fs);
-%! xfsy = strcat ("x", fs, "y");
+%! fsx = cstrcat (fs, "x");
+%! xfs = cstrcat ("x", fs);
+%! fsxfs = cstrcat (fs, "x", fs);
+%! xfsy = cstrcat ("x", fs, "y");
 %!assert (fullfile (""), "")
 %!assert (fullfile (fs), fs)
 %!assert (fullfile ("", fs), fs)
diff --git a/scripts/miscellaneous/mkoctfile.m b/scripts/miscellaneous/mkoctfile.m
--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/mkoctfile.m
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/mkoctfile.m
@@ -125,9 +125,9 @@
 
   shell_script = fullfile (bindir, sprintf ("mkoctfile-%s", OCTAVE_VERSION));
 
-  cmd = strcat ("\"", shell_script, "\"");
+  cmd = cstrcat ("\"", shell_script, "\"");
   for i = 1:nargin
-    cmd = strcat (cmd, " \"", varargin{i}, "\"");
+    cmd = cstrcat (cmd, " \"", varargin{i}, "\"");
   endfor
   
   status = system (cmd);
diff --git a/scripts/miscellaneous/movefile.m b/scripts/miscellaneous/movefile.m
--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/movefile.m
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/movefile.m
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
     endif
 
     if (nargin == 3 && strcmp (force, "f"))
-      cmd = strcat (cmd, " ", cmd_force_flag);
+      cmd = cstrcat (cmd, " ", cmd_force_flag);
     endif
 
     ## If f1 isn't a cellstr convert it to one.
diff --git a/scripts/miscellaneous/tempdir.m b/scripts/miscellaneous/tempdir.m
--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/tempdir.m
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/tempdir.m
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
   endif
 
   if (! strcmp (dirname(end), filesep))
-    strcat (dirname, filesep);
+    cstrcat (dirname, filesep);
   endif
 
   if (! isdir (dirname))
diff --git a/scripts/miscellaneous/unpack.m b/scripts/miscellaneous/unpack.m
--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/unpack.m
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/unpack.m
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 	[tmppathstr, tmpname, tmpext] = fileparts (name);
 	if (strcmpi (tmpext, ".tar"))
 	  name = tmpname;
-	  ext = strcat (tmpext, ext);
+	  ext = cstrcat (tmpext, ext);
 	endif
       endif
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
 	urlfile = file;
 	## FIXME -- should we name the file that we download with the
 	## same file name as the url requests?
-	tmpfile = strcat (tmpnam (), ext);
+	tmpfile = cstrcat (tmpnam (), ext);
 	[file, success, msg] = urlwrite (urlfile, tmpfile);
 	if (! success)
 	  error ("unpack: could not get \"%s\": %s", urlfile, msg);
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@
 
   unwind_protect
     cd (directory);
-    [status, output] = system (sprintf (strcat (command, " 2>&1"), file));
+    [status, output] = system (sprintf (cstrcat (command, " 2>&1"), file));
   unwind_protect_cleanup
     cd (origdir);
   end_unwind_protect
diff --git a/scripts/path/__extractpath__.m b/scripts/path/__extractpath__.m
--- a/scripts/path/__extractpath__.m
+++ b/scripts/path/__extractpath__.m
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
     error ("savepath: unable to parse file, %s", savefile);
   elseif (startline > 0)
     ## Undo doubling of single quote characters performed by savepath.
-    specifiedpath = strrep (regexprep (strcat (filelines(startline:endline){:}),
+    specifiedpath = strrep (regexprep (cstrcat (filelines(startline:endline){:}),
 				       " *path *\\('(.*)'\\); *", "$1"),
 			    "''", "'");
   else
diff --git a/scripts/pkg/pkg.m b/scripts/pkg/pkg.m
--- a/scripts/pkg/pkg.m
+++ b/scripts/pkg/pkg.m
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@
     wd = pwd ();
     unwind_protect
       cd (prefix);
-      dirlist = glob (cellfun(@(x) strcat(x, '-*'), files, 'UniformOutput', 0));
+      dirlist = glob (cellfun(@(x) cstrcat(x, '-*'), files, 'UniformOutput', 0));
     unwind_protect_cleanup
       cd (wd);
     end_unwind_protect
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@
     if (exist (descfile, "file"))
       desc = get_description (descfile);
       desc.dir = fullfile (prefix, dirlist{k});
-      desc.archprefix = fullfile (archprefix, strcat (desc.name, "-",
+      desc.archprefix = fullfile (archprefix, cstrcat (desc.name, "-",
 				  desc.version));
       if (auto != 0)
 	if (exist (fullfile (desc.dir, "packinfo", ".autoload"), "file"))
@@ -621,10 +621,10 @@
 	  endif
 
 	  ## Set default installation directory
-	  desc.dir = fullfile (prefix, strcat (desc.name, "-", desc.version));
+	  desc.dir = fullfile (prefix, cstrcat (desc.name, "-", desc.version));
 
 	  ## Set default architectire dependent installation directory
-	  desc.archprefix = fullfile (archprefix, strcat (desc.name, "-",
+	  desc.archprefix = fullfile (archprefix, cstrcat (desc.name, "-",
 							  desc.version));
 
 	  ## Save desc
@@ -675,7 +675,7 @@
 	ok = false;
 	for i = 1:length (bad_deps)
 	  dep = bad_deps{i};
-	  error_text = strcat (error_text, " ", desc.name, " needs ",
+	  error_text = cstrcat (error_text, " ", desc.name, " needs ",
 			       dep.package, " ", dep.operator, " ",
 			       dep.version, "\n");
 	endfor
@@ -883,7 +883,7 @@
       if (! isempty (bad_deps))
 	for i = 1:length (bad_deps)
 	  dep = bad_deps{i};
-	  error_text = strcat (error_text, " ", desc.name, " needs ",
+	  error_text = cstrcat (error_text, " ", desc.name, " needs ",
 			       dep.package, " ", dep.operator, " ",
 			       dep.version, "\n");
 	endfor
@@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@
       if (exist (fullfile (pack.name, "inst", "bin"), "dir"))
 	movefile (fullfile (pack.name, "inst", "bin"), pack.name);
       endif
-      archdir = fullfile (pack.archprefix, strcat (pack.name, "-",
+      archdir = fullfile (pack.archprefix, cstrcat (pack.name, "-",
 			  pack.version), getarch ());
       if (exist (archdir, "dir"))
 	if (exist (fullfile (pack.name, "inst", "PKG_ADD"), "file"))
@@ -1140,7 +1140,7 @@
 		    fullfile (pack.name, "PKG_DEL")); 
 	endif	
       endif	
-      tfile = strcat (pack.name, "-", pack.version, ".tar");
+      tfile = cstrcat (pack.name, "-", pack.version, ".tar");
       tar (tfile, pack.name);
       try 
 	gzip (tfile);
@@ -1205,18 +1205,18 @@
     if (exist (fullfile (src, "configure"), "file"))
       flags = "";
       if (isempty (getenv ("CC")))
-        flags = strcat (flags, " CC=\"", octave_config_info ("CC"), "\"");
+        flags = cstrcat (flags, " CC=\"", octave_config_info ("CC"), "\"");
       endif
       if (isempty (getenv ("CXX")))
-        flags = strcat (flags, " CXX=\"", octave_config_info ("CXX"), "\"");
+        flags = cstrcat (flags, " CXX=\"", octave_config_info ("CXX"), "\"");
       endif
       if (isempty (getenv ("AR")))
-        flags = strcat (flags, " AR=\"", octave_config_info ("AR"), "\"");
+        flags = cstrcat (flags, " AR=\"", octave_config_info ("AR"), "\"");
       endif
       if (isempty (getenv ("RANLIB")))
-        flags = strcat (flags, " RANLIB=\"", octave_config_info ("RANLIB"), "\"");
+        flags = cstrcat (flags, " RANLIB=\"", octave_config_info ("RANLIB"), "\"");
       endif
-      [status, output] = shell (strcat ("cd ", src, "; ./configure --prefix=\"",
+      [status, output] = shell (cstrcat ("cd ", src, "; ./configure --prefix=\"",
                                         desc.dir, "\"", flags));
       if (status != 0)
 	rm_rf (desc.dir);
@@ -1229,7 +1229,7 @@
 
     ## make
     if (exist (fullfile (src, "Makefile"), "file"))
-      [status, output] = shell (strcat ("export INSTALLDIR=\"", desc.dir,
+      [status, output] = shell (cstrcat ("export INSTALLDIR=\"", desc.dir,
 					 "\"; make -C ", src));
       if (status != 0)
 	rm_rf (desc.dir);
@@ -1276,11 +1276,11 @@
 	filenames = sprintf (fullfile (src, "%s "), m.name);
       endif
       if (length (oct) > 0)
-	filenames = strcat (filenames, " ",
+	filenames = cstrcat (filenames, " ",
 			    sprintf (fullfile (src, "%s "), oct.name));
       endif
       if (length (mex) > 0)
-	filenames = strcat (filenames, " ",
+	filenames = cstrcat (filenames, " ",
 			    sprintf (fullfile (src, "%s "), mex.name));
       endif
       filenames = split_by (filenames, " ");
@@ -1340,12 +1340,12 @@
       if (ln > 0)
 	t = regexp (ln, pat, "tokens");
 	if (! isempty (t))
-          pkg = strcat (pkg, "\n", t{1}{1});
+          pkg = cstrcat (pkg, "\n", t{1}{1});
 	endif
       endif
     endwhile
     if (! isempty (pkg))
-      pkg = strcat (pkg, "\n");
+      pkg = cstrcat (pkg, "\n");
     endif
     fclose (fid);
   endif
@@ -1358,7 +1358,7 @@
   ## architecture dependent directory so that the autoload/mfilename 
   ## commands work as expected. The only part that doesn't is the
   ## part in the main directory.
-  archdir = fullfile (getarchprefix (desc), strcat (desc.name, "-",
+  archdir = fullfile (getarchprefix (desc), cstrcat (desc.name, "-",
 		      desc.version), getarch ());
   if (exist (getarchdir (desc, global_install), "dir"))
     archpkg = fullfile (getarchdir (desc, global_install), nm);
@@ -1611,7 +1611,7 @@
     elseif (isspace(line(1)))
       ## Continuation lines
       if (exist ("keyword", "var") && isfield (desc, keyword))
-	desc.(keyword) = strcat (desc.(keyword), " ", rstrip(line));
+	desc.(keyword) = cstrcat (desc.(keyword), " ", rstrip(line));
       endif
     else
       ## Keyword/value pair
@@ -1956,10 +1956,10 @@
       first_char = length (cur_dir) - max_dir_length + 4;
       first_filesep = strfind (cur_dir(first_char:end), filesep());
       if (! isempty (first_filesep))
-        cur_dir = strcat ("...", 
+        cur_dir = cstrcat ("...", 
 			  cur_dir((first_char + first_filesep(1) - 1):end));
       else
-        cur_dir = strcat ("...", cur_dir(first_char:end));
+        cur_dir = cstrcat ("...", cur_dir(first_char:end));
       endif
     endif
     if (installed_pkgs_lst{idx(i)}.loaded)
@@ -2114,7 +2114,7 @@
 endfunction
 
 function arch = getarch ()
-  persistent _arch = strcat (octave_config_info("canonical_host_type"), ...
+  persistent _arch = cstrcat (octave_config_info("canonical_host_type"), ...
 			     "-", octave_config_info("api_version"));
   arch = _arch;
 endfunction
@@ -2122,7 +2122,7 @@
 function archprefix = getarchprefix (desc, global_install)
   if ((nargin == 2 && global_install) || (nargin < 2 && issuperuser ()))
     archprefix = fullfile (octave_config_info ("libexecdir"), "octave", 
-			   "packages", strcat(desc.name, "-", desc.version));
+			   "packages", cstrcat(desc.name, "-", desc.version));
   else
     archprefix = desc.dir;
   endif
@@ -2153,7 +2153,7 @@
       endif
     endif
     if (have_sh)
-      [status, output] = system (strcat ("sh.exe -c \"", cmd, "\""));
+      [status, output] = system (cstrcat ("sh.exe -c \"", cmd, "\""));
     else
       error ("Can not find the command shell")
     endif
@@ -2207,13 +2207,13 @@
     ndir = installed_pkgs_lst{i}.dir;
     dirs{end+1} = ndir;
     if (exist (fullfile (dirs{end}, "bin"), "dir"))
-      execpath = strcat (fullfile (dirs{end}, "bin"), ":", execpath);
+      execpath = cstrcat (fullfile (dirs{end}, "bin"), ":", execpath);
     endif
     tmpdir = getarchdir (installed_pkgs_lst{i});
     if (exist (tmpdir, "dir"))
       dirs{end + 1} = tmpdir;
       if (exist (fullfile (dirs{end}, "bin"), "dir"))
-        execpath = strcat (fullfile (dirs{end}, "bin"), ":", execpath);
+        execpath = cstrcat (fullfile (dirs{end}, "bin"), ":", execpath);
       endif
     endif
   endfor
diff --git a/scripts/plot/__ezplot__.m b/scripts/plot/__ezplot__.m
--- a/scripts/plot/__ezplot__.m
+++ b/scripts/plot/__ezplot__.m
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 function [h, needusage] = __ezplot__ (pfunc, varargin)
 
-  func = strcat ("ez", pfunc);
+  func = cstrcat ("ez", pfunc);
   if (strncmp (pfunc, "contour", 7))
     iscontour = true;
   else
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@
 		      '\./', '/'), '[\.]*\*', '');
     fstrz = regexprep (regexprep (regexprep (fstrz,'\.\^\s*','^'), 
 		      '\./', '/'), '[\.]*\*', '');
-    fstr = strcat ("[",fstrx,",",fstry,",",fstrz,"]");
+    fstr = cstrcat ("[",fstrx,",",fstry,",",fstrz,"]");
   else
     if (isplot3)
       needusage = true;
diff --git a/scripts/plot/__go_draw_axes__.m b/scripts/plot/__go_draw_axes__.m
--- a/scripts/plot/__go_draw_axes__.m
+++ b/scripts/plot/__go_draw_axes__.m
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@
 	    titlespec{data_idx} = "title \"\"";
 	  else
 	    tmp = undo_string_escapes (__maybe_munge_text__ (enhanced, obj, "keylabel", have_newer_gnuplot));
-	    titlespec{data_idx} = strcat ("title \"", tmp, "\"");
+	    titlespec{data_idx} = cstrcat ("title \"", tmp, "\"");
 	  endif
 	  usingclause{data_idx} = "";
 	  errbars = "";
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@
 		 titlespec{data_idx} = "title \"\"";
 	       else
 		 tmp = undo_string_escapes (__maybe_munge_text__ (enhanced, obj, "keylabel", have_newer_gnuplot));
-		 titlespec{data_idx} = strcat ("title \"", tmp, "\"");
+		 titlespec{data_idx} = cstrcat ("title \"", tmp, "\"");
 	       endif
 	       usingclause{data_idx} = "";
                if (isfield (obj, "facecolor"))
@@ -849,7 +849,7 @@
 	      titlespec{data_idx} = "title \"\"";
 	    else
 	      tmp = undo_string_escapes (__maybe_munge_text__ (enhanced, obj, "keylabel", have_newer_gnuplot));
-	      titlespec{data_idx} = strcat ("title \"", tmp, "\"");
+	      titlespec{data_idx} = cstrcat ("title \"", tmp, "\"");
 	    endif
 	    usingclause{data_idx} = "";
 	    if (have_newer_gnuplot || isnan (typ))
@@ -1474,7 +1474,7 @@
 
   if (nd == 2)
     nan_elts = find (sum (isnan (data)));
-    fmt = strcat (repmat ("%.15g ", 1, rows (data)), "\n");
+    fmt = cstrcat (repmat ("%.15g ", 1, rows (data)), "\n");
     if (isempty (nan_elts))
       fprintf (plot_stream, fmt, data);
     else
@@ -1654,17 +1654,17 @@
     if (! isempty(t.fontangle)
 	&& (strcmpi (t.fontangle, "italic")
 	    || strcmpi (t.fontangle, "oblique")))
-      f = strcat (f, "-bolditalic");
+      f = cstrcat (f, "-bolditalic");
       it = true;
       bld = true;
     else
-      f = strcat (f, "-bold");
+      f = cstrcat (f, "-bold");
       bld = true;
     endif
   elseif (! isempty(t.fontangle)
 	  && (strcmpi (t.fontangle, "italic")
 	      || strcmpi (t.fontangle, "oblique")))
-    f = strcat (f, "-italic");
+    f = cstrcat (f, "-italic");
     it = true;
   endif
   if (isempty (t.fontsize))
@@ -1694,7 +1694,7 @@
       str = __tex2enhanced__ (str, fnt, it, bld);
       if (! have_newer_gnuplot)
 	## Set the font to work around gnuplot 4.0 X11 enhanced terminal bug
-	str = strcat ('{/', f, ' ', str, ' }'); 
+	str = cstrcat ('{/', f, ' ', str, ' }'); 
       endif
     elseif (strcmp (obj.interpreter, "latex"))
       if (! warned_latex)
@@ -1714,7 +1714,7 @@
   for i = length (s) : -1 : 1
     ## special case for "\0"  and replace with "{/Symbol \306}'
     if (strncmp (m{i}, '\0', 2))
-      str = strcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '{/Symbol \306}', str(s(i) + 2:end));
+      str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '{/Symbol \306}', str(s(i) + 2:end));
     else
       f = m{i}(2:end);
       if (isfield (sym, f))
@@ -1729,27 +1729,27 @@
 	##elseif (it)
 	##  g = regexprep (g, '/Symbol', '/Symbol-italic');
 	##endif
-        str = strcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), g, str(e(i) + 1:end));
+        str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), g, str(e(i) + 1:end));
       elseif (strncmp (f, "rm", 2))
 	bld = false;
 	it = false;
-        str = strcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', fnt, ' ', str(s(i) + 3:end));
+        str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', fnt, ' ', str(s(i) + 3:end));
       elseif (strncmp (f, "it", 2) || strncmp (f, "sl", 2))
 	it = true;
 	if (bld)
-          str = strcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', fnt, '-bolditalic ', 
+          str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', fnt, '-bolditalic ', 
 			str(s(i) + 3:end));
         else
-          str = strcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', fnt, '-italic ', 
+          str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', fnt, '-italic ', 
 			str(s(i) + 3:end));
         endif
       elseif (strncmp (f, "bf", 2))
 	bld = true;
 	if (it)
-          str = strcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', fnt, '-bolditalic ', 
+          str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', fnt, '-bolditalic ', 
 			str(2(i) + 3:end));
         else
-          str = strcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', fnt, '-bold ', 
+          str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', fnt, '-bold ', 
 			str(s(i) + 3:end));
         endif
       elseif (strcmp (f, "color"))
@@ -1758,7 +1758,7 @@
         if (isempty (d))
 	  warning ('syntax error in \color argument');
 	else
-	  str = strcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), str(e(i) + d + 1:end));
+	  str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), str(e(i) + d + 1:end));
         endif
       elseif(strcmp (f, "fontname"))
 	b1 = strfind(str(e(i) + 1:end),'{');
@@ -1766,7 +1766,7 @@
         if (isempty(b1) || isempty(b2))
 	  warning ('syntax error in \fontname argument');
 	else
-          str = strcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', 
+          str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/', 
 			str(e(i)+b1(1) + 1:e(i)+b2(1)-1), '{}',
 			str(e(i) + b2(1) + 1:end));
         endif
@@ -1776,7 +1776,7 @@
         if (isempty(b1) || isempty(b2))
 	  warning ('syntax error in \fontname argument');
 	else
-          str = strcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/=', 
+          str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), '/=', 
 			str(e(i)+b1(1) + 1:e(i)+b2(1)-1), '{}',
 			str(e(i) + b2(1) + 1:end));
         endif
@@ -1796,7 +1796,7 @@
 	    ##elseif (it)
 	    ##  g = regexprep (g, '/Symbol', '/Symbol-italic');
 	    ##endif
-            str = strcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), g, 
+            str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i) - 1), g, 
 	    		  str(s(i) + length (flds{j}) + 1:end));
 	    break;
 	  endif
@@ -1854,15 +1854,15 @@
 	    if (length_string (str(s(i)+p+2:s(i)+p+l1-1)) <=
 		length_string(str(s(i+1)+p+2:s(i+1)+p+l2-1)))
 	      ## shortest already first!
-	      str = strcat (str(1:s(i)+p-1), "@", str(s(i)+p:end));
+	      str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i)+p-1), "@", str(s(i)+p:end));
 	    else
 	      ## Have to swap sub/super-script to get shortest first
-	      str = strcat (str(1:s(i)+p-1), "@", str(s(i+1)+p:s(i+1)+p+l2),
+	      str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i)+p-1), "@", str(s(i+1)+p:s(i+1)+p+l2),
 			    str(s(i)+p:s(i)+p+l1), str(s(i+1)+p+l2+1:end));
 	    endif
 	  else
 	    ## Have to swap sub/super-script to get shortest first
-	    str = strcat (str(1:s(i)+p-1), "@", str(s(i+1)+p:s(i+1)+p+1),
+	    str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i)+p-1), "@", str(s(i+1)+p:s(i+1)+p+1),
 			  str(s(i)+p:s(i)+p+l1), str(s(i+1)+p+2:end));
 	  endif
           i += 2;
@@ -1873,7 +1873,7 @@
       else
 	if (s(i+1) == s(i) + 2)
 	  ## shortest already first!
-	  str = strcat (str(1:s(i)+p-1), "@", str(s(i)+p:end));
+	  str = cstrcat (str(1:s(i)+p-1), "@", str(s(i)+p:end));
 	  p ++;
           i += 2;
 	else
diff --git a/scripts/plot/legend.m b/scripts/plot/legend.m
--- a/scripts/plot/legend.m
+++ b/scripts/plot/legend.m
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@
 %! labels = {};
 %! for i = 1:5
 %!     plot(1:100, i + rand(100,1)); hold on;
-%!     labels = {labels{:}, strcat("Signal ", num2str(i))};
+%!     labels = {labels{:}, cstrcat("Signal ", num2str(i))};
 %! endfor; hold off;
 %! title("Signals with random offset and uniform noise")
 %! xlabel("Sample Nr [k]"); ylabel("Amplitude [V]");
diff --git a/scripts/plot/print.m b/scripts/plot/print.m
--- a/scripts/plot/print.m
+++ b/scripts/plot/print.m
@@ -187,9 +187,9 @@
   doprint = isempty (name);
   if (doprint)
     if (isempty (devopt))
-      printname = strcat (tmpnam, ".ps");
+      printname = cstrcat (tmpnam, ".ps");
     else
-      printname = strcat (tmpnam, ".", devopt);
+      printname = cstrcat (tmpnam, ".", devopt);
     endif
     name = printname;
   endif
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@
     dev = "epslatex";
     ## gnuplot 4.0 wants ".eps" in the output name    
     if (compare_versions (__gnuplot_version__, "4.2", "<"))
-      name = strcat (name(1:dot), "eps");
+      name = cstrcat (name(1:dot), "eps");
     endif
   elseif (strcmp (dev, "ill"))
     dev = "aifm";
@@ -226,12 +226,12 @@
   [idx, errmsg] = cellidx (dev_list, dev);
   if (! idx)
     if (! isempty (devopt))
-      convertname = strcat (devopt, ":", name);
+      convertname = cstrcat (devopt, ":", name);
     else
       convertname = name;
     endif
     dev = "epsc";
-    name = strcat (tmpnam, ".eps");
+    name = cstrcat (tmpnam, ".eps");
   endif
 
   if (strcmp (dev, "ps") || strcmp (dev, "ps2") ...
@@ -257,33 +257,33 @@
       if (dev(1) == "e")
 	options = "eps ";
       else
-	options = strcat (orientation, " ");
+	options = cstrcat (orientation, " ");
       endif
       termn = "postscript";
     endif
     
     if (any (dev == "c") || use_color > 0)
       if (force_solid < 0)
-	options = strcat (options, "color dashed ");
+	options = cstrcat (options, "color dashed ");
       else
-	options = strcat (options, "color solid ");
+	options = cstrcat (options, "color solid ");
       endif
     else
       if (force_solid > 0)
-	options = strcat (options, "mono solid ");
+	options = cstrcat (options, "mono solid ");
       else
-	options = strcat (options, "mono dashed ");
+	options = cstrcat (options, "mono dashed ");
       endif
     endif
 
     if (! isempty (font))
-      options = strcat (options, "\"", font, "\" ");
+      options = cstrcat (options, "\"", font, "\" ");
     endif
     if (! isempty (fontsize))
-      options = strcat (options, " ", fontsize);
+      options = cstrcat (options, " ", fontsize);
     endif
     
-    new_terminal = strcat (termn, " ", options);
+    new_terminal = cstrcat (termn, " ", options);
     
   elseif (strcmp (dev, "aifm") || strcmp (dev, "corel"))
     ## Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw
@@ -293,13 +293,13 @@
       options = " mono";
     endif
     if (! isempty (font))
-      options = strcat (options, " \"", font, "\"");
+      options = cstrcat (options, " \"", font, "\"");
     endif
     if (! isempty (fontsize))
-      options = strcat (options, " ", fontsize);
+      options = cstrcat (options, " ", fontsize);
     endif
 
-    new_terminal = strcat (dev, " ", options);
+    new_terminal = cstrcat (dev, " ", options);
 
   elseif (strcmp (dev, "fig"))
     ## XFig
@@ -309,12 +309,12 @@
     else
       options = " mono";
     endif
-    options = strcat (options, " ", special_flag);
+    options = cstrcat (options, " ", special_flag);
     if (! isempty (fontsize))
-      options = strcat (options, " fontsize ", fontsize);
+      options = cstrcat (options, " fontsize ", fontsize);
     endif
 
-    new_terminal = strcat ("fig ", options);
+    new_terminal = cstrcat ("fig ", options);
 
 
   elseif (strcmp (dev, "emf"))
@@ -326,16 +326,16 @@
       options = " mono";
     endif
     if (force_solid >= 0)
-      options = strcat (options, " solid");
+      options = cstrcat (options, " solid");
     endif
     if (! isempty (font))
-      options = strcat (options, " \"", font, "\"");
+      options = cstrcat (options, " \"", font, "\"");
     endif
     if (! isempty (fontsize))
-      options = strcat (options, " ", fontsize);
+      options = cstrcat (options, " ", fontsize);
     endif
 
-    new_terminal = strcat ("emf ", options);
+    new_terminal = cstrcat ("emf ", options);
 
   elseif (strcmp (dev, "png") || strcmp (dev, "pbm"))
     ## Portable network graphics, PBMplus
@@ -356,9 +356,9 @@
     if (isempty (size))
       options = " large";
     else
-      options = strcat (" size ", size);
+      options = cstrcat (" size ", size);
     endif
-    new_terminal = strcat (dev, options);
+    new_terminal = cstrcat (dev, options);
 
   elseif (strcmp (dev, "dxf") || strcmp (dev, "mf") || strcmp (dev, "hpgl"))
     ## AutoCad DXF, METAFONT, HPGL
@@ -368,9 +368,9 @@
     ## SVG
     options = "";
     if (! isempty (size))
-      options = strcat (" size ", size);
+      options = cstrcat (" size ", size);
     endif
-    new_terminal = strcat ("svg", options);
+    new_terminal = cstrcat ("svg", options);
     
   elseif (strcmp (dev, "pdf"))
     ## Portable Document format
@@ -381,18 +381,18 @@
       options = "mono";
     endif
     if (force_solid > 0)
-       options = strcat (options, " solid");
+       options = cstrcat (options, " solid");
     elseif (force_solid < 0)
-      options = strcat (options, " dashed");
+      options = cstrcat (options, " dashed");
     endif
     if (! isempty (font))
-      options = strcat (options, "\"", font, "\" ");
+      options = cstrcat (options, "\"", font, "\" ");
     endif
     if (! isempty (fontsize))
-      options = strcat (options, " ", fontsize);
+      options = cstrcat (options, " ", fontsize);
     endif
 
-    new_terminal = strcat ("pdf ", options);
+    new_terminal = cstrcat ("pdf ", options);
 
   endif
 
diff --git a/scripts/signal/spectral_adf.m b/scripts/signal/spectral_adf.m
--- a/scripts/signal/spectral_adf.m
+++ b/scripts/signal/spectral_adf.m
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
   if (nargin == 1)
     w = triangle_lw (cr, b);
   else
-    win = str2func (strcat (win, "_lw"));
+    win = str2func (cstrcat (win, "_lw"));
     w = feval (win, cr, b);
   endif
 
diff --git a/scripts/signal/spectral_xdf.m b/scripts/signal/spectral_xdf.m
--- a/scripts/signal/spectral_xdf.m
+++ b/scripts/signal/spectral_xdf.m
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
   if (nargin == 1)
     w = triangle_sw (xr, b);
   else
-    win = str2func (strcat (win, "_sw"));
+    win = str2func (cstrcat (win, "_sw"));
     w = feval (win, xr, b);
   endif
 
diff --git a/scripts/statistics/tests/z_test.m b/scripts/statistics/tests/z_test.m
--- a/scripts/statistics/tests/z_test.m
+++ b/scripts/statistics/tests/z_test.m
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
   endif
 
   if (nargout == 0)
-    s = strcat ("Z-test of mean(x) == %g against mean(x) %s %g,\n",
+    s = cstrcat ("Z-test of mean(x) == %g against mean(x) %s %g,\n",
                 "with known var(x) == %g:\n",
                 "  pval = %g\n");
     printf (s, m, alt, m, v, pval);
diff --git a/scripts/statistics/tests/z_test_2.m b/scripts/statistics/tests/z_test_2.m
--- a/scripts/statistics/tests/z_test_2.m
+++ b/scripts/statistics/tests/z_test_2.m
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
   endif
 
   if (nargout == 0)
-    s = strcat ("Two-sample Z-test of mean(x) == mean(y) against ",
+    s = cstrcat ("Two-sample Z-test of mean(x) == mean(y) against ",
                 "mean(x) %s mean(y),\n",
                 "with known var(x) == %g and var(y) == %g:\n",
                 "  pval = %g\n");
diff --git a/scripts/strings/Makefile.in b/scripts/strings/Makefile.in
--- a/scripts/strings/Makefile.in
+++ b/scripts/strings/Makefile.in
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 SOURCES = base2dec.m bin2dec.m blanks.m deblank.m dec2base.m \
   dec2bin.m dec2hex.m findstr.m hex2dec.m index.m isletter.m \
   lower.m mat2str.m rindex.m split.m str2double.m str2mat.m \
-  str2num.m strcat.m strcmpi.m strfind.m strjust.m strmatch.m \
+  str2num.m strcat.m cstrcat.m strcmpi.m strfind.m strjust.m strmatch.m \
   strncmpi.m strrep.m strtok.m strtrim.m strtrunc.m strvcat.m \
   substr.m upper.m
 
diff --git a/scripts/strings/strcat.m b/scripts/strings/cstrcat.m
copy from scripts/strings/strcat.m
copy to scripts/strings/cstrcat.m
--- a/scripts/strings/strcat.m
+++ b/scripts/strings/cstrcat.m
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@
 ## <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 ## -*- texinfo -*-
-## @deftypefn {Function File} {} strcat (@var{s1}, @var{s2}, @dots{})
+## @deftypefn {Function File} {} cstrcat (@var{s1}, @var{s2}, @dots{})
 ## Return a string containing all the arguments concatenated.  For example,
 ##
 ## @example
 ## @group
 ## s = [ "ab"; "cde" ];
-## strcat (s, s, s)
+## cstrcat (s, s, s)
 ##      @result{} "ab ab ab "
 ##         "cdecdecde"
 ## @end group
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
 ## Author: jwe
 
-function st = strcat (varargin)
+function st = cstrcat (varargin)
 
   if (nargin > 0)
 
@@ -47,13 +47,7 @@
 	warning (tmp.state, "Octave:empty-list-elements");
       end_unwind_protect
     else
-      for i = 1:nargin
-	tmp = varargin{i};
-	if (! (iscellstr (tmp) || ischar (tmp)))
-	  error ("strcat: all arguments must be strings or cell arrays of strings");
-	endif
-      endfor
-      st = strcat_cell (varargin);
+      error ("cstrcat: expecting arguments to character strings");
     endif
   else
     print_usage ();
@@ -61,25 +55,16 @@
 
 endfunction
 
-function st = strcat_cell (varargin)
-  ## All args must be same size or scalars.
-  ## See the xtest below for expected behavior.
-  error ("strcat: concatenating cell arrays of strings not implemented");
-endfunction
-
 ## test the dimensionality
 ## 1d
-%!assert(strcat("ab ", "ab "), "ab ab ")
+%!assert(cstrcat("ab ", "ab "), "ab ab ")
 ## 2d
-%!assert(strcat(["ab ";"cde"], ["ab ";"cde"]), ["ab ab ";"cdecde"])
-
-%!assert((strcmp (strcat ("foo", "bar"), "foobar")
-%! && strcmp (strcat (["a"; "bb"], ["foo"; "bar"]), ["a foo"; "bbbar"])));
+%!assert(cstrcat(["ab ";"cde"], ["ab ";"cde"]), ["ab ab ";"cdecde"])
 
-%!xtest
-%! assert(all (strcmp (strcat ("a", {"bc", "de"}, "f"), {"abcf", "adef"})))
+%!assert((strcmp (cstrcat ("foo", "bar"), "foobar")
+%! && strcmp (cstrcat (["a"; "bb"], ["foo"; "bar"]), ["a foo"; "bbbar"])));
 
-%!error strcat ();
+%!error cstrcat ();
 
-%!error strcat (1, 2);
+%!error cstrcat (1, 2);
 
diff --git a/scripts/strings/strcat.m b/scripts/strings/strcat.m
--- a/scripts/strings/strcat.m
+++ b/scripts/strings/strcat.m
@@ -36,24 +36,51 @@
 function st = strcat (varargin)
 
   if (nargin > 0)
+    if (nargin == 1)
+      st = varargin{1};
+    elseif (nargin > 1)
+      ## Convert to cells of strings
+      numstrs(nargin) = 0;
+      dims{nargin} = [];
+      allchar = true;
+      for nv = 1:nargin
+        if (ischar (varargin{nv}))
+          varargin{nv} = cellstr (varargin{nv});
+        elseif (iscell (varargin{nv}))
+          allchar = false;
+        else
+          error ("strcat: inputs must be strings or cells of strings.")
+        endif
+        dims{nv} = size (varargin{nv});
+        numstrs(nv) = numel (varargin{nv});
+      endfor
 
-    if (iscellstr (varargin))
-      ## All arguments are character strings.
-      unwind_protect
-	tmp = warning ("query", "Octave:empty-list-elements");
-	warning ("off", "Octave:empty-list-elements");
-	st = [varargin{:}];
-      unwind_protect_cleanup
-	warning (tmp.state, "Octave:empty-list-elements");
-      end_unwind_protect
-    else
-      for i = 1:nargin
-	tmp = varargin{i};
-	if (! (iscellstr (tmp) || ischar (tmp)))
-	  error ("strcat: all arguments must be strings or cell arrays of strings");
-	endif
+      ## Set all cells to a common size
+      n = find (numstrs == max (numstrs), 1);
+      maxstrs = numstrs (n);
+      dim = dims{n};
+      for nv = find (numstrs == 1)
+        str = varargin{nv}{1};
+        varargin{nv} = cell (dim);
+        varargin{nv}{:} = str;
       endfor
-      st = strcat_cell (varargin);
+
+      ## Concatenate the strings
+      st = varargin{1};
+      for ns = 1:maxstrs
+        for nv = 2:nargin
+          if (size_equal (st, varargin{nv}))
+            st{ns} = [st{ns}, varargin{nv}{ns}];
+          else
+            error ("strcat: arguments must be the same size, or be scalars.");
+          endif
+        endfor
+      endfor
+
+      if (allchar)
+        ## If all inputs were strings, return strings.
+        st = char (st);
+      endif
     endif
   else
     print_usage ();
@@ -61,23 +88,28 @@
 
 endfunction
 
-function st = strcat_cell (varargin)
-  ## All args must be same size or scalars.
-  ## See the xtest below for expected behavior.
-  error ("strcat: concatenating cell arrays of strings not implemented");
-endfunction
-
 ## test the dimensionality
 ## 1d
-%!assert(strcat("ab ", "ab "), "ab ab ")
+%!assert(strcat("ab ", "ab "), "abab")
+%!assert(strcat({"ab "}, "ab "), {"ab ab"})
+%!assert(strcat("ab ", {"ab "}), {"abab "})
+%!assert(strcat({"ab "}, {"ab "}), {"ab ab "})
 ## 2d
-%!assert(strcat(["ab ";"cde"], ["ab ";"cde"]), ["ab ab ";"cdecde"])
+%!assert(strcat(["ab ";"cde"], ["ab ";"cde"]), ["abab  ";"cdecde"])
 
-%!assert((strcmp (strcat ("foo", "bar"), "foobar")
-%! && strcmp (strcat (["a"; "bb"], ["foo"; "bar"]), ["a foo"; "bbbar"])));
+## test for deblanking implied trailing spaces of character input
+%!assert((strcmp (strcat ("foo", "bar"), "foobar") &&
+%!        strcmp (strcat (["a"; "bb"], ["foo"; "bar"]), ["afoo "; "bbbar"])));
+
+## test for mixing character and cell inputs
+%!assert(all (strcmp (strcat ("a", {"bc", "de"}, "f"), {"abcf", "adef"})))
 
-%!xtest
-%! assert(all (strcmp (strcat ("a", {"bc", "de"}, "f"), {"abcf", "adef"})))
+## test for scalar strings with vector strings
+%!assert(all (strcmp (strcat (["a"; "b"], "c"), ["ac"; "bc"])))
+
+## test with cells with strings of differing lengths
+%!assert(all (strcmp (strcat ({"a", "bb"}, "ccc"), {"accc", "bbccc"})))
+%!assert(all (strcmp (strcat ("a", {"bb", "ccc"}), {"abb", "accc"})))
 
 %!error strcat ();
 
diff --git a/scripts/strings/strvcat.m b/scripts/strings/strvcat.m
--- a/scripts/strings/strvcat.m
+++ b/scripts/strings/strvcat.m
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 ## @var{s_1}, @dots{}, @var{s_n} as
 ## its rows.  Each string is padded with blanks in order to form a valid
 ## matrix.  Unlike @var{str2mat}, empty strings are ignored.
-## @seealso{strcat, str2mat}
+## @seealso{cstrcat, str2mat}
 ## @end deftypefn
 
 ## Author: Kurt Hornik <Kurt.Hornik@ci.tuwien.ac.at>
diff --git a/scripts/testfun/assert.m b/scripts/testfun/assert.m
--- a/scripts/testfun/assert.m
+++ b/scripts/testfun/assert.m
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@
 
   in = deblank (argn(1,:));
   for i = 2:rows (argn)
-    in = strcat (in, ",", deblank (argn(i,:)));
+    in = cstrcat (in, ",", deblank (argn(i,:)));
   endfor
-  in = strcat ("(", in, ")");
+  in = cstrcat ("(", in, ")");
 
   coda = "";
   iserror = 0;
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@
 
   elseif (tol == 0 && ! strcmp (typeinfo (cond), typeinfo (expected)))
     iserror = 1;
-    coda = strcat ("Type ", typeinfo (cond), " != ", typeinfo (expected));
+    coda = cstrcat ("Type ", typeinfo (cond), " != ", typeinfo (expected));
 
   else # numeric
     A = cond(:);
@@ -198,9 +198,9 @@
   if (! isempty (idx))
     str2 = str2 (idx(1):idx(end));
   endif
-  msg = strcat ("assert ", in, " expected\n", str, "\nbut got\n", str2);
+  msg = cstrcat ("assert ", in, " expected\n", str, "\nbut got\n", str2);
   if (! isempty (coda))
-    msg = strcat (msg, "\n", coda);
+    msg = cstrcat (msg, "\n", coda);
   endif
   error ("%s", msg);
   ## disp (msg);
diff --git a/scripts/testfun/demo.m b/scripts/testfun/demo.m
--- a/scripts/testfun/demo.m
+++ b/scripts/testfun/demo.m
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@
     try
       block = code(idx(doidx(i)):idx(doidx(i)+1)-1);
       ## Use an environment without variables
-      eval (strcat ("function __demo__()\n", block, "\nendfunction"));
+      eval (cstrcat ("function __demo__()\n", block, "\nendfunction"));
       ## Display the code that will be executed before executing it
       printf ("%s example %d:%s\n\n", name, doidx(i), block);
       __demo__;
diff --git a/scripts/testfun/speed.m b/scripts/testfun/speed.m
--- a/scripts/testfun/speed.m
+++ b/scripts/testfun/speed.m
@@ -187,38 +187,38 @@
 
   __torig = __tnew = zeros (size (__test_n));
 
-  disp (strcat ("testing ", __f1, "\ninit: ", __init));
+  disp (cstrcat ("testing ", __f1, "\ninit: ", __init));
 
   ## make sure the functions are freshly loaded by evaluating them at
   ## test_n(1); first have to initialize the args though.
   n = 1;
   k = 0;
-  eval (strcat (__init, ";"));
+  eval (cstrcat (__init, ";"));
   if (! isempty (__f2))
-    eval (strcat (__f2, ";"));
+    eval (cstrcat (__f2, ";"));
   endif
-  eval (strcat (__f1, ";"));
+  eval (cstrcat (__f1, ";"));
 
   ## run the tests
   for k = 1:length (__test_n)
     n = __test_n(k);
-    eval (strcat (__init, ";"));
+    eval (cstrcat (__init, ";"));
     
     printf ("n%i=%i  ",k, n);
     fflush (stdout);
-    eval (strcat ("__t=time();", __f1, "; __v1=ans; __t = time()-__t;"));
+    eval (cstrcat ("__t=time();", __f1, "; __v1=ans; __t = time()-__t;"));
     if (__t < 0.25)
-      eval (strcat ("__t2=time();", __f1, "; __t2 = time()-__t2;"));
-      eval (strcat ("__t3=time();", __f1, "; __t3 = time()-__t3;"));
+      eval (cstrcat ("__t2=time();", __f1, "; __t2 = time()-__t2;"));
+      eval (cstrcat ("__t3=time();", __f1, "; __t3 = time()-__t3;"));
       __t = min ([__t, __t2, __t3]);
     endif
     __tnew(k) = __t;
 
     if (! isempty (__f2))
-      eval (strcat ("__t=time();", __f2, "; __v2=ans; __t = time()-__t;"));
+      eval (cstrcat ("__t=time();", __f2, "; __v2=ans; __t = time()-__t;"));
       if (__t < 0.25)
-      	eval (strcat ("__t2=time();", __f2, "; __t2 = time()-__t2;"));
-      	eval (strcat ("__t3=time();", __f2, "; __t3 = time()-__t3;"));
+      	eval (cstrcat ("__t2=time();", __f2, "; __t2 = time()-__t2;"));
+      	eval (cstrcat ("__t3=time();", __f2, "; __t3 = time()-__t3;"));
       endif
       __torig(k) = __t;
       if (! isinf(__tol))
@@ -257,10 +257,10 @@
   if (doplot && ! isempty (__f2))
     subplot (1, 2, 1);
     semilogx (__test_n, __torig./__tnew, 
-	      strcat ("-*r;", strrep (__f1, ";", "."), "/",
+	      cstrcat ("-*r;", strrep (__f1, ";", "."), "/",
 		      strrep (__f2, ";", "."), ";"),
 	       __test_n, __tnew./__torig,
-	      strcat ("-*g;", strrep (__f2, ";", "."), "/",
+	      cstrcat ("-*g;", strrep (__f2, ";", "."), "/",
 		      strrep (__f1, ";", "."), ";"));
     xlabel ("test length");
     title (__f1);
@@ -268,13 +268,13 @@
 
     subplot (1, 2, 2);
     loglog (__test_n, __tnew*1000,
-	    strcat ("*-g;", strrep (__f1, ";", "."), ";" ), 
+	    cstrcat ("*-g;", strrep (__f1, ";", "."), ";" ), 
 	    __test_n, __torig*1000,
-	    strcat ("*-r;", strrep (__f2,";","."), ";"));
+	    cstrcat ("*-r;", strrep (__f2,";","."), ";"));
   
     xlabel ("test length");
     ylabel ("best execution time (ms)");
-    title (strcat ("init: ", __init));
+    title (cstrcat ("init: ", __init));
 
     ratio = mean (__torig ./ __tnew);
     printf ("\n\nMean runtime ratio = %.3g for '%s' vs '%s'\n",
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@
     loglog (__test_n, __tnew*1000, "*-g;execution time;");
     xlabel ("test length");
     ylabel ("best execution time (ms)");
-    title (strcat (__f1, "  init: ", __init));
+    title (cstrcat (__f1, "  init: ", __init));
 
   endif
 
diff --git a/scripts/testfun/test.m b/scripts/testfun/test.m
--- a/scripts/testfun/test.m
+++ b/scripts/testfun/test.m
@@ -157,10 +157,10 @@
   ## locate the file to test
   __file = file_in_loadpath (__name, "all");
   if (isempty (__file))
-    __file = file_in_loadpath (strcat (__name, ".m"), "all");
+    __file = file_in_loadpath (cstrcat (__name, ".m"), "all");
   endif
   if (isempty (__file))
-    __file = file_in_loadpath (strcat (__name, ".cc"), "all");
+    __file = file_in_loadpath (cstrcat (__name, ".cc"), "all");
   endif
   if (iscell (__file))
       ## If repeats, return first in path.
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@
 
   ## ready to start tests ... if in batch mode, tell us what is happening
   if (__verbose)
-    disp (strcat ( __signal_file, __file));
+    disp (cstrcat ( __signal_file, __file));
   endif
 
   ## assume all tests will pass
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@
 	  __demo_code = __code;
 	  __demo_idx = [1, length(__demo_code)+1];
 	else
-	  __demo_code = strcat(__demo_code, __code);
+	  __demo_code = cstrcat(__demo_code, __code);
 	  __demo_idx = [__demo_idx, length(__demo_code)+1];
 	endif
 
@@ -313,9 +313,9 @@
       try
 	__vars = deblank (__vars);
 	if (! isempty (__vars))
-	  eval (strcat (strrep (__vars, ",", "=[];"), "=[];"));
+	  eval (cstrcat (strrep (__vars, ",", "=[];"), "=[];"));
 	  __shared = __vars;
-	  __shared_r = strcat ("[ ", __vars, "] = ");
+	  __shared_r = cstrcat ("[ ", __vars, "] = ");
       	else
 	  __shared = " ";
 	  __shared_r = " ";
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@
 
 ## strip '.*prefix:' from '.*prefix: msg\n' and strip trailing blanks
 function msg = trimerr (msg, prefix)
-  idx = index (msg, strcat (prefix, ":"));
+  idx = index (msg, cstrcat (prefix, ":"));
   if (idx > 0)
     msg(1:idx+length(prefix)) = [];
   endif
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@
       if (length (ln) >= 2 && strcmp (ln(1:2), "%!"))
         body = [body, "\n"];
         if (length(ln) > 2)
-          body = strcat (body, ln(3:end));
+          body = cstrcat (body, ln(3:end));
         endif
       endif
     endwhile
diff --git a/test/ChangeLog b/test/ChangeLog
--- a/test/ChangeLog
+++ b/test/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2008-02-25  Ben Abbott <bpabbott@mac.com>
+
+	* test_eval-catch.m, test_io.m, test_try.m: Use cstrcat instead of
+	strcat.
+
 2008-02-22  David Bateman  <dbateman@free.fr>
 
 	* build_sparse_tests.sh: Replaced removed sparse functions like
diff --git a/test/test_eval-catch.m b/test/test_eval-catch.m
--- a/test/test_eval-catch.m
+++ b/test/test_eval-catch.m
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 %% test/octave.test/eval-catch/eval-catch-7.m
 %!function ms = mangle (s)
 %!  ## Wrap angle brackets around S.
-%!  ms = strcat ("<", s, ">");
+%!  ms = cstrcat ("<", s, ">");
 %!test
 %! eval ("clear a; a; str='';", "str = mangle (lasterr);");
 %! assert(mangle(lasterr)(1:21),"<error: `a' undefined");
@@ -71,6 +71,6 @@
 
 %% test/octave.test/eval-catch/eval-catch-10.m
 %!test
-%! eval ("eval (\"clear a; a; str='';\",\"error (strcat (\\\"rethrow: \\\", lasterr));str='';\");",
+%! eval ("eval (\"clear a; a; str='';\",\"error (cstrcat (\\\"rethrow: \\\", lasterr));str='';\");",
 %! "str=lasterr;");
 %! assert(str(1:36),"error: rethrow: error: `a' undefined");
diff --git a/test/test_io.m b/test/test_io.m
--- a/test/test_io.m
+++ b/test/test_io.m
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@
 %!       else
 %!         fclose (id);
 %!       endif
-%!       tmp_mode = strcat (mode, "b");
+%!       tmp_mode = cstrcat (mode, "b");
 %!       [id, err] = fopen (nm, tmp_mode, arch);
 %!       if (id < 0)
 %!         printf_assert ("open failed: %s (%s, %s): %s\n", nm, tmp_mode, arch, err);
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@
 %!       else
 %!         fclose (id);
 %!       endif
-%!       tmp_mode = strcat (mode, "t");
+%!       tmp_mode = cstrcat (mode, "t");
 %!       [id, err] = fopen (nm, tmp_mode, arch);
 %!       if (id < 0)
 %!         printf_assert ("open failed: %s (%s, %s): %s\n", nm, tmp_mode, arch, err);
diff --git a/test/test_try.m b/test/test_try.m
--- a/test/test_try.m
+++ b/test/test_try.m
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
 %% test/octave.test/try/try-7.m
 %!function ms = mangle (s)
 %!  ## Wrap angle brackets around S.
-%!  ms = strcat ("<", s, ">");
+%!  ms = cstrcat ("<", s, ">");
 %!test
 %! try
 %!   clear a
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@
 %!     a;
 %!     error("Shoudn't get here");
 %!   catch
-%!     error(strcat("rethrow: ",lasterr));
+%!     error(cstrcat("rethrow: ",lasterr));
 %!   end_try_catch
 %! catch
 %!   assert(strcmp(lasterr()(1:36), "error: rethrow: error: `a' undefined"))