diff --git a/src/simulation/Sign.cpp b/src/simulation/Sign.cpp
index 7ba94afda..f6b8420f9 100644
--- a/src/simulation/Sign.cpp
+++ b/src/simulation/Sign.cpp
@@ -31,25 +31,38 @@ std::string sign::getText(Simulation *sim)
 		else
 			sprintf(buff, "Temp: 0.00");  //...temperature
 	}
-	else if (sregexp(signText, "^{[ct]:[0-9]*|.*}$")==0)
-	{
-		int sldr, startm;
-		memset(buff, 0, sizeof(buff));
-		for (sldr=3; signText[sldr-1] != '|'; sldr++)
-			startm = sldr + 1;
-		sldr = startm;
-		while (signText[sldr] != '}')
-		{
-			buff[sldr - startm] = signText[sldr];
-			sldr++;
-		}
-	}
 	else
 	{
-		sprintf(buff, "%s", signText);
+		int match=0;
+		const char* r;
+		const char* e;
+		if (signText[0]=='{' && (signText[1]=='c' || signText[1]=='t') && signText[2]==':' && signText[3]>='0' && signText[3]<='9')
+		{
+			const char* p=signText+4;
+			while (*p>='0' && *p<='9')
+				p++;
+			if (*p=='|')
+			{
+				r=p+1;
+				while (*p)
+					p++;
+				if (p[-1]=='}')
+				{
+					match=1;
+					e=p;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		if (match)
+		{
+			strcpy(buff, r);
+			buff[e-r-1]=0;
+		}
+		else
+			strcpy(buff, signText);
 	}
 
-	return std::string(buff,256);
+	return std::string(buff);
 }
 
 void sign::pos(std::string signText, int & x0, int & y0, int & w, int & h)