diff --git a/src/graphics/Renderer.cpp b/src/graphics/Renderer.cpp
index 03376221c..f10ad5e4b 100644
--- a/src/graphics/Renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/graphics/Renderer.cpp
@@ -984,7 +984,7 @@ void Renderer::DrawSigns()
 		{
 			char type = 0;
 			std::string text = signs[i].getText(sim);
-			sign::splitsign(signs[i].text.c_str(), &type);
+			sign::splitsign(signs[i].text, &type);
 			signs[i].pos(text, x, y, w, h);
 			clearrect(x, y, w+1, h);
 			drawrect(x, y, w+1, h, 192, 192, 192, 255);
diff --git a/src/gui/game/GameController.cpp b/src/gui/game/GameController.cpp
index c56b42e29..fbba03fc4 100644
--- a/src/gui/game/GameController.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/game/GameController.cpp
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ bool GameController::MouseDown(int x, int y, unsigned button)
 			if (foundSignID != -1)
 			{
 				sign foundSign = gameModel->GetSimulation()->signs[foundSignID];
-				if (sign::splitsign(foundSign.text.c_str()))
+				if (sign::splitsign(foundSign.text))
 					return false;
 			}
 		}
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ bool GameController::MouseUp(int x, int y, unsigned button, char type)
 			if (foundSignID != -1)
 			{
 				sign foundSign = gameModel->GetSimulation()->signs[foundSignID];
-				const char* str = foundSign.text.c_str();
+				std::string str = foundSign.text;
 				char type;
 				int pos = sign::splitsign(str, &type);
 				if (pos)
@@ -663,14 +663,12 @@ bool GameController::MouseUp(int x, int y, unsigned button, char type)
 					ret = false;
 					if (type == 'c' || type == 't' || type == 's')
 					{
-						char buff[256];
-						strcpy(buff, str+3);
-						buff[pos-3] = 0;
+						std::string link = str.substr(3, pos-3);
 						switch (type)
 						{
 						case 'c':
 						{
-							int saveID = format::StringToNumber<int>(std::string(buff));
+							int saveID = format::StringToNumber<int>(link);
 							if (saveID)
 								OpenSavePreview(saveID, 0, false);
 							break;
@@ -679,12 +677,12 @@ bool GameController::MouseUp(int x, int y, unsigned button, char type)
 						{
 							// buff is already confirmed to be a number by sign::splitsign
 							std::stringstream uri;
-							uri << "http://powdertoy.co.uk/Discussions/Thread/View.html?Thread=" << buff;
+							uri << "http://powdertoy.co.uk/Discussions/Thread/View.html?Thread=" << link;
 							Platform::OpenURI(uri.str());
 							break;
 						}
 						case 's':
-							OpenSearch(buff);
+							OpenSearch(link);
 							break;
 						}
 					}
diff --git a/src/gui/game/GameView.cpp b/src/gui/game/GameView.cpp
index 744ec8bf7..4d55c7154 100644
--- a/src/gui/game/GameView.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/game/GameView.cpp
@@ -1744,25 +1744,23 @@ void GameView::OnTick(float dt)
 	int foundSignID = c->GetSignAt(mousePosition.X, mousePosition.Y);
 	if (foundSignID != -1)
 	{
-		const char* str = c->GetSignText(foundSignID).c_str();;
+		std::string str = c->GetSignText(foundSignID);
 		char type = '\0';
 		int pos = sign::splitsign(str, &type);
 		if (type == 'c' || type == 't' || type == 's')
 		{
-			char buff[256];
-			strcpy(buff, str+3);
-			buff[pos-3] = 0;
+			std::string linkSign = str.substr(3, pos-3);
 			std::stringstream tooltip;
 			switch (type)
 			{
 			case 'c':
-				tooltip << "Go to save ID:" << buff;
+				tooltip << "Go to save ID:" << linkSign;
 				break;
 			case 't':
-				tooltip << "Open forum thread " << buff << " in browser";
+				tooltip << "Open forum thread " << linkSign << " in browser";
 				break;
 			case 's':
-				tooltip << "Search for " << buff;
+				tooltip << "Search for " << linkSign;
 				break;
 			}
 			ToolTip(ui::Point(0, Size.Y), tooltip.str());
diff --git a/src/gui/game/SignTool.cpp b/src/gui/game/SignTool.cpp
index 85fdf3480..808d54afa 100644
--- a/src/gui/game/SignTool.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/game/SignTool.cpp
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ void SignWindow::DoDraw()
 		char type = 0;
 		Graphics * g = GetGraphics();
 		std::string text = currentSign.getText(sim);
-		sign::splitsign(currentSign.text.c_str(), &type);
+		sign::splitsign(currentSign.text, &type);
 		currentSign.pos(text, x, y, w, h);
 		g->clearrect(x, y, w+1, h);
 		g->drawrect(x, y, w+1, h, 192, 192, 192, 255);
diff --git a/src/simulation/Sign.cpp b/src/simulation/Sign.cpp
index c96ccfa8d..705ea8aee 100644
--- a/src/simulation/Sign.cpp
+++ b/src/simulation/Sign.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#include <iomanip>
+#include <sstream>
 #include "Sign.h"
 #include "graphics/Graphics.h"
 #include "simulation/Simulation.h"
@@ -12,51 +14,45 @@ sign::sign(std::string text_, int x_, int y_, Justification justification_):
 
 std::string sign::getText(Simulation *sim)
 {
-	char buff[256];
-	char signText[256];
-	sprintf(signText, "%s", text.substr(0, 255).c_str());
-
-	if(signText[0] && signText[0] == '{')
+	std::stringstream signTextNew;
+	if (text[0] && text[0] == '{')
 	{
-		if (!strcmp(signText,"{p}"))
+		if (text == "{p}")
 		{
 			float pressure = 0.0f;
-			if (x>=0 && x<XRES && y>=0 && y<YRES)
+			if (x >= 0 && x < XRES && y >= 0 && y < YRES)
 				pressure = sim->pv[y/CELL][x/CELL];
-			sprintf(buff, "Pressure: %3.2f", pressure);  //...pressure
+			signTextNew << std::fixed << std::showpoint << std::setprecision(2) << "Pressure: " << pressure;
 		}
-		else if (!strcmp(signText,"{aheat}"))
+		else if (text == "{aheat}")
 		{
 			float aheat = 0.0f;
-			if (x>=0 && x<XRES && y>=0 && y<YRES)
+			if (x >= 0 && x < XRES && y >= 0 && y < YRES)
 				aheat = sim->hv[y/CELL][x/CELL];
-			sprintf(buff, "%3.2f", aheat-273.15);
+			signTextNew << std::fixed << std::showpoint << std::setprecision(2) << aheat-273.15f;
 		}
-		else if (!strcmp(signText,"{t}"))
+		else if (text == "{t}")
 		{
-			if (x>=0 && x<XRES && y>=0 && y<YRES && sim->pmap[y][x])
-				sprintf(buff, "Temp: %4.2f", sim->parts[ID(sim->pmap[y][x])].temp-273.15);  //...temperature
+			if (x >= 0 && x < XRES && y >= 0 && y < YRES && sim->pmap[y][x])
+				signTextNew << std::fixed << std::showpoint << std::setprecision(2) << "Temp: " << sim->parts[ID(sim->pmap[y][x])].temp-273.15f;
 			else
-				sprintf(buff, "Temp: 0.00");  //...temperature
+				signTextNew << "Temp: 0.00";
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			int pos = splitsign(signText);
+			int pos = splitsign(text);
 			if (pos)
-			{
-				strcpy(buff, signText+pos+1);
-				buff[strlen(signText)-pos-2]=0;
-			}
+				signTextNew << text.substr(pos+1, text.length()-pos-2);
 			else
-				strcpy(buff, signText);
+				signTextNew << text;
 		}
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		strcpy(buff, signText);
+		signTextNew << text;
 	}
 
-	return std::string(buff);
+	return signTextNew.str();
 }
 
 void sign::pos(std::string signText, int & x0, int & y0, int & w, int & h)
@@ -68,46 +64,43 @@ void sign::pos(std::string signText, int & x0, int & y0, int & w, int & h)
 	y0 = (y > 18) ? y - 18 : y + 4;
 }
 
-int sign::splitsign(const char* str, char * type)
+int sign::splitsign(std::string str, char * type)
 {
-	if (str[0]=='{' && (str[1]=='c' || str[1]=='t' || str[1]=='b' || str[1]=='s'))
+	if (str[0] == '{' && (str[1] == 'c' || str[1] == 't' || str[1] == 'b' || str[1] == 's'))
 	{
-		const char* p = str+2;
-		// signs with text arguments
+		size_t strIndex = 2;
+		// Signs with text arguments
 		if (str[1] == 's')
 		{
-			if (str[2]==':')
+			if (str[2] == ':')
 			{
-				p = str+4;
-				while (*p && *p!='|')
-					p++;
+				strIndex = 3;
+				while (strIndex < str.length() && str[strIndex] != '|')
+					strIndex++;
 			}
 			else
 				return 0;
 		}
-		// signs with number arguments
+		// Signs with number arguments
 		if (str[1] == 'c' || str[1] == 't')
 		{
-			if (str[2]==':' && str[3]>='0' && str[3]<='9')
+			if (str[2] == ':' && str[3] >= '0' && str[3] <= '9')
 			{
-				p = str+4;
-				while (*p>='0' && *p<='9')
-					p++;
+				strIndex = 4;
+				while (str[strIndex] >= '0' && str[strIndex] <= '9')
+					strIndex++;
 			}
 			else
 				return 0;
 		}
 
-		if (*p=='|')
+		if (str[strIndex] == '|')
 		{
-			int r = p-str;
-			while (*p)
-				p++;
-			if (p[-1] == '}')
+			if (str[str.length() - 1] == '}')
 			{
 				if (type)
 					*type = str[1];
-				return r;
+				return strIndex;
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/simulation/Sign.h b/src/simulation/Sign.h
index ee93f8127..98b053b58 100644
--- a/src/simulation/Sign.h
+++ b/src/simulation/Sign.h
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ public:
 	std::string getText(Simulation *sim);
 	void pos(std::string signText, int & x0, int & y0, int & w, int & h);
 
-	static int splitsign(const char* str, char * type = NULL);
+	static int splitsign(std::string str, char * type = NULL);
 };
 
 #endif