diff --git a/inc_functions.sh b/inc_functions.sh
index cfd41957fe3c868808835ba65ce6ca596d69f17d..e61265ea35985768105560a3afef5a64fb9ffc27 100644
--- a/inc_functions.sh
+++ b/inc_functions.sh
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
   # params  string(s)  message to log
   #
   function _log(){
-    echo "`date` | $*" >> ${logfile}
+    echo "$(date) | $*" >> "${logfile}"
   }
 
   # echo and logging output
@@ -84,14 +84,14 @@
       exit 1
     fi
 
-    if [ ! -d ${dir_checks} ]; then
+    if [ ! -d "${dir_checks}" ]; then
       echo "ERROR: config dir for checks dir_checks does not exist: $dir_checks"
       exit 1
     fi
 
-    for myconfig in `ls -1 ${dir_checks}/*`
+    for myconfig in $(ls -1 ${dir_checks}/*)
     do
-      echo ${myconfig}
+      echo "${myconfig}"
     done
   }
 
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
   #   checkInterval
   # param  string  full path of a config file
   function _parseCheckConfig(){
-    local _myconfig=$1
+    local _myconfig="$1"
 
     # EXAMPLE a config contains ...
     # checkname=check_cronstatus
@@ -110,11 +110,11 @@
     # icon=/images/icon.png
     # max_check_attempts=3
 
-    checkName=`cat $_myconfig | grep ^checkname= | cut -f 2 -d "=" | sed 's# #_#g'`
-    checkCommand=`cat $_myconfig | grep ^command= | cut -f 2 -d "="`
-    checkInterval=`cat $_myconfig | grep ^interval= | cut -f 2 -d "="`
-    checkIcon=`cat $_myconfig | grep ^icon= | cut -f 2 -d "="`
-    checkMaxAttempts=`cat $_myconfig | grep ^max_check_attempts= | cut -f 2 -d "="`
+    checkName=$(cat "$_myconfig" | grep ^checkname= | cut -f 2 -d "=" | sed 's# #_#g')
+    checkCommand=$(cat "$_myconfig" | grep ^command= | cut -f 2 -d "=")
+    checkInterval=$(cat "$_myconfig" | grep ^interval= | cut -f 2 -d "=")
+    checkIcon=$(cat "$_myconfig" | grep ^icon= | cut -f 2 -d "=")
+    checkMaxAttempts=$(cat "$_myconfig" | grep ^max_check_attempts= | cut -f 2 -d "=")
   }
 
 # ======================================================================
@@ -162,28 +162,28 @@ function _ipf(){
 
         # --- types
         'loopback')
-            _regexInclude='\ scope\ host\ '
+            _regexInclude=' scope host '
             ;;
         'physical')
-            _regexExclude="(\ scope\ host\ |\ peer\ |\:vip)"
+            _regexExclude="( scope host | peer |:vip)"
             ;;
         'virtual')
-            _regexInclude="\:vip"
+            _regexInclude=":vip"
             ;;
         'net')
-            _regexInclude='\ scope\ global\ '
+            _regexInclude=' scope global '
             ;;
         'peer')
-            _regexInclude='\ peer\ .*\ scope\ global\ '
+            _regexInclude=' peer .* scope global '
             ;;
 
         # --- private/ public ips
         'private')
-            _regexInclude="\ ${_privateranges}.*"
+            _regexInclude=" ${_privateranges}.*"
             ;;
         'public')
-            _regexInclude="\ scope\ global\ "
-            _regexExclude="\ ${_privateranges}\.*"
+            _regexInclude=" scope global "
+            _regexExclude=" ${_privateranges}\.*"
             ;;
 
         # --- output filter
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ function _getIpPrivate(){
     fi
 
     _echo "$( http.getResponseHeader )"
-    _echo $( http.getResponse )
+    _echo "$( http.getResponse )"
 
   }
 
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ function _getIpPrivate(){
 
     http.makeRequest GET "${_url}" ""
 
-    if [ ! -z "`http.isok`" ]; then
+    if [ ! -z "$(http.isok)" ]; then
       _wd "OK, Object $_url exists - updating cache file $_outfile"
       http.responseExport "${_outfile}"
     else