diff --git a/src/lib/commands/map.c b/src/lib/commands/map.c
index 0166f9f5..389bef21 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/map.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/map.c
@@ -52,12 +52,9 @@ map(void)
     register s_char *b;
     int unit_type = 0;
     int bmap = 0;
-    struct natstr *np;
-    s_char *str;
     struct nstr_sect ns;
     s_char origin = '\0';
     int map_flags = 0;
-    s_char what[64];
     s_char buf[1024];
 
     if (**player->argp != 'm') {
@@ -81,22 +78,8 @@ map(void)
 	}
     }
 
-    if (player->argp[1] == NULL) {
-	if ((str = getstring("(sects)? ", buf)) == 0)
-	    return RET_SYN;
-    } else {
-	str = player->argp[1];
-    }
-
-    np = getnatp(player->cnum);
-    if (*str == '*') {
-	sprintf(what, "%d:%d,%d:%d",
-		-WORLD_X / 2, WORLD_X / 2 - 1,
-		-WORLD_Y / 2, WORLD_Y / 2 - 1);
-	if (!snxtsct(&ns, what))
-	    return RET_FAIL;
-    } else if (!snxtsct(&ns, str)) {
-	if (unit_map(unit_type, atoi(str), &ns, &origin))
+    if (!snxtsct(&ns, player->argp[1])) {
+	if (unit_map(unit_type, atoi(player->argp[1]), &ns, &origin))
 	    return RET_FAIL;
     }
     for (b = player->argp[2]; b && *b; b++) {
diff --git a/src/lib/commands/rout.c b/src/lib/commands/rout.c
index 3d906677..86029ae6 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/rout.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/rout.c
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@ rout(void)
     i_type i_del;
     int dir;
     s_char *p;
-    s_char what[64];
-    s_char *str;
     s_char buf1[1024];
     /* Note this is not re-entrant anyway, so we keep the buffers
        around */
@@ -75,19 +73,7 @@ rout(void)
     if ((ip = whatitem(player->argp[1], "What item? ")) == 0)
 	return RET_SYN;
     i_del = ip->i_uid;;
-    if (player->argp[2] == NULL) {
-	if ((str = getstring("(sects)? ", buf1)) == 0)
-	    return RET_SYN;
-    } else {
-	str = player->argp[2];
-    }
-    if (*str == '*') {
-	sprintf(what, "%d:%d,%d:%d",
-		-WORLD_X / 2, WORLD_X / 2 - 1,
-		-WORLD_Y / 2, WORLD_Y / 2 - 1);
-	if (!snxtsct(&ns, what))
-	    return RET_FAIL;
-    } else if (!snxtsct(&ns, str))
+    if (!snxtsct(&ns, player->argp[2]))
 	return RET_FAIL;
     if (!mapbuf)
 	mapbuf = malloc(WORLD_Y * MAPWIDTH(3));
diff --git a/src/lib/commands/sect.c b/src/lib/commands/sect.c
index 7cb7c53b..af9607a0 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/sect.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/sect.c
@@ -57,8 +57,6 @@ sct(void)
     s_char *ptr;
     coord y, yval;
     int i;
-    s_char what[64];
-    s_char *str;
     s_char buf[1024];
     /* Note this is not re-entrant anyway, so we keep the buffers
        around */
@@ -66,20 +64,7 @@ sct(void)
     static s_char **map = NULL;
 
     nsect = 0;
-    if (player->argp[1] == NULL) {
-	if ((str = getstring("(sects)? ", buf)) == 0)
-	    return RET_SYN;
-    } else {
-	str = player->argp[1];
-    }
-
-    if (*str == '*') {
-	sprintf(what, "%d:%d,%d:%d",
-		-WORLD_X / 2, WORLD_X / 2 - 1,
-		-WORLD_Y / 2, WORLD_Y / 2 - 1);
-	if (!snxtsct(&ns, what))
-	    return RET_FAIL;
-    } else if (!snxtsct(&ns, str))
+    if (!snxtsct(&ns, player->argp[1]))
 	return RET_SYN;
     if (!mapbuf)
 	mapbuf = malloc(WORLD_Y * MAPWIDTH(1));
diff --git a/src/lib/commands/surv.c b/src/lib/commands/surv.c
index d3f5ee5f..3e6b6c8d 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/surv.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/surv.c
@@ -65,9 +65,7 @@ surv(void)
     struct nscstr cond[NS_NCOND];
     int ncond;
     int i;
-    s_char what[64];
     s_char buf[1024];
-    s_char *str;
     /* Note this is not re-entrant anyway, so we keep the buffers
        around */
     static s_char *mapbuf = NULL;
@@ -86,19 +84,7 @@ surv(void)
     for (; isspace(*ptr); ++ptr) ;
     if (*ptr)
 	return RET_SYN;
-    if (player->argp[2] == NULL) {
-	if ((str = getstring("(sects)? ", buf)) == 0)
-	    return RET_SYN;
-    } else {
-	str = player->argp[2];
-    }
-    if (*str == '*') {
-	sprintf(what, "%d:%d,%d:%d",
-		-WORLD_X / 2, WORLD_X / 2 - 1,
-		-WORLD_Y / 2, WORLD_Y / 2 - 1);
-	if (!snxtsct(&nstr, what))
-	    return RET_FAIL;
-    } else if (!snxtsct(&nstr, str))
+    if (!snxtsct(&nstr, player->argp[2]))
 	return RET_SYN;
     if (!mapbuf)
 	mapbuf = malloc(WORLD_Y * MAPWIDTH(1));