diff --git a/src/angle_deprecated.cpp b/src/angle_deprecated.cpp
index cc29c9978e..968445f3f1 100644
--- a/src/angle_deprecated.cpp
+++ b/src/angle_deprecated.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "angle_deprecated.h"
-#include <cstring>
+#include <string>
 #include "angle_hybrid.h"
 #include "comm.h"
 #include "force.h"
@@ -25,21 +25,11 @@
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
-static void writemsg(LAMMPS *lmp, const char *msg, int abend=1)
-{
-  if (lmp->comm->me == 0) {
-    if (lmp->screen) fputs(msg,lmp->screen);
-    if (lmp->logfile) fputs(msg,lmp->logfile);
-  }
-  if (abend)
-    lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This angle style is no longer available");
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 void AngleDeprecated::settings(int, char **)
 {
-  const char *my_style = force->angle_style;
+  std::string my_style = force->angle_style;
 
   // hybrid substyles are created in AngleHybrid::settings(), so when this is
   // called, our style was just added at the end of the list of substyles
@@ -49,10 +39,13 @@ void AngleDeprecated::settings(int, char **)
     my_style = hybrid->keywords[hybrid->nstyles];
   }
 
-  if (strcmp(my_style,"DEPRECATED") == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nAngle style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n",0);
-
+  if (my_style == "DEPRECATED") {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nAngle style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n");
+    return;
   }
+
+  lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This angle style is no longer available");
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/bond_deprecated.cpp b/src/bond_deprecated.cpp
index 3e20553cac..7bd65b795d 100644
--- a/src/bond_deprecated.cpp
+++ b/src/bond_deprecated.cpp
@@ -16,42 +16,36 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "bond_deprecated.h"
-#include <cstring>
+#include <string>
 #include "bond_hybrid.h"
 #include "comm.h"
 #include "force.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
-static void writemsg(LAMMPS *lmp, const char *msg, int abend=1)
-{
-  if (lmp->comm->me == 0) {
-    if (lmp->screen) fputs(msg,lmp->screen);
-    if (lmp->logfile) fputs(msg,lmp->logfile);
-  }
-  if (abend)
-    lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This bond style is no longer available");
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 void BondDeprecated::settings(int, char **)
 {
-  const char *my_style = force->bond_style;
+  std::string my_style = force->bond_style;
 
   // hybrid substyles are created in BondHybrid::settings(), so when this is
   // called, our style was just added at the end of the list of substyles
 
-  if (strncmp(my_style,"hybrid",6) == 0) {
+  if (utils::strmatch(my_style,"^hybrid")) {
     BondHybrid *hybrid = (BondHybrid *)force->bond;
     my_style = hybrid->keywords[hybrid->nstyles];
   }
 
-  if (strcmp(my_style,"DEPRECATED") == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nBond style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n",0);
-
+  if (my_style == "DEPRECATED") {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nBond style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n");
+    return;
   }
+
+  lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This bond style is no longer available");
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/compute_deprecated.cpp b/src/compute_deprecated.cpp
index 1db78b6bdf..356e6b372a 100644
--- a/src/compute_deprecated.cpp
+++ b/src/compute_deprecated.cpp
@@ -12,28 +12,25 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "compute_deprecated.h"
-#include <cstring>
+#include <string>
 #include "comm.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
-static void writemsg(LAMMPS *lmp, const char *msg, int abend=1)
-{
-  if (lmp->comm->me == 0) {
-    if (lmp->screen) fputs(msg,lmp->screen);
-    if (lmp->logfile) fputs(msg,lmp->logfile);
-  }
-  if (abend)
-    lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This compute style is no longer available");
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 ComputeDeprecated::ComputeDeprecated(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
   Compute(lmp, narg, arg)
 {
-  if (strcmp(style,"DEPRECATED") == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nCompute style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n",0);
+  std::string my_style = style;
+
+  if (my_style == "DEPRECATED") {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nCompute style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n");
+    return;
   }
+
+  lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This compute style is no longer available");
 }
diff --git a/src/dihedral_deprecated.cpp b/src/dihedral_deprecated.cpp
index 0205b1b887..a44dcae9d9 100644
--- a/src/dihedral_deprecated.cpp
+++ b/src/dihedral_deprecated.cpp
@@ -16,42 +16,35 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "dihedral_deprecated.h"
-#include <cstring>
+#include <string>
 #include "dihedral_hybrid.h"
 #include "comm.h"
 #include "force.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
-static void writemsg(LAMMPS *lmp, const char *msg, int abend=1)
-{
-  if (lmp->comm->me == 0) {
-    if (lmp->screen) fputs(msg,lmp->screen);
-    if (lmp->logfile) fputs(msg,lmp->logfile);
-  }
-  if (abend)
-    lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This dihedral style is no longer available");
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 void DihedralDeprecated::settings(int, char **)
 {
-  const char *my_style = force->dihedral_style;
+  std::string my_style = force->dihedral_style;
 
-  // hybrid substyles are created in DihedralHybrid::settings(), so when this is
-  // called, our style was just added at the end of the list of substyles
+  // hybrid substyles are created in DihedralHybrid::settings(),
+  // so when this is called, our style was just added at the end
+  // of the list of substyles
 
-  if (strncmp(my_style,"hybrid",6) == 0) {
+  if (utils::strmatch(my_style,"^hybrid")) {
     DihedralHybrid *hybrid = (DihedralHybrid *)force->dihedral;
     my_style = hybrid->keywords[hybrid->nstyles];
   }
 
-  if (strcmp(my_style,"DEPRECATED") == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nDihedral style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n",0);
-
+  if (my_style == "DEPRECATED") {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nDihedral style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n");
+    return;
   }
+
+  lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This dihedral style is no longer available");
 }
-
-
diff --git a/src/dump_deprecated.cpp b/src/dump_deprecated.cpp
index 4263b9801f..3dae66248d 100644
--- a/src/dump_deprecated.cpp
+++ b/src/dump_deprecated.cpp
@@ -12,29 +12,25 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "dump_deprecated.h"
-#include <cstring>
+#include <string>
 #include "comm.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
-static void writemsg(LAMMPS *lmp, const char *msg, int abend=1)
-{
-  if (lmp->comm->me == 0) {
-    if (lmp->screen) fputs(msg,lmp->screen);
-    if (lmp->logfile) fputs(msg,lmp->logfile);
-  }
-  if (abend)
-    lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This dump style is no longer available");
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 DumpDeprecated::DumpDeprecated(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
   Dump(lmp, narg, arg)
 {
-  if (strcmp(style,"DEPRECATED") == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nDump style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n",0);
+  std::string my_style = style;
 
+  if (my_style == "DEPRECATED") {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nDump style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n");
+    return;
   }
+
+  lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This dump style is no longer available");
 }
diff --git a/src/fix_deprecated.cpp b/src/fix_deprecated.cpp
index 0c212668b3..c6313bd872 100644
--- a/src/fix_deprecated.cpp
+++ b/src/fix_deprecated.cpp
@@ -12,39 +12,37 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "fix_deprecated.h"
-#include <cstring>
+#include <string>
 #include "comm.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
-static void writemsg(LAMMPS *lmp, const char *msg, int abend=1)
-{
-  if (lmp->comm->me == 0) {
-    if (lmp->screen) fputs(msg,lmp->screen);
-    if (lmp->logfile) fputs(msg,lmp->logfile);
-  }
-  if (abend)
-    lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This fix style is no longer available");
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 FixDeprecated::FixDeprecated(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
   Fix(lmp, narg, arg)
 {
-  if (strcmp(style,"DEPRECATED") == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nFix style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n",0);
+  std::string my_style = style;
 
-  } else if (strncmp(style,"ave/spatial",11) == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nFix styles 'ave/spatial' and 'ave/spatial/sphere' have "
-             "been replaced\nby the more general fix ave/chunk and compute "
-             "chunk/atom commands.\nAll ave/spatial and ave/spatial/sphere "
-             "functionality is available in these\nnew commands. These "
-             "ave/spatial keywords & options are part of fix ave/chunk:\n"
-             "  Nevery, Nrepeat, Nfreq, input values, norm, ave, file, "
-             "overwrite, title123\nThese ave/spatial keywords & options for "
-             "binning are part of compute chunk/atom:\n  dim, origin, delta,"
-             " region, bound, discard, units\n\n");
+  if (my_style == "DEPRECATED") {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nFix style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n");
+    return;
+  } else if (utils::strmatch(my_style,"^ave/spatial")) {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nFix styles 'ave/spatial' and 'ave/spatial/sphere'"
+                     " have been replaced\nby the more general fix ave/chunk "
+                     "and compute chunk/atom commands.\nAll ave/spatial and "
+                     "ave/spatial/sphere functionality is available in these"
+                     "\nnew commands. These ave/spatial keywords & options are"
+                     " part of fix ave/chunk:\n  Nevery, Nrepeat, Nfreq, input"
+                     " values, norm, ave, file, overwrite, title123\nThese "
+                     "ave/spatial keywords & options for binning are part of "
+                     "compute chunk/atom:\n  dim, origin, delta, region, "
+                     "bound, discard, units\n\n");
   }
+
+  lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This fix style is no longer available");
 }
diff --git a/src/improper_deprecated.cpp b/src/improper_deprecated.cpp
index 62a688527a..ea089b5da6 100644
--- a/src/improper_deprecated.cpp
+++ b/src/improper_deprecated.cpp
@@ -16,42 +16,37 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "improper_deprecated.h"
-#include <cstring>
+#include <string>
 #include "improper_hybrid.h"
 #include "comm.h"
 #include "force.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
-static void writemsg(LAMMPS *lmp, const char *msg, int abend=1)
-{
-  if (lmp->comm->me == 0) {
-    if (lmp->screen) fputs(msg,lmp->screen);
-    if (lmp->logfile) fputs(msg,lmp->logfile);
-  }
-  if (abend)
-    lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This improper style is no longer available");
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 void ImproperDeprecated::settings(int, char **)
 {
-  const char *my_style = force->improper_style;
+  std::string my_style = force->improper_style;
 
-  // hybrid substyles are created in ImproperHybrid::settings(), so when this is
-  // called, our style was just added at the end of the list of substyles
+  // hybrid substyles are created in ImproperHybrid::settings(),
+  // so when this is called, our style was just added at the end
+  // of the list of substyles
 
-  if (strncmp(my_style,"hybrid",6) == 0) {
+  if (utils::strmatch(my_style,"^hybrid")) {
     ImproperHybrid *hybrid = (ImproperHybrid *)force->improper;
     my_style = hybrid->keywords[hybrid->nstyles];
   }
 
-  if (strcmp(my_style,"DEPRECATED") == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nImproper style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n",0);
-
+  if (my_style == "DEPRECATED") {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nImproper style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n");
+    return;
   }
+
+  lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This improper style is no longer available");
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/kspace_deprecated.cpp b/src/kspace_deprecated.cpp
index 0b6490b4cf..076bd8a186 100644
--- a/src/kspace_deprecated.cpp
+++ b/src/kspace_deprecated.cpp
@@ -16,33 +16,27 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "kspace_deprecated.h"
-#include <cstring>
+#include <string>
 #include "comm.h"
 #include "force.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
-static void writemsg(LAMMPS *lmp, const char *msg, int abend=1)
-{
-  if (lmp->comm->me == 0) {
-    if (lmp->screen) fputs(msg,lmp->screen);
-    if (lmp->logfile) fputs(msg,lmp->logfile);
-  }
-  if (abend)
-    lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This kspace style is no longer available");
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 void KSpaceDeprecated::settings(int, char **)
 {
-  const char *my_style = force->kspace_style;
-
-  if (strcmp(my_style,"DEPRECATED") == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nKSpace style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n",0);
+  std::string my_style = force->kspace_style;
 
+  if (my_style == "DEPRECATED") {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nKSpace style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n");
+    return;
   }
+
+  lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This kspace style is no longer available");
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/pair_deprecated.cpp b/src/pair_deprecated.cpp
index 058809eb80..d48638a456 100644
--- a/src/pair_deprecated.cpp
+++ b/src/pair_deprecated.cpp
@@ -16,45 +16,40 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "pair_deprecated.h"
-#include <cstring>
+#include <string>
 #include "pair_hybrid.h"
 #include "comm.h"
 #include "force.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
-static void writemsg(LAMMPS *lmp, const char *msg, int abend=1)
-{
-  if (lmp->comm->me == 0) {
-    if (lmp->screen) fputs(msg,lmp->screen);
-    if (lmp->logfile) fputs(msg,lmp->logfile);
-  }
-  if (abend)
-    lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This pair style is no longer available");
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 void PairDeprecated::settings(int, char **)
 {
-  const char *my_style = force->pair_style;
+  std::string my_style = force->pair_style;
 
   // hybrid substyles are created in PairHybrid::settings(), so when this is
   // called, our style was just added at the end of the list of substyles
 
-  if (strncmp(my_style,"hybrid",6) == 0) {
+  if (utils::strmatch(my_style,"^hybrid")) {
     PairHybrid *hybrid = (PairHybrid *)force->pair;
     my_style = hybrid->keywords[hybrid->nstyles];
   }
 
-  if (strcmp(my_style,"reax") == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nPair style 'reax' has been removed from LAMMPS "
-                    "after the 12 December 2018 version\n\n",1);
+  if (my_style == "DEPRECATED") {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nPair style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n");
+    return;
   }
 
-  if (strcmp(my_style,"DEPRECATED") == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nPair style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n",0);
-
+  if (my_style == "reax") {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nPair style 'reax' has been removed from LAMMPS "
+                     "after the 12 December 2018 version\n\n");
   }
+
+  lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This pair style is no longer available");
 }
diff --git a/src/region_deprecated.cpp b/src/region_deprecated.cpp
index a2e4e88393..d0f1fb8e1f 100644
--- a/src/region_deprecated.cpp
+++ b/src/region_deprecated.cpp
@@ -12,29 +12,24 @@
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "region_deprecated.h"
-#include <cstring>
+#include <string>
 #include "comm.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
-static void writemsg(LAMMPS *lmp, const char *msg, int abend=1)
-{
-  if (lmp->comm->me == 0) {
-    if (lmp->screen) fputs(msg,lmp->screen);
-    if (lmp->logfile) fputs(msg,lmp->logfile);
-  }
-  if (abend)
-    lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This region style is no longer available");
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 RegionDeprecated::RegionDeprecated(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
   Region(lmp, narg, arg)
 {
-  if (strcmp(style,"DEPRECATED") == 0) {
-    writemsg(lmp,"\nRegion style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n",0);
+  std::string my_style = style;
 
+  if (my_style == "DEPRECATED") {
+    if (lmp->comm->me == 0)
+      utils::logmesg(lmp,"\nRegion style 'DEPRECATED' is a dummy style\n\n");
+    return;
   }
+  lmp->error->all(FLERR,"This region style is no longer available");
 }