diff --git a/SAS/ResourceAssignment/RATaskSpecifiedService/lib/RATaskSpecified.py b/SAS/ResourceAssignment/RATaskSpecifiedService/lib/RATaskSpecified.py
index 2e8ffe62e141a4c3d9e48ab9015fc398a8b7900e..91a16fc1f5982a1c3543c7c84e28e6de4ea40a71 100755
--- a/SAS/ResourceAssignment/RATaskSpecifiedService/lib/RATaskSpecified.py
+++ b/SAS/ResourceAssignment/RATaskSpecifiedService/lib/RATaskSpecified.py
@@ -93,31 +93,31 @@ class RATaskSpecified(OTDBBusListener):
                 subset[key] = conversion(parset, prefix + key)
 
         """ Some conversion functions for common parameter-value types."""
-        def strvector(parset, key):
+        def as_strvector(parset, key):
             return parset.getStringVector(key, True)
 
-        def intvector(parset, key):
+        def as_intvector(parset, key):
             return parset.getIntVector(key, True)
 
-        def bool(parset, key):
+        def as_bool(parset, key):
             return parset.getBool(key)
 
-        def int(parset, key):
+        def as_int(parset, key):
             return parset.getInt(key)
 
-        def float(parset, key):
+        def as_float(parset, key):
             return parset.getDouble(key)
 
         # =====================================
         # Parset meta info
         # =====================================
-        add("Version.number", int, prefix="")
+        add("Version.number", as_int, prefix="")
 
         # =====================================
         # Maintenance/reservation settings
         # =====================================
         if radb_type in ["maintenance","reservation"]:
-            add("Observation.VirtualInstrument.stationList", strvector)
+            add("Observation.VirtualInstrument.stationList", as_strvector)
             add("Observation.startTime")
             add("Observation.stopTime")
 
@@ -126,100 +126,100 @@ class RATaskSpecified(OTDBBusListener):
         # =====================================
         if radb_type == "observation":
             add("Observation.momID")
-            add("Observation.sampleClock", int)
-            add("Observation.nrBitsPerSample", int)
+            add("Observation.sampleClock", as_int)
+            add("Observation.nrBitsPerSample", as_int)
             add("Observation.antennaSet")
-            add("Observation.VirtualInstrument.stationList", strvector)
+            add("Observation.VirtualInstrument.stationList", as_strvector)
             add("Observation.startTime")
             add("Observation.stopTime")
-            add("Observation.nrBeams", int)
+            add("Observation.nrBeams", as_int)
 
             nrSAPs = subset.get("Observation.nrBeams", 0)
             for sap in xrange(0, nrSAPs):
-                add("Observation.Beam[%d].subbandList" % (sap,), intvector)
+                add("Observation.Beam[%d].subbandList" % (sap,), as_intvector)
 
             # =====================================
             # Correlator settings
             # =====================================
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.enabled", bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.enabled", as_bool)
             add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.storageClusterName")
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.Correlator.integrationTime", float)
-            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.Correlator.nrChannelsPerSubband", int)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.Correlator.integrationTime", as_float)
+            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.Correlator.nrChannelsPerSubband", as_int)
 
             # =====================================
             # Beamformer settings
             # =====================================
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_IncoherentStokes.enabled", bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_IncoherentStokes.enabled", as_bool)
             add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_IncoherentStokes.storageClusterName")
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_IncoherentStokes.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_CoherentStokes.enabled", bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_IncoherentStokes.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_CoherentStokes.enabled", as_bool)
             add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_CoherentStokes.storageClusterName")
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_CoherentStokes.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.flysEye", bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_CoherentStokes.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.flysEye", as_bool)
             #add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.CoherentStokes.nrChannelsPerSubband") # only needed to determine Cobalt.blockSize
-            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.CoherentStokes.subbandsPerFile", int)
-            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.CoherentStokes.timeIntegrationFactor", int)
+            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.CoherentStokes.subbandsPerFile", as_int)
+            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.CoherentStokes.timeIntegrationFactor", as_int)
             add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.CoherentStokes.which")
             #add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.IncoherentStokes.nrChannelsPerSubband") # only needed to determine Cobalt.blockSize
-            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.IncoherentStokes.subbandsPerFile", int)
-            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.IncoherentStokes.timeIntegrationFactor", int)
+            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.IncoherentStokes.subbandsPerFile", as_int)
+            add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.IncoherentStokes.timeIntegrationFactor", as_int)
             add("Observation.ObservationControl.OnlineControl.Cobalt.BeamFormer.IncoherentStokes.which")
             for sap in xrange(0, nrSAPs):
-                add("Observation.Beam[%d].nrTabRings" % (sap,), int)
+                add("Observation.Beam[%d].nrTabRings" % (sap,), as_int)
 
-                add("Observation.Beam[%d].nrTiedArrayBeams" % (sap,), int)
+                add("Observation.Beam[%d].nrTiedArrayBeams" % (sap,), as_int)
                 nrTABs = subset.get("Observation.Beam[%d].nrTiedArrayBeams" % (sap,), 0)
                 for tab in xrange(0, nrTABs):
-                    add("Observation.Beam[%d].TiedArrayBeam[%d].coherent" % (sap,tab), bool)
+                    add("Observation.Beam[%d].TiedArrayBeam[%d].coherent" % (sap,tab), as_bool)
 
         # =====================================
         # Pipeline settings
         # =====================================
         if radb_type == "pipeline" and radb_subtype in ["averaging pipeline", "calibration pipeline"]:
             # Calibrator / Averaging pipelines
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.enabled", bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.enabled", as_bool)
             add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.storageClusterName")
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_InstrumentModel.enabled", bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_InstrumentModel.enabled", as_bool)
             add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_InstrumentModel.storageClusterName")
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_InstrumentModel.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.enabled", bool)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_InstrumentModel.enabled", bool)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_InstrumentModel.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.ObservationControl.PythonControl.DPPP.demixer.freqstep", int)
-            add("Observation.ObservationControl.PythonControl.DPPP.demixer.timestep", int)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_InstrumentModel.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.enabled", as_bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_InstrumentModel.enabled", as_bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_InstrumentModel.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.ObservationControl.PythonControl.DPPP.demixer.freqstep", as_int)
+            add("Observation.ObservationControl.PythonControl.DPPP.demixer.timestep", as_int)
 
         if radb_type == "pipeline" and radb_subtype in ["imaging pipeline", "imaging pipelines msss"]:
             # Imaging pipeline
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_SkyImage.enabled", bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_SkyImage.enabled", as_bool)
             add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_SkyImage.storageClusterName")
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_SkyImage.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.enabled", bool)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.identifications", strvector)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_SkyImage.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.enabled", as_bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.identifications", as_strvector)
             add("Observation.ObservationControl.PythonControl.Imaging.slices_per_image")
             add("Observation.ObservationControl.PythonControl.Imaging.subbands_per_image")
 
         if radb_type == "pipeline" and radb_subtype == "long baseline pipeline":
             # Long-baseline pipeline
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.enabled", bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.enabled", as_bool)
             add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.storageClusterName")
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.enabled", bool)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.ObservationControl.PythonControl.LongBaseline.subbandgroups_per_ms", int)
-            add("Observation.ObservationControl.PythonControl.LongBaseline.subbands_per_subbandgroup", int)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Correlated.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.enabled", as_bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_Correlated.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.ObservationControl.PythonControl.LongBaseline.subbandgroups_per_ms", as_int)
+            add("Observation.ObservationControl.PythonControl.LongBaseline.subbands_per_subbandgroup", as_int)
 
         if radb_type == "pipeline" and radb_subtype == "pulsar pipeline":
             # Pulsar pipeline
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Pulsar.enabled", bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Pulsar.enabled", as_bool)
             add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Pulsar.storageClusterName")
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Pulsar.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_CoherentStokes.enabled", bool)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_CoherentStokes.identifications", strvector)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_IncoherentStokes.enabled", bool)
-            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_IncoherentStokes.identifications", strvector)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Output_Pulsar.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_CoherentStokes.enabled", as_bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_CoherentStokes.identifications", as_strvector)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_IncoherentStokes.enabled", as_bool)
+            add("Observation.DataProducts.Input_IncoherentStokes.identifications", as_strvector)
 
         return subset