diff --git a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/CylindricalBarrelCalorimeter_geo.cpp b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/CylindricalBarrelCalorimeter_geo.cpp
index f523514946a5126ca140f446dea6033d2b7c18ee..298e6ef98ff6d7eec8018d77ec80e42546af5646 100644
--- a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/CylindricalBarrelCalorimeter_geo.cpp
+++ b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/CylindricalBarrelCalorimeter_geo.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static Ref_t create_detector(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector& sens
       layer_tub.setDimensions(rlayer,r,z*2,0,2*M_PI);
         
       PlacedVolume layer_physvol = envelopeVol.placeVolume(layer_vol,IdentityPos());
-      layer_physvol.addPhysVolID(_A(layer),n);
+      layer_physvol.addPhysVolID("layer",n);
       ++n;
     }
   }
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ static Ref_t create_detector(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector& sens
   envelopeVol.setAttributes(lcdd,x_det.regionStr(),x_det.limitsStr(),x_det.visStr());
     
   PlacedVolume physvol = lcdd.pickMotherVolume(sdet).placeVolume(envelopeVol,IdentityPos());
-  physvol.addPhysVolID(_A(system),sdet.id()).addPhysVolID(_A(barrel),0);
+  physvol.addPhysVolID("system",sdet.id()).addPhysVolID(_A(barrel),0);
   sdet.setPlacement(physvol);
   return sdet;
 }
diff --git a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/CylindricalEndcapCalorimeter_geo.cpp b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/CylindricalEndcapCalorimeter_geo.cpp
index 86661b81bf37c7e1dfba5cea0a08d079dce607e8..62a0e76fd18ab480bd3809f6f25ba88b78401b4b 100644
--- a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/CylindricalEndcapCalorimeter_geo.cpp
+++ b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/CylindricalEndcapCalorimeter_geo.cpp
@@ -64,16 +64,16 @@ static Ref_t create_detector(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector& sens
   // Set attributes of slice
   envelopeVol.setAttributes(lcdd,x_det.regionStr(),x_det.limitsStr(),x_det.visStr());
 
-  DetElement sdet(det_name,x_det.id());
-  Volume     motherVol = lcdd.pickMotherVolume(sdet);
+  DetElement   sdet(det_name,x_det.id());
+  Volume       motherVol = lcdd.pickMotherVolume(sdet);
   PlacedVolume phv = motherVol.placeVolume(envelopeVol,Position(0,0,zmin+totWidth/2));
-  phv.addPhysVolID(_A(system),sdet.id())
-    .addPhysVolID(_A(barrel),1);
+  phv.addPhysVolID("system",sdet.id())
+    .addPhysVolID("barrel",1);
   sdet.setPlacement(phv);
   if ( reflect )   {
     phv=motherVol.placeVolume(envelopeVol,Position(0,0,-zmin-totWidth/2),ReflectRot());
-    phv.addPhysVolID(_A(system),sdet.id())
-      .addPhysVolID(_A(barrel),2);
+    phv.addPhysVolID("system",sdet.id())
+      .addPhysVolID("barrel",2);
   }
   return sdet;
 }
diff --git a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/DiskTracker_geo.cpp b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/DiskTracker_geo.cpp
index 388504eeef633af9b114f765029aec720643b5da..e582252e1128d9b3a02b17599f1ff76b2e656297 100644
--- a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/DiskTracker_geo.cpp
+++ b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/DiskTracker_geo.cpp
@@ -48,19 +48,19 @@ static Ref_t create_detector(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector& sens
       s_vol.setAttributes(lcdd,x_slice.regionStr(),x_slice.limitsStr(),x_slice.visStr());
 
       PlacedVolume spv = l_vol.placeVolume(s_vol,Position(0,0,z-zmin-layerWidth/2+thick/2));
-      spv.addPhysVolID(_X(layer),l_num);
-      spv.addPhysVolID(_X(slice),s_num);
+      spv.addPhysVolID("layer",l_num);
+      spv.addPhysVolID("slice",s_num);
     }
 
     PlacedVolume lpv = motherVol.placeVolume(l_vol,Position(0,0,zmin+layerWidth/2.));
-    lpv.addPhysVolID(_X(system),sdet.id());
-    lpv.addPhysVolID(_X(barrel),1);
+    lpv.addPhysVolID("system",sdet.id());
+    lpv.addPhysVolID("barrel",1);
     DetElement layer(sdet,l_nam,l_num);
     layer.setPlacement(lpv);
     if ( reflect )  {
       PlacedVolume lpvR = motherVol.placeVolume(l_vol,Position(0,0,-zmin-layerWidth/2),ReflectRot());
-      lpvR.addPhysVolID(_X(system),sdet.id());
-      lpvR.addPhysVolID(_X(barrel),2);
+      lpvR.addPhysVolID("system",sdet.id());
+      lpvR.addPhysVolID("barrel",2);
       DetElement layerR = layer.clone(l_nam+"_reflect");
       sdet.add(layerR.setPlacement(lpvR));
     }
diff --git a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/ForwardDetector_geo.cpp b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/ForwardDetector_geo.cpp
index 1a3a845dbc4abda16f047fec1147ea780fe7a0b0..2148b3c6f61b433957a513c428f071fff242441e 100644
--- a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/ForwardDetector_geo.cpp
+++ b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/ForwardDetector_geo.cpp
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ static Ref_t create_detector(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector& sens
 
       // Layer PV.
       PlacedVolume layerPV = envelopeVol.placeVolume(layerVol,Position(0,0,layerPosZ));
-      layerPV.addPhysVolID(_X(layer), i);
+      layerPV.addPhysVolID("layer", i);
       layer.setPlacement(layerPV);
 
       // Increment to start of next layer.
@@ -150,14 +150,14 @@ static Ref_t create_detector(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector& sens
   sdet.setVisAttributes(lcdd, x_det.visStr(), envelopeVol);
   
   PlacedVolume env_phv = motherVol.placeVolume(envelopeVol,Position(0,0,zpos));
-  env_phv.addPhysVolID(_X(system), id);
-  env_phv.addPhysVolID(_X(barrel), 1);
+  env_phv.addPhysVolID("system", id);
+  env_phv.addPhysVolID("barrel", 1);
   sdet.setPlacement(env_phv);
   // Reflect it.
   if ( reflect )  {
     env_phv = motherVol.placeVolume(envelopeVol,Position(0,0,-zpos),ReflectRot());
-    env_phv.addPhysVolID(_X(system), id);
-    env_phv.addPhysVolID(_X(barrel), 2);
+    env_phv.addPhysVolID("system", id);
+    env_phv.addPhysVolID("barrel", 2);
     DetElement rdet(det_name+"_reflect",x_det.id());
     rdet.setPlacement(env_phv);
   }
diff --git a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/MultiLayerTracker_geo.cpp b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/MultiLayerTracker_geo.cpp
index 64e5979fafd5459315f29fa108b52706cba7184b..e95ffb3dfd4512ea85d0f2b15e1cd1da546e1e07 100644
--- a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/MultiLayerTracker_geo.cpp
+++ b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/MultiLayerTracker_geo.cpp
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ static Ref_t create_detector(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector& sens
       s_vol.setAttributes(lcdd,x_slice.regionStr(),x_slice.limitsStr(),x_slice.visStr());
       PlacedVolume spv = l_vol.placeVolume(s_vol,IdentityPos());
       // Slices have no extra id. Take the ID of the layer!
-      spv.addPhysVolID(_X(layer),n);
+      spv.addPhysVolID("layer",n);
     }
     l_tub.setDimensions(rmin,r,z,0,2*M_PI);
     cout << l_name << " " << rmin << " " << r << " " << z << endl;
     l_vol.setVisAttributes(lcdd,x_layer.visStr());
       
     PlacedVolume lpv = motherVol.placeVolume(l_vol,IdentityPos());
-    lpv.addPhysVolID(_X(system),sdet.id()).addPhysVolID(_X(barrel),0);
+    lpv.addPhysVolID("system",sdet.id()).addPhysVolID(_X(barrel),0);
     layer.setPlacement(lpv);
   }
   sdet.setCombineHits(x_det.attr<bool>(_A(combineHits)),sens);
diff --git a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/PolyhedraBarrelCalorimeter2_geo.cpp b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/PolyhedraBarrelCalorimeter2_geo.cpp
index 3f0c956052d06ba2967bcbdfa6190bb72d2c1660..3c8bc4d6fc370e552def4f0e59eac6afd2b3197d 100644
--- a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/PolyhedraBarrelCalorimeter2_geo.cpp
+++ b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/PolyhedraBarrelCalorimeter2_geo.cpp
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ static void placeStaves(DetElement&   parent,
   for (int module = 0; module < numsides; ++module)  {
     DetElement det  = module>0 ? stave.clone(_toString(module,"stave%d")) : stave;
     PlacedVolume pv = envelopeVolume.placeVolume(sectVolume,Position(posX,-posY,0),Rotation(rotZ,rotY,0));
-    pv.addPhysVolID(_X(stave), 0);
-    pv.addPhysVolID(_X(module),module);
+    pv.addPhysVolID("stave", 0);
+    pv.addPhysVolID("module",module);
     det.setPlacement(pv);
     parent.add(det);
     rotZ -= innerRotation;
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ static Ref_t create_detector(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector& sens
 	slice_vol.setAttributes(lcdd,x_slice.regionStr(),x_slice.limitsStr(),x_slice.visStr());
 	// slice PlacedVolume
 	PlacedVolume slice_phv = layer_vol.placeVolume(slice_vol,Position(0,0,slice_pos_z));
-	slice_phv.addPhysVolID(_X(slice),slice_number);
+	slice_phv.addPhysVolID("slice",slice_number);
 
 	slice.setPlacement(slice_phv);
 	// Increment Z position for next slice.
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ static Ref_t create_detector(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector& sens
 
       // Layer physical volume.
       PlacedVolume layer_phv = staveInnerVol.placeVolume(layer_vol,Position(0,0,layer_pos_z));
-      layer_phv.addPhysVolID(_X(layer),layer_num);
+      layer_phv.addPhysVolID("layer",layer_num);
       layer.setPlacement(layer_phv);
 
       // Increment the layer X dimension.
@@ -162,8 +162,8 @@ static Ref_t create_detector(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector& sens
   placeStaves(sdet,stave,rmin,numSides,totalThickness,envelopeVol,innerAngle,staveOuterVol);
 
   PlacedVolume env_phv = motherVol.placeVolume(envelopeVol,Rotation(0,0,M_PI/numSides));
-  env_phv.addPhysVolID(_X(system), sdet.id());
-  env_phv.addPhysVolID(_X(barrel), 0);
+  env_phv.addPhysVolID("system", sdet.id());
+  env_phv.addPhysVolID("barrel", 0);
   sdet.setPlacement(env_phv);
   return sdet;
 }
diff --git a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/SiTrackerEndcap2_geo.cpp b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/SiTrackerEndcap2_geo.cpp
index be0ab8c170b36bc30f4b0581844a6391932a9bc4..48ce8a1e79408a0ec71ed196e5bab288d65293c7 100644
--- a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/SiTrackerEndcap2_geo.cpp
+++ b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/SiTrackerEndcap2_geo.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ static Ref_t create_detector(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector& sens
       phv.addPhysVolID(_X(component),c_id);
       if ( c.isSensitive() ) {
 	sdet.check(n_sensor > 1,"SiTrackerEndcap2::fromCompact: "+c_name+" Max of 2 modules allowed!");
-	phv.addPhysVolID(_X(sensor),c_id);
+	phv.addPhysVolID("sensor",c_id);
 	vol.setSensitiveDetector(sens);
 	++n_sensor;
       }
diff --git a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/TubeSegment_geo.cpp b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/TubeSegment_geo.cpp
index 30a9f826a03a44bd7531248d0fdd828716a7e7bd..c48e498e0650f085b7bc0bec00923f721ab00d61 100644
--- a/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/TubeSegment_geo.cpp
+++ b/DDExamples/CLICSiD/src/TubeSegment_geo.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ static Ref_t create_element(LCDD& lcdd, const xml_h& e, SensitiveDetector&)  {
   PlacedVolume phv = 
     mother.placeVolume(vol,Position(pos.x(),pos.y(),pos.z()),
                        Rotation(rot.z(),rot.y(),rot.x()));
-  phv.addPhysVolID(_A(id),x_det.id());
+  phv.addPhysVolID("id",x_det.id());
   sdet.setPlacement(phv);
   return sdet;
 }