diff --git a/harbour/ChangeLog b/harbour/ChangeLog
index eaff204412..9cc576c60e 100644
--- a/harbour/ChangeLog
+++ b/harbour/ChangeLog
@@ -17,6 +17,25 @@
    past entries belonging to author(s): Viktor Szakats.
 */
 
+2009-10-07 00:27 UTC+0200 Przemyslaw Czerpak (druzus/at/priv.onet.pl)
+  * harbour/source/rtl/Makefile
+  + harbour/source/rtl/hbascii.c
+  * harbour/include/hbextern.ch
+    + added new .prg functions which operates on pure ASCII strings:
+      hb_asciiUpper(), hb_asciiLower(), hb_asciiIsAlpha(),
+      hb_asciiIsUpper(), hb_asciiIsLower(), hb_asciiIsDigit()
+
+  * harbour/source/rtl/objfunc.prg
+  * harbour/source/rtl/tget.prg
+  * harbour/source/rtl/treport.prg
+  * harbour/source/rtl/tpersist.prg
+  * harbour/source/rtl/memoedit.prg
+  * harbour/source/rtl/menuto.prg
+  * harbour/source/rtl/tgetlist.prg
+  * harbour/source/rtl/tclass.prg
+    ! use hb_asciiUpper() instead of Upper() to convert identifiers
+      and pictures
+
 2009-10-06 21:14 UTC+0200 Przemyslaw Czerpak (druzus/at/priv.onet.pl)
   * harbour/harbour-win-spec
   * harbour/harbour-wce-spec
diff --git a/harbour/include/hbextern.ch b/harbour/include/hbextern.ch
index e4a374f452..2a354a457b 100644
--- a/harbour/include/hbextern.ch
+++ b/harbour/include/hbextern.ch
@@ -854,6 +854,12 @@ EXTERNAL HB_UTF8SUBSTR
 EXTERNAL HB_UTF8STRTRAN
 EXTERNAL HB_UTF8CHR
 #endif
+EXTERNAL HB_ASCIIUPPER
+EXTERNAL HB_ASCIILOWER
+EXTERNAL HB_ASCIIISALPHA
+EXTERNAL HB_ASCIIISUPPER
+EXTERNAL HB_ASCIIISLOWER
+EXTERNAL HB_ASCIIISDIGIT
 EXTERNAL HB_ISARRAY
 EXTERNAL HB_ISBLOCK
 EXTERNAL HB_ISCHAR
diff --git a/harbour/source/rtl/Makefile b/harbour/source/rtl/Makefile
index 47310650b7..a0a763101e 100644
--- a/harbour/source/rtl/Makefile
+++ b/harbour/source/rtl/Makefile
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ C_SOURCES := \
    gx.c \
    hardcr.c \
    hbadler.c \
+   hbascii.c \
    hbbit.c \
    hbbyte.c \
    hbcrc.c \
diff --git a/harbour/source/rtl/hbascii.c b/harbour/source/rtl/hbascii.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bb69138618
--- /dev/null
+++ b/harbour/source/rtl/hbascii.c
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+/*
+ * $Id$
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Harbour Project source code:
+ *    HB_ASCII*() functions
+ *
+ * Copyright 2009 Przemyslaw Czerpak <druzus / at / priv.onet.pl>
+ * www - http://www.harbour-project.org
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
+ * any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this software; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to
+ * the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330,
+ * Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA (or visit the web site http://www.gnu.org/).
+ *
+ * As a special exception, the Harbour Project gives permission for
+ * additional uses of the text contained in its release of Harbour.
+ *
+ * The exception is that, if you link the Harbour libraries with other
+ * files to produce an executable, this does not by itself cause the
+ * resulting executable to be covered by the GNU General Public License.
+ * Your use of that executable is in no way restricted on account of
+ * linking the Harbour library code into it.
+ *
+ * This exception does not however invalidate any other reasons why
+ * the executable file might be covered by the GNU General Public License.
+ *
+ * This exception applies only to the code released by the Harbour
+ * Project under the name Harbour.  If you copy code from other
+ * Harbour Project or Free Software Foundation releases into a copy of
+ * Harbour, as the General Public License permits, the exception does
+ * not apply to the code that you add in this way.  To avoid misleading
+ * anyone as to the status of such modified files, you must delete
+ * this exception notice from them.
+ *
+ * If you write modifications of your own for Harbour, it is your choice
+ * whether to permit this exception to apply to your modifications.
+ * If you do not wish that, delete this exception notice.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include "hbapi.h"
+#include "hbapiitm.h"
+#include "hbapierr.h"
+
+HB_FUNC( HB_ASCIIUPPER )
+{
+   PHB_ITEM pText = hb_param( 1, HB_IT_STRING );
+
+   if( pText )
+   {
+      const char * pszText = hb_itemGetCPtr( pText );
+      ULONG ulLen = hb_itemGetCLen( pText ), u;
+
+      for( u = 0; u < ulLen; u++ )
+      {
+         if( HB_ISLOWER( pszText[ u ] ) )
+         {
+            char * pszBuff = hb_itemGetC( pText );
+
+            do
+            {
+               pszBuff[ u ] = HB_TOUPPER( pszBuff[ u ] );
+            }
+            while( ++u < ulLen );
+            hb_retclen_buffer( hb_strUpper( pszBuff, ulLen ), ulLen );
+            return;
+         }
+      }
+      hb_itemReturn( pText );
+   }
+   else
+      hb_errRT_BASE_SubstR( EG_ARG, 1102, NULL, HB_ERR_FUNCNAME, HB_ERR_ARGS_BASEPARAMS );
+}
+
+HB_FUNC( HB_ASCIILOWER )
+{
+   PHB_ITEM pText = hb_param( 1, HB_IT_STRING );
+
+   if( pText )
+   {
+      const char * pszText = hb_itemGetCPtr( pText );
+      ULONG ulLen = hb_itemGetCLen( pText ), u;
+
+      for( u = 0; u < ulLen; u++ )
+      {
+         if( HB_ISUPPER( pszText[ u ] ) )
+         {
+            char * pszBuff = hb_itemGetC( pText );
+
+            do
+            {
+               pszBuff[ u ] = HB_TOLOWER( pszBuff[ u ] );
+            }
+            while( ++u < ulLen );
+            hb_retclen_buffer( hb_strUpper( pszBuff, ulLen ), ulLen );
+            return;
+         }
+      }
+      hb_itemReturn( pText );
+   }
+   else
+      hb_errRT_BASE_SubstR( EG_ARG, 1103, NULL, HB_ERR_FUNCNAME, HB_ERR_ARGS_BASEPARAMS );
+}
+
+HB_FUNC( HB_ASCIIISALPHA )
+{
+   const char * pszText = hb_parc( 1 );
+
+   hb_retl( pszText && HB_ISALPHA( ( unsigned char ) *pszText ) );
+}
+
+HB_FUNC( HB_ASCIIISUPPER )
+{
+   const char * pszText = hb_parc( 1 );
+
+   hb_retl( pszText && HB_ISUPPER( ( unsigned char ) *pszText ) );
+}
+
+HB_FUNC( HB_ASCIIISLOWER )
+{
+   const char * pszText = hb_parc( 1 );
+
+   hb_retl( pszText && HB_ISLOWER( ( unsigned char ) *pszText ) );
+}
+
+HB_FUNC( HB_ASCIIISDIGIT )
+{
+   const char * pszText = hb_parc( 1 );
+
+   hb_retl( pszText && HB_ISDIGIT( ( unsigned char ) *pszText ) );
+}
diff --git a/harbour/source/rtl/memoedit.prg b/harbour/source/rtl/memoedit.prg
index 02217c14e5..426ebf12d9 100644
--- a/harbour/source/rtl/memoedit.prg
+++ b/harbour/source/rtl/memoedit.prg
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ METHOD KeyboardHook( nKey ) CLASS HBMemoEditor
             RestScreen( ::nTop, ::nRight - 18, ::nTop, ::nRight, cBackScr )
             SetPos( nRow, nCol )
 
-            IF Upper( Chr( nYesNoKey ) ) == "Y"
+            IF nYesNoKey == Asc( "Y" ) .or. nYesNoKey == Asc( "y" )
                ::lSaved := .F.
                ::lExitEdit := .T.
             ENDIF
diff --git a/harbour/source/rtl/menuto.prg b/harbour/source/rtl/menuto.prg
index d235a23eb6..08052db26b 100644
--- a/harbour/source/rtl/menuto.prg
+++ b/harbour/source/rtl/menuto.prg
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ FUNCTION __MenuTo( bBlock, cVariable )
       //
 
       nSaveCursor := SetCursor( iif( Set( _SET_INTENSITY ), SC_NONE, NIL ) )
-      cSaveReadVar := ReadVar( Upper( cVariable ) )
+      cSaveReadVar := ReadVar( hb_asciiUpper( cVariable ) )
       xMsg := ""
       nMsgCol := 0
       nMsgRow := Set( _SET_MESSAGE )
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ FUNCTION __MenuTo( bBlock, cVariable )
             IF ( bAction := SetKey( nKey ) ) != NIL
 
                Eval( bBlock, n )
-               Eval( bAction, ProcName( 1 ), ProcLine( 1 ), Upper( cVariable ) )
+               Eval( bAction, ProcName( 1 ), ProcLine( 1 ), hb_asciiUpper( cVariable ) )
                n := Eval( bBlock )
 
                IF n < 1
diff --git a/harbour/source/rtl/objfunc.prg b/harbour/source/rtl/objfunc.prg
index 9865262b97..7c27115329 100644
--- a/harbour/source/rtl/objfunc.prg
+++ b/harbour/source/rtl/objfunc.prg
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ FUNCTION __objDerivedFrom( oObject, xSuper )
    IF ISOBJECT( xSuper )
       cClassName := xSuper:ClassName()
    ELSEIF ISCHARACTER( xSuper )
-      cClassName := Upper( xSuper )
+      cClassName := hb_asciiUpper( xSuper )
    ELSE
       __errRT_BASE( EG_ARG, 3101, NIL, ProcName( 0 ) )
    ENDIF
diff --git a/harbour/source/rtl/tclass.prg b/harbour/source/rtl/tclass.prg
index 67d66fc492..3589421258 100644
--- a/harbour/source/rtl/tclass.prg
+++ b/harbour/source/rtl/tclass.prg
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ STATIC FUNCTION New( cClassName, xSuper, sClassFunc, lModuleFriendly )
       NEXT
    ENDIF
 
-   ::cName         := Upper( cClassName )
+   ::cName         := hb_asciiUpper( cClassName )
    ::sClassFunc    := sClassFunc
    ::lModFriendly  := lModuleFriendly
 
@@ -305,20 +305,25 @@ STATIC PROCEDURE AddData( cData, xInit, cType, nScope, lNoinit )
 
    /* Default Init for Logical and numeric */
    IF ! lNoInit .AND. cType != NIL .AND. xInit == NIL
-      SWITCH Upper( Left( cType, 1 ) )
-      CASE "L"       /* Logical */
-         xInit := .F.
-         EXIT
-      CASE "I"       /* Numeric or Integer */
-      CASE "N"       /* Numeric or Integer */
-         xInit := 0
-         EXIT
-      CASE "D"       /* Date */
-         xInit := hb_SToD()
-         EXIT
-      CASE "T"       /* Timestamp */
-         xInit := hb_SToT()
-         EXIT
+      SWITCH Asc( cType )
+         CASE Asc( "L" )   /* Logical */
+         CASE Asc( "l" )   /* Logical */
+            xInit := .F.
+            EXIT
+         CASE Asc( "I" )   /* Numeric or Integer */
+         CASE Asc( "i" )   /* Numeric or Integer */
+         CASE Asc( "N" )   /* Numeric or Integer */
+         CASE Asc( "n" )   /* Numeric or Integer */
+            xInit := 0
+            EXIT
+         CASE Asc( "D" )   /* Date */
+         CASE Asc( "d" )   /* Date */
+            xInit := hb_SToD()
+            EXIT
+         CASE Asc( "T" )   /* Timestamp */
+         CASE Asc( "t" )   /* Timestamp */
+            xInit := hb_SToT()
+            EXIT
       ENDSWITCH
    ENDIF
 
@@ -347,20 +352,25 @@ STATIC PROCEDURE AddClassData( cData, xInit, cType, nScope, lNoInit )
 
    /* Default Init for Logical and numeric */
    IF ! lNoInit .AND. cType != NIL .AND. xInit == NIL
-      SWITCH Upper( Left( cType, 1 ) )
-      CASE "L"       /* Logical */
-         xInit := .F.
-         EXIT
-      CASE "I"       /* Numeric or Integer */
-      CASE "N"       /* Numeric or Integer */
-         xInit := 0
-         EXIT
-      CASE "D"       /* Date */
-         xInit := hb_SToD()
-         EXIT
-      CASE "T"       /* Timestamp */
-         xInit := hb_SToT()
-         EXIT
+      SWITCH Asc( cType )
+         CASE Asc( "L" )   /* Logical */
+         CASE Asc( "l" )   /* Logical */
+            xInit := .F.
+            EXIT
+         CASE Asc( "I" )   /* Numeric or Integer */
+         CASE Asc( "i" )   /* Numeric or Integer */
+         CASE Asc( "N" )   /* Numeric or Integer */
+         CASE Asc( "n" )   /* Numeric or Integer */
+            xInit := 0
+            EXIT
+         CASE Asc( "D" )   /* Date */
+         CASE Asc( "d" )   /* Date */
+            xInit := hb_SToD()
+            EXIT
+         CASE Asc( "T" )   /* Timestamp */
+         CASE Asc( "t" )   /* Timestamp */
+            xInit := hb_SToT()
+            EXIT
       ENDSWITCH
    ENDIF
 
diff --git a/harbour/source/rtl/tget.prg b/harbour/source/rtl/tget.prg
index cfb6df3ef8..e18e32dd00 100644
--- a/harbour/source/rtl/tget.prg
+++ b/harbour/source/rtl/tget.prg
@@ -1052,10 +1052,10 @@ METHOD picture( cPicture ) CLASS GET
                nAt := At( " ", cPicture )
 
                IF nAt == 0
-                  ::cPicFunc := Upper( cPicture )
+                  ::cPicFunc := hb_asciiUpper( cPicture )
                   ::cPicMask := ""
                ELSE
-                  ::cPicFunc := Upper( SubStr( cPicture, 1, nAt - 1 ) )
+                  ::cPicFunc := hb_asciiUpper( SubStr( cPicture, 1, nAt - 1 ) )
                   ::cPicMask := SubStr( cPicture, nAt + 1 )
                ENDIF
 
@@ -1155,7 +1155,7 @@ METHOD picture( cPicture ) CLASS GET
 
       ::lPicComplex := .F.
       IF ! Empty( ::cPicMask )
-         FOR EACH cChar IN Upper( ::cPicMask )
+         FOR EACH cChar IN hb_asciiUpper( ::cPicMask )
             IF !( cChar $ "!ANX9#" )
                ::lPicComplex := .T.
                EXIT
@@ -1268,7 +1268,7 @@ METHOD unTransform() CLASS GET
             IF "R" $ ::cPicFunc
                xValue := ""
                FOR nFor := 1 TO Len( ::cPicMask )
-                  IF Upper( SubStr( ::cPicMask, nFor, 1 ) ) $ "ANX9#!LY"
+                  IF hb_asciiUpper( SubStr( ::cPicMask, nFor, 1 ) ) $ "ANX9#!LY"
                      xValue += SubStr( cBuffer, nFor, 1 )
                   ENDIF
                NEXT
@@ -1711,11 +1711,11 @@ METHOD IsEditable( nPos ) CLASS GET
 
    IF ::cType != NIL
       SWITCH ::cType
-      CASE "C" ; RETURN Upper( cChar ) $ "!ANX9#LY"
+      CASE "C" ; RETURN hb_asciiUpper( cChar ) $ "!ANX9#LY"
       CASE "N" ; RETURN cChar $ "9#$*"
       CASE "D"
       CASE "T" ; RETURN cChar == "9"
-      CASE "L" ; RETURN Upper( cChar ) $ "LY#" /* CA-Cl*pper 5.2 undocumented: # allow T,F,Y,N for Logical [ckedem] */
+      CASE "L" ; RETURN hb_asciiUpper( cChar ) $ "LY#" /* CA-Cl*pper 5.2 undocumented: # allow T,F,Y,N for Logical [ckedem] */
       ENDSWITCH
    ENDIF
 
@@ -1773,7 +1773,7 @@ METHOD Input( cChar ) CLASS GET
    ENDIF
 
    IF ! Empty( ::cPicMask )
-      cPic  := Upper( SubStr( ::cPicMask, ::nPos, 1 ) )
+      cPic  := hb_asciiUpper( SubStr( ::cPicMask, ::nPos, 1 ) )
 
 //    cChar := Transform( cChar, cPic )
 // Above line eliminated because some get picture template symbols for
diff --git a/harbour/source/rtl/tgetlist.prg b/harbour/source/rtl/tgetlist.prg
index 6e0e097109..c2049b8ebe 100644
--- a/harbour/source/rtl/tgetlist.prg
+++ b/harbour/source/rtl/tgetlist.prg
@@ -748,7 +748,7 @@ METHOD PostActiveGet() CLASS HBGetList
 METHOD GetReadVar() CLASS HBGetList
 
    LOCAL oGet := ::oGet
-   LOCAL cName := Upper( oGet:Name )
+   LOCAL cName := hb_asciiUpper( oGet:Name )
    LOCAL n
 
    IF oGet:Subscript != NIL
diff --git a/harbour/source/rtl/tpersist.prg b/harbour/source/rtl/tpersist.prg
index 76d1209e1b..71484476f3 100644
--- a/harbour/source/rtl/tpersist.prg
+++ b/harbour/source/rtl/tpersist.prg
@@ -83,12 +83,12 @@ METHOD LoadFromText( cObjectText ) CLASS HBPersistent
       cLine := ExtractLine( cObjectText, @nFrom )
 
       DO CASE
-      CASE Upper( LTrim( hb_TokenGet( cLine, 1 ) ) ) == "OBJECT"
+      CASE hb_asciiUpper( LTrim( hb_TokenGet( cLine, 1 ) ) ) == "OBJECT"
          IF lStart
             lStart := .F.
          ENDIF
 
-      CASE Upper( LTrim( hb_TokenGet( cLine, 1 ) ) ) == "ARRAY"
+      CASE hb_asciiUpper( LTrim( hb_TokenGet( cLine, 1 ) ) ) == "ARRAY"
          cLine := SubStr( cLine, At( "::", cLine ) )
          MEMVAR->oSelf := Self
          cLine := StrTran( cLine, "::", "oSelf:" )
diff --git a/harbour/source/rtl/treport.prg b/harbour/source/rtl/treport.prg
index a6f13a0e0d..1e2447071b 100644
--- a/harbour/source/rtl/treport.prg
+++ b/harbour/source/rtl/treport.prg
@@ -1376,20 +1376,32 @@ STATIC FUNCTION ListAsArray( cList, cDelimiter )
 STATIC FUNCTION MakeAStr( uVar, cType )
    LOCAL cString
 
-   DO CASE
-   CASE Upper( cType ) == "D"
-      cString := DToC( uVar )
-   CASE Upper( cType ) == "T"
-      cString := hb_TToC( uVar )
-   CASE Upper( cType ) == "L"
-      cString := iif( uVar, "T", "F" )
-   CASE Upper( cType ) == "N"
-      cString := Str( uVar )
-   CASE Upper( cType ) == "C"
-      cString := uVar
-   OTHERWISE
-      cString := "INVALID EXPRESSION"
-   ENDCASE
+   SWITCH Asc( cType )
+      CASE Asc( "D" )
+      CASE Asc( "d" )
+         cString := DToC( uVar )
+         EXIT
+      CASE Asc( "T" )
+      CASE Asc( "t" )
+         cString := hb_TToC( uVar )
+         EXIT
+      CASE Asc( "L" )
+      CASE Asc( "l" )
+         cString := iif( uVar, "T", "F" )
+         EXIT
+      CASE Asc( "N" )
+      CASE Asc( "n" )
+         cString := Str( uVar )
+         EXIT
+      CASE Asc( "C" )
+      CASE Asc( "c" )
+      CASE Asc( "M" )
+      CASE Asc( "m" )
+         cString := uVar
+         EXIT
+      OTHERWISE
+         cString := "INVALID EXPRESSION"
+   ENDSWITCH
 
    RETURN cString