diff --git a/common/controlsigs.h b/common/controlsigs.h
index ae0bce7e..b703cfc4 100644
--- a/common/controlsigs.h
+++ b/common/controlsigs.h
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 // 24 april 2016
 
+#define uiAreaSignature 0x41726561
 #define uiBoxSignature 0x426F784C
 #define uiButtonSignature 0x42746F6E
 #define uiCheckboxSignature 0x43686B62
diff --git a/darwin/area.m b/darwin/area.m
index bd4714b2..c08e7cac 100644
--- a/darwin/area.m
+++ b/darwin/area.m
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ uiArea *uiNewArea(uiAreaHandler *ah)
 {
 	uiArea *a;
 
-	a = (uiArea *) uiNewControl(uiAreaType());
+	a = (uiArea *) uiNewControl(uiArea);
 
 	a->ah = ah;
 	a->scrolling = NO;
diff --git a/darwin/box.m b/darwin/box.m
index 3de18830..92b5f4a7 100644
--- a/darwin/box.m
+++ b/darwin/box.m
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ static uiBox *finishNewBox(BOOL vertical)
 {
 	uiBox *b;
 
-	b = (uiBox *) uiNewControl(uiBoxType());
+	b = (uiBox *) uiNewControl(uiBox);
 
 	b->view = [[NSView alloc] initWithFrame:NSZeroRect];
 
diff --git a/darwin/button.m b/darwin/button.m
index 3b8dacbc..42f308e9 100644
--- a/darwin/button.m
+++ b/darwin/button.m
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ uiButton *uiNewButton(const char *text)
 {
 	uiButton *b;
 
-	b = (uiButton *) uiNewControl(uiButtonType());
+	b = (uiButton *) uiNewControl(uiButton);
 
 	b->button = [[NSButton alloc] initWithFrame:NSZeroRect];
 	[b->button setTitle:toNSString(text)];
diff --git a/darwin/checkbox.m b/darwin/checkbox.m
index 9ecb1804..3294e9b5 100644
--- a/darwin/checkbox.m
+++ b/darwin/checkbox.m
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ uiCheckbox *uiNewCheckbox(const char *text)
 {
 	uiCheckbox *c;
 
-	c = (uiCheckbox *) uiNewControl(uiCheckboxType());
+	c = (uiCheckbox *) uiNewControl(uiCheckbox);
 
 	c->button = [[NSButton alloc] initWithFrame:NSZeroRect];
 	[c->button setTitle:toNSString(text)];
diff --git a/darwin/combobox.m b/darwin/combobox.m
index 8e573809..2bbdf4a2 100644
--- a/darwin/combobox.m
+++ b/darwin/combobox.m
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ static uiCombobox *finishNewCombobox(BOOL editable)
 {
 	uiCombobox *c;
 
-	c = (uiCombobox *) uiNewControl(uiComboboxType());
+	c = (uiCombobox *) uiNewControl(uiCombobox);
 
 	c->editable = editable;
 	if (c->editable) {
diff --git a/darwin/datetimepicker.m b/darwin/datetimepicker.m
index 944e5ee3..31fe407a 100644
--- a/darwin/datetimepicker.m
+++ b/darwin/datetimepicker.m
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ static uiDateTimePicker *finishNewDateTimePicker(NSDatePickerElementFlags elemen
 {
 	uiDateTimePicker *d;
 
-	d = (uiDateTimePicker *) uiNewControl(uiDateTimePickerType());
+	d = (uiDateTimePicker *) uiNewControl(uiDateTimePicker);
 
 	d->dp = [[NSDatePicker alloc] initWithFrame:NSZeroRect];
 	[d->dp setBordered:NO];
diff --git a/darwin/entry.m b/darwin/entry.m
index 1a589b82..5c2c37e0 100644
--- a/darwin/entry.m
+++ b/darwin/entry.m
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ uiEntry *uiNewEntry(void)
 {
 	uiEntry *e;
 
-	e = (uiEntry *) uiNewControl(uiEntryType());
+	e = (uiEntry *) uiNewControl(uiEntry);
 
 	e->textfield = newEditableTextField();
 
diff --git a/darwin/fontbutton.m b/darwin/fontbutton.m
index d98ff413..d25cc1d4 100644
--- a/darwin/fontbutton.m
+++ b/darwin/fontbutton.m
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ uiFontButton *uiNewFontButton(void)
 {
 	uiFontButton *b;
 
-	b = (uiFontButton *) uiNewControl(uiFontButtonType());
+	b = (uiFontButton *) uiNewControl(uiFontButton);
 
 	b->button = [[fontButton alloc] initWithFrame:NSZeroRect libuiFontButton:b];
 	uiDarwinSetControlFont(b->button, NSRegularControlSize);
diff --git a/darwin/group.m b/darwin/group.m
index 02e74158..ac16977a 100644
--- a/darwin/group.m
+++ b/darwin/group.m
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ uiGroup *uiNewGroup(const char *title)
 {
 	uiGroup *g;
 
-	g = (uiGroup *) uiNewControl(uiGroupType());
+	g = (uiGroup *) uiNewControl(uiGroup);
 
 	g->box = [[NSBox alloc] initWithFrame:NSZeroRect];
 	[g->box setTitle:toNSString(title)];
diff --git a/darwin/label.m b/darwin/label.m
index 49a70628..c498a750 100644
--- a/darwin/label.m
+++ b/darwin/label.m
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ uiLabel *uiNewLabel(const char *text)
 {
 	uiLabel *l;
 
-	l = (uiLabel *) uiNewControl(uiLabelType());
+	l = (uiLabel *) uiNewControl(uiLabel);
 
 	l->textfield = [[NSTextField alloc] initWithFrame:NSZeroRect];
 	[l->textfield setStringValue:toNSString(text)];
diff --git a/darwin/multilineentry.m b/darwin/multilineentry.m
index c591beb0..c4af6328 100644
--- a/darwin/multilineentry.m
+++ b/darwin/multilineentry.m
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ uiMultilineEntry *uiNewMultilineEntry(void)
 	uiMultilineEntry *e;
 	NSFont *font;
 
-	e = (uiMultilineEntry *) uiNewControl(uiMultilineEntryType());
+	e = (uiMultilineEntry *) uiNewControl(uiMultilineEntry);
 
 	e->sv = [[NSScrollView alloc] initWithFrame:NSZeroRect];
 	// TODO verify against Interface Builder
diff --git a/darwin/progressbar.m b/darwin/progressbar.m
index c6b5fb50..234bd57a 100644
--- a/darwin/progressbar.m
+++ b/darwin/progressbar.m
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ uiProgressBar *uiNewProgressBar(void)
 {
 	uiProgressBar *p;
 
-	p = (uiProgressBar *) uiNewControl(uiProgressBarType());
+	p = (uiProgressBar *) uiNewControl(uiProgressBar);
 
 	p->pi = [[NSProgressIndicator alloc] initWithFrame:NSZeroRect];
 	[p->pi setControlSize:NSRegularControlSize];
diff --git a/darwin/radiobuttons.m b/darwin/radiobuttons.m
index 56fa9a51..eab3bd3e 100644
--- a/darwin/radiobuttons.m
+++ b/darwin/radiobuttons.m
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ uiRadioButtons *uiNewRadioButtons(void)
 	uiRadioButtons *r;
 	NSButtonCell *cell;
 
-	r = (uiRadioButtons *) uiNewControl(uiRadioButtonsType());
+	r = (uiRadioButtons *) uiNewControl(uiRadioButtons);
 
 	// we have to set up the NSMatrix this way (prototype first)
 	// otherwise we won't be able to change its properties (such as the button type)
diff --git a/darwin/separator.m b/darwin/separator.m
index 766850ef..60dfc795 100644
--- a/darwin/separator.m
+++ b/darwin/separator.m
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ uiSeparator *uiNewHorizontalSeparator(void)
 {
 	uiSeparator *s;
 
-	s = (uiSeparator *) uiNewControl(uiSeparatorType());
+	s = (uiSeparator *) uiNewControl(uiSeparator);
 
 	s->box = [[NSBox alloc] initWithFrame:NSMakeRect(0, 0, separatorFrameWidth, separatorFrameHeight)];
 	[s->box setBoxType:NSBoxSeparator];
diff --git a/darwin/slider.m b/darwin/slider.m
index c3089473..e8be6c47 100644
--- a/darwin/slider.m
+++ b/darwin/slider.m
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ uiSlider *uiNewSlider(intmax_t min, intmax_t max)
 	uiSlider *s;
 	NSSliderCell *cell;
 
-	s = (uiSlider *) uiNewControl(uiSliderType());
+	s = (uiSlider *) uiNewControl(uiSlider);
 
 	// a horizontal slider is defined as one where the width > height, not by a flag
 	// to be safe, don't use NSZeroRect, but make it horizontal from the get-go
diff --git a/darwin/spinbox.m b/darwin/spinbox.m
index bf48edd4..a5bf7878 100644
--- a/darwin/spinbox.m
+++ b/darwin/spinbox.m
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ uiSpinbox *uiNewSpinbox(intmax_t min, intmax_t max)
 	if (min >= max)
 		complain("error: min >= max in uiNewSpinbox()");
 
-	s = (uiSpinbox *) uiNewControl(uiSpinboxType());
+	s = (uiSpinbox *) uiNewControl(uiSpinbox);
 
 	s->spinbox = [[libui_spinbox alloc] initWithFrame:NSZeroRect spinbox:s];
 	[s->spinbox setMinimum:min];
diff --git a/darwin/tab.m b/darwin/tab.m
index 11c1c021..09451c2c 100644
--- a/darwin/tab.m
+++ b/darwin/tab.m
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ uiTab *uiNewTab(void)
 {
 	uiTab *t;
 
-	t = (uiTab *) uiNewControl(uiTabType());
+	t = (uiTab *) uiNewControl(uiTab);
 
 	t->tabview = [[NSTabView alloc] initWithFrame:NSZeroRect];
 	// also good for NSTabView (same selector and everything)
diff --git a/darwin/window.m b/darwin/window.m
index 4f580fdf..b2ae7931 100644
--- a/darwin/window.m
+++ b/darwin/window.m
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ uiWindow *uiNewWindow(const char *title, int width, int height, int hasMenubar)
 
 	finalizeMenus();
 
-	w = (uiWindow *) uiNewControl(uiWindowType());
+	w = (uiWindow *) uiNewControl(uiWindow);
 
 	w->window = [[NSWindow alloc] initWithContentRect:NSMakeRect(0, 0, (CGFloat) width, (CGFloat) height)
 		styleMask:(NSTitledWindowMask | NSClosableWindowMask | NSMiniaturizableWindowMask | NSResizableWindowMask)