diff --git a/src/gmtreadwrite.jl b/src/gmtreadwrite.jl
index d28e0d452..c6e4847b9 100644
--- a/src/gmtreadwrite.jl
+++ b/src/gmtreadwrite.jl
@@ -194,18 +194,18 @@ function gmtread(_fname::String; kwargs...)
 	end
 
 	if (opt_T == " -Ti" || opt_T == " -Tg")			# See if we have a mem layout request
-		if ((val = find_in_dict(d, [:layout :mem_layout])[1]) !== nothing)
-			(opt_T == " -Ti" && startswith(string(val)::String, "TRB")) && return gdaltranslate(fname)
+		if ((lay = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:layout, :mem_layout])) != "")
+			(opt_T == " -Ti" && startswith(lay, "TRB")) && return gdaltranslate(fname)
 			# MUST TAKE SOME ACTION HERE. FOR IMAGES I THINK ONLY THE "I" FOR IMAGES.JL IS REALLY POSSIBLE
-			cmd = (opt_T == " -Ti") ? cmd * " -%" * arg2str(val) : cmd * " -&" * arg2str(val)
+			cmd = (opt_T == " -Ti") ? cmd * " -%" * lay : cmd * " -&" * lay
 		end
 	end
 
 	if (opt_T != " -To")			# All others but OGR
 		if (proggy == "read ")
-			((val = find_in_dict(d, [:stride])[1]) !== nothing) && (cmd *= " -Em" * arg2str(val)::String; proggy = "gmtconvert ")
-			((val = find_in_dict(d, [:q :inrows :inrow])[1]) !== nothing) && (cmd *= " -q" * arg2str(val)::String; proggy = "gmtconvert ")
-			((val = find_in_dict(d, [:d :nodata])[1]) !== nothing) && (cmd *= " -di" * arg2str(val)::String; proggy = "gmtconvert ")
+			((val2 = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:stride])) != "")             && (cmd *= " -Em" * val2; proggy = "gmtconvert ")
+			((val2 = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:q, :inrows, :inrow])) != "") && (cmd *= " -q"  * val2; proggy = "gmtconvert ")
+			((val2 = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:d, :nodata])) != "")         && (cmd *= " -di" * val2; proggy = "gmtconvert ")
 			cmd *= opt_T
 		end
 
@@ -606,8 +606,8 @@ function gmtwrite(fname::AbstractString, data; kwargs...)
 	cmd = cmd * opt_T
 
 	if (opt_T == " -Ti" || opt_T == " -Tg")		# See if we have a mem layout request
-		if ((val = find_in_dict(d, [:layout :mem_layout])[1]) !== nothing)
-			cmd = (opt_T == " -Ti") ? cmd * " -%" * arg2str(val) : cmd * " -&" * arg2str(val)
+		if ((lay = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:layout, :mem_layout])) != "")
+			cmd = (opt_T == " -Ti") ? cmd * " -%" * lay : cmd * " -&" * lay
 		end
 	end
 
@@ -642,14 +642,13 @@ function parse_grd_format(d::Dict)::String
 			break
 		end
 	end
-	if ((val = find_in_dict(d, [:scale])[1]) !== nothing)   out *= "+s" * arg2str(val)  end
-	if ((val = find_in_dict(d, [:offset])[1]) !== nothing)  out *= "+o" * arg2str(val)  end
-	if ((val = find_in_dict(d, [:nan :novalue :invalid :missing])[1]) !== nothing)
-		out *= "+n" * arg2str(val)
-	end
-	if ((val = find_in_dict(d, [:driver])[1]) !== nothing)
-		out *= ":" * arg2str(val)
-		((val = find_in_dict(d, [:datatype])[1]) !== nothing) && (out *= "/" * arg2str(val))
+
+	((val = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:scale])) != "")  && (out *= "+s" * val)
+	((val = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:offset])) != "") && (out *= "+o" * val)
+	((val = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:nan, :novalue, :invalid, :missing])) != "") && (out *= "+n" * val)
+	if ((val = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:driver])) != "")
+		out *= ":" * val
+		((val = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:datatype])) != "") && (out *= "/" * val)
 	end
 	delete!(d, [:id, :gdal])
 	return out
diff --git a/src/utils_project.jl b/src/utils_project.jl
index d9694c66b..49ca0f74c 100644
--- a/src/utils_project.jl
+++ b/src/utils_project.jl
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ A Vector of GMTdataset containing the projected world GSHHG coastlines at resolu
 function worldrectcoast(; proj::StrSymb="", res="crude", coastlines::Vector{<:GMTdataset}=GMTdataset{Float64,2}[], limits=Float64[], round=false)
 	# Project also the coastlines to go along with the grid created by worldrectangular
 	_proj  = isa(proj, Symbol) ? string(proj) : proj	# Make it a string
-	cl     = (isempty(coastlines)) ? coast(dump=:true, res=res, region=:global) : coastlines
+	cl     = (isempty(coastlines)) ? coast(dump=:true, res=res, region=length(limits)==4 ? limits : :global) : coastlines
 	(_proj == "" && isempty(limits)) && return cl		# No proj required nor extending the coastlines
 	(round || isempty(limits)) && return lonlat2xy(cl, t_srs=_proj)		# No extensiom so we are donne.
 	(_proj != "" && !contains(_proj, " +over")) && (_proj *= " +over")
@@ -282,7 +282,8 @@ function worldrectgrid(D::GDtype; width=(30,20), grid=Vector{Vector{Real}}[], an
 	prj = getproj(D, proj4=true)
 	worldrectgrid(proj=prj, width=width, grid=grid, annot_x=annot_x)
 end
-function worldrectgrid(; proj::StrSymb="", width=(30,20), grid=Vector{Vector{Real}}[], annot_x::Union{Vector{Int},Vector{Float64}}=Int[], pm=0, worldrect=true, pad=60)
+function worldrectgrid(; proj::StrSymb="", width=(30,20), grid=Vector{Vector{Real}}[],
+                         annot_x::Union{Vector{Int},Vector{Float64}}=Int[], pm=0.0, worldrect=true, pad=60)
 	# Create a grid of lines in 'proj' coordinates. Input are meridians and parallels at steps
 	# determined by 'width' and centered at 'pm'. 'pm' can be transmitted via argument or contained in 'proj'
 	# 'worldrect=false' means we don't extend beyound  the [-180 180]+pm as we do for worldrectangular.
diff --git a/src/utils_types.jl b/src/utils_types.jl
index 5a5c0a0ae..e7b1e8524 100644
--- a/src/utils_types.jl
+++ b/src/utils_types.jl
@@ -179,10 +179,10 @@ function helper_set_crs(d)
 	end
 
 	ref_attrib, ref_coln = Dict(), String[]
-	prj::String = ((proj = find_in_dict(d, [:proj :proj4])[1]) !== nothing) ? proj : ""
+	prj = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:proj, :proj4])
 	(prj == "geo" || prj == "geog") && (prj = prj4WGS84)
 	(prj != "" && !startswith(prj, "+proj=")) && (prj = "+proj=" * prj)
-	wkt::String = ((wk = find_in_dict(d, [:wkt])[1]) !== nothing) ? wk : ""
+	wkt = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:wkt])
 	(prj == "" && wkt != "") && (prj = wkt2proj(wkt))
 	epsg::Int = ((ep = find_in_dict(d, [:epsg])[1]) !== nothing) ? ep : 0
 	(prj == "" && wkt == "" && epsg != 0) && (prj = epsg2proj(epsg))
@@ -2514,7 +2514,7 @@ end
 function mksymbol(f::Function, cmd0::String="", arg1=nothing; kwargs...)
 	# Make a fig and convert it to EPS so it can be used as a custom symbol in plot(3)
 	d = KW(kwargs)
-	t::String = ((val = find_in_dict(d, [:symbname :symb_name :symbol])[1]) !== nothing) ? string(val) : "GMTsymbol"
+	t::String = ((val = hlp_desnany_str(d, [:symbname, :symb_name, :symbol])) !== "") ? val : "GMTsymbol"
 	(t == "GMTsymbol" && (f == flower_minho || f == matchbox)) && (t = string(f))
 	!haskey(d, :name) && (d[:name] = t * ".eps")
 	if (f == flower_minho || f == matchbox)			# Special case for the Flower Minho symbol
@@ -2532,7 +2532,7 @@ mksymbol(f::Function, arg1; kw...) = mksymbol(f, "", arg1; kw...)
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 function hlp_desnany_str(d, s, del=true)::String
-	((val = find_in_dict(d, s)[1]) === nothing) ? "" : string(val)
+	((val = find_in_dict(d, s, del)[1]) === nothing) ? "" : string(val)
 end
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------