diff --git a/pd/nw/pdgui.js b/pd/nw/pdgui.js
index d4a9e4852a8c670823edf7649cbfa43e0e1f4681..64050bc4fb3622cc3b6a494a424456dc102f4ff4 100644
--- a/pd/nw/pdgui.js
+++ b/pd/nw/pdgui.js
@@ -2428,52 +2428,49 @@ function gui_iemgui_label_show_drag_handle(cid, tag, state, x, y) {
     }
 }
 
-function gui_create_mycanvas(cid,tag,color,x1,y1,x2_vis,y2_vis,x2,y2) {
+function gui_create_mycanvas(c,id,x_color,x1,y1,x2_vis,y2_vis,x2,y2) {
     var rect_vis, rect, g;
-    rect_vis = create_item(cid,"rect", {
+    rect_vis = create_item(c, "rect", {
         width: x2_vis - x1,
         height: y2_vis - y1,
-        fill: color,
-        stroke: color,
-        id: tag + "rect"
+        fill: x2h(x_color),
+        stroke: x2h(x_color),
+        id: id + "rect"
         }
     );
 
     // we use a drag_handle-- unlike a 'border' it takes
     // the same color as the visible rectangle when deselected
-    rect = create_item(cid,"rect", {
+    rect = create_item(c, "rect", {
         width: x2 - x1,
         height: y2 - y1,
         fill: "none",
-        stroke: color,
-        id: tag + "drag_handle",
+        stroke: x2h(x_color),
+        id: id + "drag_handle",
         "class": "border mycanvas_border"
         }
     );
-    g = get_gobj(cid,tag);
+    g = get_gobj(c, id);
     g.appendChild(rect_vis);
     g.appendChild(rect);
 }
 
-function gui_update_mycanvas(cid, tag, color, selected) {
-    var r = get_item(cid, tag + "rect"),
-        h = get_item(cid, tag + "drag_handle");
-    configure_item(r, { fill: color, stroke: color });
+function gui_update_mycanvas(c, id, x_color, selected) {
+    var r = get_item(c, id + "rect"),
+        h = get_item(c, id + "drag_handle");
+    configure_item(r, {
+        fill: x2h(x_color),
+        stroke: x2h(x_color)
+    });
 }
 
-function gui_mycanvas_coords(cid, tag, vis_width, vis_height, select_width, select_height) {
-    var r = get_item(cid, tag + "rect"),
-        h = get_item(cid, tag + "drag_handle");
+function gui_mycanvas_coords(c, id, vis_width, vis_height, select_width, select_height) {
+    var r = get_item(c, id + "rect"),
+        h = get_item(c, id + "drag_handle");
     configure_item(r, { width: vis_width, height: vis_height });
     configure_item(h, { width: select_width, height: select_height });
 }
 
-// Not needed anymore
-function gui_mycanvas_select_color(cid,tag,color) {
-    //var item = get_item(cid,tag + "drag_handle");
-    //configure_item(item, {stroke: color});
-}
- 
 function gui_create_scalar(cid, tag, isselected, t1, t2, t3, t4, t5, t6,
     is_toplevel) {
     // we should probably use create_gobj here, but we"re doing some initial 
diff --git a/pd/src/g_mycanvas.c b/pd/src/g_mycanvas.c
index 291436b05b69d7762000433e5d50cdfda55a5e58..90dbbcf6fd8e963d14b73ad14c69510e4bd75abd 100644
--- a/pd/src/g_mycanvas.c
+++ b/pd/src/g_mycanvas.c
@@ -25,12 +25,10 @@ void my_canvas_draw_new(t_my_canvas *x, t_glist *glist)
     int x1=text_xpix(&x->x_gui.x_obj, glist);
     int y1=text_ypix(&x->x_gui.x_obj, glist);
 
-    char colorbuf[MAXPDSTRING];
-    sprintf(colorbuf, "#%6.6x", x->x_gui.x_bcol);
     gui_vmess("gui_text_create_gobj", "xxsiii", canvas,
         x, "iemgui", x1, y1, glist_istoplevel(canvas));
-    gui_vmess("gui_create_mycanvas", "xxsiiiiii", canvas,
-        x, colorbuf, x1, y1, x1+x->x_vis_w, y1+x->x_vis_h,
+    gui_vmess("gui_create_mycanvas", "xxxiiiiii", canvas,
+        x, x->x_gui.x_bcol, x1, y1, x1+x->x_vis_w, y1+x->x_vis_h,
         x1+x->x_gui.x_w, y1+x->x_gui.x_h);
 }
 
@@ -50,21 +48,14 @@ void my_canvas_draw_config(t_my_canvas* x, t_glist* glist)
 {
     t_canvas *canvas=glist_getcanvas(glist);
     int isselected;
-    char bcol[8]; sprintf(bcol, "#%6.6x", x->x_gui.x_bcol);
     isselected = x->x_gui.x_selected == canvas && x->x_gui.x_glist == canvas;
-    gui_vmess("gui_update_mycanvas", "xxsi",
-        canvas, x, bcol, isselected);
+    gui_vmess("gui_update_mycanvas", "xxxi",
+        canvas, x, x->x_gui.x_bcol, isselected);
 }
 
 void my_canvas_draw_select(t_my_canvas* x, t_glist* glist)
 {
-    t_canvas *canvas=glist_getcanvas(glist);
-    if (x->x_gui.x_glist != glist_getcanvas(glist)) return;
-    char bcol[8]; sprintf(bcol, "#%6.6x", x->x_gui.x_bcol);
-    gui_vmess("gui_mycanvas_select_color", "xxs",
-        canvas, x,
-        x->x_gui.x_selected == canvas && x->x_gui.x_glist == canvas ?
-            "blue" : bcol); 
+    /* No longer needed */
 }
 
 static void my_canvas__clickhook(t_scalehandle *sh, int newstate)