diff --git a/applications/test/fieldMapping/Test-fieldMapping.C b/applications/test/fieldMapping/Test-fieldMapping.C
index d0545b7bb8..f0d9c7cc3b 100644
--- a/applications/test/fieldMapping/Test-fieldMapping.C
+++ b/applications/test/fieldMapping/Test-fieldMapping.C
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     #include "createTime.H"
     #include "createMesh.H"
 
-    const Switch inflate(args.args()[1]);
+    const Switch inflate(args[1]);
 
     if (inflate)
     {
diff --git a/applications/test/hexRef8/Test-hexRef8.C b/applications/test/hexRef8/Test-hexRef8.C
index f5a4b7c66d..5f725832d4 100644
--- a/applications/test/hexRef8/Test-hexRef8.C
+++ b/applications/test/hexRef8/Test-hexRef8.C
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     const pointConstraints& pc = pointConstraints::New(pointMesh::New(mesh));
 
-    const Switch inflate(args.args()[1]);
+    const Switch inflate(args[1]);
 
     if (inflate)
     {
diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/advanced/refineHexMesh/refineHexMesh.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/advanced/refineHexMesh/refineHexMesh.C
index fcdd7ec8f1..6a07259605 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/advanced/refineHexMesh/refineHexMesh.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/advanced/refineHexMesh/refineHexMesh.C
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     #include "createNamedMesh.H"
     const word oldInstance = mesh.pointsInstance();
 
-    word cellSetName(args.args()[1]);
+    word cellSetName(args[1]);
     const bool overwrite = args.optionFound("overwrite");
 
     const bool minSet = args.optionFound("minSet");
diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/datToFoam/datToFoam.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/datToFoam/datToFoam.C
index 2b1956e51f..ec4b6e994f 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/datToFoam/datToFoam.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/datToFoam/datToFoam.C
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     #include "createTime.H"
 
-    std::ifstream plot3dFile(args.args()[1].c_str());
+    std::ifstream plot3dFile(args[1].c_str());
 
     string line;
     std::getline(plot3dFile, line);
diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/fluent3DMeshToFoam/fluent3DMeshToFoam.L b/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/fluent3DMeshToFoam/fluent3DMeshToFoam.L
index 3d1875d717..ca276a0348 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/fluent3DMeshToFoam/fluent3DMeshToFoam.L
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/conversion/fluent3DMeshToFoam/fluent3DMeshToFoam.L
@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     args.optionReadIfPresent("ignoreCellGroups", ignoreCellGroups);
     args.optionReadIfPresent("ignoreFaceGroups", ignoreFaceGroups);
 
-    cubitFile = args.options().found("cubit");
+    cubitFile = args.optionFound("cubit");
 
     if (cubitFile)
     {
diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify.C
index ca9d18953d..b759c7d870 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify.C
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     #include "createTime.H"
     runTime.functionObjects().off();
 
-    const fileName exportName = args.args()[1];
+    const fileName exportName = args[1];
 
     Info<< "Reading surfaces as specified in the foamyHexMeshDict and"
         << " writing a re-sampled surface to " << exportName
diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify_non_octree.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify_non_octree.C
index d26bd0eaa6..2c9d68c77f 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify_non_octree.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify/foamyHexMeshSurfaceSimplify_non_octree.C
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ Description
 #include "searchableSurfaces.H"
 #include "conformationSurfaces.H"
 #include "triSurfaceMesh.H"
+#include "labelVector.H"
 
 #include "MarchingCubes.h"
 
@@ -52,7 +53,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     (
         "Re-sample surfaces used in foamyHexMesh operation"
     );
-    //argList::validArgs.append("inputFile");
     argList::validArgs.append("(nx ny nz)");
     argList::validArgs.append("outputName");
 
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     #include "createTime.H"
     runTime.functionObjects().off();
 
-    const Vector<label> n(IStringStream(args.args()[1])());
-    const fileName exportName = args.args()[2];
+    const labelVector n(args.argRead<labelVector>(1));
+    const fileName exportName = args[2];
 
     Info<< "Reading surfaces as specified in the foamyHexMeshDict and"
         << " writing re-sampled " << n << " to " << exportName
diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyQuadMesh/foamyQuadMesh.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyQuadMesh/foamyQuadMesh.C
index 56dc462835..62d87d667e 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyQuadMesh/foamyQuadMesh.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/generation/foamyMesh/foamyQuadMesh/foamyQuadMesh.C
@@ -93,10 +93,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     CV2D mesh(runTime, controlDict);
 
-    if (args.options().found("pointsFile"))
+    if (args.optionFound("pointsFile"))
     {
-        fileName pointFileName(IStringStream(args.options()["pointsFile"])());
-        mesh.insertPoints(pointFileName);
+        mesh.insertPoints(args["pointsFile"]);
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/stitchMesh/stitchMesh.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/stitchMesh/stitchMesh.C
index 16b789b624..c056932f3c 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/stitchMesh/stitchMesh.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/stitchMesh/stitchMesh.C
@@ -297,13 +297,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     // set up the tolerances for the sliding mesh
     dictionary slidingTolerances;
-    if (args.options().found("toleranceDict"))
+    if (args.optionFound("toleranceDict"))
     {
         IOdictionary toleranceFile
         (
             IOobject
             (
-                args.options()["toleranceDict"],
+                args["toleranceDict"],
                 runTime.constant(),
                 mesh,
                 IOobject::MUST_READ_IF_MODIFIED,
diff --git a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceBooleanFeatures/surfaceBooleanFeatures.C b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceBooleanFeatures/surfaceBooleanFeatures.C
index c24520790b..e4d09ce779 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceBooleanFeatures/surfaceBooleanFeatures.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceBooleanFeatures/surfaceBooleanFeatures.C
@@ -1558,12 +1558,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     #include "setRootCase.H"
     #include "createTime.H"
 
-    word action(args.args()[1]);
+    const word action(args[1]);
 
-    HashTable<booleanSurface::booleanOpType> validActions;
-    validActions.insert("intersection", booleanSurface::INTERSECTION);
-    validActions.insert("union", booleanSurface::UNION);
-    validActions.insert("difference", booleanSurface::DIFFERENCE);
+    const HashTable<booleanSurface::booleanOpType> validActions
+    {
+        {"intersection", booleanSurface::INTERSECTION},
+        {"union", booleanSurface::UNION},
+        {"difference", booleanSurface::DIFFERENCE}
+    };
 
     if (!validActions.found(action))
     {
@@ -1580,7 +1582,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
 
-    const word surf1Name(args.args()[2]);
+    const word surf1Name(args[2]);
     Info<< "Reading surface " << surf1Name << endl;
     triSurfaceMesh surf1
     (
diff --git a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceInflate/surfaceInflate.C b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceInflate/surfaceInflate.C
index c8edf91962..145e2b3490 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceInflate/surfaceInflate.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceInflate/surfaceInflate.C
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     #include "createTime.H"
     runTime.functionObjects().off();
 
-    const word inputName(args.args()[1]);
+    const word inputName(args[1]);
     const scalar distance(args.argRead<scalar>(2));
     const scalar extendFactor(args.argRead<scalar>(3));
     const bool checkSelfIntersect = args.optionFound("checkSelfIntersection");