diff --git a/instat/sdgPlots.vb b/instat/sdgPlots.vb
index 9fdb097129f..5c02dc78a68 100644
--- a/instat/sdgPlots.vb
+++ b/instat/sdgPlots.vb
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ Public Class sdgPlots
         Dim clsCoordEqualParam As New RParameter
 
         ucrBaseSubdialog.iHelpTopicID = 136
-        'facets tab 
+        'facets tab  
         'Links the factor receivers, used for creating facets, with the selector. The variables need to be factors.
         ucr1stFactorReceiver.Selector = ucrFacetSelector
         ucr1stFactorReceiver.SetIncludedDataTypes({"factor"})
@@ -287,13 +287,13 @@ Public Class sdgPlots
 
 
         ucrChkXaxisAngle.SetText("X axis Tick Labels Angle")
-        ucrChkXaxisAngle.AddToLinkedControls(ucrNudXAngle, {True}, bNewLinkedAddRemoveParameter:=True, bNewLinkedHideIfParameterMissing:=True, bNewLinkedChangeToDefaultState:=True, objNewDefaultState:=10, bNewLinkedChangeParameterValue:=True)
+        ucrChkXaxisAngle.AddToLinkedControls(ucrNudXAngle, {True}, bNewLinkedAddRemoveParameter:=True, bNewLinkedHideIfParameterMissing:=True, bNewLinkedChangeToDefaultState:=True, objNewDefaultState:=10, bNewLinkedChangeParameterValue:=True)
         ucrNudXAngle.SetParameter(New RParameter("angle"))
         ucrChkXaxisAngle.AddParameterPresentCondition(True, "angle")
         ucrChkXaxisAngle.AddParameterPresentCondition(False, "angle", False)
 
         ucrChkXaxisSize.SetText("X axis Label Size")
-        ucrChkXaxisSize.AddToLinkedControls(ucrNudXSize, {True}, bNewLinkedAddRemoveParameter:=True, bNewLinkedHideIfParameterMissing:=True, bNewLinkedChangeToDefaultState:=True, objNewDefaultState:=10, bNewLinkedChangeParameterValue:=True)
+        ucrChkXaxisSize.AddToLinkedControls(ucrNudXSize, {True}, bNewLinkedAddRemoveParameter:=True, bNewLinkedHideIfParameterMissing:=True, bNewLinkedChangeToDefaultState:=True, objNewDefaultState:=10, bNewLinkedChangeParameterValue:=True)
         ucrNudXSize.SetParameter(New RParameter("size"))
         ucrNudXSize.DecimalPlaces = 1
         ucrNudXSize.Increment = 0.1
@@ -349,7 +349,9 @@ Public Class sdgPlots
         clsThemeFunction = clsNewThemeFunction
         clsCoordPolarFunc = clsNewCoordPolarFunction
         clsCoordPolarStartOperator = clsNewCoordPolarStartOperator
-        clsCoordPolarFunc.AddParameter("start", clsROperatorParameter:=clsCoordPolarStartOperator, iPosition:=1)
+        If Not IsNothing(clsCoordPolarStartOperator) Then
+            clsCoordPolarFunc.AddParameter("start", clsROperatorParameter:=clsCoordPolarStartOperator, iPosition:=1)
+        End If
         dctThemeFunctions = dctNewThemeFunctions
         dctThemeFunctions.TryGetValue("axis.text.x", clsXElementText)
         dctThemeFunctions.TryGetValue("axis.title.x", clsXElementTitle)
diff --git a/instat/ucrAxes.vb b/instat/ucrAxes.vb
index 5f0d611904e..09b27fe6875 100644
--- a/instat/ucrAxes.vb
+++ b/instat/ucrAxes.vb
@@ -341,15 +341,15 @@ Public Class ucrAxes
         grpMajorBreaks.Hide()
         grpMinorBreaks.Hide()
         grpScales.Hide()
-        If strAxisType = "Continuous" Then
+        If strAxisType.ToLower = "continuous" Then
             'show continous panels
             'TODO put controls in panels so group boxes can be used for multiple cases
             grpMajorBreaks.Show()
             grpMinorBreaks.Show()
             grpScales.Show()
-        ElseIf strAxisType = "Discrete" Then
+        ElseIf strAxisType.ToLower = "discrete" Then
             'show discrete panels
-        ElseIf strAxisType = "Date" Then
+        ElseIf strAxisType.ToLower = "date" Then
             'show date panels
         End If
     End Sub