diff --git a/backend/aztec.c b/backend/aztec.c
index 7d73e72f..38b1c8d3 100644
--- a/backend/aztec.c
+++ b/backend/aztec.c
@@ -664,7 +664,11 @@ int aztec(struct zint_symbol *symbol, unsigned char source[])
 	int err_code, ecc_level, compact, data_length, data_maxsize, codeword_size, adjusted_length;
 	int remainder, padbits, count, gs1, adjustment_size;
 	int debug = 0;
-	
+#ifdef _MSC_VER
+	unsigned int* data_part;
+	unsigned int* ecc_part;
+#endif
+
 	memset(binary_string,0,20000);
 	memset(adjusted_string,0,20000);
 
@@ -953,8 +957,8 @@ int aztec(struct zint_symbol *symbol, unsigned char source[])
 #ifndef _MSC_VER
 	unsigned int data_part[data_blocks + 3], ecc_part[ecc_blocks + 3];
 #else
-	unsigned int* data_part = (unsigned int*)_alloca((data_blocks + 3) * sizeof(unsigned int));
-	unsigned int* ecc_part = (unsigned int*)_alloca((ecc_blocks + 3) * sizeof(unsigned int));
+	data_part = (unsigned int*)_alloca((data_blocks + 3) * sizeof(unsigned int));
+	ecc_part = (unsigned int*)_alloca((ecc_blocks + 3) * sizeof(unsigned int));
 #endif
 	/* Copy across data into separate integers */
 	memset(data_part,0,(data_blocks + 2)*sizeof(int));
diff --git a/backend/composite.c b/backend/composite.c
index 0e62a787..411e0c1e 100644
--- a/backend/composite.c
+++ b/backend/composite.c
@@ -61,12 +61,12 @@ int rssexpanded(struct zint_symbol *symbol, unsigned char source[]);
 
 static UINT pwr928[69][7];
 
-int min(int first, int second) {
-	if(first <= second) {
-		return first;
-	} else {
-		return second;
-	}
+int _min(int first, int second) {
+
+        if(first <= second)
+        return first;
+        else
+        return second;
 }
 
 /* gets bit in bitString at bitPos */
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ void init928(void) {
 int encode928(UINT bitString[], UINT codeWords[], int bitLng) {
 	int i, j, b, bitCnt, cwNdx, cwCnt, cwLng;
 	for (cwNdx = cwLng = b = 0; b < bitLng; b += 69, cwNdx += 7) {
-		bitCnt = min(bitLng-b, 69);
+		bitCnt = _min(bitLng-b, 69);
 		cwLng += cwCnt = bitCnt/10 + 1;
 		for (i = 0; i < cwCnt; i++)
 			codeWords[cwNdx+i] = 0; /* init 0 */
diff --git a/backend/dm200.c b/backend/dm200.c
index ce480dea..994e7f7e 100644
--- a/backend/dm200.c
+++ b/backend/dm200.c
@@ -771,7 +771,6 @@ void add_tail(unsigned char target[], int tp, int tail_length, int last_mode)
 int data_matrix_200(struct zint_symbol *symbol, unsigned char source[])
 {
 	int inputlen, i;
-	inputlen = ustrlen(source);
 	unsigned char binary[2000];
 	int binlen;
 	int symbolsize, optionsize, calcsize;
@@ -779,6 +778,7 @@ int data_matrix_200(struct zint_symbol *symbol, unsigned char source[])
 	int H, W, FH, FW, datablock, bytes, rsblock;
 	int last_mode;
 	unsigned char *grid = 0;
+	inputlen = ustrlen(source);
 	
 	binlen = dm200encode(symbol, source, binary, &last_mode);
 	if(binlen == 0) {
diff --git a/backend/dmatrix.c b/backend/dmatrix.c
index f62c6b0f..10dfdc75 100644
--- a/backend/dmatrix.c
+++ b/backend/dmatrix.c
@@ -41,16 +41,22 @@ void crc_machine(char data_prefix_bitstream[], int scheme, unsigned char source[
 {
 	int input_length, i;
 	char xor_register[17];
+	int machine_cycles;
+	char input_bit, out1, out2, out3;
+#ifdef _MSC_VER
+	char* precrc_bitstream;
+	char* precrc_bitstream_reversed;
+#endif
+
+	input_length = ustrlen(source);
+
 #ifndef _MSC_VER
 	char precrc_bitstream[(input_length * 8) + 18];
 	char precrc_bitstream_reversed[(input_length * 8) + 18];
 #else
-        char* precrc_bitstream = (char*)_alloca((input_length * 8) + 18);
-	char* precrc_bitstream_reversed = (char*)_alloca((input_length * 8) + 18);
+	precrc_bitstream = (char*)_alloca((input_length * 8) + 18);
+	precrc_bitstream_reversed = (char*)_alloca((input_length * 8) + 18);
 #endif
-	int machine_cycles;
-	char input_bit, out1, out2, out3;
-        input_length = ustrlen(source);
 
 	switch(scheme) {
 		case 11: strcpy(precrc_bitstream, "0000000100000000"); break;
diff --git a/backend/imail.c b/backend/imail.c
index 70db3933..3824d92b 100644
--- a/backend/imail.c
+++ b/backend/imail.c
@@ -309,7 +309,15 @@ int imail(struct zint_symbol *symbol, unsigned char source[])
 {
 	char data_pattern[200];
 	int error_number;
-	
+        int i, j, read;
+        char zip[35], tracker[35], zip_adder[11], temp[2];
+        short int accum[112], x_reg[112], y_reg[112];
+        unsigned char byte_array[13];
+        unsigned short usps_crc;
+        int codeword[10];
+        unsigned short characters[10];
+        short int bit_pattern[13], bar_map[130];
+
 	error_number = 0;
 
 	if(ustrlen(source) > 32) {
@@ -322,18 +330,10 @@ int imail(struct zint_symbol *symbol, unsigned char source[])
 		return error_number;
 	}
 	
-	int i, j, read;
-	char zip[35], tracker[35], zip_adder[11], temp[2];
-	short int accum[112], x_reg[112], y_reg[112];
-	strcpy(zip, "");
-	strcpy(tracker, "");
-	unsigned char byte_array[13];
-	unsigned short usps_crc;
-	int codeword[10];
-	unsigned short characters[10];
-	short int bit_pattern[13], bar_map[130];
-	
-	/* separate the tracking code from the routing code */
+        strcpy(zip, "");
+        strcpy(tracker, "");
+
+        /* separate the tracking code from the routing code */
 	
 	read = 0;
 	j = 0;