diff --git a/wled00/wled03_set.ino b/wled00/wled03_set.ino
index 48c54508..c0a662a7 100644
--- a/wled00/wled03_set.ino
+++ b/wled00/wled03_set.ino
@@ -309,6 +309,15 @@ void handleSettingsSet(byte subPage)
   if (subPage == 2) strip.init(useRGBW,ledCount,skipFirstLed);
 }
 
+
+//helper to get int value at a position in string
+int getNumVal(String* req, uint16_t pos)
+{
+  return req->substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+}
+
+
+//HTTP API request parser
 bool handleSet(String req)
 {
   if (!(req.indexOf("win") >= 0)) return false;
@@ -338,17 +347,17 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   //set brigthness
   pos = req.indexOf("&A=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    bri = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    bri = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
 
   //set hue
   pos = req.indexOf("HU=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    uint16_t temphue = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    uint16_t temphue = getNumVal(&req, pos);
     byte tempsat = 255;
     pos = req.indexOf("SA=");
     if (pos > 0) {
-      tempsat = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+      tempsat = getNumVal(&req, pos);
     }
     colorHStoRGB(temphue,tempsat,(req.indexOf("H2")>0)? colSec:col);
   }
@@ -356,43 +365,43 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   //set red value
   pos = req.indexOf("&R=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    col[0] = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    col[0] = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
   //set green value
   pos = req.indexOf("&G=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    col[1] = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    col[1] = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
   //set blue value
   pos = req.indexOf("&B=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    col[2] = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    col[2] = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
   //set white value
   pos = req.indexOf("&W=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    white = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    white = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
    
   //set 2nd red value
   pos = req.indexOf("R2=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    colSec[0] = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    colSec[0] = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
   //set 2nd green value
   pos = req.indexOf("G2=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    colSec[1] = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    colSec[1] = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
   //set 2nd blue value
   pos = req.indexOf("B2=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    colSec[2] = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    colSec[2] = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
   //set 2nd white value
   pos = req.indexOf("W2=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    whiteSec = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    whiteSec = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
    
   //set color from HEX or 32bit DEC
@@ -432,7 +441,7 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   //set to random hue SR=0->1st SR=1->2nd
   pos = req.indexOf("SR");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    _setRandomColor(req.substring(pos + 3).toInt());
+    _setRandomColor(getNumVal(&req, pos));
   }
   //set 2nd to 1st
   pos = req.indexOf("SP");
@@ -460,40 +469,28 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   //set current effect index
   pos = req.indexOf("FX=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    if (effectCurrent != req.substring(pos + 3).toInt())
-    {
-      effectCurrent = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
-    }
+    effectCurrent = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
   //set effect speed
   pos = req.indexOf("SX=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    if (effectSpeed != req.substring(pos + 3).toInt())
-    {
-      effectSpeed = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
-    }
+    effectSpeed = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
   //set effect intensity
   pos = req.indexOf("IX=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    if (effectIntensity != req.substring(pos + 3).toInt())
-    {
-      effectIntensity = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
-    }
+    effectIntensity = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
   }
   //set effect palette (only for FastLED effects)
   pos = req.indexOf("FP=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    if (effectPalette != req.substring(pos + 3).toInt())
-    {
-      effectPalette = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
-    }
+    effectPalette = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
   }
 
   //set hue polling light: 0 -off
   pos = req.indexOf("HP=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    int id = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    int id = getNumVal(&req, pos);
     if (id > 0)
     {
       if (id < 100) huePollLightId = id;
@@ -506,21 +503,21 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   //set default control mode (0 - RGB, 1 - HSB)
   pos = req.indexOf("MD=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    useHSB = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    useHSB = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
   //set advanced overlay
   pos = req.indexOf("OL=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    overlayCurrent = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    overlayCurrent = getNumVal(&req, pos);
     strip.unlockAll();
   }
   //(un)lock pixel (ranges)
   pos = req.indexOf("&L=");
   if (pos > 0){
-    int index = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    int index = getNumVal(&req, pos);
     pos = req.indexOf("L2=");
     if (pos > 0){
-      int index2 = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+      int index2 = getNumVal(&req, pos);
       if (req.indexOf("UL") > 0)
       {
         strip.unlockRange(index, index2);
@@ -543,7 +540,7 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   //apply macro
   pos = req.indexOf("&M=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    applyMacro(req.substring(pos + 3).toInt());
+    applyMacro(getNumVal(&req, pos));
   }
   //toggle send UDP direct notifications
   if (req.indexOf("SN=") > 0)
@@ -577,7 +574,7 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
       bri = briT;
     } else {
       nightlightActive = true;
-      if (!aNlDef) nightlightDelayMins = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+      if (!aNlDef) nightlightDelayMins = getNumVal(&req, pos);
       nightlightStartTime = millis();
     }
   } else if (aNlDef)
@@ -589,7 +586,7 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   //set nightlight target brightness
   pos = req.indexOf("NT=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    nightlightTargetBri = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    nightlightTargetBri = getNumVal(&req, pos);
     nightlightActiveOld = false; //re-init
   }
    
@@ -608,20 +605,20 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   //toggle general purpose output
   pos = req.indexOf("AX=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    auxTime = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    auxTime = getNumVal(&req, pos);
     auxActive = true;
     if (auxTime == 0) auxActive = false;
   }
   pos = req.indexOf("TT=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    transitionDelay = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    transitionDelay = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
    
   //main toggle on/off
   pos = req.indexOf("&T=");
   if (pos > 0) {
     nightlightActive = false; //always disable nightlight when toggling
-    switch (req.substring(pos + 3).toInt())
+    switch (getNumVal(&req, pos))
     {
       case 0: if (bri != 0){briLast = bri; bri = 0;} break; //off
       case 1: bri = briLast; break; //on
@@ -634,22 +631,22 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   //set time (unix timestamp)
   pos = req.indexOf("ST=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    setTime(req.substring(pos+3).toInt());
+    setTime(getNumVal(&req, pos));
   }
    
   //set countdown goal (unix timestamp)
   pos = req.indexOf("CT=");
   if (pos > 0) {
-    countdownTime = req.substring(pos+3).toInt();
+    countdownTime = getNumVal(&req, pos);
     if (countdownTime - now() > 0) countdownOverTriggered = false;
   }
    
   //set presets
   pos = req.indexOf("P1="); //sets first preset for cycle
-  if (pos > 0) presetCycleMin = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+  if (pos > 0) presetCycleMin = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   
   pos = req.indexOf("P2="); //sets last preset for cycle
-  if (pos > 0) presetCycleMax = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+  if (pos > 0) presetCycleMax = getNumVal(&req, pos);
    
   if (req.indexOf("CY=") > 0) //preset cycle
   {
@@ -662,7 +659,7 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   }
   pos = req.indexOf("PT="); //sets cycle time in ms
   if (pos > 0) {
-    int v = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    int v = getNumVal(&req, pos);
     if (v > 49) presetCycleTime = v;
   }
   if (req.indexOf("PA=") > 0) //apply brightness from preset
@@ -683,11 +680,11 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   
   pos = req.indexOf("PS="); //saves current in preset
   if (pos > 0) {
-    savePreset(req.substring(pos + 3).toInt());
+    savePreset(getNumVal(&req, pos));
   }
   pos = req.indexOf("PL="); //applies entire preset
   if (pos > 0) {
-    applyPreset(req.substring(pos + 3).toInt(), presetApplyBri, presetApplyCol, presetApplyFx);
+    applyPreset(getNumVal(&req, pos), presetApplyBri, presetApplyCol, presetApplyFx);
   }
   
   //cronixie
@@ -717,11 +714,11 @@ bool handleSet(String req)
   
   pos = req.indexOf("U0="); //user var 0
   if (pos > 0) {
-    userVar0 = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    userVar0 = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
   pos = req.indexOf("U1="); //user var 1
   if (pos > 0) {
-    userVar1 = req.substring(pos + 3).toInt();
+    userVar1 = getNumVal(&req, pos);
   }
   //you can add more if you need