diff --git a/examples/layouts/StackLayoutPage.cpp b/examples/layouts/StackLayoutPage.cpp
index 59d10f98..5132eaa9 100644
--- a/examples/layouts/StackLayoutPage.cpp
+++ b/examples/layouts/StackLayoutPage.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ namespace
 
             for ( int i = 0; i < itemCount(); i += 2 )
             {
-                if ( auto control = qobject_cast< QskControl* >( itemAtIndex( i ) ) )
+                if ( auto control = qskControlCast( itemAtIndex( i ) ) )
                     control->setFixedSize( 200, 200 );
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/controls/QskControl.cpp b/src/controls/QskControl.cpp
index b157cac0..d3b2c461 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskControl.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskControl.cpp
@@ -1965,9 +1965,9 @@ QSizeF QskControl::contentsSizeHint() const
         const auto children = childItems();
         for ( const auto child : children )
         {
-            if ( auto* control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( child ) )
+            if ( auto control = qskControlCast( child ) )
             {
-                if ( !QQuickItemPrivate::get( control )->isTransparentForPositioner() )
+                if ( !control->isTransparentForPositioner() )
                 {
                     const QSizeF hint = control->sizeHint();
 
diff --git a/src/controls/QskControl.h b/src/controls/QskControl.h
index 79054e2b..8f58b835 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskControl.h
+++ b/src/controls/QskControl.h
@@ -313,6 +313,16 @@ inline QSizeF QskControl::preferredSize() const
     return explicitSizeHint( Qt::PreferredSize );
 }
 
+inline QskControl* qskControlCast( QObject* object )
+{
+    return qobject_cast< QskControl* >( object );
+}
+
+inline const QskControl* qskControlCast( const QObject* object )
+{
+    return qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( object );
+}
+
 Q_DECLARE_OPERATORS_FOR_FLAGS( QskControl::Flags )
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE( QskControl::Flags )
 
diff --git a/src/controls/QskDirtyItemFilter.cpp b/src/controls/QskDirtyItemFilter.cpp
index 0b9052ab..672b14ba 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskDirtyItemFilter.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskDirtyItemFilter.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ static inline bool qskIsUpdateBlocked( const QQuickItem* item )
 {
     if ( !item->isVisible() )
     {
-        if ( const auto control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( item ) )
+        if ( const auto control = qskControlCast( item ) )
             return control->testControlFlag( QskControl::DeferredUpdate );
     }
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ static inline bool qskIsUpdateBlocked( const QQuickItem* item )
         but we have not yet found a performant way to send update notifications
         when an item enters/leaves the window. TODO ...
      */
-    else if ( const auto control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( item ) )
+    else if ( const auto control = qskControlCast( item ) )
     {
         const QRectF itemRect( item->mapToScene( QPointF() ), item->size() );
         const QRectF sceneRect( 0, 0, item->window()->width(), item->window()->height() );
diff --git a/src/controls/QskFocusIndicator.cpp b/src/controls/QskFocusIndicator.cpp
index d966860e..522ffe71 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskFocusIndicator.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskFocusIndicator.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ QSK_SUBCONTROL( QskFocusIndicator, Panel )
 
 static inline QRectF qskFocusIndicatorRect( const QQuickItem* item )
 {
-    if ( auto control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( item ) )
+    if ( auto control = qskControlCast( item ) )
         return control->focusIndicatorRect();
 
     const QVariant v = item->property( "focusIndicatorRect" );
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ QVector< QMetaObject::Connection > QskFocusIndicator::connectItem( const QQuickI
     c += QObject::connect( sender, &QQuickItem::heightChanged, this, method );
     c += QObject::connect( sender, &QQuickItem::visibleChanged, this, method );
 
-    if ( const auto control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( sender ) )
+    if ( const auto control = qskControlCast( sender ) )
     {
         c += QObject::connect( control, &QskControl::focusIndicatorRectChanged, this, method );
     }
diff --git a/src/controls/QskQuick.cpp b/src/controls/QskQuick.cpp
index 7c1cb3df..4d4278f7 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskQuick.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskQuick.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ QRectF qskItemGeometry( const QQuickItem* item )
 
 void qskSetItemGeometry( QQuickItem* item, const QRectF& rect )
 {
-    if ( auto control = qobject_cast< QskControl* >( item ) )
+    if ( auto control = qskControlCast( item ) )
     {
         control->setGeometry( rect );
     }
diff --git a/src/controls/QskSetup.cpp b/src/controls/QskSetup.cpp
index 0716f89f..31941613 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskSetup.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskSetup.cpp
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ void QskSetup::inheritLocale( QObject* object, const QLocale& locale )
 
 bool QskSetup::eventFilter( QObject* object, QEvent* event )
 {
-    if ( auto control = qobject_cast< QskControl* >( object ) )
+    if ( auto control = qskControlCast( object ) )
     {
         /*
             Qt::FocusPolicy has always been there with widgets, got lost with
diff --git a/src/controls/QskSkinTransition.cpp b/src/controls/QskSkinTransition.cpp
index b1cbd8b4..5b217909 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskSkinTransition.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskSkinTransition.cpp
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ namespace
             if ( !item->isVisible() )
                 return;
 
-            if ( auto control = qobject_cast< QskControl* >( item ) )
+            if ( auto control = qskControlCast( item ) )
             {
                 if ( control->isInitiallyPainted() && ( skin == control->effectiveSkin() ) )
                 {
diff --git a/src/controls/QskWindow.cpp b/src/controls/QskWindow.cpp
index 3f3bc080..cddece5b 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskWindow.cpp
@@ -409,10 +409,10 @@ QSize QskWindow::effectivePreferredSize() const
         const bool doWidth = constraint.width() < 0;
         const bool doHeight = constraint.height() < 0;
 
-        const QList< QQuickItem* > children = contentItem()->childItems();
+        const auto children = contentItem()->childItems();
         for ( auto child : children )
         {
-            if ( QskControl* control = qobject_cast< QskControl* >( child ) )
+            if ( auto control = qskControlCast( child ) )
             {
                 const QSizeF itemConstraint = control->sizeHint();
                 if ( doWidth )
diff --git a/src/dialogs/QskDialogSubWindow.cpp b/src/dialogs/QskDialogSubWindow.cpp
index 56815948..ff37d03d 100644
--- a/src/dialogs/QskDialogSubWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/dialogs/QskDialogSubWindow.cpp
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ QSizeF QskDialogSubWindow::contentsSizeHint() const
         h = hint.height();
     }
 
-    if ( auto* control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( m_data->contentItem ) )
+    if ( auto* control = qskControlCast( m_data->contentItem ) )
     {
         const auto hint = control->sizeHint();
 
diff --git a/src/layouts/QskLayoutBox.cpp b/src/layouts/QskLayoutBox.cpp
index 447485bd..48cbcde2 100644
--- a/src/layouts/QskLayoutBox.cpp
+++ b/src/layouts/QskLayoutBox.cpp
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ void QskLayoutBox::setActive( bool on )
 
     for ( int i = 0; i < itemCount(); ++i )
     {
-        QQuickItem* item = itemAtIndex( i );
-        if ( item )
+        if( auto item = itemAtIndex( i ) )
             setItemActive( item, on );
     }
 
@@ -66,8 +65,7 @@ int QskLayoutBox::itemCount() const
 
 QQuickItem* QskLayoutBox::itemAtIndex( int index ) const
 {
-    QskLayoutItem* layoutItem = m_data->engine.layoutItemAt( index );
-    if ( layoutItem )
+    if ( auto layoutItem = m_data->engine.layoutItemAt( index ) )
         return layoutItem->item();
 
     return nullptr;
@@ -85,12 +83,12 @@ void QskLayoutBox::insertItemInternal( QskLayoutItem* layoutItem, int index )
 {
     // check if item is already inserted ???
 
-    QQuickItem* item = layoutItem->item();
+    auto item = layoutItem->item();
 
     if ( index > itemCount() )
         index = -1; // append
 
-    QskLayoutEngine& engine = this->engine();
+    auto& engine = this->engine();
 
     if ( item )
     {
@@ -142,9 +140,9 @@ void QskLayoutBox::insertItemInternal( QskLayoutItem* layoutItem, int index )
 
 void QskLayoutBox::removeAt( int index )
 {
-    QskLayoutEngine& engine = this->engine();
+    auto& engine = this->engine();
 
-    QskLayoutItem* layoutItem = engine.layoutItemAt( index );
+    auto layoutItem = engine.layoutItemAt( index );
     if ( layoutItem == nullptr )
         return;
 
@@ -303,7 +301,7 @@ void QskLayoutBox::setItemActive( const QQuickItem* item, bool on )
 
     // QskControl sends QEvent::LayoutRequest
 
-    const bool hasLayoutRequests = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( item );
+    const bool hasLayoutRequests = qskControlCast( item );
     if ( !hasLayoutRequests )
     {
         if ( on )
diff --git a/src/layouts/QskLayoutConstraint.cpp b/src/layouts/QskLayoutConstraint.cpp
index 0685bf1f..58ad250f 100644
--- a/src/layouts/QskLayoutConstraint.cpp
+++ b/src/layouts/QskLayoutConstraint.cpp
@@ -56,10 +56,9 @@ static inline qreal qskAdjustedValue(
     return value;
 }
 
-
 bool QskLayoutConstraint::hasDynamicConstraint( const QQuickItem* item )
 {
-    if ( auto control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( item ) )
+    if ( auto control = qskControlCast( item ) )
     {
         const auto& policy = control->sizePolicy();
         return ( policy.horizontalPolicy() == QskSizePolicy::Constrained ) ||
@@ -72,7 +71,7 @@ bool QskLayoutConstraint::hasDynamicConstraint( const QQuickItem* item )
 
 qreal QskLayoutConstraint::heightForWidth( const QQuickItem* item, qreal width )
 {
-    if ( auto control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( item ) )
+    if ( auto control = qskControlCast( item ) )
         return control->heightForWidth( width );
 
     return qskHintFor( item, "heightForWidth", width );
@@ -80,7 +79,7 @@ qreal QskLayoutConstraint::heightForWidth( const QQuickItem* item, qreal width )
 
 qreal QskLayoutConstraint::widthForHeight( const QQuickItem* item, qreal height )
 {
-    if ( auto control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( item ) )
+    if ( auto control = qskControlCast( item ) )
         return control->widthForHeight( height );
 
     return qskHintFor( item, "widthForHeight", height );
@@ -89,7 +88,7 @@ qreal QskLayoutConstraint::widthForHeight( const QQuickItem* item, qreal height
 QSizeF QskLayoutConstraint::effectiveConstraint(
     const QQuickItem* item, Qt::SizeHint whichHint )
 {
-    if ( auto control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( item ) )
+    if ( auto control = qskControlCast( item ) )
         return control->effectiveSizeHint( whichHint );
 
     QSizeF constraint( -1.0, -1.0 ); // no hint
@@ -149,7 +148,7 @@ QskSizePolicy QskLayoutConstraint::sizePolicy( const QQuickItem* item )
 {
     if ( item )
     {
-        if ( auto control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( item ) )
+        if ( auto control = qskControlCast( item ) )
             return control->sizePolicy();
 
         const QVariant v = item->property( "sizePolicy" );
diff --git a/src/layouts/QskLayoutItem.cpp b/src/layouts/QskLayoutItem.cpp
index d4927370..0f80d067 100644
--- a/src/layouts/QskLayoutItem.cpp
+++ b/src/layouts/QskLayoutItem.cpp
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ Qt::Orientation QskLayoutItem::dynamicConstraintOrientation() const
 {
     Qt::Orientation orientation = Qt::Vertical;
 
-    if ( auto control = qobject_cast< const QskControl* >( m_item ) )
+    if ( auto control = qskControlCast( m_item ) )
     {
         const auto policy = control->sizePolicy().horizontalPolicy();