diff --git a/fxbarcode/datamatrix/BC_HighLevelEncoder.cpp b/fxbarcode/datamatrix/BC_HighLevelEncoder.cpp
index 56a8847..f143ac2 100644
--- a/fxbarcode/datamatrix/BC_HighLevelEncoder.cpp
+++ b/fxbarcode/datamatrix/BC_HighLevelEncoder.cpp
@@ -127,27 +127,17 @@
   }
   return codewords;
 }
-int32_t CBC_HighLevelEncoder::lookAheadTest(WideString msg,
+int32_t CBC_HighLevelEncoder::lookAheadTest(const WideString& msg,
                                             int32_t startpos,
                                             int32_t currentMode) {
   if (startpos >= pdfium::base::checked_cast<int32_t>(msg.GetLength())) {
     return currentMode;
   }
-  std::vector<float> charCounts;
+  std::vector<float> charCounts(6);
   if (currentMode == ASCII_ENCODATION) {
-    charCounts.push_back(0);
-    charCounts.push_back(1);
-    charCounts.push_back(1);
-    charCounts.push_back(1);
-    charCounts.push_back(1);
-    charCounts.push_back(1.25f);
+    charCounts = {0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1.25f};
   } else {
-    charCounts.push_back(1);
-    charCounts.push_back(2);
-    charCounts.push_back(2);
-    charCounts.push_back(2);
-    charCounts.push_back(2);
-    charCounts.push_back(2.25f);
+    charCounts = {1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2.25f};
     charCounts[currentMode] = 0;
   }
   int32_t charsProcessed = 0;
diff --git a/fxbarcode/datamatrix/BC_HighLevelEncoder.h b/fxbarcode/datamatrix/BC_HighLevelEncoder.h
index 50cfc8c..9ad0d70 100644
--- a/fxbarcode/datamatrix/BC_HighLevelEncoder.h
+++ b/fxbarcode/datamatrix/BC_HighLevelEncoder.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
                                     WideString ecLevel,
                                     bool allowRectangular,
                                     int32_t& e);
-  static int32_t lookAheadTest(WideString msg,
+  static int32_t lookAheadTest(const WideString& msg,
                                int32_t startpos,
                                int32_t currentMode);
   static bool isDigit(wchar_t ch);