diff --git a/doc/xschem_man/commands.html b/doc/xschem_man/commands.html
index ec80bfef..99a486dc 100644
--- a/doc/xschem_man/commands.html
+++ b/doc/xschem_man/commands.html
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ ctrl        'a'         Select all
 shift       'A'         Toggle show netlist
 -           'b'         Merge file
 ctrl        'b'         Toggle show text in symbol
+alt         'b'         Toggle show symbol details / only bounding boxes
 -           'c'         Copy selected obj. 
 ctrl        'c'         Save to clipboard
 shift       'C'         Start arc placement
diff --git a/src/callback.c b/src/callback.c
index c045cf0d..2b308c61 100644
--- a/src/callback.c
+++ b/src/callback.c
@@ -1283,6 +1283,15 @@ int callback(int event, int mx, int my, KeySym key,
     merge_file(0, ""); /* 2nd parameter not used any more for merge 25122002 */
     break;
    }
+   if(key=='b' && state==Mod1Mask)                     /* hide/show instance details */
+   {
+    if(semaphore >= 2) break;
+    hide_symbols = !hide_symbols;
+    if(hide_symbols) tclsetvar("hide_symbols", "1");
+    else             tclsetvar("hide_symbols", "0");
+    draw();
+    break;
+   }
    if(key=='B' && state==ShiftMask)                     /* delete files */
    {
 
diff --git a/src/draw.c b/src/draw.c
index e46ba6c8..a6393604 100644
--- a/src/draw.c
+++ b/src/draw.c
@@ -459,6 +459,7 @@ void draw_symbol(int what,int c, int n,int layer,int tmp_flip, int rot,
   register int j;
   register double x0,y0,x1,y1,x2,y2;
   int flip;
+  int hide = 0;
   Line line;
   Box box;
   xArc arc;
@@ -470,17 +471,23 @@ void draw_symbol(int what,int c, int n,int layer,int tmp_flip, int rot,
   #ifdef HAS_CAIRO
   char *textfont;
   #endif
-
   if(inst_ptr[n].ptr == -1) return;
   if( (layer != PINLAYER && !enable_layer[layer]) ) return;
   if(!has_x) return;
+  if(hide_symbols && (inst_ptr[n].ptr+instdef)->prop_ptr && 
+     !strcmp(get_tok_value( (inst_ptr[n].ptr+instdef)->prop_ptr, "type",0 ), "subcircuit") ) {
+    hide = 1;
+  } else {
+    hide = 0;
+  }
+  if(hide && layer == 0) {
+    drawrect(PINLAYER, what, inst_ptr[n].xx1, inst_ptr[n].yy1, inst_ptr[n].xx2, inst_ptr[n].yy2, 2);
+  }
   if(layer==0) {
     x1=X_TO_SCREEN(inst_ptr[n].x1+xoffset);  /* 20150729 added xoffset, yoffset */
     x2=X_TO_SCREEN(inst_ptr[n].x2+xoffset);
     y1=Y_TO_SCREEN(inst_ptr[n].y1+yoffset);
     y2=Y_TO_SCREEN(inst_ptr[n].y2+yoffset);
- 
- 
     if(!only_probes && (x2-x1)< 0.3 && (y2-y1)< 0.3) {
       inst_ptr[n].flags|=1;
       return; /* 20171210 */
@@ -491,70 +498,69 @@ void draw_symbol(int what,int c, int n,int layer,int tmp_flip, int rot,
      return;
     }
     else inst_ptr[n].flags&=~1;
- 
-    /* following code handles different text color for labels/pins 06112002 */
- 
+  
   } else if(inst_ptr[n].flags&1) {  
     dbg(2, "draw_symbol(): skipping inst %d\n", n);
     return;
   }
-
   flip = inst_ptr[n].flip;
   if(tmp_flip) flip = !flip;
   rot = (inst_ptr[n].rot + rot ) & 0x3;
- 
+  
   x0=inst_ptr[n].x0 + xoffset;
   y0=inst_ptr[n].y0 + yoffset;
   symptr = (inst_ptr[n].ptr+instdef);
-  for(j=0;j< symptr->lines[layer];j++)
-  {
-    line = (symptr->lineptr[layer])[j];
-    ROTATION(0.0,0.0,line.x1,line.y1,x1,y1);
-    ROTATION(0.0,0.0,line.x2,line.y2,x2,y2);
-    ORDER(x1,y1,x2,y2);
-    drawline(c,what, x0+x1, y0+y1, x0+x2, y0+y2, line.dash);
-  }
-  for(j=0;j< symptr->polygons[layer];j++) /* 20171115 */
-  { 
-    polygon = (symptr->polygonptr[layer])[j];
-    {   /* scope block so we declare some auxiliary arrays for coord transforms. 20171115 */
-      int k;
-      double *x = my_malloc(34, sizeof(double) * polygon.points);
-      double *y = my_malloc(35, sizeof(double) * polygon.points);
-      for(k=0;k<polygon.points;k++) {
-        ROTATION(0.0,0.0,polygon.x[k],polygon.y[k],x[k],y[k]);
-        x[k]+= x0;
-        y[k] += y0;
+  if(!hide) {
+    for(j=0;j< symptr->lines[layer];j++)
+    {
+      line = (symptr->lineptr[layer])[j];
+      ROTATION(0.0,0.0,line.x1,line.y1,x1,y1);
+      ROTATION(0.0,0.0,line.x2,line.y2,x2,y2);
+      ORDER(x1,y1,x2,y2);
+      drawline(c,what, x0+x1, y0+y1, x0+x2, y0+y2, line.dash);
+    }
+    for(j=0;j< symptr->polygons[layer];j++) /* 20171115 */
+    { 
+      polygon = (symptr->polygonptr[layer])[j];
+      {   /* scope block so we declare some auxiliary arrays for coord transforms. 20171115 */
+        int k;
+        double *x = my_malloc(34, sizeof(double) * polygon.points);
+        double *y = my_malloc(35, sizeof(double) * polygon.points);
+        for(k=0;k<polygon.points;k++) {
+          ROTATION(0.0,0.0,polygon.x[k],polygon.y[k],x[k],y[k]);
+          x[k]+= x0;
+          y[k] += y0;
+        }
+        drawpolygon(c, NOW, x, y, polygon.points, polygon.fill, polygon.dash); /* 20180914 added fill */
+        my_free(718, &x);
+        my_free(719, &y);
       }
-      drawpolygon(c, NOW, x, y, polygon.points, polygon.fill, polygon.dash); /* 20180914 added fill */
-      my_free(718, &x);
-      my_free(719, &y);
     }
-  }
-  for(j=0;j< symptr->arcs[layer];j++)
-  { 
-    
-    arc = (symptr->arcptr[layer])[j];
-    if(flip) {
-      angle = 270.*rot+180.-arc.b-arc.a;
-    } else {
-      angle = arc.a+rot*270.;
+    for(j=0;j< symptr->arcs[layer];j++)
+    { 
+      
+      arc = (symptr->arcptr[layer])[j];
+      if(flip) {
+        angle = 270.*rot+180.-arc.b-arc.a;
+      } else {
+        angle = arc.a+rot*270.;
+      }
+      angle = fmod(angle, 360.);
+      if(angle<0.) angle+=360.;
+      ROTATION(0.0,0.0,arc.x,arc.y,x1,y1);
+      drawarc(c,what, x0+x1, y0+y1, arc.r, angle, arc.b, arc.fill, arc.dash);
     }
-    angle = fmod(angle, 360.);
-    if(angle<0.) angle+=360.;
-    ROTATION(0.0,0.0,arc.x,arc.y,x1,y1);
-    drawarc(c,what, x0+x1, y0+y1, arc.r, angle, arc.b, arc.fill, arc.dash);
-  }
-
-  if( (layer != PINLAYER || enable_layer[layer]) ) for(j=0;j< symptr->rects[layer];j++)
-  {
-    box = (symptr->boxptr[layer])[j];
-    ROTATION(0.0,0.0,box.x1,box.y1,x1,y1);
-    ROTATION(0.0,0.0,box.x2,box.y2,x2,y2);
-    RECTORDER(x1,y1,x2,y2); 
-    drawrect(c,what, x0+x1, y0+y1, x0+x2, y0+y2, box.dash);
-    filledrect(c,what, x0+x1, y0+y1, x0+x2, y0+y2);
-  }
+  
+    if( (layer != PINLAYER || enable_layer[layer]) ) for(j=0;j< symptr->rects[layer];j++)
+    {
+      box = (symptr->boxptr[layer])[j];
+      ROTATION(0.0,0.0,box.x1,box.y1,x1,y1);
+      ROTATION(0.0,0.0,box.x2,box.y2,x2,y2);
+      RECTORDER(x1,y1,x2,y2); 
+      drawrect(c,what, x0+x1, y0+y1, x0+x2, y0+y2, box.dash);
+      filledrect(c,what, x0+x1, y0+y1, x0+x2, y0+y2);
+    }
+  } /*if (!hide) */
   if( (layer==TEXTWIRELAYER && !(inst_ptr[n].flags&2) ) || 
       (sym_txt && (layer==TEXTLAYER) && (inst_ptr[n].flags&2) ) ) {
     const char *txtptr;
@@ -562,6 +568,7 @@ void draw_symbol(int what,int c, int n,int layer,int tmp_flip, int rot,
     {
       text = symptr->txtptr[j];
       if(text.xscale*FONTWIDTH*mooz<1) continue;
+      if( hide && text.txt_ptr && strcmp(text.txt_ptr, "@symname") && strcmp(text.txt_ptr, "@name") ) continue;
       txtptr= translate(n, text.txt_ptr);
       ROTATION(0.0,0.0,text.x0,text.y0,x1,y1);
 
diff --git a/src/globals.c b/src/globals.c
index a4783ef5..798a5f5f 100644
--- a/src/globals.c
+++ b/src/globals.c
@@ -269,6 +269,7 @@ struct instentry *insttable[NBOXES][NBOXES];
 size_t get_tok_value_size;
 size_t get_tok_size;
 int batch_mode = 0; /* no tcl console if set; batch mode */
+int hide_symbols = 0; /* draw only a bounding box for component instances and @symname, @name texts */
 
 #ifdef HAS_CAIRO
 cairo_surface_t *sfc, *save_sfc;
diff --git a/src/keys.help b/src/keys.help
index e8a0db47..b50362b7 100644
--- a/src/keys.help
+++ b/src/keys.help
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ ctrl        'a'         Select all
 shift       'A'         Toggle show netlist
 -           'b'         Merge file
 ctrl        'b'         Toggle show text in symbol
+alt         'b'         Toggle show symbol details / only bounding boxes
 shift       'B'         Delete files
 -           'c'         Copy selected obj. 
 ctrl        'c'         Save to clipboard
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index 1fef5f26..6311768a 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -1828,6 +1828,10 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
      int s = atoi(argv[3]);
      no_draw=s;
    }
+   else if(!strcmp(argv[2],"hide_symbols"))  { /* 20171204 */
+     int s = atoi(argv[3]);
+     hide_symbols=s;
+   }
    else if(!strcmp(argv[2],"user_top_netl_name"))  { /* 20171204 */
      my_strncpy(user_top_netl_name, argv[3], S(user_top_netl_name));
    }
diff --git a/src/xschem.h b/src/xschem.h
index a9a001a8..9c7adfb6 100644
--- a/src/xschem.h
+++ b/src/xschem.h
@@ -679,6 +679,8 @@ extern struct instentry *insttable[NBOXES][NBOXES];
 extern size_t get_tok_value_size;
 extern size_t get_tok_size;
 extern int batch_mode; /* no TCL console */
+extern int hide_symbols; /* draw only a bounding box for component instances and @symname, @name texts */
+
 /*  functions */
 extern void dbg(int level, char *fmt, ...);
 extern void here(void);
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index 7223b022..a7250dbc 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -3059,6 +3059,8 @@ set_ne computerfarm {} ;# 20151007
 # set a port number in xschemrc if you want accept remote connections.
 set_ne xschem_listen_port {}
 
+# hide instance details (show only bbox) 
+set_ne hide_symbols 0
 # gaw tcp {host port} 
 set_ne gaw_tcp_address {localhost 2020}
 
@@ -3571,6 +3573,8 @@ font configure Underline-Font -underline true -size 24
    .menubar.prop.menu add command -label "View" -command "xschem view_prop" -accelerator Ctrl+Q
    .menubar.prop.menu add command -background red -label "Edit file (danger!)" -command "xschem edit_file" -accelerator Alt+Q
 
+   .menubar.sym.menu add checkbutton -label "Show only instance Bounding boxes" -variable hide_symbols \
+      -command {xschem set hide_symbols $hide_symbols; xschem redraw} -accelerator Alt+B
    .menubar.sym.menu add command -label "Make symbol from schematic" -command "xschem make_symbol" -accelerator A
    .menubar.sym.menu add command -label "Make schematic from symbol" -command "xschem make_sch" -accelerator Ctrl+L
    .menubar.sym.menu add command -label "Attach pins to component instance" -command "xschem attach_pins" -accelerator Shift+H