diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index d13bfad9..f852ccf2 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -377,6 +377,34 @@ proc insert_running_cmds {lb} {
   }
 }
 
+# periodically update status
+proc update_process_status {lb} {
+  global execute
+  set exists 0
+  set selected [$lb curselection]
+  if { [winfo exists .pstat] } {
+    if { $selected ne {} && [llength $selected] == 1} {
+      .pstat.text delete 1.0 end
+      set idx $selected
+      set cmd1 [$lb get $idx]
+      foreach  {id pid cmd2} [get_running_cmds] {
+        if { $cmd1 eq $cmd2 } {
+          if {[catch { set t $execute(data,$id) } err]} {
+            set t $err
+          }
+          .pstat.text insert 1.0 $t
+          .pstat.text yview moveto 1
+          break
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    after 1000 "update_process_status $lb"
+  } else {
+   after cancel "update_process_status $lb"
+  }
+}
+
+
 # display stdout of selected sub-process
 proc view_process_status {lb} {
   global execute
@@ -404,6 +432,7 @@ proc view_process_status {lb} {
       }
     }
   }
+  after 1000 "update_process_status $lb"
 }
 
 # top level dialog displaying running sub-processes
@@ -1133,7 +1162,7 @@ proc set_sim_defaults {{reset {}}} {
     set_ne sim(spice,0,fg) 0
     set_ne sim(spice,0,st) 0
     
-    set_ne sim(spice,1,cmd) {ngspice -b -r "$n.raw" -o "$n.out" "$N"}
+    set_ne sim(spice,1,cmd) {ngspice -b -r "$n.raw" "$N"}
     set sim(spice,1,name) {Ngspice batch}
     set_ne sim(spice,1,fg) 0
     set_ne sim(spice,1,st) 1
diff --git a/xschem_library/ngspice/delta_sigma.sch b/xschem_library/ngspice/delta_sigma.sch
index f1f351d8..0aa3dfdd 100644
--- a/xschem_library/ngspice/delta_sigma.sch
+++ b/xschem_library/ngspice/delta_sigma.sch
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-v {xschem version=3.4.4 file_version=1.2
+v {xschem version=3.4.5 file_version=1.2
 *
 * This file is part of XSCHEM,
 * a schematic capture and Spice/Vhdl/Verilog netlisting tool for circuit
@@ -95,7 +95,9 @@ C {title.sym} 160 -30 0 0 {name=l1 author="Stefan Schippers"}
 C {lab_pin.sym} 270 -670 0 0 {name=p33 lab=VREF}
 C {vsource.sym} 270 -640 0 0 {name=v2 value="'VCC/2'"}
 C {lab_pin.sym} 270 -610 0 0 {name=p34 lab=0}
-C {code_shown.sym} 10 -440 0 0 {name=CONTROL 
+C {simulator_commands.sym} 10 -390 0 0 {name=INTERACTIVE
+simulator=ngspice
+spice_ignore=0
 tclcommand="xschem edit_vi_prop"
 xxplace=end
 value="
@@ -165,3 +167,35 @@ descr="Netlist + Simulate
 Ctrl-Left-Click" 
 tclcommand="xschem netlist; xschem simulate"
 }
+C {simulator_commands.sym} 150 -390 0 0 {name=BATCH_MODE
+simulator=ngspice
+spice_ignore=1
+tclcommand="xschem edit_vi_prop"
+xxplace=end
+value="
+** download the models from:
+** https://ptm.asu.edu/modelcard/65nm_bulk.txt
+.include models_65nm.txt
+.model switch sw vt='VCC/2' vh=0.2 ron=1000 roff=1G
+.param VCC=1.2
+.option method=GEAR
+.measure tran avg1 AVG v(x1.qn) from=1u to=3u 
+.measure tran avg2 AVG v(x1.qn) from=4u to=6u
+.measure tran avg3 AVG v(x1.qn) from=7u to=9u
+* save all
+.tran 0.2n 9u uic
+"}
+C {launcher.sym} 70 -210 0 0 {name=h2
+descr="Swap interactive / batch mode"
+tclcommand="proc simswap \{\} \{
+
+  set x [xschem getprop instance INTERACTIVE spice_ignore]
+  xschem setprop instance BATCH_MODE spice_ignore $x
+  set x [expr \{ !$x\}]
+  xschem setprop instance INTERACTIVE spice_ignore $x
+\}
+
+simswap
+
+"
+}
diff --git a/xschem_library/rom8k/rom8k.sch b/xschem_library/rom8k/rom8k.sch
index c48a9ad2..c492206e 100644
--- a/xschem_library/rom8k/rom8k.sch
+++ b/xschem_library/rom8k/rom8k.sch
@@ -364,8 +364,9 @@ C {spice_probe.sym} 1670 -790 0 0 {name=p91 analysis=tran}
 C {launcher.sym} 1050 -1320 0 0 {name=h3
 descr="Graph Manual page"
 url="https://xschem.sourceforge.io/stefan/xschem_man/graphs.html"}
-C {simulator_commands.sym} 470 -150 0 0 {name=COMMANDS
+C {simulator_commands.sym} 470 -150 0 0 {name=INTERACTIVE
 simulator=ngspice
+spice_ignore=0
 only_toplevel=false 
 value="
 .options SCALE=0.10
@@ -395,7 +396,7 @@ vvss vss 0 0
 .include models_rom8k.txt
 
 "}
-C {simulator_commands.sym} 600 -150 0 0 {name=COMMANDS1
+C {simulator_commands.sym} 600 -150 0 0 {name=COMMANDS
 place=header
 simulator=xyce
 only_toplevel=false 
@@ -481,8 +482,9 @@ tclcommand="
   \}
 "
 }
-C {simulator_commands.sym} 340 -150 0 0 {name=BATCH\\ MODE
+C {simulator_commands.sym} 340 -150 0 0 {name=BATCH_MODE
 simulator=ngspice
+spice_ignore=1
 only_toplevel=false 
 value="
 .options SCALE=0.10
@@ -508,3 +510,17 @@ vvss vss 0 0
 .include models_rom8k.txt
 
 "}
+C {launcher.sym} 300 -240 0 0 {name=h7
+descr="Swap interactive / batch mode"
+tclcommand="proc simswap \{\} \{
+
+  set x [xschem getprop instance INTERACTIVE spice_ignore]
+  xschem setprop instance BATCH_MODE spice_ignore $x
+  set x [expr \{ !$x\}]
+  xschem setprop instance INTERACTIVE spice_ignore $x
+\}
+
+simswap
+
+"
+}