diff --git a/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html b/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
index 51cbd0d0..b117c242 100644
--- a/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
+++ b/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
@@ -548,6 +548,7 @@ C {verilog_timescale.sym} 1050 -100 0 0 {name=s1 timestep="1ns" precision="1ns"
 
 
 
+
 
 
    <li><kbd>       abort_operation</kbd></li><pre>
@@ -682,6 +683,9 @@ C {verilog_timescale.sym} 1050 -100 0 0 {name=s1 timestep="1ns" precision="1ns"
    xschem expandlabel {2*A[3:0]} --&gt; A[3],A[2],A[1],A[0],A[3],A[2],A[1],A[0] 8
    last field is the number of bits
    since [ and ] are TCL special characters argument must be quoted with { and } </pre>
+   <li><kbd>       fill_type n fill_type [nodraw]</kbd></li><pre>
+   Set fill type for layer 'n', fill_type may be 'solid' or 'stipple' or 'empty'
+   If 'nodraw' is given do not redraw window.</pre>
    <li><kbd>       find_nth string sep quote keep_quote n</kbd></li><pre>
    Find n-th field string separated by characters in sep. 1st field is in position 1
    do not split quoted fields (if quote characters are given) and return unquoted.
@@ -1483,6 +1487,8 @@ C {verilog_timescale.sym} 1050 -100 0 0 {name=s1 timestep="1ns" precision="1ns"
 
 
 
+
+
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index e1e3e6b5..fe3e498a 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -908,13 +908,38 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
     else { cmd_found = 0;}
     break;
     case 'f': /*----------------------------------------------*/
+    /* fill_type n fill_type [nodraw]
+     *   Set fill type for layer 'n', fill_type may be 'solid' or 'stipple' or 'empty'
+     *   If 'nodraw' is given do not redraw window.
+     */ 
+    if(!strcmp(argv[1], "fill_type"))
+    {
+      int dr = 1;
+      if(!xctx) {Tcl_SetResult(interp, not_avail, TCL_STATIC); return TCL_ERROR;}
+      if(argc > 3) {
+        int n = atoi(argv[2]);
+        if(n >=0 && n < cadlayers) {
+          if(!strcmp(argv[3], "solid")) xctx->fill_type[n]=1;
+          else if(!strcmp(argv[3], "stipple")) xctx->fill_type[n]=2;
+          else if(!strcmp(argv[3], "empty")) xctx->fill_type[n]=0;
+          free_gc();
+          create_gc();
+          enable_layers();
+          build_colors(0.0, 0.0);
+          resetwin(1, 0, 1, 0, 0);  /* recreate pixmap. resetwin(create_pixmap, clear_pixmap, force, w, h) */
+          if(argc > 4 && !strcmp(argv[4], "nodraw")) dr = 0;
+          if(dr) draw();
+        }
+      } 
+    }   
+
     /* find_nth string sep quote keep_quote n
      *   Find n-th field string separated by characters in sep. 1st field is in position 1
      *   do not split quoted fields (if quote characters are given) and return unquoted.
      *   xschem find_nth {aaa,bbb,ccc,ddd} {,} 2  --> bbb 
      *   xschem find_nth {aaa, "bbb, ccc" , ddd} { ,} {"} 2  --> bbb, ccc
      */
-    if(!strcmp(argv[1], "find_nth"))
+    else if(!strcmp(argv[1], "find_nth"))
     {
       if(argc > 6) {
         Tcl_SetResult(interp, find_nth(argv[2], argv[3], argv[4], atoi(argv[5]), atoi(argv[6])), TCL_VOLATILE);
diff --git a/src/xinit.c b/src/xinit.c
index efe4bd6e..795c0759 100644
--- a/src/xinit.c
+++ b/src/xinit.c
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ static void free_xschem_data()
   my_free(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx);
 }
 
-static void create_gc(void)
+void create_gc(void)
 {
   int i;
   for(i=0;i<cadlayers; ++i)
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ static void create_gc(void)
   }
 }
 
-static void free_gc()
+void free_gc()
 {
   int i;
   for(i=0;i<cadlayers; ++i) {
diff --git a/src/xschem.h b/src/xschem.h
index 1eb54fae..424fe39a 100644
--- a/src/xschem.h
+++ b/src/xschem.h
@@ -1663,6 +1663,8 @@ extern int prepare_netlist_structs(int for_netlist);
 extern int skip_instance(int i,  int skip_short, int lvs_ignore);
 extern int shorted_instance(int i, int lvs_ignore);
 extern int compare_schematics(const char *filename);
+extern void create_gc(void);
+extern void free_gc(void);
 extern int warning_overlapped_symbols(int sel);
 extern void free_simdata(void);
 extern void delete_netlist_structs(void);