diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index 227acbbd..163d3ade 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -783,6 +783,7 @@ int raw_read(const char *f, Raw **rawptr, const char *type)
     dbg(0, "raw_read(): must clear current raw file before loading new\n");
     return res;
   }
+  dbg(1, "raw_read(): type=%s\n", type ? type : "NULL");
   *rawptr = my_calloc(_ALLOC_ID_, 1, sizeof(Raw));
   raw = *rawptr;
   raw->level = -1; 
@@ -833,7 +834,8 @@ int extra_rawfile(int what, const char *file, const char *type)
     xctx->extra_raw_arr[xctx->extra_raw_n] = xctx->raw;
     xctx->extra_raw_n++;
   }
-  if(what == 1 && xctx->extra_raw_n < MAX_RAW_N && file && type) { /* read */
+  /* **************** read ************* */
+  if(what == 1 && xctx->extra_raw_n < MAX_RAW_N && file && type) {
     tclvareval("subst {", file, "}", NULL);
     my_strncpy(f, tclresult(), S(f));
     for(i = 0; i < xctx->extra_raw_n; i++) {
@@ -850,12 +852,12 @@ int extra_rawfile(int what, const char *file, const char *type)
       read_ret = raw_read(f, &xctx->raw, type);
       if(read_ret) {
         xctx->extra_raw_arr[xctx->extra_raw_n] = xctx->raw;
-        xctx->extra_raw_n++;
         xctx->extra_prev_idx = xctx->extra_idx;
         xctx->extra_idx = xctx->extra_raw_n;
+        xctx->extra_raw_n++;
       } else {
         ret = 0; /* not found so did not switch */
-        dbg(0, "extra_rawfile() read: %s %s not found\n", f, type);
+        dbg(0, "extra_rawfile() read: %s not found or no %s analysis\n", f, type);
         xctx->raw = save; /* restore */
         xctx->extra_prev_idx = xctx->extra_idx;
       }
@@ -865,7 +867,8 @@ int extra_rawfile(int what, const char *file, const char *type)
       xctx->extra_idx = i;
       xctx->raw = xctx->extra_raw_arr[xctx->extra_idx];
     }
-  } else if(what == 2) { /* switch */
+  /* **************** switch ************* */
+  } else if(what == 2) {
     if(file && type) {
       tclvareval("subst {", file, "}", NULL);
       my_strncpy(f, tclresult(), S(f));
@@ -881,7 +884,7 @@ int extra_rawfile(int what, const char *file, const char *type)
         xctx->extra_prev_idx = xctx->extra_idx;
         xctx->extra_idx = i;
       } else {
-        dbg(0, "extra_rawfile() switch: %s %s not found\n", f, type);
+        dbg(0, "extra_rawfile() switch: %s not found or no %s analysis\n", f, type);
         ret = 0;
       }
     } else { /* switch to next */
@@ -889,13 +892,17 @@ int extra_rawfile(int what, const char *file, const char *type)
       xctx->extra_idx = (xctx->extra_idx + 1) % xctx->extra_raw_n;
     }
     xctx->raw = xctx->extra_raw_arr[xctx->extra_idx];
-  } else if(what == 5) { /* switch_back */
+  /* **************** switch back ************* */
+  } else if(what == 5) {
     int tmp;
+    dbg(1, "extra_rawfile() switch back: extra_idx=%d, extra_prev_idx=%d\n",
+            xctx->extra_idx,  xctx->extra_prev_idx);
     tmp = xctx->extra_idx;
     xctx->extra_idx = xctx->extra_prev_idx;
     xctx->extra_prev_idx = tmp;
     xctx->raw = xctx->extra_raw_arr[xctx->extra_idx];
-  } else if(what == 3) { /* clear */
+  /* **************** clear ************* */
+  } else if(what == 3) {
     if(!file) { /* clear all , keep only current */
       for(i = 0; i < xctx->extra_raw_n; i++) {
         if(i == xctx->extra_idx) {
@@ -929,7 +936,8 @@ int extra_rawfile(int what, const char *file, const char *type)
         } else ret = 0;
       } else ret = 0;
     }
-  } else if(what == 4) { /* info */
+  /* **************** info ************* */
+  } else if(what == 4) {
     if(xctx->raw) {
       dbg(1, "extra_raw_n = %d\n", xctx->extra_raw_n);
       Tcl_AppendResult(interp, my_itoa(xctx->extra_idx), " current\n", NULL);
@@ -938,6 +946,8 @@ int extra_rawfile(int what, const char *file, const char *type)
             xctx->extra_raw_arr[i]->sim_type ? xctx->extra_raw_arr[i]->sim_type : "NULL", "\n",  NULL);
       }
     }
+  } else {
+    ret = 0;
   }
   return ret;
 }
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index ac97795e..e38c29ac 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -908,6 +908,29 @@ proc sim_is_xyce {} {
   return 0
 }
 
+# tests if file f exists. One level of global scope 'subst' is done on f
+# to expand global variables / commands catching errors.
+# example:
+#    % set b {$env(HOME)/.bashrc}
+#    $env(HOME)/.bashrc
+#    % file_exists $b
+#    1
+#    % 
+#    %
+#    % set b {$env(HOMExx)/.bashrc}
+#    $env(HOMExx)/.bashrc
+#    % file_exists $b
+#    0
+#    % 
+proc file_exists {f} {
+  set ret 0
+  set r [catch "uplevel #0 {subst $f}" res]
+  if {$r == 0} {
+    if {[file exists $res]} { set ret 1}
+  }
+  return $ret
+}
+
 # wrapper to "xschem list_tokens" comand to handle non list results
 # usually as a result of malformed input strings
 proc list_tokens {s} {
@@ -2045,7 +2068,7 @@ proc graph_edit_properties {n} {
   if { [info tclversion] > 8.4} {
     bind .graphdialog.center.right.list <<ComboboxSelected>> {
       xschem setprop rect 2 $graph_selected sim_type [.graphdialog.center.right.list get] fast
-      if {[file exists [subst [.graphdialog.center.right.rawentry get]]]} {
+      if {[file_exists [.graphdialog.center.right.rawentry get]]} {
         graph_fill_listbox
       }
     }
@@ -2065,7 +2088,7 @@ proc graph_edit_properties {n} {
 
   bind .graphdialog.center.right.list <KeyRelease> {
     xschem setprop rect 2 $graph_selected sim_type [.graphdialog.center.right.list get] fast
-    if {[file exists [subst [.graphdialog.center.right.rawentry get]]]} {
+    if {[file_exists [.graphdialog.center.right.rawentry get]]} {
       graph_fill_listbox
     }
   }
@@ -2075,7 +2098,7 @@ proc graph_edit_properties {n} {
   entry .graphdialog.center.right.rawentry -width 30
   bind .graphdialog.center.right.rawentry <Leave> {
     xschem setprop rect 2 $graph_selected rawfile [.graphdialog.center.right.rawentry get] fast
-    if {[file exists [subst [.graphdialog.center.right.rawentry get]]]} {
+    if {[file_exists [.graphdialog.center.right.rawentry get]]} {
       graph_fill_listbox
     }
   }
@@ -6101,7 +6124,7 @@ proc build_widgets { {topwin {} } } {
            xschem redraw
          }
      }
-  $topwin.menubar.option.menu add checkbutton -label "Persistet wire/line place command" -variable persistent_command
+  $topwin.menubar.option.menu add checkbutton -label "Persistent wire/line place command" -variable persistent_command
 
   $topwin.menubar.option.menu add command -label "Replace \[ and \] for buses in SPICE netlist" \
      -command {