diff --git a/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html b/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
index fff9e54d..deb50625 100644
--- a/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
+++ b/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
@@ -1495,6 +1495,8 @@ C {verilog_timescale.sym} 1050 -100 0 0 {name=s1 timestep="1ns" precision="1ns"
    <li><kbd>       select_inside x1 y1 x2 y2 [sel]</kbd></li><pre>
    Select all objects inside the indicated area
    if [sel] is set to '0' do an unselect operation </pre>
+   <li><kbd>       selected_rect</kbd></li><pre>
+  Return list of {color index} of selected rects </pre>
    <li><kbd>       selected_set [what]</kbd></li><pre>
    Return a list of selected instance names
    If what is not given or set to 'inst' return list of selected instance names
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index 4ddc0175..62fbdbe6 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -1582,11 +1582,11 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
               if(c >=0 && c < cadlayers) {
                 Tcl_SetResult(interp, my_itoa(xctx->lines[c]),TCL_VOLATILE);
               } else {
-                Tcl_SetResult(interp, "xschem get rects n: layer number out of range", TCL_STATIC);
+                Tcl_SetResult(interp, "xschem get lines n: layer number out of range", TCL_STATIC);
                 return TCL_ERROR;
               }
             } else {
-              Tcl_SetResult(interp, "xschem get rects n: give a layer number", TCL_STATIC);
+              Tcl_SetResult(interp, "xschem get lines n: give a layer number", TCL_STATIC);
               return TCL_ERROR;
             }
           }
@@ -5372,6 +5372,26 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
       Tcl_ResetResult(interp);
     }
 
+    /* selected_rect
+     *  Return list of {color index} of selected rects */
+    else if(!strcmp(argv[1], "selected_rect"))
+    {
+      int n, i, c, first = 1;
+      char cstr[40];
+      if(!xctx) {Tcl_SetResult(interp, not_avail, TCL_STATIC); return TCL_ERROR;}
+      rebuild_selected_array();
+      for(n=0; n < xctx->lastsel; ++n) {
+        if(xctx->sel_array[n].type == xRECT) {
+          i = xctx->sel_array[n].n;
+          c = xctx->sel_array[n].col;
+          my_snprintf(cstr, S(cstr), "%d", c);
+          if(first == 0)  Tcl_AppendResult(interp, " ", NULL);
+          Tcl_AppendResult(interp, "{", cstr, " ", my_itoa(i), "}", NULL);
+          first = 0;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     /* selected_set [what]
      *   Return a list of selected instance names
      *   If what is not given or set to 'inst' return list of selected instance names