diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8ea9a1e..5e45d18 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ XPMS = point.xpm delete.xpm delete_off.xpm \
        vec.xpm frame.xpm frame_locked.xpm frame_ready.xpm \
        line.xpm rect.xpm pad.xpm rpad.xpm circ.xpm \
        meas.xpm meas_x.xpm meas_y.xpm \
-       stuff.xpm stuff_off.xpm meas_off.xpm
+       stuff.xpm stuff_off.xpm meas_off.xpm \
+       bright.xpm bright_off.xpm all.xpm all_off.xpm
 
 SHELL = /bin/bash
 CFLAGS_GTK = `pkg-config --cflags gtk+-2.0`
diff --git a/gui.c b/gui.c
index 31ca821..4d3acad 100644
--- a/gui.c
+++ b/gui.c
@@ -27,16 +27,23 @@
 #include "icons/stuff_off.xpm"
 #include "icons/meas.xpm"
 #include "icons/meas_off.xpm"
+#include "icons/all.xpm"
+#include "icons/all_off.xpm"
+#include "icons/bright.xpm"
+#include "icons/bright_off.xpm"
 
 
 GtkWidget *root;
+int show_all = 1;
 int show_stuff = 1;
 int show_meas = 1;
+int show_bright = 0;
 
 
 static GtkWidget *frames_box;
-static GtkWidget *ev_stuff, *ev_meas;
-static GtkWidget *stuff_image[2], *meas_image[2];
+static GtkWidget *ev_stuff, *ev_meas, *ev_all, *ev_bright;
+static GtkWidget *stuff_image[2], *meas_image[2], *all_image[2];
+static GtkWidget *bright_image[2];
 
 
 /* ----- view callbacks ---------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -87,6 +94,21 @@ static void make_menu_bar(GtkWidget *hbox)
 }
 
 
+static gboolean toggle_all(GtkWidget *widget, GdkEventButton *event,
+    gpointer data)
+{
+	switch (event->button) {
+	case 1:
+		show_all = !show_all;
+		set_image(ev_all, all_image[show_all]);
+		inst_deselect();
+		redraw();
+		break;
+	}
+        return TRUE;
+}
+
+
 static gboolean toggle_stuff(GtkWidget *widget, GdkEventButton *event,
     gpointer data)
 {
@@ -117,6 +139,21 @@ static gboolean toggle_meas(GtkWidget *widget, GdkEventButton *event,
 }
 
 
+static gboolean toggle_bright(GtkWidget *widget, GdkEventButton *event,
+    gpointer data)
+{
+	switch (event->button) {
+	case 1:
+		show_bright = !show_bright;
+		set_image(ev_bright, bright_image[show_bright]);
+		inst_deselect();
+		redraw();
+		break;
+	}
+        return TRUE;
+}
+
+
 static void make_tool_bar(GtkWidget *hbox, GdkDrawable *drawable)
 {
 	GtkWidget *bar;
@@ -126,16 +163,24 @@ static void make_tool_bar(GtkWidget *hbox, GdkDrawable *drawable)
 	//gtk_box_pack_end(GTK_BOX(hbox), bar, FALSE, FALSE, 0);
 	gtk_toolbar_set_style(GTK_TOOLBAR(bar), GTK_TOOLBAR_ICONS);
 
+	ev_all = tool_button(bar, drawable, NULL, toggle_all, NULL);
 	ev_stuff = tool_button(bar, drawable, NULL, toggle_stuff, NULL);
 	ev_meas = tool_button(bar, drawable, NULL, toggle_meas, NULL);
+	ev_bright = tool_button(bar, drawable, NULL, toggle_bright, NULL);
 
 	stuff_image[0] = gtk_widget_ref(make_image(drawable, xpm_stuff_off));
 	stuff_image[1] = gtk_widget_ref(make_image(drawable, xpm_stuff));
 	meas_image[0] = gtk_widget_ref(make_image(drawable, xpm_meas_off));
 	meas_image[1] = gtk_widget_ref(make_image(drawable, xpm_meas));
+	all_image[0] = gtk_widget_ref(make_image(drawable, xpm_all_off));
+	all_image[1] = gtk_widget_ref(make_image(drawable, xpm_all));
+	bright_image[0] = gtk_widget_ref(make_image(drawable, xpm_bright_off));
+	bright_image[1] = gtk_widget_ref(make_image(drawable, xpm_bright));
 
 	set_image(ev_stuff, stuff_image[show_stuff]);
 	set_image(ev_meas, meas_image[show_meas]);
+	set_image(ev_all, all_image[show_all]);
+	set_image(ev_bright, bright_image[show_bright]);
 }
 
 
@@ -145,6 +190,10 @@ static void cleanup_tool_bar(void)
 	g_object_unref(stuff_image[1]);
 	g_object_unref(meas_image[0]);
 	g_object_unref(meas_image[1]);
+	g_object_unref(all_image[0]);
+	g_object_unref(all_image[1]);
+	g_object_unref(bright_image[0]);
+	g_object_unref(bright_image[1]);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/gui.h b/gui.h
index a1dbae0..a5d3663 100644
--- a/gui.h
+++ b/gui.h
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@
 
 
 extern GtkWidget *root;
+extern int show_all;
 extern int show_stuff;
 extern int show_meas;
+extern int show_bright;
 
 
 /* update everything after a model change */
diff --git a/gui_inst.c b/gui_inst.c
index b279a23..fb25329 100644
--- a/gui_inst.c
+++ b/gui_inst.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ static enum mode get_mode(struct inst *self)
 {
 	if (selected_inst == self)
 		return mode_selected;
-	return self->active ? mode_active : mode_inactive;
+	return self->active || bright(self) ? mode_active : mode_inactive;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/icons/all.fig b/icons/all.fig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..80a0bf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/icons/all.fig
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#FIG 3.2  Produced by xfig version 3.2.5a
+Landscape
+Center
+Inches
+A4      
+100.00
+Single
+-2
+1200 2
+0 32 #c0c000
+6 4350 3225 5625 4425
+2 1 0 15 13 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 1 1 -1 0 0 2
+	 4500 3825 5475 3825
+2 1 0 15 13 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 1 1 -1 0 0 2
+	 4650 3375 5250 4275
+2 1 0 15 13 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 1 1 -1 0 0 2
+	 5250 3375 4650 4275
+-6
+2 2 0 1 0 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 3600 2400 6000 2400 6000 4800 3600 4800 3600 2400
+2 1 0 10 12 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 0 1 -1 0 0 3
+	 3900 3690 3900 2850 5700 2850
diff --git a/icons/all_off.fig b/icons/all_off.fig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed4075a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/icons/all_off.fig
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#FIG 3.2  Produced by xfig version 3.2.5a
+Landscape
+Center
+Inches
+A4      
+100.00
+Single
+-2
+1200 2
+0 32 #c0c000
+6 4350 3225 5625 4425
+2 1 0 15 0 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 1 1 -1 0 0 2
+	 4650 3375 5250 4275
+2 1 0 15 0 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 1 1 -1 0 0 2
+	 5250 3375 4650 4275
+2 1 0 15 0 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 1 1 -1 0 0 2
+	 4500 3825 5475 3825
+-6
+2 2 0 1 0 7 60 -1 10 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 3600 2400 6000 2400 6000 4800 3600 4800 3600 2400
+2 1 0 10 0 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 0 1 -1 0 0 3
+	 3900 3690 3900 2850 5700 2850
diff --git a/icons/bright.fig b/icons/bright.fig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4316137
--- /dev/null
+++ b/icons/bright.fig
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#FIG 3.2  Produced by xfig version 3.2.5a
+Landscape
+Center
+Inches
+A4      
+100.00
+Single
+-2
+1200 2
+0 32 #b0ffff
+2 2 0 1 0 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 3600 2400 6000 2400 6000 4800 3600 4800 3600 2400
+2 2 0 0 0 4 50 -1 20 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 4200 3150 4650 3150 4650 4050 4200 4050 4200 3150
+2 2 0 0 0 4 50 -1 20 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 4950 3150 5400 3150 5400 4050 4950 4050 4950 3150
+2 2 0 10 3 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 3900 2850 5700 2850 5700 4350 3900 4350 3900 2850
+2 2 0 15 29 7 60 -1 -1 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 4950 3150 5400 3150 5400 4050 4950 4050 4950 3150
+2 2 0 15 29 7 60 -1 -1 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 4200 3150 4650 3150 4650 4050 4200 4050 4200 3150
+2 2 0 20 32 7 60 -1 -1 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 3900 2850 5700 2850 5700 4350 3900 4350 3900 2850
diff --git a/icons/bright_off.fig b/icons/bright_off.fig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f813d9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/icons/bright_off.fig
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#FIG 3.2  Produced by xfig version 3.2.5a
+Landscape
+Center
+Inches
+A4      
+100.00
+Single
+-2
+1200 2
+0 32 #b0ffff
+2 2 0 0 0 19 50 -1 20 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 4200 3150 4650 3150 4650 4050 4200 4050 4200 3150
+2 2 0 0 0 19 50 -1 20 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 4950 3150 5400 3150 5400 4050 4950 4050 4950 3150
+2 2 0 1 0 7 65 -1 10 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 3600 2400 6000 2400 6000 4800 3600 4800 3600 2400
+2 2 0 10 16 7 50 -1 -1 0.000 0 0 -1 0 0 5
+	 3900 2850 5700 2850 5700 4350 3900 4350 3900 2850
diff --git a/inst.c b/inst.c
index dbafe7e..5f4542b 100644
--- a/inst.c
+++ b/inst.c
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ static unsigned long active_set = 0;
 
 static struct inst_ops vec_ops;
 static struct inst_ops frame_ops;
+static struct inst_ops meas_ops;
 
 
 #define	IS_ACTIVE	((active_set & 1))
@@ -63,6 +64,27 @@ static int show(enum inst_prio prio)
 }
 
 
+int bright(const struct inst *inst)
+{
+	if (!show_bright)
+		return 0;
+	return inst->ops != &vec_ops && inst->ops != &frame_ops &&
+	    inst->ops != &meas_ops;
+}
+
+
+static int show_this(const struct inst *inst)
+{
+	if (show_all)
+		return 1;
+	if (inst->ops == &frame_ops && inst->u.frame.ref == active_frame)
+		return 1;
+	if (!inst->outer)
+		return active_frame == root_frame;
+	return inst->outer->u.frame.ref == active_frame;
+}
+
+
 /* ----- selection of items not on the canvas ------------------------------ */
 
 
@@ -176,6 +198,8 @@ int inst_select(struct coord pos)
 		if (!show(prio))
 			continue;
 		FOR_ALL_INSTS(i, prio, inst) {
+			if (!show_this(inst))
+				continue;
 			if (!inst->ops->distance)
 				continue;
 			if (!inst_connected(inst))
@@ -228,6 +252,9 @@ int inst_select(struct coord pos)
 			goto selected;
 	}
 
+	if (!show_all)
+		return 0;
+
 	if (any_same_frame) {
 		if (activate_item(any_same_frame))
 			return inst_select(pos);
@@ -1148,8 +1175,10 @@ void inst_draw(void)
 
 	FOR_INST_PRIOS_UP(prio)
 		FOR_ALL_INSTS(i, prio, inst)
-			if (show(prio) && !inst->active && inst->ops->draw)
-				inst->ops->draw(inst);
+			if (show_this(inst))
+				if (show(prio) && !inst->active &&
+				    inst->ops->draw)
+					inst->ops->draw(inst);
 	FOR_INST_PRIOS_UP(prio)
 		FOR_ALL_INSTS(i, prio, inst)
 			if (show(prio) && prio != ip_frame && inst->active &&
diff --git a/inst.h b/inst.h
index 08556ad..749a35a 100644
--- a/inst.h
+++ b/inst.h
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ extern	struct inst *curr_frame;
 		FOR_PKG_INSTS(i ? active_pkg : pkgs, prio, inst)
 
 
+int bright(const struct inst *inst);
+
 void inst_select_outside(void *item, void (*deselect)(void *item));
 int inst_select(struct coord pos);
 void inst_deselect(void);