Index: trunk/src/layer.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/layer.c	(revision 18065)
+++ trunk/src/layer.c	(revision 18066)
@@ -906,6 +906,15 @@
 	return 0;
 }
 
+const char *pcb_layer_type_bit2str(pcb_layer_type_t type)
+{
+	const pcb_layer_type_name_t *n;
+	for(n = pcb_layer_type_names; n->name != NULL; n++)
+		if (type & n->type)
+			return n->name;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 pcb_layer_combining_t pcb_layer_comb_str2bit(const char *name)
 {
 	const pcb_layer_type_name_t *n;
Index: trunk/src/layer.h
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/layer.h	(revision 18065)
+++ trunk/src/layer.h	(revision 18066)
@@ -225,6 +225,9 @@
 pcb_layer_type_t pcb_layer_type_str2bit(const char *name);
 pcb_layer_combining_t pcb_layer_comb_str2bit(const char *name);
 
+/* return the name of a type bit; type should have only one bit set */
+const char *pcb_layer_type_bit2str(pcb_layer_type_t type);
+
 /* Various fixes for old/plain/flat layer stack imports vs. composite layers */
 void pcb_layer_auto_fixup(pcb_board_t *pcb);