Index: file.c
===================================================================
--- file.c	(revision 32093)
+++ file.c	(revision 32094)
@@ -1304,3 +1304,124 @@
 	gds_uninit(&tag);
 	return head;
 }
+
+/* old outline rules from geda/pcb */
+#define LAYER_IS_OUTLINE(idx) ((pcb->Data->Layer[idx].name != NULL) && ((strcmp(pcb->Data->Layer[idx].name, "route") == 0 || rnd_strcasecmp(pcb->Data->Layer[(idx)].name, "outline") == 0)))
+
+static int flush_item(const char *s, const char *start, rnd_layer_id_t *lids, int *lids_len, pcb_layer_type_t *loc)
+{
+	char *end;
+	rnd_layer_id_t lid;
+	switch (*start) {
+		case 'c': case 'C': case 't': case 'T': *loc = PCB_LYT_TOP; break;
+		case 's': case 'S': case 'b': case 'B': *loc = PCB_LYT_BOTTOM; break;
+		default:
+			lid = strtol(start, &end, 10)-1;
+			if (end != s)
+				return -1;
+			if ((*lids_len) >= PCB_MAX_LAYER)
+				return -1;
+			lids[*lids_len] = lid;
+			(*lids_len)++;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int pcb_layer_parse_group_string(pcb_board_t *pcb, const char *grp_str, int LayerN, int oldfmt)
+{
+	const char *s, *start;
+	rnd_layer_id_t lids[PCB_MAX_LAYER];
+	int lids_len = 0;
+	pcb_layer_type_t loc = PCB_LYT_INTERN;
+	pcb_layergrp_t *g;
+	int n;
+	pcb_layer_stack_t *LayerGroup = &pcb->LayerGroups;
+
+	pcb_layergrp_inhibit_inc();
+
+	/* clear struct */
+	pcb_layer_group_setup_default(pcb);
+
+	for(start = s = grp_str; ; s++) {
+		switch(*s) {
+			case ',':
+				if (flush_item(s, start, lids, &lids_len, &loc) != 0)
+					goto error;
+				start = s+1;
+				break;
+			case '\0':
+			case ':':
+				if (flush_item(s, start, lids, &lids_len, &loc) != 0)
+					goto error;
+				/* finalize group */
+				if (loc & PCB_LYT_INTERN) {
+					g = pcb_get_grp_new_intern(pcb, -1);
+					if (g == NULL) {
+						rnd_message(RND_MSG_ERROR, "pcb_layer_parse_group_string(): unable to insert layer groups for copper\n");
+						goto error;
+					}
+				}
+				else {
+					g = pcb_get_grp(LayerGroup, loc, PCB_LYT_COPPER);
+					if (g == NULL) {
+						rnd_message(RND_MSG_ERROR, "pcb_layer_parse_group_string(): unable to insert layer groups for copper\n");
+						goto error;
+					}
+				}
+
+				for(n = 0; n < lids_len; n++) {
+					if (lids[n] < 0)
+						continue;
+					if (LAYER_IS_OUTLINE(lids[n])) {
+						if (g->ltype & PCB_LYT_INTERN) {
+							pcb_layergrp_fix_turn_to_outline(g);
+							pcb->Data->Layer[lids[n]].comb |= PCB_LYC_AUTO;
+						}
+						else
+							rnd_message(RND_MSG_ERROR, "outline layer can not be on the solder or component side - converting it into a copper layer\n");
+					}
+					if (g == NULL) {
+						rnd_message(RND_MSG_ERROR, "pcb_layer_parse_group_string(): unable to find copper group for creating the copper layer\n");
+						goto error;
+					}
+					pcb_layer_add_in_group_(pcb, g, g - LayerGroup->grp, lids[n]);
+				}
+
+				lids_len = 0;
+
+				/* prepare for next iteration */
+				loc = PCB_LYT_INTERN;
+				start = s+1;
+				break;
+		}
+		if (*s == '\0')
+			break;
+	}
+
+	pcb_layergrp_fix_old_outline(pcb);
+
+	/* set the two silks */
+	g = pcb_get_grp(LayerGroup, PCB_LYT_BOTTOM, PCB_LYT_SILK);
+	if (g == NULL) {
+		rnd_message(RND_MSG_ERROR, "pcb_layer_parse_group_string(): unable to find bottom silk layer group\n");
+		goto error;
+	}
+	pcb_layer_add_in_group_(pcb, g, g - LayerGroup->grp, LayerN-2);
+
+
+	g = pcb_get_grp(LayerGroup, PCB_LYT_TOP, PCB_LYT_SILK);
+	if (g == NULL) {
+		rnd_message(RND_MSG_ERROR, "pcb_layer_parse_group_string(): unable to find top silk layer group\n");
+		goto error;
+	}
+	pcb_layer_add_in_group_(pcb, g, g - LayerGroup->grp, LayerN-1);
+
+	pcb_layergrp_inhibit_dec();
+	return 0;
+
+	/* reset structure on error */
+error:
+	pcb_layergrp_inhibit_dec();
+	memset(LayerGroup, 0, sizeof(pcb_layer_stack_t));
+	return 1;
+}
Index: file.h
===================================================================
--- file.h	(revision 32093)
+++ file.h	(revision 32094)
@@ -100,4 +100,10 @@
 
 pcb_plug_fp_map_t *io_pcb_map_footprint(pcb_plug_io_t *ctx, FILE *f, const char *fn, pcb_plug_fp_map_t *head, int need_tags);
 
+/* parses the group definition string which is a colon separated list of
+   comma separated layer numbers (1,2,b:4,6,8,t); oldfmt is 0 or 1
+   depending on PCB() or PCB[] in the file header. */
+int pcb_layer_parse_group_string(pcb_board_t *pcb, const char *s, int LayerN, int oldfmt);
+
+
 #endif