Index: mentor_sch.c
===================================================================
--- mentor_sch.c	(revision 7429)
+++ mentor_sch.c	(revision 7430)
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@
 
 	pcb_hid_actionl("Netlist", "Freeze", NULL);
 	pcb_hid_actionl("Netlist", "Clear", NULL);
+	pcb_hid_actionl("ElementList", "start", NULL);
 
 	for(library = dom->root->children; library != NULL; library = library->next) {
 		if (strcmp(library->str, "library") == 0) {
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	pcb_hid_actionl("ElementList", "Done", NULL);
 	pcb_hid_actionl("Netlist", "Sort", NULL);
 	pcb_hid_actionl("Netlist", "Thaw", NULL);
 
Index: netlist_helper.c
===================================================================
--- netlist_helper.c	(revision 7429)
+++ netlist_helper.c	(revision 7430)
@@ -238,24 +238,26 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	/* look up hardwired attributes */
-	footprint = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "pcb-rnd-footprint");
-	if (footprint == NULL)
-		footprint = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "footprint");
-	if (footprint == NULL)
-		footprint = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "Footprint");
+	refdes = htsp_get(&ectx->nhctx->id2refdes, ectx->id);
+	if (refdes != NULL) {
+		/* look up hardwired attributes */
+		footprint = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "pcb-rnd-footprint");
+		if (footprint == NULL) footprint = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "footprint");
+		if (footprint == NULL) footprint = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "Footprint");
+		if (footprint == NULL) footprint = "";
 
-	value = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "pcb-rnd-value");
-	if (value == NULL)
-		value = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "value");
-	if (value == NULL)
-		value = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "Value");
+		value = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "pcb-rnd-value");
+		if (value == NULL) value = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "value");
+		if (value == NULL) value = htsp_get(&ectx->attr, "Value");
+		if (value == NULL) value = "";
 
-	refdes = htsp_get(&ectx->nhctx->id2refdes, ectx->id);
+		/* create elemet */
+		pcb_hid_actionl("ElementList", "Need", refdes, footprint, value, NULL);
+		printf("Elem '%s' -> %s:%s:%s\n", ectx->id, refdes, footprint, value);
+	}
+	else
+		pcb_message(PCB_MSG_ERROR, "Ignoring part %s: no refdes\n", ectx->id);
 
-	/* create elemet */
-	printf("Elem '%s' -> %s:%s:%s\n", ectx->id, refdes, footprint, value);
-
 	/* free */
 	for (e = htsp_first(&ectx->attr); e; e = htsp_next(&ectx->attr, e)) {
 		free(e->key);