Index: trunk/src/action.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/action.c	(revision 863)
+++ trunk/src/action.c	(revision 864)
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@
 
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 /* Ask the suer for a search pattern */
-static char *gui_get_pat()
+static char *gui_get_pat(search_method_t *method)
 {
 	const char *methods[] = { "regexp", "list of names", NULL };
 	HID_Attribute attrs[] = {
@@ -594,14 +594,7 @@
 
 	gui->attribute_dialog(attrs, nattr, results, "Find element", "Find element by name");
 
-	if (results[1].int_value == 1) {
-		int len = strlen(results[0].str_value);
-		char *rpat;
-		rpat = malloc(len + 8);
-		sprintf(rpat, "^(%s)$", results[0].str_value);
-		return rpat;
-	}
-
+	*method = results[1].int_value;
 	return strdup(results[0].str_value);
 #undef nattr
 }
@@ -5607,11 +5600,12 @@
 	commonByName:
 	  {
 	    char *pattern = ARG (1);
+	    search_method_t method;
 
 	    if (pattern
-		|| (pattern = gui_get_pat()) != NULL)
+		|| (pattern = gui_get_pat(&method)) != NULL)
 	      {
-		if (SelectObjectByName (type, pattern, true))
+		if (SelectObjectByName (type, pattern, true, method))
 		  SetChangedFlag (true);
 		if (ARG (1) == NULL)
 		  free (pattern);
@@ -5792,11 +5786,12 @@
 	commonByName:
 	  {
 	    char *pattern = ARG (1);
+	    search_method_t method;
 
 	    if (pattern
-		|| (pattern = gui_get_pat()) != NULL)
+		|| (pattern = gui_get_pat(&method)) != NULL)
 	      {
-		if (SelectObjectByName (type, pattern, false))
+		if (SelectObjectByName (type, pattern, false, method))
 		  SetChangedFlag (true);
 		if (ARG (1) == NULL)
 		  free (pattern);
Index: trunk/src/select.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/select.c	(revision 863)
+++ trunk/src/select.c	(revision 864)
@@ -819,17 +819,28 @@
 }
 #endif
 
+/* case insensitive match of each element in the array pat against name 
+   returns 1 if any of them matched */
+static int strlst_match(const char **pat, const char *name)
+{
+	for(; *pat != NULL; pat++)
+		if (strcasecmp(*pat, name) == 0)
+			return 1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 bool
-SelectObjectByName (int Type, char *Pattern, bool Flag)
+SelectObjectByName (int Type, char *Pattern, bool Flag, search_method_t method)
 {
   bool changed = false;
+  const char **pat = NULL;
+  int result;
+  regex_t compiled;
 
+	if (method == SM_REGEX) {
 #if defined(HAVE_REGCOMP)
-#define	REGEXEC(arg)	(regexec_match_all(&compiled, (arg)))
+#define	REGEXEC(arg)	(method == SM_REGEX ? regexec_match_all(&compiled, (arg)) : strlst_match(pat, (arg)))
 
-  int result;
-  regex_t compiled;
-
   /* compile the regular expression */
   result = regcomp (&compiled, Pattern, REG_EXTENDED | REG_ICASE);
   if (result)
@@ -842,7 +853,7 @@
       return (false);
     }
 #else
-#define	REGEXEC(arg)	(re_exec((arg)) == 1)
+#define	REGEXEC(arg)	(method == SM_REGEX ? (re_exec((arg)) == 1) : strlst_match(pat, (arg)))
 
   char *compiled;
 
@@ -853,7 +864,35 @@
       return (false);
     }
 #endif
+	}
+	else {
+		char *s,*next;
+		int n, w;
 
+		/* count the number of patterns */
+		for(s = Pattern, w=0; *s != '\0'; s++)
+			if (*s == '|')
+				w++;
+		pat = malloc((w+2) * sizeof(char *)); /* make room for the NULL too */
+		for(s = Pattern, n = 0; s != NULL; s = next) {
+			char *end;
+/*fprintf(stderr, "S: '%s'\n", s, next);*/
+			while(isspace(*s)) s++;
+			next = strchr(s, '|');
+			if (next != NULL) {
+				*next = '\0';
+				next++;
+			}
+			end = s + strlen(s)-1;
+			while((end >= s) && (isspace(*end))) { *end = '\0'; end--; }
+			if (*s != '\0') {
+				pat[n] = s;
+				n++;
+			}
+		}
+		pat[n] = NULL;
+	}
+
   /* loop over all visible objects with names */
   if (Type & TEXT_TYPE)
     ALLTEXT_LOOP (PCB->Data);
@@ -982,11 +1021,13 @@
       FreeConnectionLookupMemory ();
     }
 
+  if (method == SM_REGEX) {
 #if defined(HAVE_REGCOMP)
 #if !defined(sgi)
-  regfree (&compiled);
+    regfree (&compiled);
 #endif
 #endif
+  }
 
   if (changed)
     {
@@ -993,6 +1034,8 @@
       IncrementUndoSerialNumber ();
       Draw ();
     }
+  if (pat != NULL)
+    free(pat);
   return (changed);
 }
 #endif /* defined(HAVE_REGCOMP) || defined(HAVE_RE_COMP) */
Index: trunk/src/select.h
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/select.h	(revision 863)
+++ trunk/src/select.h	(revision 864)
@@ -43,8 +43,13 @@
 void *ObjectOperation (ObjectFunctionTypePtr, int, void *, void *, void *);
 bool SelectConnection (bool);
 
+typedef enum {
+	SM_REGEX = 0,
+	SM_LIST  = 1
+} search_method_t;
+
 #if defined(HAVE_REGCOMP) || defined(HAVE_RE_COMP)
-bool SelectObjectByName (int, char *, bool);
+bool SelectObjectByName (int, char *, bool, search_method_t);
 #endif
 
 #endif