Index: src/file.c
===================================================================
--- src/file.c	(revision 920)
+++ src/file.c	(revision 921)
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@
       AttributePut (PCB, "PCB::grid::unit", Settings.grid_unit->suffix);
  
       sort_netlist ();
-      rats_patch_apply(PCB);
+      rats_patch_make_edited(PCB);
 
       set_some_route_style ();
 
@@ -1482,7 +1482,7 @@
   else
     fclose (fp);
   sort_netlist ();
-  rats_patch_apply(PCB);
+  rats_patch_make_edited(PCB);
   return (0);
 }
 
Index: src/rats_patch.c
===================================================================
--- src/rats_patch.c	(revision 920)
+++ src/rats_patch.c	(revision 921)
@@ -67,8 +67,17 @@
 	}
 }
 
-void rats_patch_apply(PCBTypePtr pcb)
+int rats_patch_apply(PCBTypePtr pcb, rats_patch_line_t *patch)
 {
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void rats_patch_make_edited(PCBTypePtr pcb)
+{
+	rats_patch_line_t *n;
+
 	netlist_free(&(pcb->NetlistLib[NETLIST_EDITED]));
 	netlist_copy(&(pcb->NetlistLib[NETLIST_EDITED]), &(pcb->NetlistLib[NETLIST_INPUT]));
+	for(n = pcb->NetlistPatches; n != NULL; n = n->next)
+		rats_patch_apply(pcb, n);
 }
Index: src/rats_patch.h
===================================================================
--- src/rats_patch.h	(revision 920)
+++ src/rats_patch.h	(revision 921)
@@ -2,4 +2,7 @@
 void rats_patch_append(PCBTypePtr pcb, rats_patch_op_t op, const char *id, const char *a1, const char *a2);
 
 /* Create [NETLIST_EDITED] from [NETLIST_INPUT] applying the patch */
-void rats_patch_apply(PCBTypePtr pcb);
+void rats_patch_make_edited(PCBTypePtr pcb);
+
+/* apply a single patch record on [NETLIST_EDITED]; returns non-zero on failure */
+int rats_patch_apply(PCBTypePtr pcb, rats_patch_line_t *patch);