diff --git a/archimedean.cpp b/archimedean.cpp
index b0eec678..c1e55232 100644
--- a/archimedean.cpp
+++ b/archimedean.cpp
@@ -963,12 +963,12 @@ void enable(archimedean_tiling& arct) {
   stop_game();
   if(geometry != gArchimedean) targetgeometry = gArchimedean, stop_game_and_switch_mode(rg::geometry);
   nonbitrunc = true; need_reset_geometry = true; gp::on = false; irr::on = false;
-  patterns::whichPattern = 0;
+  patterns::whichPattern = patterns::PAT_NONE;
 #if CAP_TEXTURE
   if(texture::config.tstate == texture::tsActive && texture::cgroup == cpThree)
     patterns::whichPattern = patterns::PAT_COLORING;
   if(texture::config.tstate == texture::tsActive && texture::cgroup == cpFootball)
-    patterns::whichPattern = 0, patterns::subpattern_flags = patterns::SPF_FOOTBALL;
+    patterns::whichPattern = patterns::PAT_TYPES, patterns::subpattern_flags = patterns::SPF_FOOTBALL;
   if(texture::config.tstate == texture::tsActive && texture::cgroup == cpChess)
     patterns::whichPattern = patterns::PAT_CHESS;
 #endif
diff --git a/graph.cpp b/graph.cpp
index 8b6d3153..e2f52a0f 100644
--- a/graph.cpp
+++ b/graph.cpp
@@ -2446,7 +2446,7 @@ void set_zebrafloor(cell *c) {
     set_floor(shFloor); return;
     }
   
-  auto si = patterns::getpatterninfo(c, 'z', patterns::SPF_SYM0123);
+  auto si = patterns::getpatterninfo(c, patterns::PAT_ZEBRA, patterns::SPF_SYM0123);
   
   int j;
   if(nonbitrunc) j = 4;
@@ -2531,7 +2531,7 @@ void draw_reptile(cell *c, const transmatrix &V, int col) {
 
 void set_emeraldfloor(cell *c) {
   if(!masterless && !nonbitrunc) {
-    auto si = patterns::getpatterninfo(c, 'f', patterns::SPF_SYM0123);
+    auto si = patterns::getpatterninfo(c, patterns::PAT_EMERALD, patterns::SPF_SYM0123);
   
     int j = -1;
 
@@ -3142,7 +3142,7 @@ void set_maywarp_floor(cell *c) {
       set_floor(shTriheptaFloor);
       return;
       }
-    auto si = patterns::getpatterninfo(c, 0, 0);
+    auto si = patterns::getpatterninfo(c, patterns::PAT_TYPES, 0);
     if(si.id == 0 || si.id == 1)
       set_floor(shTriheptaFloor);
     else if(si.id >= 14)
diff --git a/hyper.h b/hyper.h
index c4249616..c1a305c1 100644
--- a/hyper.h
+++ b/hyper.h
@@ -1025,19 +1025,23 @@ namespace patterns {
   extern char whichShape;
   extern int canvasback;
 
-  extern char whichPattern;
   extern cpatterntype cgroup, old_cgroup;
   
-  static const char PAT_WARP = 0;
-  static const char PAT_ZEBRA = 'z';
-  static const char PAT_EMERALD = 'f';
-  static const char PAT_PALACE = 'p';
-  static const char PAT_FIELD = 'F';
-  static const char PAT_DOWN = 'H';
-  static const char PAT_COLORING = 'C';
-  static const char PAT_SIBLING = 'S';
-  static const char PAT_CHESS = 'c';
-  static const char PAT_SINGLETYPE = 't';
+  enum ePattern {
+    PAT_NONE = 0,
+    PAT_TYPES = 'T',
+    PAT_ZEBRA = 'z',
+    PAT_EMERALD = 'f',
+    PAT_PALACE = 'p',
+    PAT_FIELD = 'F',
+    PAT_DOWN = 'H',
+    PAT_COLORING = 'C',
+    PAT_SIBLING = 'S',
+    PAT_CHESS = 'c',
+    PAT_SINGLETYPE = 't'
+    };
+
+  extern ePattern whichPattern;
 
   extern int subpattern_flags;
   
@@ -1068,7 +1072,7 @@ namespace patterns {
     int symmetries;
     };
     
-  patterninfo getpatterninfo(cell *c, char pat, int sub);
+  patterninfo getpatterninfo(cell *c, ePattern pat, int sub);
 
   inline patterninfo getpatterninfo0(cell *c) {
     return getpatterninfo(c, whichPattern, subpattern_flags);
diff --git a/mapeditor.cpp b/mapeditor.cpp
index ccf36c22..7e94fda0 100644
--- a/mapeditor.cpp
+++ b/mapeditor.cpp
@@ -1335,7 +1335,7 @@ namespace mapeditor {
       int tg, wp;
       int nt;
       hr::ignore(fscanf(f, "%d%d%d%d\n", &tg, &nt, &wp, &patterns::subpattern_flags));
-      patterns::whichPattern = wp;
+      patterns::whichPattern = patterns::ePattern(wp);
       if(tg != geometry) { targetgeometry = eGeometry(tg); stop_game_and_switch_mode(rg::geometry); }
       if(bool(nt) != nonbitrunc) stop_game_and_switch_mode(rg::bitrunc);
       start_game();
@@ -1348,7 +1348,7 @@ namespace mapeditor {
       if(siz < 0 || siz > 1000) break;
       
       if(i >= 4) {
-        if(i < 8) patterns::whichPattern = "xxxxfpzH"[i];
+        if(i < 8) patterns::whichPattern = patterns::ePattern("xxxxfpzH"[i]);
         patterns::subpattern_flags = 0;
         i = 3;
         }
diff --git a/pattern2.cpp b/pattern2.cpp
index 4014e8b7..5fb2f054 100644
--- a/pattern2.cpp
+++ b/pattern2.cpp
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ namespace patterns {
     if(gp::on && has_nice_dual() && !ishept(c) && ishex1(c)) si.dir = fix6(si.dir+3);
     }
   
-  char whichPattern = 0;
+  ePattern whichPattern = PAT_NONE;
 
   int subpattern_flags;
  
@@ -874,7 +874,7 @@ namespace patterns {
     applyAlt(si, sub, PAT_COLORING);
     }
   
-  patterninfo getpatterninfo(cell *c, char pat, int sub) {
+  patterninfo getpatterninfo(cell *c, ePattern pat, int sub) {
     bool symRotation = sub & SPF_ROT;
     // bool sym0 = sub & (SPF_SYM01 | SPF_SYM02 | SPF_SYM03);
     
@@ -1502,10 +1502,12 @@ namespace patterns {
   void showPattern() {
     cmode = sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
     {
-    dynamicval<bool> dc(displaycodes, true);
+    dynamicval<bool> dc(displaycodes, whichPattern);
     gamescreen(0);
     }
     dialog::init();
+
+    dialog::addBoolItem(XLAT("cell types"), (whichPattern == PAT_TYPES), PAT_TYPES);
     
     if(stdhyperbolic || a4)
       dialog::addBoolItem(XLAT("Zebra Pattern"), (whichPattern == PAT_ZEBRA), PAT_ZEBRA);
@@ -1618,9 +1620,9 @@ namespace patterns {
     keyhandler = [] (int sym, int uni) {
       dialog::handleNavigation(sym, uni);
       
-      if(among(uni, PAT_EMERALD, PAT_PALACE, PAT_ZEBRA, PAT_DOWN, PAT_FIELD, PAT_COLORING, PAT_SIBLING, PAT_CHESS, PAT_SINGLETYPE)) {
-        if(whichPattern == uni) whichPattern = 0;
-        else whichPattern = uni;
+      if(among(uni, PAT_EMERALD, PAT_PALACE, PAT_ZEBRA, PAT_DOWN, PAT_FIELD, PAT_COLORING, PAT_SIBLING, PAT_CHESS, PAT_SINGLETYPE, PAT_TYPES)) {
+        if(whichPattern == uni) whichPattern = PAT_NONE;
+        else whichPattern = ePattern(uni);
         #if CAP_EDIT
         mapeditor::modelcell.clear();
         #endif
@@ -1691,7 +1693,7 @@ namespace patterns {
   struct changeable_pattern_geometry {
     eGeometry geo;
     bool nonbitru;
-    char whichPattern;
+    ePattern whichPattern;
     int subpattern_flags;
     };
   
@@ -1702,18 +1704,18 @@ namespace patterns {
   
   vector<changeable_pattern> cpatterns = {
     {"football", {
-      {gNormal, false, 0, 0}, 
-      {gSphere, false, 0, 0}, 
-      {gEuclid, false, 0, SPF_EXTRASYM}, 
-      {gOctagon, false, 0, 0}, 
+      {gNormal, false, PAT_TYPES, 0}, 
+      {gSphere, false, PAT_TYPES, 0}, 
+      {gEuclid, false, PAT_TYPES, SPF_EXTRASYM}, 
+      {gOctagon, false, PAT_TYPES, 0}, 
       {gOctagon, true, PAT_COLORING, SPF_FOOTBALL | SPF_EXTRASYM},
-      {g45, false, 0, 0}, 
-      {g46, false, 0, SPF_EXTRASYM}, 
-      {g47, false, 0, 0},
-      {gSmallSphere, false, 0, 0},
+      {g45, false, PAT_TYPES, 0}, 
+      {g46, false, PAT_TYPES, SPF_EXTRASYM}, 
+      {g47, false, PAT_TYPES, 0},
+      {gSmallSphere, false, PAT_TYPES, 0},
       {gSmallSphere, true, PAT_COLORING, SPF_FOOTBALL | SPF_EXTRASYM},
-      {gTinySphere, false, 0, SPF_EXTRASYM},
-      {gEuclidSquare, false, 0, SPF_EXTRASYM},
+      {gTinySphere, false, PAT_TYPES, SPF_EXTRASYM},
+      {gEuclidSquare, false, PAT_TYPES, SPF_EXTRASYM},
       }},
     {"three colors", {
       {gEuclid, false, PAT_COLORING, SPF_SYM0123 | SPF_EXTRASYM},
@@ -2236,13 +2238,13 @@ int read_pattern_args() {
     const char *c = argcs();
     using namespace patterns;
     subpattern_flags = 0;
-    whichPattern = 0;
+    whichPattern = PAT_NONE;
     while(*c) { 
       if(*c >= '0' && *c <= '9') subpattern_flags ^= 1 << (*c - '0'); 
       else if(*c == '@') subpattern_flags ^= 1 << 10; 
       else if(*c == '-') subpattern_flags ^= 1 << 11; 
       else if(*c == '~') subpattern_flags ^= 1 << 12; 
-      else whichPattern = *c;
+      else whichPattern = ePattern(*c);
       c++; 
       }
     }
diff --git a/textures.cpp b/textures.cpp
index 7d762406..d6cfcf23 100644
--- a/textures.cpp
+++ b/textures.cpp
@@ -797,7 +797,7 @@ void init_textureconfig() {
   addsaverenum(target_nonbitru, "bitruncated", false);
   // ... geometry parameters
 
-  addsaver(patterns::whichPattern, "pattern", 0);
+  addsaverenum(patterns::whichPattern, "pattern", patterns::PAT_TYPES);
   addsaver(patterns::subpattern_flags, "pattern flags", 0);
 
   addsaver(si_save.id, "center type", 1);
@@ -873,7 +873,7 @@ bool texture_config::load() {
   polygonal::solve();
   
   if(1) {
-    dynamicval<char> d1(patterns::whichPattern, patterns::whichPattern);
+    dynamicval<patterns::ePattern> d1(patterns::whichPattern, patterns::whichPattern);
     dynamicval<int> d2(patterns::subpattern_flags, patterns::subpattern_flags);
 
     if(targetgeometry != geometry) {
diff --git a/tour.cpp b/tour.cpp
index 9eb62fc6..7da5978e 100644
--- a/tour.cpp
+++ b/tour.cpp
@@ -617,10 +617,10 @@ slide default_slides[] = {
       setCanvas(mode, 't');
       if(mode == 1) 
         patterns::displaycodes = true,
-        patterns::whichPattern = 'z';
+        patterns::whichPattern = patterns::PAT_ZEBRA;
       if(mode == 3) 
         patterns::displaycodes = false,
-        patterns::whichPattern = 0;
+        patterns::whichPattern = patterns::PAT_NONE;
       SHOWLAND ( l == laCanvas );
       }
     },