diff --git a/src/libdraw/egetrect.c b/src/libdraw/egetrect.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2c5c984
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libdraw/egetrect.c
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+#include <u.h>
+#include <libc.h>
+#include <draw.h>
+#include <cursor.h>
+#include <event.h>
+
+#define	W	Borderwidth
+
+static Image *tmp[4];
+static Image *red;
+
+static Cursor sweep={
+	{-7, -7},
+	{0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xE0, 0x07,
+	 0xE0, 0x07, 0xE0, 0x07, 0xE3, 0xF7, 0xE3, 0xF7,
+	 0xE3, 0xE7, 0xE3, 0xF7, 0xE3, 0xFF, 0xE3, 0x7F,
+	 0xE0, 0x3F, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF,},
+	{0x00, 0x00, 0x7F, 0xFE, 0x40, 0x02, 0x40, 0x02,
+	 0x40, 0x02, 0x40, 0x02, 0x40, 0x02, 0x41, 0xE2,
+	 0x41, 0xC2, 0x41, 0xE2, 0x41, 0x72, 0x40, 0x38,
+	 0x40, 0x1C, 0x40, 0x0E, 0x7F, 0xE6, 0x00, 0x00,}
+};
+
+static
+void
+brects(Rectangle r, Rectangle rp[4])
+{
+	if(Dx(r) < 2*W)
+		r.max.x = r.min.x+2*W;
+	if(Dy(r) < 2*W)
+		r.max.y = r.min.y+2*W;
+	rp[0] = Rect(r.min.x, r.min.y, r.max.x, r.min.y+W);
+	rp[1] = Rect(r.min.x, r.max.y-W, r.max.x, r.max.y);
+	rp[2] = Rect(r.min.x, r.min.y+W, r.min.x+W, r.max.y-W);
+	rp[3] = Rect(r.max.x-W, r.min.y+W, r.max.x, r.max.y-W);
+}
+
+Rectangle
+egetrect(int but, Mouse *m)
+{
+	Rectangle r, rc;
+
+	but = 1<<(but-1);
+	esetcursor(&sweep);
+	while(m->buttons)
+		*m = emouse();
+	while(!(m->buttons & but)){
+		*m = emouse();
+		if(m->buttons & (7^but))
+			goto Return;
+	}
+	r.min = m->xy;
+	r.max = m->xy;
+	do{
+		rc = canonrect(r);
+		edrawgetrect(rc, 1);
+		*m = emouse();
+		edrawgetrect(rc, 0);
+		r.max = m->xy;
+	}while(m->buttons == but);
+
+    Return:
+	esetcursor(0);
+	if(m->buttons & (7^but)){
+		rc.min.x = rc.max.x = 0;
+		rc.min.y = rc.max.y = 0;
+		while(m->buttons)
+			*m = emouse();
+	}
+	return rc;
+}
+
+static
+void
+freetmp(void)
+{
+	freeimage(tmp[0]);
+	freeimage(tmp[1]);
+	freeimage(tmp[2]);
+	freeimage(tmp[3]);
+	freeimage(red);
+	tmp[0] = tmp[1] = tmp[2] = tmp[3] = red = nil;
+}
+
+void
+edrawgetrect(Rectangle rc, int up)
+{
+	int i;
+	Rectangle r, rects[4];
+
+	if(up && tmp[0]!=nil)
+		if(Dx(tmp[0]->r)<Dx(rc) || Dy(tmp[2]->r)<Dy(rc))
+			freetmp();
+
+	if(tmp[0] == 0){
+		r = Rect(0, 0, Dx(screen->r), W);
+		tmp[0] = allocimage(display, r, screen->chan, 0, -1);
+		tmp[1] = allocimage(display, r, screen->chan, 0, -1);
+		r = Rect(0, 0, W, Dy(screen->r));
+		tmp[2] = allocimage(display, r, screen->chan, 0, -1);
+		tmp[3] = allocimage(display, r, screen->chan, 0, -1);
+		red = allocimage(display, Rect(0,0,1,1), screen->chan, 1, DRed);
+		if(tmp[0]==0 || tmp[1]==0 || tmp[2]==0 || tmp[3]==0 || red==0)
+			drawerror(display, "getrect: allocimage failed");
+	}
+	brects(rc, rects);
+	if(!up){
+		for(i=0; i<4; i++)
+			draw(screen, rects[i], tmp[i], nil, ZP);
+		return;
+	}
+	for(i=0; i<4; i++){
+		draw(tmp[i], Rect(0, 0, Dx(rects[i]), Dy(rects[i])), screen, nil, rects[i].min);
+		draw(screen, rects[i], red, nil, ZP);
+	}
+}