diff --git a/src/game/PropertyTool.cpp b/src/game/PropertyTool.cpp
index bddce446d..4a0499673 100644
--- a/src/game/PropertyTool.cpp
+++ b/src/game/PropertyTool.cpp
@@ -49,11 +49,13 @@ position(position_)
 	
 	ui::Label * messageLabel = new ui::Label(ui::Point(4, 5), ui::Point(Size.X-8, 14), "Edit property");
 	messageLabel->SetTextColour(style::Colour::InformationTitle);
-	messageLabel->Appearance.HorizontalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignLeft;	messageLabel->Appearance.VerticalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignTop;
+	messageLabel->Appearance.HorizontalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignLeft;
+	messageLabel->Appearance.VerticalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignTop;
 	AddComponent(messageLabel);
 	
 	ui::Button * okayButton = new ui::Button(ui::Point(0, Size.Y-16), ui::Point(Size.X, 17), "OK");
-	okayButton->Appearance.HorizontalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignLeft;	okayButton->Appearance.VerticalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignBottom;
+	okayButton->Appearance.HorizontalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignLeft;
+	okayButton->Appearance.VerticalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignMiddle;
 	okayButton->Appearance.BorderInactive = ui::Colour(200, 200, 200);
 	okayButton->SetActionCallback(new OkayAction(this));
 	AddComponent(okayButton);
@@ -66,15 +68,16 @@ position(position_)
 	}
 	property->SetOption(0);
 	
-	textField = new ui::Textbox(ui::Point(8, 46), ui::Point(Size.X-16, 16), "");
-	textField->Appearance.HorizontalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignLeft;	textField->Appearance.VerticalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignBottom;
+	textField = new ui::Textbox(ui::Point(8, 46), ui::Point(Size.X-16, 16), "", "[value]");
+	textField->Appearance.HorizontalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignLeft;
+	textField->Appearance.VerticalAlign = ui::Appearance::AlignMiddle;
 	AddComponent(textField);
 	
 	ui::Engine::Ref().ShowWindow(this);
 }
 void PropertyWindow::SetProperty()
 {
-	if(property->GetOption().second!=-1)
+	if(property->GetOption().second!=-1 && textField->GetText().length() > 0)
 	{
 		void * propValue;
 		int tempInt;
@@ -102,8 +105,29 @@ void PropertyWindow::SetProperty()
 					}
 					else 
 					{
-						istringstream(value) >> tempInt;
+						if(properties[property->GetOption().second].Type == StructProperty::ParticleType)
+						{
+							int type = sim->GetParticleType(value);
+							if(type != -1)
+							{
+#ifdef DEBUG
+					std::cout << "Got type from particle name" << std::endl;
+#endif
+								tempInt = type;
+							}
+							else
+							{
+								stringstream(value) >> tempInt;
+							}
+						}
+						else
+						{
+							stringstream(value) >> tempInt;
+						}
 					}
+#ifdef DEBUG
+					std::cout << "Got int value " << tempInt << std::endl;
+#endif
 					propValue = &tempInt;
 					break;
 				case StructProperty::UInteger:
@@ -123,12 +147,18 @@ void PropertyWindow::SetProperty()
 					}
 					else 
 					{
-						istringstream(value) >> tempUInt;
+						stringstream(value) >> tempUInt;
 					}
+#ifdef DEBUG
+					std::cout << "Got uint value " << tempUInt << std::endl;
+#endif
 					propValue = &tempUInt;
 					break;
 				case StructProperty::Float:
 					istringstream(value) >> tempFloat;
+#ifdef DEBUG
+					std::cout << "Got float value " << tempFloat << std::endl;
+#endif
 					propValue = &tempFloat;
 					break;
 				default:
@@ -146,6 +176,7 @@ void PropertyWindow::SetProperty()
 		}
 	}
 }
+
 void PropertyWindow::OnDraw()
 {
 	Graphics * g = ui::Engine::Ref().g;
diff --git a/src/simulation/Simulation.cpp b/src/simulation/Simulation.cpp
index f1bea9431..3f2796aef 100644
--- a/src/simulation/Simulation.cpp
+++ b/src/simulation/Simulation.cpp
@@ -4294,6 +4294,24 @@ movedone:
 		}
 }
 
+int Simulation::GetParticleType(std::string type)
+{
+	int i = -1;
+	char * txt = (char*)type.c_str();
+
+	// alternative names for some elements
+	if (strcasecmp(txt,"C4")==0) i = PT_PLEX;
+	else if (strcasecmp(txt,"C5")==0) i = PT_C5;
+	else if (strcasecmp(txt,"NONE")==0) i = PT_NONE;
+	for (i=1; i<PT_NUM; i++) {
+		if (strcasecmp(txt, elements[i].Name)==0 && strlen(elements[i].Name) && elements[i].Enabled)
+		{
+			return i;
+		}
+	}
+	return -1;
+}
+
 void Simulation::update_particles()//doesn't update the particles themselves, but some other things
 {
 	int i, j, x, y, t, nx, ny, r, cr,cg,cb, l = -1;
diff --git a/src/simulation/Simulation.h b/src/simulation/Simulation.h
index ff59a92f8..31a0a075b 100644
--- a/src/simulation/Simulation.h
+++ b/src/simulation/Simulation.h
@@ -183,6 +183,8 @@ public:
 	
 	void GetGravityField(int x, int y, float particleGrav, float newtonGrav, float & pGravX, float & pGravY);
 
+	int GetParticleType(std::string type);
+
 	void *transform_save(void *odata, int *size, matrix2d transform, vector2d translate);
 	inline void orbitalparts_get(int block1, int block2, int resblock1[], int resblock2[]);
 	inline void orbitalparts_set(int *block1, int *block2, int resblock1[], int resblock2[]);