diff --git a/pcbnew/dsn.cpp b/pcbnew/dsn.cpp
index 7d4bfbd9d0..c7097d48f2 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dsn.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/dsn.cpp
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ DSN_T LEXER::NextTok() throw (IOError)
     char*   cur  = next;
     char*   head = cur;
 
-    lastTok = curTok;
+    prevTok = curTok;
     
     if( curTok != T_EOF )
     {
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ L_read:
             goto L_read;
         
         // switching the string_quote character
-        if( lastTok == T_string_quote )
+        if( prevTok == T_string_quote )
         {
             static const wxString errtxt( _("String delimiter must be a single character of ', \", or $"));   
             
diff --git a/pcbnew/dsn.h b/pcbnew/dsn.h
index 3e703ef8e0..2516f5cd79 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dsn.h
+++ b/pcbnew/dsn.h
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ class LEXER
     bool                space_in_quoted_tokens; ///< blank spaces within quoted strings
     
     wxString            filename;
-    int                 lastTok;        ///< curTok from previous NextTok() call.
+    DSN_T               prevTok;        ///< curTok from previous NextTok() call.
     int                 curOffset;      ///< offset within current line of the current token 
     
     DSN_T               curTok;         ///< the current token obtained on last NextTok()
@@ -640,7 +640,6 @@ public:
         return curText.c_str();
     }
 
-    
     /**
      * Function CurTok
      * returns whatever NextTok() returned the last time it was called.
@@ -650,6 +649,15 @@ public:
         return curTok;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Function PrevTok
+     * returns whatever NextTok() returned the 2nd to last time it was called.
+     */
+    DSN_T PrevTok()
+    {
+        return prevTok;
+    }
+    
     /**
      * Function CurOffset
      * returns the char offset within the current line, using a 1 based index.
diff --git a/pcbnew/specctra.cpp b/pcbnew/specctra.cpp
index d9e332e888..afaf0d4218 100644
--- a/pcbnew/specctra.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/specctra.cpp
@@ -538,23 +538,36 @@ public:
 };
 
 
-/**
- * Class RULE
- * holds a single rule and corresponds to <rule_descriptors>
- */
-class RULE : public ELEM
-{
-    
-};
-
-
 /**
  * Class RULES
  * corresponds to the <rule_descriptor> in the specctra dsn spec.
  */
 class RULES : public ELEM
 {
-    ;
+    friend class SPECCTRA_DB;
+    
+    STRINGS     rules;      ///< rules are saved in std::string form.
+
+public:
+
+    RULES( ELEM* aParent ) :
+        ELEM( T_rule, aParent )
+    {
+    }
+    
+    ~RULES()
+    {
+    }
+    
+    void Save( OUTPUTFORMATTER* out, int nestLevel ) throw( IOError )
+    {
+        out->Print( nestLevel, "(%s\n", LEXER::GetTokenText( Type() ) );
+
+        for( STRINGS::const_iterator i = rules.begin();  i!=rules.end(); ++i )
+            out->Print( nestLevel+1, "%s\n", i->c_str() );
+        
+        out->Print( nestLevel, ")\n" );
+    }        
 };
 
 
@@ -670,6 +683,7 @@ class STRUCTURE : public ELEM
     BOUNDARY*   place_boundary;
     VIA*        via;
     CONTROL*    control;
+    RULES*      rules;
     
     typedef boost::ptr_vector<LAYER>    LAYERS;
     LAYERS      layers;
@@ -684,6 +698,7 @@ public:
         place_boundary = 0;
         via = 0;
         control = 0;
+        rules = 0;
     }
     
     ~STRUCTURE()
@@ -693,6 +708,7 @@ public:
         delete place_boundary;
         delete via;
         delete control;
+        delete rules;
     }
     
     void Save( OUTPUTFORMATTER* out, int nestLevel ) throw( IOError )
@@ -722,6 +738,9 @@ public:
             At(i)->Save( out, nestLevel+1 );
         }
         
+        if( rules )
+            rules->Save( out, nestLevel+1 );
+        
         out->Print( nestLevel, ")\n" ); 
     }
     
@@ -910,6 +929,7 @@ class SPECCTRA_DB : public OUTPUTFORMATTER
     void doVIA( VIA* growth ) throw( IOError );
     void doCONTROL( CONTROL* growth ) throw( IOError );    
     void doLAYER( LAYER* growth ) throw( IOError );
+    void doRULES( RULES* growth ) throw( IOError );
     
 public:
 
@@ -1338,6 +1358,11 @@ L_place:
             growth->layers.push_back( layer );
             doLAYER( layer );
             break;
+
+        case T_rule:
+            growth->rules = new RULES( growth );
+            doRULES( growth->rules );
+            break;
             
         default:
             unexpected( lexer->CurText() );
@@ -1608,7 +1633,8 @@ void SPECCTRA_DB::doLAYER( LAYER* growth ) throw( IOError )
             break;
 
         case T_rule:
-            // @todo
+            growth->rules = new RULES( growth );
+            doRULES( growth->rules );
             break;
             
         case T_property:
@@ -1714,6 +1740,39 @@ void SPECCTRA_DB::doLAYER( LAYER* growth ) throw( IOError )
 }
 
 
+void SPECCTRA_DB::doRULES( RULES* growth ) throw( IOError )
+{
+    std::string     builder;
+    int             bracketNesting = 1; // we already saw the opening T_LEFT
+
+    while( bracketNesting != 0 )
+    {
+        DSN_T tok = nextTok();
+        
+        switch( tok )
+        {
+        case T_LEFT:    ++bracketNesting;   break;
+        case T_RIGHT:   --bracketNesting;   break;
+        default: 
+            ;
+        }
+ 
+        if( bracketNesting >= 1 )
+        {
+            if( lexer->PrevTok() != T_LEFT && tok!=T_RIGHT )
+                builder += ' ';
+            
+            builder += lexer->CurText();
+        }
+        
+        if( bracketNesting == 1 )
+        {
+           growth->rules.push_back( builder );
+           builder.clear();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 void SPECCTRA_DB::Print( int nestLevel, const char* fmt, ... ) throw( IOError )
 {
     va_list     args;