diff --git a/src/App/App.tsx b/src/App/App.tsx
index b320e0d..e937535 100644
--- a/src/App/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App/App.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { Dispatch, ReactElement, SetStateAction, useEffect, useRef, useState } f
 import { emptyStatechart, Statechart } from "../statecharts/abstract_syntax";
 import { handleInputEvent, initialize } from "../statecharts/interpreter";
 import { BigStep, BigStepOutput } from "../statecharts/runtime_types";
-import { InsertMode, VisualEditor } from "../VisualEditor/VisualEditor";
+import { InsertMode, VisualEditor, VisualEditorState } from "../VisualEditor/VisualEditor";
 import { getSimTime, getWallClkDelay, TimeMode } from "../statecharts/time";
 
 import "../index.css";
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import { ShowAST, ShowInputEvents, ShowOutputEvents } from "./ShowAST";
 import { TraceableError } from "../statecharts/parser";
 import { getKeyHandler } from "./shortcut_handler";
 import { BottomPanel } from "./BottomPanel";
-import { emptyState, VisualEditorState } from "@/statecharts/concrete_syntax";
+import { emptyState } from "@/statecharts/concrete_syntax";
 import { usePersistentState } from "@/util/persistent_state";
 
 type EditHistory = {
diff --git a/src/App/RTHistory.tsx b/src/App/RTHistory.tsx
index 41f1a34..56883a8 100644
--- a/src/App/RTHistory.tsx
+++ b/src/App/RTHistory.tsx
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ function ShowMode(props: {mode: Mode, statechart: Statechart}) {
 
 function getActiveLeafs(mode: Mode, sc: Statechart) {
   return new Set([...mode].filter(uid =>
+    // @ts-ignore
     sc.uid2State.get(uid)?.children?.length === 0
   ));
 }
diff --git a/src/App/ShowAST.tsx b/src/App/ShowAST.tsx
index 9c18fe2..232f48f 100644
--- a/src/App/ShowAST.tsx
+++ b/src/App/ShowAST.tsx
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export function ShowAST(props: {root: ConcreteState | PseudoState, transitions:
   const description = stateDescription(props.root);
   // const outgoing = props.transitions.get(props.root.uid) || [];
 
-  return <li>{props.root.kind}: {description}
+  return <li >{props.root.kind}: {description}
     {props.root.kind !== "pseudo" && props.root.children.length>0 &&
       <ul>
         {props.root.children.map(child => 
@@ -46,29 +46,29 @@ export function ShowAST(props: {root: ConcreteState | PseudoState, transitions:
     }
   </li>;
 
-  return <details open={true} className={"stateTree" + (props.highlightActive.has(props.root.uid) ? " active" : "")}>
-    <summary>{props.root.kind}: {description}</summary>
+  // return <details open={true} className={"stateTree" + (props.highlightActive.has(props.root.uid) ? " active" : "")}>
+  //   <summary>{props.root.kind}: {description}</summary>
 
-    {/* {props.root.kind !== "pseudo" && props.root.entryActions.length>0 &&
-        props.root.entryActions.map(action =>
-          <div>&emsp;entry / <ShowAction action={action}/></div>
-        )
-    }
-    {props.root.kind !== "pseudo" && props.root.exitActions.length>0 &&
-        props.root.exitActions.map(action =>
-          <div>&emsp;exit / <ShowAction action={action}/></div>
-        )
-    } */}
+  //   {/* {props.root.kind !== "pseudo" && props.root.entryActions.length>0 &&
+  //       props.root.entryActions.map(action =>
+  //         <div>&emsp;entry / <ShowAction action={action}/></div>
+  //       )
+  //   }
+  //   {props.root.kind !== "pseudo" && props.root.exitActions.length>0 &&
+  //       props.root.exitActions.map(action =>
+  //         <div>&emsp;exit / <ShowAction action={action}/></div>
+  //       )
+  //   } */}
 
-    {props.root.kind !== "pseudo" && props.root.children.length>0 &&
-          props.root.children.map(child => 
-            <ShowAST key={child.uid} root={child} transitions={props.transitions} rt={props.rt} highlightActive={props.highlightActive} />
-          )
-    }
-    {/* {outgoing.length>0 &&
-        outgoing.map(transition => <>&emsp;<ShowTransition transition={transition}/><br/></>)
-    } */}
-  </details>;
+  //   {props.root.kind !== "pseudo" && props.root.children.length>0 &&
+  //         props.root.children.map(child => 
+  //           <ShowAST key={child.uid} root={child} transitions={props.transitions} rt={props.rt} highlightActive={props.highlightActive} />
+  //         )
+  //   }
+  //   {/* {outgoing.length>0 &&
+  //       outgoing.map(transition => <>&emsp;<ShowTransition transition={transition}/><br/></>)
+  //   } */}
+  // </details>;
 }
 
 import BoltIcon from '@mui/icons-material/Bolt';
diff --git a/src/App/TextDialog.tsx b/src/App/TextDialog.tsx
index b10d5ab..f524ec8 100644
--- a/src/App/TextDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/App/TextDialog.tsx
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export function TextDialog(props: {setModal: Dispatch<SetStateAction<ReactElemen
 
   return <div onKeyDown={onKeyDown} style={{padding: 4}}>
     Text label:<br/>
-    <textarea autoFocus style={{fontFamily: 'Roboto', width:'calc(100%-10px)', height: 60}} onChange={e=>setText(e.target.value)}>{text}</textarea>
+    <textarea autoFocus style={{fontFamily: 'Roboto', width:'calc(100%-10px)', height: 60}} onChange={e=>setText(e.target.value)} value={text}/>
     <br/>
     <span style={{color: 'var(--error-color)'}}>{error}</span><br/>
     <p><kbd>Enter</kbd> to confirm. <kbd>Esc</kbd> to cancel.
diff --git a/src/VisualEditor/VisualEditor.tsx b/src/VisualEditor/VisualEditor.tsx
index 3fac712..eef8d45 100644
--- a/src/VisualEditor/VisualEditor.tsx
+++ b/src/VisualEditor/VisualEditor.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { Dispatch, ReactElement, SetStateAction, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 
 import { Statechart } from "../statecharts/abstract_syntax";
-import { Arrow, ArrowPart, Diamond, History, Rountangle, RountanglePart, Text, VisualEditorState, emptyState } from "../statecharts/concrete_syntax";
+import { Arrow, ArrowPart, Diamond, History, Rountangle, RountanglePart, Text } from "../statecharts/concrete_syntax";
 import { parseStatechart, TraceableError } from "../statecharts/parser";
 import { BigStep } from "../statecharts/runtime_types";
 import { ArcDirection, Line2D, Rect2D, Vec2D, addV2D, arcDirection, area, getBottomSide, getLeftSide, getRightSide, getTopSide, isEntirelyWithin, normalizeRect, subtractV2D, transformLine, transformRect } from "./geometry";
@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@ import { detectConnections } from "../statecharts/detect_connections";
 
 import "./VisualEditor.css";
 
+export type VisualEditorState = {
+  rountangles: Rountangle[];
+  texts: Text[];
+  arrows: Arrow[];
+  diamonds: Diamond[];
+  history: History[];
+  nextID: number;
+  selection: Selection;
+};
+
 
 type DraggingState = {
   lastMousePos: Vec2D;
@@ -42,6 +52,7 @@ type HistorySelectable = {
   uid: string;
 }
 type Selectable = RountangleSelectable | ArrowSelectable | TextSelectable | HistorySelectable;
+
 type Selection = Selectable[];
 
 
@@ -74,7 +85,10 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
   const [dragging, setDragging] = useState<DraggingState>(null);
 
   // uid's of selected rountangles
-  const [selection, setSelection] = useState<Selection>([]);
+  // const [selection, setSelection] = useState<Selection>([]);
+  const selection = state.selection || [];
+  const setSelection = (cb: (oldSelection: Selection) => Selection) =>
+    setState(oldState => ({...oldState, selection: cb(oldState.selection)}));
 
   // not null while the user is making a selection
   const [selectingState, setSelectingState] = useState<SelectingState>(null);
@@ -155,7 +169,6 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
         const newID = state.nextID.toString();
         if (mode === "and" || mode === "or") {
           // insert rountangle
-          setSelection([{uid: newID, parts: ["bottom", "right"]}]);
           return {
             ...state,
             rountangles: [...state.rountangles, {
@@ -165,10 +178,10 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
               kind: mode,
             }],
             nextID: state.nextID+1,
+            selection: [{uid: newID, parts: ["bottom", "right"]}],
           };
         }
         else if (mode === "pseudo") {
-          setSelection([{uid: newID, parts: ["bottom", "right"]}]);
           return {
             ...state,
             diamonds: [...state.diamonds, {
@@ -177,10 +190,10 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
               size: MIN_ROUNTANGLE_SIZE,
             }],
             nextID: state.nextID+1,
+            selection: [{uid: newID, parts: ["bottom", "right"]}],
           };
         }
         else if (mode === "shallow" || mode === "deep") {
-          setSelection([{uid: newID, parts: ["history"]}]);
           return {
             ...state,
             history: [...state.history, {
@@ -189,10 +202,10 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
               topLeft: currentPointer,
             }],
             nextID: state.nextID+1,
+            selection: [{uid: newID, parts: ["history"]}],
           }
         }
         else if (mode === "transition") {
-          setSelection([{uid: newID, parts: ["end"]}]);
           return {
             ...state,
             arrows: [...state.arrows, {
@@ -201,10 +214,10 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
               end: currentPointer,
             }],
             nextID: state.nextID+1,
+            selection: [{uid: newID, parts: ["end"]}],
           }
         }
         else if (mode === "text") {
-          setSelection([{uid: newID, parts: ["text"]}]);
           return {
             ...state,
             texts: [...state.texts, {
@@ -213,6 +226,7 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
               topLeft: currentPointer,
             }],
             nextID: state.nextID+1,
+            selection: [{uid: newID, parts: ["text"]}],
           }
         }
         throw new Error("unreachable, mode=" + mode); // shut up typescript
@@ -240,7 +254,7 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
         }
         if (!allPartsInSelection) {
           if (e.target.classList.contains("helper")) {
-            setSelection([{uid, parts}] as Selection);
+            setSelection(() => [{uid, parts}] as Selection);
           }
           else {
             setDragging(null);
@@ -248,7 +262,7 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
               topLeft: currentPointer,
               size: {x: 0, y: 0},
             });
-            setSelection([]);
+            setSelection(() => []);
             return;
           }
         }
@@ -267,7 +281,7 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
       topLeft: currentPointer,
       size: {x: 0, y: 0},
     });
-    setSelection([]);
+    setSelection(() => []);
   };
 
   const onMouseMove = (e: {pageX: number, pageY: number, movementX: number, movementY: number}) => {
@@ -410,8 +424,8 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
       history: state.history.filter(h => !selection.some(hs => hs.uid === h.uid)),
       arrows: state.arrows.filter(a => !selection.some(as => as.uid === a.uid)),
       texts: state.texts.filter(t => !selection.some(ts => ts.uid === t.uid)),
+      selection: [],
     }));
-    setSelection([]);
   }
 
   const onKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
@@ -564,15 +578,6 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
           uid: (nextID++).toString(),
           topLeft: addV2D(h.topLeft, offset),
         }))
-        setState(state => ({
-          ...state,
-          rountangles: [...state.rountangles, ...copiedRountangles],
-          diamonds: [...state.diamonds, ...copiedDiamonds],
-          arrows: [...state.arrows, ...copiedArrows],
-          texts: [...state.texts, ...copiedTexts],
-          history: [...state.history, ...copiedHistories],
-          nextID: nextID,
-        }));
         // @ts-ignore
         const newSelection: Selection = [
           ...copiedRountangles.map(r => ({uid: r.uid, parts: ["left", "top", "right", "bottom"]})),
@@ -581,7 +586,16 @@ export function VisualEditor({state, setState, ast, setAST, rt, errors, setError
           ...copiedTexts.map(t => ({uid: t.uid, parts: ["text"]})),
           ...copiedHistories.map(h => ({uid: h.uid, parts: ["history"]})),
         ];
-        setSelection(newSelection);
+        setState(state => ({
+          ...state,
+          rountangles: [...state.rountangles, ...copiedRountangles],
+          diamonds: [...state.diamonds, ...copiedDiamonds],
+          arrows: [...state.arrows, ...copiedArrows],
+          texts: [...state.texts, ...copiedTexts],
+          history: [...state.history, ...copiedHistories],
+          nextID: nextID,
+          selection: newSelection,
+        }));
         // copyInternal(newSelection, e); // doesn't work
         e.preventDefault();
       }
diff --git a/src/statecharts/concrete_syntax.ts b/src/statecharts/concrete_syntax.ts
index b4b45af..a4b7c7d 100644
--- a/src/statecharts/concrete_syntax.ts
+++ b/src/statecharts/concrete_syntax.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { Rect2D, Vec2D, Line2D, euclideanDistance, intersectLines, isWithin, lineBBox, subtractV2D } from "../VisualEditor/geometry";
 import { ARROW_SNAP_THRESHOLD, HISTORY_RADIUS, TEXT_SNAP_THRESHOLD } from "../VisualEditor/parameters";
-import {  sides } from "../VisualEditor/VisualEditor";
+import {  sides, VisualEditorState } from "../VisualEditor/VisualEditor";
 
 export type Rountangle = {
   uid: string;
@@ -27,15 +27,6 @@ export type History = {
   topLeft: Vec2D;
 };
 
-export type VisualEditorState = {
-  rountangles: Rountangle[];
-  texts: Text[];
-  arrows: Arrow[];
-  diamonds: Diamond[];
-  history: History[];
-  nextID: number;
-};
-
 // independently moveable parts of our shapes:
 export type RountanglePart = "left" | "top" | "right" | "bottom";
 export type ArrowPart = "start" | "end";
diff --git a/src/statecharts/detect_connections.ts b/src/statecharts/detect_connections.ts
index b5bbb4d..2d4cfa4 100644
--- a/src/statecharts/detect_connections.ts
+++ b/src/statecharts/detect_connections.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { findNearestArrow, findNearestHistory, findNearestSide, findRountangle, RountanglePart, VisualEditorState } from "./concrete_syntax";
+import { VisualEditorState } from "@/VisualEditor/VisualEditor";
+import { findNearestArrow, findNearestHistory, findNearestSide, findRountangle, RountanglePart } from "./concrete_syntax";
 
 export type Connections = {
   arrow2SideMap: Map<string,[{ uid: string; part: RountanglePart; } | undefined, { uid: string; part: RountanglePart; } | undefined]>,
diff --git a/src/statecharts/parser.ts b/src/statecharts/parser.ts
index 6ab4ac6..8a64763 100644
--- a/src/statecharts/parser.ts
+++ b/src/statecharts/parser.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import {  ConcreteState, HistoryState, OrState, PseudoState, Statechart, Transition } from "./abstract_syntax";
-import { Rountangle, VisualEditorState } from "./concrete_syntax";
+import { Rountangle } from "./concrete_syntax";
 import { isEntirelyWithin, Rect2D } from "../VisualEditor/geometry";
 import { Action, EventTrigger, Expression, ParsedText } from "./label_ast";
 import { parse as parseLabel, SyntaxError } from "./label_parser";
 import { Connections } from "./detect_connections";
 import { HISTORY_RADIUS } from "../VisualEditor/parameters";
+import { VisualEditorState } from "@/VisualEditor/VisualEditor";
 
 export type TraceableError = {
   shapeUid: string;