diff --git a/c/xlib/graphics.c b/c/xlib/graphics.c
index 4a2c24c..da7623a 100644
--- a/c/xlib/graphics.c
+++ b/c/xlib/graphics.c
@@ -243,13 +243,14 @@ s48_value scx_Fill_Arc (s48_value Xdisplay, s48_value Xdrawable,
 void Vector_To_XArc(s48_value vec, XArc* p, int n){
   int i;
   for (i = 0; i  < n; i++){
-    s48_value arc;
-    arc = S48_VECTOR_REF(vec, i);
-    p[i].x = (int)s48_extract_integer (S48_CAR (arc)); arc = S48_CDR (arc);
-    p[i].y = (int)s48_extract_integer (S48_CAR (arc)); arc = S48_CDR (arc);
-    p[i].width = (int)s48_extract_integer (S48_CAR (arc));
-    arc = S48_CDR (arc);
-    p[i].height = (int)s48_extract_integer (S48_CAR (arc));
+    s48_value arc = S48_VECTOR_REF(vec, i);
+    s48_value rect = S48_CAR(arc);
+
+    p[i].x = (int)s48_extract_integer (S48_CAR (rect)); rect = S48_CDR (rect);
+    p[i].y = (int)s48_extract_integer (S48_CAR (rect)); rect = S48_CDR (rect);
+    p[i].width = (int)s48_extract_integer (S48_CAR (rect));
+    rect = S48_CDR (rect);
+    p[i].height = (int)s48_extract_integer (S48_CAR (rect));
     arc = S48_CDR (arc);
     p[i].angle1 = (int)s48_extract_integer (S48_CAR (arc)); 
     arc = S48_CDR (arc);
diff --git a/scheme/xlib/graphics.scm b/scheme/xlib/graphics.scm
index b402304..8005c85 100644
--- a/scheme/xlib/graphics.scm
+++ b/scheme/xlib/graphics.scm
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@
 ;; clear-area paints a rectangular area in the specified window
 ;; according to the specified dimensions with the window's background
 ;; pixel or pixmap. If width/height is zero it is replaced by the
-;; window's width/height - 1. See XClearArea.
+;; window's width/height - x/y. See XClearArea.
 
-(define (clear-area window x y width height exposures?)
+(define (clear-area window rect exposures?)
   (%clear-area (window-Xwindow window)
 	       (display-Xdisplay (window-display window))
-	       x y width height exposures?))
+	       (rect-x rect) (rect-y rect)
+	       (rect-width rect) (rect-height rect)
+	       exposures?))
 
 (import-lambda-definition %clear-area (Xwindow Xdisplay x y width height
 				       exposures?)
@@ -19,14 +21,14 @@
 ;; copy-area combines the specified rectangle of src with the
 ;; specified rectangle of dest. See XCopyArea.
 
-(define (copy-area src-drawable gcontext src-x src-y width height dst-drawable
-		   dst-x dst-y)
+(define (copy-area src-drawable gcontext src-x.y width height dst-drawable
+		   dst-x.y)
   (%copy-area (display-Xdisplay (drawable-display src-drawable))
 	      (drawable-Xobject src-drawable)
 	      (gcontext-Xgcontext gcontext)
-	      src-x src-y width height
+	      (car src-x.y) (cdr src-x.y) width height
 	      (drawable-Xobject dst-drawable)
-	      dst-x dst-y))
+	      (car dst-x.y) (cdr dst-x.y)))
 
 (import-lambda-definition %copy-area (Xdisplay srcXdrawable Xgcontext srcx srcy
 				      width height destXdrawable destx desty)
@@ -36,15 +38,15 @@
 ;; rectangle combined with the specified GC to modify the specified
 ;; rectangle of dest. See XCopyPlane.
 
-(define (copy-plane src-drawable gcontext plane src-x src-y width height
-		    dst-drawable dst-x dst-y)
+(define (copy-plane src-drawable gcontext plane src-x.y width height
+		    dst-drawable dst-x.y)
   (%copy-plane (display-Xdisplay (drawable-display src-drawable))
 	       (drawable-Xobject src-drawable)
 	       (gcontext-Xgcontext gcontext)
 	       plane
-	       src-x src-y width height
+	       (car src-x.y) (cdr src-x.y) width height
 	       (drawable-Xobject dst-drawable)
-	       dst-x dst-y))
+	       (car dst-x.y) (cdr dst-x.y)))
 
 (import-lambda-definition %copy-plane (Xdisplay srcXdrawable Xgcontext plane
 				       srcx srcy width height destXdrawable
@@ -55,11 +57,11 @@
 ;; GC to draw a single point into the specified drawable. A point is
 ;; specified as a pair (x . y). See XDrawPoint.
 
-(define (draw-point drawable gcontext x-y)
+(define (draw-point drawable gcontext x.y)
   (%draw-point (display-Xdisplay (drawable-display drawable))
 	       (drawable-Xobject drawable)
 	       (gcontext-Xgcontext gcontext)
-	       (car x-y) (cdr x-y)))
+	       (car x.y) (cdr x.y)))
 
 (import-lambda-definition %draw-point (Xdisplay Xdrawable Xgcontext x y)
   "scx_Draw_Point")
@@ -181,41 +183,49 @@
 ;; the arc, in units of degrees * 64. If the magnitude of angle2 is
 ;; greater than 360 degrees it is truncated to 360 degrees.
 
-(define (draw-arc drawable gcontext x y width height angle1 angle2)
+(define (draw-arc drawable gcontext rect angle1 angle2)
   (%draw-arc (display-Xdisplay (drawable-display drawable))
 	     (drawable-Xobject drawable)
 	     (gcontext-Xgcontext gcontext)
-	     x y width height angle1 angle2))
+	     (rect-x rect) (rect-y rect)
+	     (rect-width rect) (rect-height rect)
+	     angle1 angle2))
 
 (import-lambda-definition %draw-arc (Xdisplay Xdrawable Xgcontext x y
 					      w h a1 a2)
    "scx_Draw_Arc")
 
 
-(define (fill-arc drawable gcontext x y width height angle1 angle2)
+(define (fill-arc drawable gcontext rect angle1 angle2)
   (%fill-arc (display-Xdisplay (drawable-display drawable))
 	     (drawable-Xobject drawable)
 	     (gcontext-Xgcontext gcontext)
-	     x y width height angle1 angle2))
+	     (rect-x rect) (rect-y rect)
+	     (rect-width rect) (rect-height rect)
+	     angle1 angle2))
 
 (import-lambda-definition %fill-arc (Xdisplay Xdrawable Xgcontext x y
 					      w h a1 a2)
    "scx_Fill_Arc")
 
-(define (draw-arcs drawable gcontext data)
+;; draw-arcs/fill-arcs: the arcs argument has to be a list of arcs,
+;; where an arc is a list (rect angle1 angle2) - and rect a list of (x
+;; y width height).
+
+(define (draw-arcs drawable gcontext arcs)
   (%draw-arcs (display-Xdisplay (drawable-display drawable))
 	      (drawable-Xobject drawable)
 	      (gcontext-Xgcontext gcontext)
-	      (list->vector data)))
+	      (list->vector arcs)))
 
 (import-lambda-definition %draw-arcs (Xdisplay Xdrawable Xgcontext vec)
   "scx_Draw_Arcs")
 
-(define (fill-arcs drawable gcontext data)
+(define (fill-arcs drawable gcontext arcs)
   (%fill-arcs (display-Xdisplay (drawable-display drawable))
 	      (drawable-Xobject drawable)
 	      (gcontext-Xgcontext gcontext)
-	      (list->vector data)))
+	      (list->vector arcs)))
 
 (import-lambda-definition %fill-arcs (Xdisplay Xdrawable Xgcontext vec)
   "scx_Fill_Arcs")
@@ -244,10 +254,39 @@
 
 ;; Now some auxiliary functions:
 
-(define rectangle list)
+(define rect list)
+
+(define (rect? obj)
+  (and (list? obj) (= 4 (length obj))))
+
+(define rect-x car)
+(define rect-y cadr)
+(define rect-width caddr)
+(define rect-height cadddr)
+
+(define (set-rect-x! r x) (set-car! r x))
+(define (set-rect-y! r y) (set-car! (cdr r) y))
+(define (set-rect-width! r width) (set-car! (cddr r) width))
+(define (set-rect-height! r height) (set-car! (cdddr r) height))
 
 (define (bounds x1 y1 x2 y2)
-  (rectangle x1 y2 (- x2 x1) (- y2 y1)))
+  (rect x1 y1 (- x2 x1) (- y2 y1)))
+
+(define (grow-rect r dw dh . maybe-centric?)
+  (if (or (null? maybe-centric?) (not (car maybe-centric?)))
+      (rect (rect-x r) (rect-y r)
+	    (+ (rect-width r) dw)
+	    (+ (rect-height r) dh))
+      (rect (- (rect-x r) (quotient dw 2))
+	    (- (rect-y r) (quotient dh 2))
+	    (+ (rect-width r) dw)
+	    (+ (rect-height r) dh))))
+
+(define (move/resize-rect r dx dy dw dh)
+  (rect (+ (rect-x r) dx)
+	(+ (rect-y r) dy)
+	(+ (rect-width r) dw)
+	(+ (rect-height r) dh)))
 
 ;; converts '((x1 . y1) (x2 . y2) (x3 . y3) (x4 . y4)) -> '((x1 y1 x2
 ;; y2) (x3 y3 x4 y4))