diff --git a/src/classes/PMsrHandler.cpp b/src/classes/PMsrHandler.cpp
index 1c514245..3cb3fa63 100644
--- a/src/classes/PMsrHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/classes/PMsrHandler.cpp
@@ -4502,7 +4502,7 @@ void PMsrHandler::FillParameterInUse(PMsrLines &theory, PMsrLines &funcs, PMsrLi
 
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// CheckRunBlockIntegrity (private)
+// CheckRunBlockIntegrity (public)
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
  * <p>Checks the consistency of each RUN block, i.e. are the necessary parameters
@@ -4646,7 +4646,7 @@ Bool_t PMsrHandler::CheckRunBlockIntegrity()
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// CheckUniquenessOfParamNames (private)
+// CheckUniquenessOfParamNames (public)
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
  * <p>Checks if all the fit parameters are unique. If not parX, parY will show
@@ -4678,7 +4678,7 @@ Bool_t PMsrHandler::CheckUniquenessOfParamNames(UInt_t &parX, UInt_t &parY)
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// CheckMaps (private)
+// CheckMaps (public)
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
  * <p>Checks if map entries found in the theory- or function-block are also
@@ -4788,7 +4788,7 @@ Bool_t PMsrHandler::CheckMaps()
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// CheckFuncs (private)
+// CheckFuncs (public)
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
  * <p>Checks if fun entries found in the theory- and run-block are also
@@ -4880,7 +4880,7 @@ Bool_t PMsrHandler::CheckFuncs()
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// CheckHistoGrouping (private)
+// CheckHistoGrouping (public)
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
  * <p>Checks if histogram grouping makes any sense.
@@ -4935,7 +4935,7 @@ Bool_t PMsrHandler::CheckHistoGrouping()
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// CheckAddRunParameters (private)
+// CheckAddRunParameters (public)
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
  * <p>In case addrun is present check that if addt0's are given there are as many addt0's than addrun's.
@@ -4967,7 +4967,7 @@ Bool_t PMsrHandler::CheckAddRunParameters()
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// CheckMaxLikelihood (private)
+// CheckMaxLikelihood (public)
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /**
  * <p>If log max likelihood is requested, make sure that all run blocks are of single histogram type.
@@ -4989,6 +4989,36 @@ void PMsrHandler::CheckMaxLikelihood()
   }
 }
 
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// GetGroupingString (public)
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/**
+ * <p>returns the forward/backward grouping string.
+ *
+ * \param runNo msr-file run block number
+ * \param detector tag telling which set to be used. Possible are: 'forward' and 'backward'
+ * \param groupingStr compressed grouping information.
+ */
+void PMsrHandler::GetGroupingString(Int_t runNo, TString detector, TString &groupingStr)
+{
+  PIntVector grouping;
+
+  if (!detector.CompareTo("forward", TString::kIgnoreCase)) {
+    for (UInt_t i=0; i<fRuns[runNo].GetForwardHistoNoSize(); i++)
+      grouping.push_back(fRuns[runNo].GetForwardHistoNo(i));
+    MakeDetectorGroupingString("forward", grouping, groupingStr, false);
+  } else if (!detector.CompareTo("backward", TString::kIgnoreCase)) {
+    for (UInt_t i=0; i<fRuns[runNo].GetBackwardHistoNoSize(); i++)
+      grouping.push_back(fRuns[runNo].GetBackwardHistoNo(i));
+    MakeDetectorGroupingString("backward", grouping, groupingStr, false);
+  } else {
+    groupingStr = "**ERROR** unkown detector. Allow forward/backward.";
+  }
+
+  // clean up
+  grouping.clear();
+}
+
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // NeededPrecision (private)
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -5152,13 +5182,18 @@ Bool_t PMsrHandler::ParseDetectorGrouping(TString str, PIntVector &group)
  *
  * \param str 'forward' or 'backward'
  * \param group detector grouping vector to be encoded
- * \param result encoded dtector grouping string
+ * \param result encoded detector grouping string
+ * \param includeDetector if true, the detector information is included
  */
-void PMsrHandler::MakeDetectorGroupingString(TString str, PIntVector &group, TString &result)
+void PMsrHandler::MakeDetectorGroupingString(TString str, PIntVector &group, TString &result, Bool_t includeDetector)
 {
-  result = str + TString("        ");
-  if (str == TString("forward"))
-    result += " ";
+  if (includeDetector) {
+    result = str + TString("        ");
+    if (str == TString("forward"))
+      result += " ";
+  } else {
+    str = "";
+  }
 
   UInt_t i=0, j=0;
   do {
diff --git a/src/classes/PMusrCanvas.cpp b/src/classes/PMusrCanvas.cpp
index 4e91b9fc..e1002204 100644
--- a/src/classes/PMusrCanvas.cpp
+++ b/src/classes/PMusrCanvas.cpp
@@ -705,25 +705,19 @@ void PMusrCanvas::UpdateInfoPad()
     // histo info (depending on the fittype
     if (runs[runNo].GetFitType() == MSR_FITTYPE_SINGLE_HISTO) {
       tstr += TString("h:");
-      tstr += runs[runNo].GetForwardHistoNo();
-      for (UInt_t j=1; j<runs[runNo].GetForwardHistoNoSize(); j++) {
-        tstr += TString("+");
-        tstr += runs[runNo].GetForwardHistoNo(j);
-      }
+      TString grouping;
+      fMsrHandler->GetGroupingString(runNo, "forward", grouping);
+      tstr += grouping;
       tstr += TString(",");
     } else if (runs[runNo].GetFitType() == MSR_FITTYPE_ASYM) {
       tstr += TString("h:");
-      tstr += runs[runNo].GetForwardHistoNo();
-      for (UInt_t j=1; j<runs[runNo].GetForwardHistoNoSize(); j++) {
-        tstr += TString("+");
-        tstr += runs[runNo].GetForwardHistoNo(j);
-      }
+      TString grouping;
+      fMsrHandler->GetGroupingString(runNo, "forward", grouping);
+      tstr += grouping;
       tstr += TString("/");
-      tstr += runs[runNo].GetBackwardHistoNo();
-      for (UInt_t j=1; j<runs[runNo].GetBackwardHistoNoSize(); j++) {
-        tstr += TString("+");
-        tstr += runs[runNo].GetBackwardHistoNo(j);
-      }
+      grouping = "";
+      fMsrHandler->GetGroupingString(runNo, "backward", grouping);
+      tstr += grouping;
       tstr += TString(",");
     }
     // temperature if present
diff --git a/src/include/PMsrHandler.h b/src/include/PMsrHandler.h
index db3f4607..16dffcd3 100644
--- a/src/include/PMsrHandler.h
+++ b/src/include/PMsrHandler.h
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ class PMsrHandler
     virtual Bool_t CheckAddRunParameters();
     virtual void CheckMaxLikelihood();
 
+    virtual void GetGroupingString(Int_t runNo, TString detector, TString &groupingStr);
+
   private:
     Bool_t                 fWriteExpectedChisq; ///< flag shows if expected chisq shall be written to the msr-file
 
@@ -147,7 +149,7 @@ class PMsrHandler
     virtual UInt_t LastSignificant(Double_t dval, UInt_t precLimit=6);
 
     virtual Bool_t ParseDetectorGrouping(TString str, PIntVector &group);
-    virtual void MakeDetectorGroupingString(TString str, PIntVector &group, TString &result);
+    virtual void MakeDetectorGroupingString(TString str, PIntVector &group, TString &result, Bool_t includeDetector = true);
 };
 
 #endif // _PMSRHANDLER_H_