diff --git a/tcl/startup/hdb.tcl b/tcl/startup/hdb.tcl
index 953c397..ec44dfa 100644
--- a/tcl/startup/hdb.tcl
+++ b/tcl/startup/hdb.tcl
@@ -91,9 +91,13 @@ proc hdbItem {path title} {
         set buttons [silent "" hgetpropval $path buttons]
         set val ""
         if {[string match "run *" $cmd]} {
-          set val [silent "" hgetpropval $path target]
-          set cmd2 [string range $cmd 4 end]
-          set val [silent $val result $cmd2 target]
+           set cmd2 [string range $cmd 4 end]
+          if {[silent 0 hgetpropval $path visible] eq "readonly"} {
+            set val [silent "" hvali $path]
+          } else {
+            # set val [silent "" hgetpropval $path target]
+            set val [silent $val result $cmd2 target]
+          }
           clientput "-P"
         } elseif {$type eq "func"} {
           clientput "-T$title"
@@ -118,10 +122,20 @@ proc hdbItem {path title} {
           set priv internal
           clientput "-P"
         }
+        set fmtstr [silent "" hgetpropval $path fmtstr]
+        if {$fmtstr ne ""} {
+          set val [format $fmtstr $val]
+        }
+        if {[silent "" hgetpropval $path visible] eq "readonly"} {
+          set priv internal
+        }
         switch $priv {
           user - spy {
             set val [silent $val hgetpropval $path requested]
             set val [silent $val hgetpropval $path secoprequested]
+            #if {$fmtstr ne ""} {
+            #  set val [format $fmtstr $val]
+            #}
             set enum [silent "" hgetpropval $path enum]
             if {$enum eq ""} {
               # experimental
@@ -293,6 +307,8 @@ proc nodeVisible {path {key visible}} {
   set vis [silent true hgetpropval $path $key]
   if {$vis eq "expert"} {
     return [info exists shown_groups(expertMode)]
+  } elseif {$vis eq "readonly"} {
+    return 1
   }
   return $vis
 }
@@ -306,7 +322,9 @@ proc hdbLayout {path} {
   # clientput "L $path G $group  [nodeVisible $path groupMode]"
   if {! [string equal 0 $group] && [nodeVisible $path groupMode]} {
     lassign [split $path /] _ obj
-    if {![string match *$obj* $group]} {
+    if {[string tolower $obj] eq $group} {
+      set group $obj
+    } elseif {![string match *$obj* $group]} {
       set group "$group \[$obj\]"
     }
     clientput "-T$group"