diff --git a/src/colors.py b/src/colors.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d62b115
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/colors.py
@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+# find named color that is closest to rgb values
+def closest_color(rgb,names):
+    name=""
+    mindist=float('inf')
+    for i in range(len(names)):
+        dist=(rgb[0]-names[i][1])**2+(rgb[1]-names[i][2])**2+(rgb[2]-names[i][3])**2
+        if dist<mindist:
+            name=names[i][0]
+            mindist=dist
+    return name
+        
+
+# color names
+## This is adapted from the LaTeX xcolor package
+## which is licensed under the LaTeX Project Public License v1.3c
+## by Dr. Uwe Kern
+##
+xcolor_names=[#
+["red",1,0,0],#
+["green",0,1,0],#
+["blue",0,0,1],#
+["brown",.75,.5,.25],#
+["lime",.75,1,0],#
+["orange",1,.5,0],#
+["pink",1,.75,.75],#
+["purple",.75,0,.25],#
+["teal",0,.5,.5],#
+["violet",.5,0,.5],#
+["cyan",0,1,1],#
+["magenta",1,0,1],#
+["yellow",1,1,0],#
+["olive",.5,.5,0],#
+["black",0,0,0],#
+["darkgray",.25,.25,.25],#
+["gray",.5,.5,.5],#
+["lightgray",.75,.75,.75],#
+["white",1,1,1],#
+##
+["AliceBlue",.94,.972,1],#
+["AntiqueWhite",.98,.92,.844],#
+["Aquamarine",.498,1,.83],#
+["Azure",.94,1,1],#
+["Beige",.96,.96,.864],#
+["Bisque",1,.894,.77],#
+["Black",0,0,0],#
+["BlanchedAlmond",1,.92,.804],#
+["Blue",0,0,1],#
+["BlueViolet",.54,.17,.888],#
+["Brown",.648,.165,.165],#
+["BurlyWood",.87,.72,.53],#
+["CadetBlue",.372,.62,.628],#
+["Chartreuse",.498,1,0],#
+["Chocolate",.824,.41,.116],#
+["Coral",1,.498,.312],#
+["CornflowerBlue",.392,.585,.93],#
+["Cornsilk",1,.972,.864],#
+["Crimson",.864,.08,.235],#
+["Cyan",0,1,1],#
+["DarkBlue",0,0,.545],#
+["DarkCyan",0,.545,.545],#
+["DarkGoldenrod",.72,.525,.044],#
+["DarkGray",.664,.664,.664],#
+["DarkGreen",0,.392,0],#
+["DarkGrey",.664,.664,.664],#
+["DarkKhaki",.74,.716,.42],#
+["DarkMagenta",.545,0,.545],#
+["DarkOliveGreen",.332,.42,.185],#
+["DarkOrange",1,.55,0],#
+["DarkOrchid",.6,.196,.8],#
+["DarkRed",.545,0,0],#
+["DarkSalmon",.912,.59,.48],#
+["DarkSeaGreen",.56,.736,.56],#
+["DarkSlateBlue",.284,.24,.545],#
+["DarkSlateGray",.185,.31,.31],#
+["DarkSlateGrey",.185,.31,.31],#
+["DarkTurquoise",0,.808,.82],#
+["DarkViolet",.58,0,.828],#
+["DeepPink",1,.08,.576],#
+["DeepSkyBlue",0,.75,1],#
+["DimGray",.41,.41,.41],#
+["DimGrey",.41,.41,.41],#
+["DodgerBlue",.116,.565,1],#
+["FireBrick",.698,.132,.132],#
+["FloralWhite",1,.98,.94],#
+["ForestGreen",.132,.545,.132],#
+["Gainsboro",.864,.864,.864],#
+["GhostWhite",.972,.972,1],#
+["Gold",1,.844,0],#
+["Goldenrod",.855,.648,.125],#
+["Gray",.5,.5,.5],#
+["Green",0,.5,0],#
+["GreenYellow",.68,1,.185],#
+["Grey",.5,.5,.5],#
+["Honeydew",.94,1,.94],#
+["HotPink",1,.41,.705],#
+["IndianRed",.804,.36,.36],#
+["Indigo",.294,0,.51],#
+["Ivory",1,1,.94],#
+["Khaki",.94,.9,.55],#
+["Lavender",.9,.9,.98],#
+["LavenderBlush",1,.94,.96],#
+["LawnGreen",.488,.99,0],#
+["LemonChiffon",1,.98,.804],#
+["LightBlue",.68,.848,.9],#
+["LightCoral",.94,.5,.5],#
+["LightCyan",.88,1,1],#
+["LightGoldenrod",.933,.867,.51],#
+["LightGoldenrodYellow",.98,.98,.824],#
+["LightGray",.828,.828,.828],#
+["LightGreen",.565,.932,.565],#
+["LightGrey",.828,.828,.828],#
+["LightPink",1,.712,.756],#
+["LightSalmon",1,.628,.48],#
+["LightSeaGreen",.125,.698,.668],#
+["LightSkyBlue",.53,.808,.98],#
+["LightSlateBlue",.518,.44,1],#
+["LightSlateGray",.468,.532,.6],#
+["LightSlateGrey",.468,.532,.6],#
+["LightSteelBlue",.69,.77,.87],#
+["LightYellow",1,1,.88],#
+["Lime",0,1,0],#
+["LimeGreen",.196,.804,.196],#
+["Linen",.98,.94,.9],#
+["Magenta",1,0,1],#
+["Maroon",.5,0,0],#
+["MediumAquamarine",.4,.804,.668],#
+["MediumBlue",0,0,.804],#
+["MediumOrchid",.73,.332,.828],#
+["MediumPurple",.576,.44,.86],#
+["MediumSeaGreen",.235,.7,.444],#
+["MediumSlateBlue",.484,.408,.932],#
+["MediumSpringGreen",0,.98,.604],#
+["MediumTurquoise",.284,.82,.8],#
+["MediumVioletRed",.78,.084,.52],#
+["MidnightBlue",.098,.098,.44],#
+["MintCream",.96,1,.98],#
+["MistyRose",1,.894,.884],#
+["Moccasin",1,.894,.71],#
+["NavajoWhite",1,.87,.68],#
+["Navy",0,0,.5],#
+["NavyBlue",0,0,.5],#
+["OldLace",.992,.96,.9],#
+["Olive",.5,.5,0],#
+["OliveDrab",.42,.556,.136],#
+["Orange",1,.648,0],#
+["OrangeRed",1,.27,0],#
+["Orchid",.855,.44,.84],#
+["PaleGoldenrod",.932,.91,.668],#
+["PaleGreen",.596,.985,.596],#
+["PaleTurquoise",.688,.932,.932],#
+["PaleVioletRed",.86,.44,.576],#
+["PapayaWhip",1,.936,.835],#
+["PeachPuff",1,.855,.725],#
+["Peru",.804,.52,.248],#
+["Pink",1,.752,.796],#
+["Plum",.868,.628,.868],#
+["PowderBlue",.69,.88,.9],#
+["Purple",.5,0,.5],#
+["Red",1,0,0],#
+["RosyBrown",.736,.56,.56],#
+["RoyalBlue",.255,.41,.884],#
+["SaddleBrown",.545,.27,.075],#
+["Salmon",.98,.5,.448],#
+["SandyBrown",.956,.644,.376],#
+["SeaGreen",.18,.545,.34],#
+["Seashell",1,.96,.932],#
+["Sienna",.628,.32,.176],#
+["Silver",.752,.752,.752],#
+["SkyBlue",.53,.808,.92],#
+["SlateBlue",.415,.352,.804],#
+["SlateGray",.44,.5,.565],#
+["SlateGrey",.44,.5,.565],#
+["Snow",1,.98,.98],#
+["SpringGreen",0,1,.498],#
+["SteelBlue",.275,.51,.705],#
+["Tan",.824,.705,.55],#
+["Teal",0,.5,.5],#
+["Thistle",.848,.75,.848],#
+["Tomato",1,.39,.28],#
+["Turquoise",.25,.88,.815],#
+["Violet",.932,.51,.932],#
+["VioletRed",.816,.125,.565],#
+["Wheat",.96,.87,.7],#
+["White",1,1,1],#
+["WhiteSmoke",.96,.96,.96],#
+["Yellow",1,1,0],#
+["YellowGreen",.604,.804,.196]#
+]
diff --git a/src/command_prompt.py b/src/command_prompt.py
index 9960d69..57ccc99 100644
--- a/src/command_prompt.py
+++ b/src/command_prompt.py
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ class Command_prompt(Label):
         cursor=self.parse_argv()
 
         # write and edit commands
-        if self.argv[0]=="w" or self.argv[0]=="e":
+        if self.argv[0]=="w" or self.argv[0]=="e" or self.argv[0]=="export":
             # check that cursor is in first argument
             if cursor[0]==1:
                 # complete filesystem path
@@ -307,6 +307,9 @@ class Command_prompt(Label):
         # edit file
         if self.argv[0]=="e":
             self.run_edit(self.argv)
+        # export to file
+        if self.argv[0]=="export":
+            self.run_export(self.argv)
         # quit
         if self.argv[0]=="q" or self.argv=="wq":
             self.app.stop()
@@ -461,3 +464,21 @@ class Command_prompt(Label):
         self.app.openfile=argv[1]
         # update status bar
         self.app.status_bar.draw()
+
+    # export to file in Tikz format
+    def run_export(self,argv):
+        if len(argv)>2:
+            self.message="error: could not open file: too many arguments -- usage: ':export <path to file>'"
+            return
+        elif len(argv)==1:
+            self.message="error: could not open file: no argument found -- usage: ':export <path to file>'"
+            return
+
+        # check that the file can be edited
+        (ret,self.message)=filecheck.check_edit(argv[1])
+        # error
+        if ret<0:
+            return
+
+        # export
+        self.app.painter.export_tikz(argv[1])
diff --git a/src/painter.py b/src/painter.py
index cf71c6b..1b518bf 100644
--- a/src/painter.py
+++ b/src/painter.py
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ from polyomino import Square_element
 
 from tools import remove_fromlist
 
+import colors
+
 # painter class
 class Painter(Widget):
 
@@ -451,6 +453,36 @@ class Painter(Widget):
         ff.close()
         self.draw()
 
+    # export to tikz
+    def export_tikz(self,file):
+        # abort if no particles
+        if len(self.particles)==0:
+            return
+        ff=open(file,"w")
+
+        # header
+        ff.write("\documentclass{standalone}\n")
+        ff.write("\n")
+        ff.write("\\usepackage[svgnames]{xcolor}\n")
+        ff.write("\\usepackage{tikz}\n")
+        ff.write("\\usepackage{jam}\n")
+        ff.write("\n")
+        ff.write("\\begin{document}\n")
+        ff.write("\\begin{tikzpicture}\n")
+        ff.write("\n")
+
+        # write position of particles
+        for particle in self.particles:
+            if type(particle)==Cross:
+                ff.write("\cross{"+colors.closest_color(particle.color,colors.xcolor_names)+"}")
+            ff.write("{{({:05.2f},{:05.2f})}};\n".format(particle.squares[0].pos.x-self.particles[0].squares[0].pos.x,particle.squares[0].pos.y-self.particles[0].squares[0].pos.y))
+
+        ff.write("\\end{tikzpicture}\n")
+        ff.write("\\end{document}\n")
+        ff.write("\n")
+
+        ff.close()
+
     # set zoom level
     def set_zoom(self,level):
         Square_element.size=level*50