diff --git a/amitools/vamos/astructs/array.py b/amitools/vamos/astructs/array.py
index ad971b2b..ed85a4e1 100644
--- a/amitools/vamos/astructs/array.py
+++ b/amitools/vamos/astructs/array.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ def __init__(self, mem, addr, **kwargs):
 
     def get(self, index):
         """Return n-th element in array"""
+        if type(index) is str:
+            index = int(index)
         entry_addr = self._get_entry_addr(index)
         cls_type = self._element_type.get_alias_type()
         return cls_type(self._mem, entry_addr)
@@ -34,6 +36,17 @@ def _get_entry_addr(self, index):
     def __getitem__(self, key):
         return self.get(key)
 
+    def get_path(self, path):
+        if len(path) == 0:
+            return self
+        # allow and index '[num]'
+        arg = self._get_path_arg(path)
+        if arg:
+            index = int(arg)
+            sub_obj = self.get(index)
+            sub_path = self._skip_path_arg(path, arg)
+            return sub_obj.get_path(sub_path)
+
 
 class ArrayIter:
     def __init__(self, array):
diff --git a/amitools/vamos/astructs/astruct.py b/amitools/vamos/astructs/astruct.py
index 257564f4..9da870ba 100644
--- a/amitools/vamos/astructs/astruct.py
+++ b/amitools/vamos/astructs/astruct.py
@@ -401,3 +401,13 @@ def __setattr__(self, field_name, val):
                     "Field {} is read-only in {}".format(field_name, self)
                 )
         super().__setattr__(field_name, val)
+
+    def get_path(self, path):
+        if len(path) == 0:
+            return self
+        field = self._get_next_path_field(path)
+        if field:
+            sub_obj = self.get(field)
+            if sub_obj is not None:
+                sub_path = self._skip_path_field(path, field)
+                return sub_obj.get_path(sub_path)
diff --git a/amitools/vamos/astructs/typebase.py b/amitools/vamos/astructs/typebase.py
index 5c8b3531..d433c606 100644
--- a/amitools/vamos/astructs/typebase.py
+++ b/amitools/vamos/astructs/typebase.py
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ def __init__(
         if reg:
             assert cpu
 
+    def clone(self, cls):
+        """clone type into a new class"""
+        kw_args = {"alloc": self._cpu, "mem_obj": self._mem_obj}
+        return cls(self._mem, self._addr, **kw_args)
+
     def __eq__(self, other):
         if type(other) is int:
             return self._addr == other
@@ -71,6 +76,10 @@ def __eq__(self, other):
         else:
             return NotImplemented
 
+    def __bool__(self):
+        # type objects are always true, so "if obj" works reliably
+        return True
+
     def get_addr(self):
         """if type is bound to memory then return address otherwise None."""
         return self._addr
@@ -94,6 +103,54 @@ def get_base_offset(self):
         """if type is embedded in a sub structure then return its global offset"""
         return self._base_offset
 
+    def get_path(self, path):
+        """find object along the given path"""
+        # by default the path has to be empty
+        assert len(path) == 0
+        return self
+
+    def _get_next_path_field(self, path):
+        """split next field from path
+
+        return field
+        """
+        # arguments in field are surrounded in '[' and ']'
+        pos = path.find("[")
+        if pos != -1:
+            path = path[:pos]
+        # fields are separated by '.'
+        pos = path.find(".")
+        if pos != -1:
+            path = path[:pos]
+        return path
+
+    def _skip_path_field(self, path, field):
+        n = len(field)
+        if path == field:
+            return ""
+        if path[n] == ".":
+            return path[n + 1 :]
+        else:
+            return path[n:]
+
+    def _get_path_arg(self, path):
+        """return arg or None"""
+        if len(path) == 0:
+            return path
+        if path[0] == "[":
+            pos = path.find("]")
+            if pos != -1:
+                return path[1:pos]
+            else:
+                # error: no closing bracket
+                return None
+        else:
+            return None
+
+    def _skip_path_arg(self, path, arg):
+        # skip '[...].'
+        return path[len(arg) + 3 :]
+
     def __getattr__(self, key):
         if key == "addr":
             return self._addr
diff --git a/amitools/vamos/libtypes/__init__.py b/amitools/vamos/libtypes/__init__.py
index 8746bf6b..ef8424c7 100644
--- a/amitools/vamos/libtypes/__init__.py
+++ b/amitools/vamos/libtypes/__init__.py
@@ -10,6 +10,3 @@
 # dos
 from .lock import FileLock, FileHandle
 from .process import CLI, Process, PathList
-
-# type promotion
-from .promote import promote_type
diff --git a/amitools/vamos/libtypes/list_.py b/amitools/vamos/libtypes/list_.py
index 75748edc..8500d5da 100644
--- a/amitools/vamos/libtypes/list_.py
+++ b/amitools/vamos/libtypes/list_.py
@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@
 
 
 class ListIter(object):
-    def __init__(self, alist, start_node=None):
+    def __init__(self, alist, start_node=None, promote=False):
         self.alist = alist
         self.mem = self.alist._mem
+        self.promote = promote
         if start_node is None:
             self.node = alist._head.succ.ref
         else:
@@ -21,7 +22,10 @@ def __next__(self):
             raise StopIteration()
         res = self.node
         self.node = succ
-        return res
+        if self.promote:
+            return res.promote_type()
+        else:
+            return res
 
 
 class ListBase:
@@ -114,6 +118,9 @@ def __init__(self, mem, addr, **kwargs):
         self._head = Node(mem, self.addr)
         self._tail = Node(mem, self.addr + 4)
 
+    def __iter__(self):
+        return ListIter(self, promote=True)
+
     def __str__(self):
         return "[List:@%06x,h=%06x,t=%06x,tp=%06x,%s]" % (
             self.addr,
@@ -123,6 +130,18 @@ def __str__(self):
             self.type,
         )
 
+    def get_path(self, path):
+        # allow to search list via arg
+        if len(path) == 0:
+            return self
+        # arg?
+        arg = self._get_path_arg(path)
+        if arg:
+            sub_obj = self.find_name(arg)
+            if sub_obj:
+                sub_path = self._skip_path_arg(path, arg)
+                return sub_obj.get_path(sub_path)
+
     # ----- list ops -----
 
     def new_list(self, lt):
diff --git a/amitools/vamos/libtypes/node.py b/amitools/vamos/libtypes/node.py
index ebb2310a..3cbe37f0 100644
--- a/amitools/vamos/libtypes/node.py
+++ b/amitools/vamos/libtypes/node.py
@@ -1,5 +1,15 @@
-from amitools.vamos.libstructs import NodeStruct, MinNodeStruct
+from amitools.vamos.libstructs import NodeStruct, NodeType, MinNodeStruct, LibraryStruct
 from amitools.vamos.astructs import AmigaClassDef
+from amitools.vamos.libtypes.process import Process
+from amitools.vamos.libtypes.task import Task
+
+
+node_map = {
+    NodeType.NT_TASK: Task,
+    NodeType.NT_PROCESS: Process,
+    NodeType.NT_DEVICE: LibraryStruct,
+    NodeType.NT_LIBRARY: LibraryStruct,
+}
 
 
 class NodeBase:
@@ -43,6 +53,15 @@ def __str__(self):
 
     # ----- node ops -----
 
+    def promote_type(self):
+        """convert objects according to Amiga rules"""
+        node_type = self.type.get()
+        if node_type in node_map:
+            node_cls = node_map[node_type]
+            return self.clone(node_cls)
+        else:
+            return self
+
     def find_name(self, name):
         """find name after this node"""
         succ = self.succ.ref
diff --git a/amitools/vamos/libtypes/promote.py b/amitools/vamos/libtypes/promote.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 2c3faff9..00000000
--- a/amitools/vamos/libtypes/promote.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
-from amitools.vamos.libstructs import NodeType, LibraryStruct
-from .node import Node
-from .task import Task
-from .process import Process
-
-node_map = {
-    NodeType.NT_TASK: Task,
-    NodeType.NT_PROCESS: Process,
-    NodeType.NT_DEVICE: LibraryStruct,
-    NodeType.NT_LIBRARY: LibraryStruct,
-}
-
-
-def promote_type(obj):
-    """convert objects according to Amiga rules
-
-    * if its a node then use the node type to derive the actual class
-    * if its a task but of type process
-    """
-    if type(obj) is Node:
-        node_type = obj.type.get()
-        if node_type in node_map:
-            node_cls = node_map[node_type]
-            return obj.clone(node_cls)
-
-    # promote a task to a process
-    elif type(obj) is Task:
-        node_type = obj.node.type.get()
-        if node_type == NodeType.NT_PROCESS:
-            return obj.clone(Process)
-
-    # no promotion applied
-    return obj
diff --git a/amitools/vamos/libtypes/task.py b/amitools/vamos/libtypes/task.py
index 10cafcb7..118dc9c7 100644
--- a/amitools/vamos/libtypes/task.py
+++ b/amitools/vamos/libtypes/task.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from amitools.vamos.libstructs import TaskStruct, NodeType, TaskState
 from amitools.vamos.astructs import AmigaClassDef
+from amitools.vamos.libtypes.process import Process
 
 
 @AmigaClassDef
@@ -12,3 +13,11 @@ def new_task(self, pri=0, flags=0, nt=NodeType.NT_TASK):
         self.flags.val = flags
         self.state.val = TaskState.TS_INVALID
         self.mem_entry.new_list(NodeType.NT_MEMORY)
+
+    def promote_type(self):
+        """promote task to process if type is set accordingly"""
+        node_type = self.node.type.get()
+        if node_type == NodeType.NT_PROCESS:
+            return self.clone(Process)
+        else:
+            return self
diff --git a/amitools/vamos/tools/state.py b/amitools/vamos/tools/state.py
index fd8a932e..d1377852 100644
--- a/amitools/vamos/tools/state.py
+++ b/amitools/vamos/tools/state.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from .tool import Tool
 from amitools.vamos.astructs import TypeDumper
 from amitools.vamos.libstructs import ExecLibraryStruct
+from amitools.vamos.libtypes import List, MinList
 from amitools.vamos.machine.mock import MockMemory, MultiMockMemory, DummyMockMemory
 from amitools.state import ASFFile, ASFParser
 import amitools.rom
@@ -25,7 +26,10 @@ def add_args(self, arg_parser):
         # show
         parser = sub.add_parser("show", help="show data structures in RAM")
         parser.add_argument("file", help="UAE state file (.uss)")
-        parser.add_argument("-r", "--rom", nargs="+", help="rom files", default=[])
+        parser.add_argument("what", nargs="?", help="what to show")
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "-r", "--rom", action="append", help="rom files", default=[]
+        )
 
     def run(self, args):
         type_cmd = args.type_cmd
@@ -104,8 +108,27 @@ def show_cmd(self, args):
             mem.add(m)
         mem.add(DummyMockMemory())
 
-        # dump exec library
+        # get exec library
         exec_base = mem.r32(4)
         exec_lib = ExecLibraryStruct(mem, exec_base)
+
+        # find sub object
+        obj = exec_lib
+        if args.what:
+            obj = obj.get_path(args.what)
+            if obj is None:
+                print(f"can't resolve path '{args.what}'")
+                return 1
+
         dumper = TypeDumper()
-        dumper.dump_obj(exec_lib)
+        if type(obj) in (List, MinList):
+            # dump list
+            if len(obj) == 0:
+                print("Empty list")
+            else:
+                for elem in obj:
+                    dumper.dump_obj(elem)
+        else:
+            # dump object
+            dumper.dump_obj(obj)
+        return 0
diff --git a/test/unit/astructs_array.py b/test/unit/astructs_array.py
index 71b8ee70..30149c36 100644
--- a/test/unit/astructs_array.py
+++ b/test/unit/astructs_array.py
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ def astructs_array_test():
     a[0].val = 23
     assert a[0].val == 23
     assert a.get(0).val == 23
+    # path
+    assert a.get_path("") is a
+    assert a.get_path("[0]") == a.get(0)
+    assert a.get_path("[9]") == a.get(9)
 
 
 def astructs_array_iter_test():
diff --git a/test/unit/astructs_astruct.py b/test/unit/astructs_astruct.py
index 14488ec3..94fa3eb9 100644
--- a/test/unit/astructs_astruct.py
+++ b/test/unit/astructs_astruct.py
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ def astructs_astruct_base_inst_test():
     # try to assign field directly -> forbidden!
     with pytest.raises(AttributeError):
         ms.ms_Word = 42
+    # path test
+    assert ms.get_path("") is ms
+    assert ms.get_path("ms_Word") is ms.get_path("ms_Word")
 
 
 def astructs_astruct_base_inst_reg_test():
@@ -206,6 +209,10 @@ def astructs_astruct_sub_struct_inst_test():
     # find sub field
     field = ss.ss_My2.ms_Pad
     assert ss.sfields.find_sub_field_by_def(SubStruct.sdef.ss_My2.ms_Pad) == field
+    # path test
+    assert ss.get_path("") is ss
+    assert ss.get_path("ss_My") is ms
+    assert ss.get_path("ss_My.ms_Word") is ms.get("ms_Word")
 
 
 def astructs_astruct_baddr_test():
diff --git a/test/unit/libtypes_list.py b/test/unit/libtypes_list.py
index c26b1a78..7e452c25 100644
--- a/test/unit/libtypes_list.py
+++ b/test/unit/libtypes_list.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from amitools.vamos.machine.mock import MockMemory
 from amitools.vamos.mem import MemoryAlloc
-from amitools.vamos.libtypes import List, MinList, Node, MinNode
+from amitools.vamos.libtypes import List, MinList, Node, MinNode, Task, Process
 from amitools.vamos.libstructs import ListStruct, MinListStruct, NodeType
 
 
@@ -167,8 +167,9 @@ def libtypes_list_iter_at_test():
     assert [a for a in l.iter_at(n2)] == [n2]
 
 
-def add_node(alist, addr, name):
+def add_node(alist, addr, name, type=NodeType.NT_UNKNOWN):
     n = Node(alist.mem, addr)
+    n.type.set(type)
     addr += n.get_size()
     name_addr = addr
     alist.mem.w_cstr(addr, name)
@@ -198,6 +199,21 @@ def libtypes_list_find_name_test():
     n = l.find_name("hello")
     assert n == n1
     assert n.find_name("hello") == n3
+    # get path
+    assert l.get_path("") is l
+    assert l.get_path("[world]") == n2
+    assert l.get_path("[world].type") == n2.get("type")
+
+
+def libtypes_list_find_name_promote_test():
+    l = new_list()
+    addr = 0x60
+    n1, addr = add_node(l, addr, "hello", type=NodeType.NT_TASK)
+    n2, addr = add_node(l, addr, "world", type=NodeType.NT_PROCESS)
+    task = l.find_name("hello")
+    assert type(task) is Task
+    proc = l.find_name("world")
+    assert type(proc) is Process
 
 
 def libtypes_list_alloc_test():
diff --git a/test/unit/libtypes_node.py b/test/unit/libtypes_node.py
index fb61387b..31543ba3 100644
--- a/test/unit/libtypes_node.py
+++ b/test/unit/libtypes_node.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import pytest
 from amitools.vamos.machine.mock import MockMemory
 from amitools.vamos.mem import MemoryAlloc
-from amitools.vamos.libtypes import Node, MinNode
+from amitools.vamos.libtypes import Node, MinNode, Task
 from amitools.vamos.libstructs import NodeStruct, MinNodeStruct, NodeType
 
 
@@ -123,3 +123,10 @@ def libtypes_node_alloc_min_test():
     assert node.get_size() == MinNodeStruct.get_size()
     node.free()
     assert alloc.is_all_free()
+
+
+def libtypes_node_promote_test():
+    mem = MockMemory()
+    node = Node(mem, 0x80, type=NodeType.NT_TASK)
+    task = node.promote_type()
+    assert type(task) is Task
diff --git a/test/unit/libtypes_promote.py b/test/unit/libtypes_promote.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 6cdf0b6a..00000000
--- a/test/unit/libtypes_promote.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-from amitools.vamos.machine.mock import MockMemory
-from amitools.vamos.libstructs import NodeType
-from amitools.vamos.libtypes import promote_type, Node, Task, Process
-from amitools.vamos.libtypes.promote import node_map
-
-
-def libtypes_promote_node_test():
-    mem = MockMemory()
-    for node_type, node_cls in node_map.items():
-        node = Node(mem, 0x40)
-        node.type.set(node_type)
-        new_node = promote_type(node)
-        assert type(new_node) is node_cls
-
-
-def libtypes_promote_task_test():
-    mem = MockMemory()
-    task = Task(mem, 0x40)
-    task.node.type.set(NodeType.NT_PROCESS)
-    proc = promote_type(task)
-    assert type(proc) is Process