diff --git a/matlab/TCV/gdat_tcv.m b/matlab/TCV/gdat_tcv.m
index 547a646ea7bf2b293faf1f91bbb048af157a4ea4..1a46f4d01056f6bc828b1ff3ccd6e19536d55a6c 100644
--- a/matlab/TCV/gdat_tcv.m
+++ b/matlab/TCV/gdat_tcv.m
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ function [gdat_data,gdat_params,error_status,varargout] = gdat_tcv(shot,data_req
 %    a6=gdat(48836,'ip','Opt1',123,'Doplot',1,'opt2','Abc'); % standard call with a few options (note all lowercase in output)
 %    a7 = gdat(48836,'static("r_m")[$1]'',''001'); % note first and last quote of tdi argument added by gdat
 %    a7 = gdat(48836,'tcv_eq(''''psi'''',''''liuqe.m'''')'); % do not use double quote char so 'liuqe',11 will work
+%    a8 = gdat(64770,['\magnetics::bpol_003[*,$1]'',{''001''; ''030''}']); one string full expression
+%    a9 = gdat(64770,{'\magnetics::vloop[*,$1]',{'''001''','''A_001'''}}); cell array (other option)
 %
 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 % Remote data access for TCV
@@ -387,7 +389,15 @@ if strcmp(mapping_for_tcv.method(1:3),'tdi')
       end
       eval_expr = ['tdi(''' mapping_for_tcv.expression{1} ''''];
       for i=2:length(mapping_for_tcv.expression)
-        eval_expr = [eval_expr ',''' mapping_for_tcv.expression{i} ''''];
+        if ~iscell(mapping_for_tcv.expression{i}) || length(mapping_for_tcv.expression{i}) == 1
+          eval_expr = [eval_expr ',''' mapping_for_tcv.expression{i} ''''];
+        else
+          eval_expr = [eval_expr ',{' mapping_for_tcv.expression{i}{1}];
+          for j=2:length(mapping_for_tcv.expression{i})
+            eval_expr=[eval_expr ',' mapping_for_tcv.expression{i}{j}];
+          end
+          eval_expr = [eval_expr '}'];
+        end
       end
       eval_expr = [eval_expr ');'];
       aatmp = eval(eval_expr);
@@ -586,7 +596,12 @@ if strcmp(mapping_for_tcv.method(1:3),'tdi')
     mapping_for_tcv.gdat_timedim = mapping_for_tcv.timedim;
   end
   gdat_data.data_fullpath=[mapping_for_tcv.expression];
-  gdat_data.label=[mapping_for_tcv.expression];
+  if iscell(mapping_for_tcv.expression)
+    gdat_data.label=[mapping_for_tcv.expression{1}];
+  else
+    gdat_data.label=[mapping_for_tcv.expression];
+  end
+
   gdat_data.help = aatmp.help;
 
   % end of method "tdi"
@@ -2601,7 +2616,8 @@ elseif strcmp(mapping_for_tcv.method,'switchcase')
    case {'psi_edge'}
     % psi at edge, 0 by construction in Liuqe, thus not given
     % add surface_psi from surface_flux and d(surface_flux)/dt = vloop
-keyboard
+    warning('now psi_edge expression in tcv_requests_mapping, so should not come here')
+    keyboard
     nodenameeff=['\results::psi_axis' substr_liuqe];
     if liuqe_version_eff==-1
       nodenameeff=[begstr 'q_psi' substr_liuqe];
diff --git a/matlab/TCV/tcv_requests_mapping.m b/matlab/TCV/tcv_requests_mapping.m
index 499bbd90d9fb8fe563b13a5f3cc03c18bfb7a9d6..90f5c9e82c7ad5082dedbec20bdffc74fbe22f24 100644
--- a/matlab/TCV/tcv_requests_mapping.m
+++ b/matlab/TCV/tcv_requests_mapping.m
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ mapping.label = data_request;
 % method = 'switchcase', then there will be a specific case within gdat_tcv (usual case when not directly a signal)
 %
 % label is used for plotting
+if iscell(data_request)
+  mapping.label = data_request;
+  mapping.method = 'tdi'; % assume a full tracename is given, so just try with tdi (could check there are some ":", etc...)
+  mapping.expression = data_request;
+  return
+end
 switch lower(data_request)
  case 'a_minor'
   mapping.timedim = 1;