diff --git a/extmod/moductypes.c b/extmod/moductypes.c
index b3a20937e2053..ba84c63525a42 100644
--- a/extmod/moductypes.c
+++ b/extmod/moductypes.c
@@ -378,7 +378,12 @@ static MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_VAR_BETWEEN(uctypes_struct_sizeof_obj, 1, 2, ucty
 mp_obj_t uctypes_get_struct_desc(mp_obj_t arg) {
     if (is_struct_instance(arg)) {
         mp_obj_uctypes_struct_t *struct_ = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(arg);
-        return struct_->desc;
+        arg = struct_->desc;
+        if (is_struct_type(arg)) {
+            mp_obj_ctypes_struct_type_t *struct_type = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(arg);
+            return struct_type->desc;
+        }
+        return arg;
     }
     if (is_struct_type(arg)) {
         mp_obj_ctypes_struct_type_t *struct_type = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(arg);
diff --git a/extmod/multiverse_support.c b/extmod/multiverse_support.c
index 826c04cd6fced..15695187ed977 100644
--- a/extmod/multiverse_support.c
+++ b/extmod/multiverse_support.c
@@ -85,6 +85,11 @@ void *to_struct_helper(mp_obj_t obj, const mp_obj_type_t *struct_type, bool is_c
     if (obj == mp_const_none) {
         return NULL;
     }
+    if (struct_type == (const mp_obj_type_t *)&char_obj) { // C type is 'Ptr', we don't know what it is
+        mp_buffer_info_t bufinfo = {0};
+        mp_get_buffer_raise(obj, &bufinfo, is_const ? MP_BUFFER_READ : MP_BUFFER_READ | MP_BUFFER_WRITE);
+        return bufinfo.buf;
+    }
     if (struct_type && !mp_obj_is_type(obj, struct_type)) {
         mp_obj_t arg_descr = uctypes_get_struct_desc(obj);
         mp_obj_t type_descr = uctypes_get_struct_desc(MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(struct_type));
@@ -95,10 +100,10 @@ void *to_struct_helper(mp_obj_t obj, const mp_obj_type_t *struct_type, bool is_c
             // w = WindowMgr.NewWindow(...)
             // qd.SetPort(w)
             // ```
-            // which would otherwise say `TypeError: p must be of type GrafPort, not GrafPtr
+            // which would otherwise say `TypeError: p must be of type GrafPtr, not GrafPort
             //
             // (currently) mkapi treats the argument to SetPort
-            // as a GrafPort. But `GrafPtr` is a typedef to `GrafPort*`. It might be
+            // as a GrafPtr. But `GrafPtr` is a typedef to `GrafPort*`. It might be
             // better to fix this in mkapi, but instead cater here...
 
             mp_buffer_info_t bufinfo = {0};
diff --git a/ports/m68kmac/examples/textbox.py b/ports/m68kmac/examples/textbox.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..3412e6a303a1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ports/m68kmac/examples/textbox.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import mactypes
+import textedit
+import toolboxevent
+import deskmgr
+
+teJustCenter = 1
+textRect = mactypes.Rect(135, 10, 270, 487)
+text = bytearray(b"\r".join([b"Hello, World", b"This is MicroPython calling TETextBox", b"", b"Click to exit"]))
+textedit.TETextBox(text, len(text), textRect, textedit.teJustCenter)
+
+
+while not toolboxevent.Button():
+    deskmgr.SystemTask()  # scott added - slows it down on fast machines
diff --git a/ports/m68kmac/main.c b/ports/m68kmac/main.c
index 29fff92d6b5db..2ffd65dd18445 100644
--- a/ports/m68kmac/main.c
+++ b/ports/m68kmac/main.c
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     size_t heap_size = growmax / 2;
     unsigned char *heap = (unsigned char *)NewPtr(growmax / 2);
 
+    // show the console window always
+    mp_hal_stdin_init();
+
     // Check if we were given a file ...
     short message, count;
     CountAppFiles(&message, &count);
diff --git a/ports/m68kmac/modmachine.c b/ports/m68kmac/modmachine.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..116c01b610f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ports/m68kmac/modmachine.c
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+// This file is never compiled standalone, it's included directly from
+// extmod/modmachine.c via MICROPY_PY_MACHINE_INCLUDEFILE.
+
+#include "uart_core.h"
+
+static void mp_machine_idle(void) {
+    mp_console_idle(true);
+}
+
+static mp_obj_t machine_show_console_fn(void) {
+    mp_console_showhide(true);
+    return mp_const_none;
+}
+MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_0(machine_show_console_obj, machine_show_console_fn);
+
+static mp_obj_t machine_hide_console_fn(void) {
+    mp_console_showhide(false);
+    return mp_const_none;
+}
+
+MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_0(machine_hide_console_obj, machine_hide_console_fn);
+
+#define MICROPY_PY_MACHINE_EXTRA_GLOBALS \
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_ShowConsole), MP_ROM_PTR(&machine_show_console_obj) }, \
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_HideConsole), MP_ROM_PTR(&machine_hide_console_obj) }, \
+
diff --git a/ports/m68kmac/mpconfigport.h b/ports/m68kmac/mpconfigport.h
index 2a3424e601c3c..63ec2cd79143c 100644
--- a/ports/m68kmac/mpconfigport.h
+++ b/ports/m68kmac/mpconfigport.h
@@ -57,3 +57,6 @@ typedef long mp_off_t;
 typedef struct _mp_obj_type_t mp_obj_type_t;
 extern const mp_obj_type_t mp_type_vfs_mac;
 #define MICROPY_VFS_PORT { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_VfsMac), MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_type_vfs_mac) }
+
+#define MICROPY_PY_MACHINE                      (1)
+#define MICROPY_PY_MACHINE_INCLUDEFILE "ports/m68kmac/modmachine.c"
diff --git a/ports/m68kmac/retro/Console.h b/ports/m68kmac/retro/Console.h
index ce85393ae3b4b..fbe31c1bbdbb6 100644
--- a/ports/m68kmac/retro/Console.h
+++ b/ports/m68kmac/retro/Console.h
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ namespace retro
         virtual void setWindowName(const char *newName) {
         };
 
+        virtual void setVisibility(bool shown) {
+        }
 
         void Idle();
 
diff --git a/ports/m68kmac/retro/ConsoleWindow.cpp b/ports/m68kmac/retro/ConsoleWindow.cpp
index e61c9554cb83c..0ade37920fe5c 100644
--- a/ports/m68kmac/retro/ConsoleWindow.cpp
+++ b/ports/m68kmac/retro/ConsoleWindow.cpp
@@ -271,3 +271,11 @@ static void setupEventFunction()
         }
     #endif
 }
+
+void ConsoleWindow::setVisibility(bool shown) {
+    if (shown) {
+        ShowWindow(win);
+    } else {
+        HideWindow(win);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/ports/m68kmac/retro/ConsoleWindow.h b/ports/m68kmac/retro/ConsoleWindow.h
index d57cecde46adc..b06d49653f6a0 100644
--- a/ports/m68kmac/retro/ConsoleWindow.h
+++ b/ports/m68kmac/retro/ConsoleWindow.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ namespace retro
         ConsoleWindow(Rect r, ConstStr255Param title);
         ~ConsoleWindow();
         void setWindowName(std::string newName);
-
+        void setVisibility(bool shown) override;
 private:
         WindowPtr win;
 
diff --git a/ports/m68kmac/uart_core.cpp b/ports/m68kmac/uart_core.cpp
index 0015ccc9db6d3..8cfa400513f57 100644
--- a/ports/m68kmac/uart_core.cpp
+++ b/ports/m68kmac/uart_core.cpp
@@ -20,15 +20,17 @@ namespace retro
 
 #define USE_CONSOLE (1)
 
-// Receive single character
-extern "C" 
-int mp_hal_stdin_rx_chr(void);
-int mp_hal_stdin_rx_chr(void) {
+void mp_hal_stdin_init(void) {
 #if USE_CONSOLE
     if(!Console::currentInstance)
         InitConsole();
-    if(Console::currentInstance == (Console*)-1)
-        return EOF;
+#endif
+}
+
+// Receive single character
+int mp_hal_stdin_rx_chr(void) {
+#if USE_CONSOLE
+    mp_console_showhide(true);
     int c = Console::currentInstance->WaitNextChar();
 #else
     int c = *(char*)0xc0006a;
@@ -36,6 +38,16 @@ int mp_hal_stdin_rx_chr(void) {
     return c;
 }
 
+int show_state = -1;
+void mp_console_showhide(bool shown) {
+    if (shown == show_state) return;
+    show_state = shown;
+    if(!Console::currentInstance)
+        InitConsole();
+    if(Console::currentInstance == (Console*)-1)
+        return;
+    Console::currentInstance->setVisibility(shown);
+}
 bool mp_hal_stdin_available(void) {
     if(!Console::currentInstance)
         InitConsole();
@@ -44,8 +56,6 @@ bool mp_hal_stdin_available(void) {
     return Console::currentInstance->Available(1);
 }
 
-extern "C"
-mp_uint_t debug_uart_tx_strn(const char *str, mp_uint_t len);
 mp_uint_t debug_uart_tx_strn(const char *str, mp_uint_t len) {
     mp_uint_t result = len;
     // debug hack, needs patched umac
@@ -76,3 +86,11 @@ mp_uint_t mp_hal_stdout_tx_strn(const char *str, mp_uint_t len) {
 
     return len;
 }
+void mp_console_idle() {
+    if(!Console::currentInstance)
+        InitConsole();
+    if(Console::currentInstance == (Console*)-1)
+        return;
+
+    Console::currentInstance->Idle();
+}
diff --git a/ports/m68kmac/uart_core.h b/ports/m68kmac/uart_core.h
index 1ce2cebd87c71..528393d6eebd4 100644
--- a/ports/m68kmac/uart_core.h
+++ b/ports/m68kmac/uart_core.h
@@ -1,17 +1,12 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#if defined(__cplusplus)
-extern "C" {
-#endif
-
 #include "py/mpprint.h"
 
+void mp_console_showhide(bool shown);
+void mp_console_idle();
+void mp_hal_stdin_init(void);
 bool mp_hal_stdin_available(void);
 int mp_hal_stdin_rx_chr(void);
 extern mp_print_t debug_print;
 mp_uint_t mp_hal_stdout_tx_strn(const char *str, mp_uint_t len);
 #define DEBUG_PRINT(...) mp_printf(&debug_print, __VA_ARGS__)
-
-#if defined(__cplusplus)
-}
-#endif
diff --git a/ports/unix/variants/coverage/mkapi_test.yaml b/ports/unix/variants/coverage/mkapi_test.yaml
index 7bbffb75f6907..3dcc9478e74ab 100644
--- a/ports/unix/variants/coverage/mkapi_test.yaml
+++ b/ports/unix/variants/coverage/mkapi_test.yaml
@@ -2,6 +2,14 @@
     name: Byte
     type: uint8_t
 
+- typedef:
+    name: Ptr
+    type: char*
+
+- typedef:
+    name: LONGINT
+    type: int32_t
+
 - typedef:
     name: INTEGER
     type: int16_t
@@ -75,6 +83,8 @@
 - pyverbatim:
     typedef_content: |
 
+      typedef void *Ptr;
+
       typedef struct {
         INTEGER top, left, bottom, right;
       } Rect;
@@ -117,14 +127,22 @@
         return &result;
       }
 
+      static void ShowWindow(WindowPtr w) {
+        mp_printf(&mp_plat_print, "ShowWindow(w@%p)\n", w);
+      }
+
       static void PtToAngle(const Rect *r, Point p, INTEGER *angle) {
-        mp_printf(&mp_plat_print, "PtToAngle(rect@%p, p={%d,%d}, angle@%p\n", r, p.h, p.v, angle);
+        mp_printf(&mp_plat_print, "PtToAngle(rect@%p, p={%d,%d}, angle@%p)\n", r, p.h, p.v, angle);
         *angle = 314;
       }
 
       static INTEGER GetWinDevice(WindowPtr w) {
         return w->device;
       }
+
+      static void TETextBox(char *p, uint32_t ln, const Rect *r, int j) {
+        mp_printf(&mp_plat_print, "TETextBox(p[ln=%d]=%.*s, r@%p, j=%d\n", ln, ln, p, r, j);
+      }
 - function:
     name: NewRgn
     return: RgnHandle
@@ -165,3 +183,26 @@
     args:             
       - name: w
         type: WindowPtr
+
+- function:
+    name: ShowWindow
+    args:
+      - name: w
+        type: WindowPtr
+    trap: 0xA915
+    executor: C_
+
+- function:
+    name: TETextBox
+    args:
+      - name: p
+        type: Ptr
+      - name: ln
+        type: LONGINT
+      - name: r
+        type: const Rect*
+      - name: j
+        type: INTEGER
+    trap: 0xA9CE
+    executor: C_
+
diff --git a/tests/extmod/mkapi2.py b/tests/extmod/mkapi2.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..1e62e70a533c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/extmod/mkapi2.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import mkapitest
+
+w = mkapitest.NewWindow()
+mkapitest.ShowWindow(w)
diff --git a/tests/extmod/mkapi2.py.exp b/tests/extmod/mkapi2.py.exp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..260a484630661
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/extmod/mkapi2.py.exp
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ShowWindow(w@\[0-9a-f\]\*)
diff --git a/tests/extmod/mkapi3.py b/tests/extmod/mkapi3.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..863f52cc7662c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/extmod/mkapi3.py
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import mkapitest as mactypes
+import mkapitest as textedit
+
+teJustCenter = 1
+textRect = mactypes.Rect(135, 10, 270, 487)
+text = bytearray(b"\n".join([b"Hello, World", b"This is another line"]))
+textedit.TETextBox(text, len(text), textRect, teJustCenter)
diff --git a/tests/extmod/mkapi3.py.exp b/tests/extmod/mkapi3.py.exp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9a1fe73fab740
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/extmod/mkapi3.py.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+TETextBox(p[ln=33]=Hello, World
+This is another line, r@\[0-9a-f\]\*, j=1
diff --git a/tests/run-tests.py b/tests/run-tests.py
index b612c37883122..82b72aea2ef10 100755
--- a/tests/run-tests.py
+++ b/tests/run-tests.py
@@ -358,6 +358,8 @@ def run_script_on_remote_target(pyb, args, test_file, is_special):
         "thread/thread_exc2.py",
         "ports/esp32/partition_ota.py",
         "extmod/mkapi.py",
+        "extmod/mkapi2.py",
+        "extmod/mkapi3.py",
     )
 ]
 
diff --git a/tools/mkapi.py b/tools/mkapi.py
index f3fdbf8d49ff1..bb0cc01e0a83b 100644
--- a/tools/mkapi.py
+++ b/tools/mkapi.py
@@ -555,8 +555,8 @@ def body_dedent(self, text):
         self.body.append(textwrap.dedent(text.rstrip()))
 
     def parse_type(self, typestr):
-        if scalar_type := self.types.get(typestr, None):
-            typestr = scalar_type
+        while typedef_type := self.types.get(typestr, None):
+            typestr = typedef_type
         is_const = self.is_const(typestr)
         base_type = self.remove_const(typestr)
         if self.is_array(base_type):