diff -ur a/visual_regexp.tcl b/visual_regexp.tcl
--- a/visual_regexp.tcl	2013-11-12 23:23:59.730171882 +0100
+++ b/visual_regexp.tcl	2013-11-12 23:24:42.134085257 +0100
@@ -380,19 +380,17 @@
 	}
 	# do it
 	set in [open $file "r"]
-	$data(w:menu) delete [expr 4+[llength $::regexp_db]/2] end
-	while {![eof $in]} {
-		set name [gets $in]
-		while {$name == ""} {
-			set name [gets $in]
-		}
-		set pattern [gets $in]
-		while {$pattern == ""} {
-			set pattern [gets $in]
+	set contents {}
+	foreach line [split [read $in] \n] {
+		if {$line != ""} {
+			lappend contents $line
 		}
-		$data(w:menu) add command -label $name -command "regexp::regexp:insert [list $pattern]"
 	}
 	close $in
+	$data(w:menu) delete [expr 4+[llength $::regexp_db]/2] end
+	foreach {name pattern} $contents {
+		$data(w:menu) add command -label $name -command "regexp::regexp:insert [list $pattern]"
+	}
 }