There could be a tool, that changes a property of the element you use it on.
The property should be called X (haven't really thought of a name), and would have a lot of use in the console.
For example, take SPNG. Select X's settings to X2, and use X on the SPNG. In the console, the SPNG would now be called SPNG2, and all other SPNG would stay normal (still referred to as SPNG, not SPNG-1).
Yeah, but the prop tool really needs ctype/type tweaking, because no one's just gonna look at a list of numbers to find an element. I mean, seriously, I'd just do it with the console, it's faster.
Every pixel of element got a #number according to what particle number it is (i think it's decending from first placed particle to last) to view the number just press D and enter the debug mode the number should be displayed with a # sign. In the console just use the number of the individual particle (e.g !set type 241 metl) or whatever you want