diff --git a/src/bin/Makefile.am b/src/bin/Makefile.am
index 3116ff74e..de41eb17d 100644
--- a/src/bin/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/bin/Makefile.am
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ e_exehist.h \
 e_color_class.h \
 e_widget_textblock.h \
 e_apps_error.h \
-e_stolen.h
+e_stolen.h \
+e_gadcon.h
 
 enlightenment_src = \
 e_user.c \
@@ -256,6 +257,7 @@ e_color_class.c \
 e_widget_textblock.c \
 e_apps_error.c \
 e_stolen.c \
+e_gadcon.c \
 $(ENLIGHTENMENTHEADERS)
 
 enlightenment_SOURCES = \
diff --git a/src/bin/e_gadcon.c b/src/bin/e_gadcon.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..940ae4e50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin/e_gadcon.c
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+/*
+ * vim:ts=8:sw=3:sts=8:noexpandtab:cino=>5n-3f0^-2{2
+ */
+#include "e.h"
+
+static void _e_gadcon_free(E_Gadcon *gc);
+static void _e_gadcon_client_free(E_Gadcon_Client *gcc);
+
+/* externally accessible functions */
+EAPI int
+e_gadcon_init(void)
+{
+   return 1;
+}
+
+EAPI int
+e_gadcon_shutdown(void)
+{
+   return 1;
+}
+
+EAPI E_Gadcon *
+e_gadcon_swallowed_new(Evas_Object *obj, char *swallow_name)
+{
+   E_Gadcon    *gc;
+   
+   gc = E_OBJECT_ALLOC(E_Gadcon, E_GADCON_TYPE, _e_gadcon_free);
+   if (!gc) return NULL;
+   
+   gc->type = E_GADCON_TYPE_ARRANGE;
+   gc->edje.o_parent = obj;
+   gc->edje.swallow_name = strdup(swallow_name);
+   
+   gc->evas = evas_object_evas_get(obj);
+   gc->o_container = NULL; // need to make a new smart obj for the layout
+   return gc;
+}
+
+EAPI E_Gadcon *
+e_gadcon_freefloat_new(Ecore_Evas *ee)
+{
+   E_Gadcon    *gc;
+
+   gc = E_OBJECT_ALLOC(E_Gadcon, E_GADCON_TYPE, _e_gadcon_free);
+   if (!gc) return NULL;
+   
+   gc->type = E_GADCON_TYPE_FREEFLOAT;
+   gc->ecore_evas.ee = ee;
+   
+   gc->evas = ecore_evas_get(ee);
+   gc->o_container = NULL; // use layout smart
+   return gc;
+}
+
+EAPI void
+e_gadcon_orient_set(E_Gadcon *gc, E_Gadcon_Orient orient)
+{
+   E_OBJECT_CHECK_RETURN(gc, NULL);
+   E_OBJECT_TYPE_CHECK_RETURN(gc, E_GADCON_TYPE, NULL);
+   if (gc->type != E_GADCON_TYPE_ARRANGE) return;
+   gc->edje.orient = orient;
+}
+
+/* only needed if it's a freefloat type and when the canvas changes size */
+EAPI void
+e_gadcon_resize(E_Gadcon *gc, int w, int h)
+{
+   E_OBJECT_CHECK_RETURN(gc, NULL);
+   E_OBJECT_TYPE_CHECK_RETURN(gc, E_GADCON_TYPE, NULL);
+   if (gc->type != E_GADCON_TYPE_FREEFLOAT) return;
+   e_layout_virtual_size_set(gc->o_container, w, h);
+   evas_object_resize(gc->o_container, w, h);
+}
+
+
+
+
+EAPI E_Gadcon_Client *
+e_gadcon_client_new(E_Gadcon *gc)
+{
+   E_Gadcon_Client *gcc;
+   
+   E_OBJECT_CHECK_RETURN(gc, NULL);
+   E_OBJECT_TYPE_CHECK_RETURN(gc, E_GADCON_TYPE, NULL);
+   
+   gcc = E_OBJECT_ALLOC(E_Gadcon_Client, E_GADCON_CLIENT_TYPE, _e_gadcon_client_free);
+   if (!gcc) return NULL;
+   gcc->gadcon = gc;
+   gc->clients = evas_list_append(gc->clients, gcc);
+   return gcc;
+}
+
+/* local subsystem functions */
+static void
+_e_gadcon_free(E_Gadcon *gc)
+{
+   if (gc->o_container) evas_object_del(gc->o_container);
+   E_FREE(gc->edje.swallow_name);
+   free(gc);
+}
+
+static void
+_e_gadcon_client_free(E_Gadcon_Client *gcc)
+{
+   gcc->gadcon->clients = evas_list_remove(gcc->gadcon->clients, gcc);
+   free(gcc);
+}
diff --git a/src/bin/e_gadcon.h b/src/bin/e_gadcon.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c135fbc21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin/e_gadcon.h
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+/*
+ * vim:ts=8:sw=3:sts=8:noexpandtab:cino=>5n-3f0^-2{2
+ */
+#ifdef E_TYPEDEFS
+
+typedef enum _E_Gadcon_Type
+{
+   E_GADCON_TYPE_FREEFLOAT,
+   E_GADCON_TYPE_ARRANGE,
+} E_Gadcon_Type;
+
+typedef enum _E_Gadcon_Orient
+{
+   /* generic orientations */
+   E_GADCON_ORIENT_HORIZ,
+     E_GADCON_ORIENT_VERT,
+     /* specific oreintations */
+     E_GADCON_ORIENT_LEFT,
+     E_GADCON_ORIENT_RIGHT,
+     E_GADCON_ORIENT_TOP,
+     E_GADCON_ORIENT_BOTTOM
+} E_Gadcon_Orient;
+
+typedef struct _E_Gadcon        E_Gadcon;
+typedef struct _E_Gadcon_Client E_Gadcon_Client;
+
+#else
+#ifndef E_GADCON_H
+#define E_GADCON_H
+
+#define E_GADCON_TYPE 0xE0b01022
+#define E_GADCON_CLIENT_TYPE 0xE0b01023
+
+struct _E_Gadcon
+{
+   E_Object             e_obj_inherit;
+
+   E_Gadcon_Type        type;
+   struct {
+      Evas_Object      *o_parent;
+      char             *swallow_name;
+      E_Gadcon_Orient   orient;
+   } edje;
+   struct {
+      Ecore_Evas       *ee;
+   } ecore_evas;
+   
+   Evas                *evas;
+   Evas_Object         *o_container;
+   Evas_List           *clients;
+};
+
+struct _E_Gadcon_Client
+{
+   E_Object             e_obj_inherit;
+   E_Gadcon            *gadcon;
+   
+   Evas_Object         *o_base;
+   struct {
+      Evas_Coord        w, h;
+   } min, max, asked, given;
+};
+
+EAPI int              e_gadcon_init(void);
+EAPI int              e_gadcon_shutdown(void);
+EAPI E_Gadcon        *e_gadcon_swallowed_new(Evas_Object *obj, char *swallow_name);
+EAPI E_Gadcon        *e_gadcon_freefloat_new(Ecore_Evas *ee);
+EAPI void             e_gadcon_resize(E_Gadcon *gc, int w, int h);
+EAPI void             e_gadcon_orient_set(E_Gadcon *gc, E_Gadcon_Orient orient);
+
+
+
+EAPI E_Gadcon_Client *e_gadcon_client_new(E_Gadcon *gc);
+
+#endif
+#endif
diff --git a/src/bin/e_includes.h b/src/bin/e_includes.h
index 92d5aaf45..87fc4833e 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_includes.h
+++ b/src/bin/e_includes.h
@@ -116,3 +116,4 @@
 #include "e_widget_textblock.h"
 #include "e_apps_error.h"
 #include "e_stolen.h"
+#include "e_gadcon.h"