diff --git a/src/view_layout.c b/src/view_layout.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b895ea182
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/view_layout.c
@@ -0,0 +1,239 @@
+#include "e.h"
+#include "view_layout.h"
+#include "util.h"
+
+static void e_view_layout_cleanup(E_View_Layout *layout);
+
+E_View_Layout *
+e_view_layout_new(E_View *v)
+{
+   E_View_Layout *layout;
+   Ebits_Object bits;
+   char buf[PATH_MAX];
+
+   D_ENTER;
+
+   layout = NEW(E_View_Layout, 1);
+   ZERO(layout, E_View_Layout, 1);
+
+   e_object_init(E_OBJECT(layout), (E_Cleanup_Func) e_view_layout_cleanup);
+
+   layout->view = v;
+
+   D_RETURN_(layout);
+}
+
+static void
+e_view_layout_cleanup(E_View_Layout *layout)
+{
+   Evas_List l;
+
+   D_ENTER;
+
+   /* cleanup the elements */
+   for (l = layout->elements; l; l = l->next)
+   {
+      E_View_Layout_Element *el = l->data;
+      if (el)
+      {
+	D("cleanup element: %s\n", el->name);
+        if (el->name) FREE(el->name);
+        FREE(el);
+      }
+   }
+   evas_list_free(layout->elements);
+   
+   /* free the bits */
+   if (layout->bits) ebits_free(layout->bits);
+
+   IF_FREE(layout->file);
+   IF_FREE(layout->prev_file);
+
+   /* cleanup the base object */
+   e_object_cleanup(E_OBJECT(layout));
+
+   D_RETURN;
+}
+
+void
+e_view_layout_realize(E_View_Layout *layout)
+{
+   Ebits_Object bits;
+   Evas_List l;
+   char buf[PATH_MAX];
+
+   D_ENTER;
+  
+   /* check for custom layout bits */
+   snprintf(buf, PATH_MAX, "%s/.e_layout/layout.bits.db",
+	    layout->view->model->dir);
+   /* keep track of file loaded */ 
+   IF_FREE(layout->file);
+   e_strdup(layout->file, buf);
+   bits = ebits_load(layout->file);
+
+   /* if custom doesn't exist, load default layout */
+   if (!bits)
+   {
+      if (layout->view->model->is_desktop)
+        snprintf(buf, PATH_MAX, "%s/desktop.bits.db", e_config_get("layout"));
+      else
+        snprintf(buf, PATH_MAX, "%s/view.bits.db", e_config_get("layout"));
+      /* keep track of which file was loaded */
+      IF_FREE(layout->file);
+      e_strdup(layout->file, buf);
+      bits = ebits_load(layout->file);
+   }
+
+   D("loaded layout: %s\n", layout->file);
+   if (bits)
+   {
+     D("layout bits loaded!\n")
+     layout->bits = bits;
+     layout->mod_time = ecore_get_time();
+     if (layout->view->evas)
+     {
+	ebits_add_to_evas(layout->bits, layout->view->evas);
+	ebits_move(layout->bits, 0, 0);
+	ebits_resize(layout->bits, layout->view->size.w, layout->view->size.h);
+	D("add layout- w:%i, h:%i\n", layout->view->size.w, layout->view->size.h);
+	for (l = ebits_get_bit_names(layout->bits); l; l = l->next)
+	{
+	  char *name = l->data;
+	  
+	  e_view_layout_add_element(layout, name);
+	}
+     }
+   }
+   else
+   {
+      D("ERROR: can't load layout\n");
+   }
+
+   IF_FREE(layout->prev_file);
+   e_strdup(layout->prev_file, layout->prev_file);
+
+   D_RETURN;
+}
+   
+int
+e_view_layout_add_element(E_View_Layout *layout, char *name)
+{
+   E_View_Layout_Element *el;
+   Evas_List l;
+   double x, y, w, h;
+
+   D_ENTER;
+
+   el = NEW(E_View_Layout_Element, 1);
+   ZERO(el, E_View_Layout_Element, 1);
+
+   e_strdup(el->name, name);
+
+   for (l = ebits_get_bit_names(layout->bits); l; l = l->next)
+   {
+      char *name = l->data;
+      if (!strcmp(name, el->name))
+      {
+	 ebits_get_named_bit_geometry(layout->bits, el->name, &x, &y, &w, &h);
+
+	 el->x = x;
+	 el->y = y;
+	 el->w = w;
+	 el->h = h;
+
+	 D("add element: %s, %f, %f, %f, %f\n", el->name, x, y, w, h);
+   
+	 layout->elements = evas_list_append(layout->elements, el);
+	 D_RETURN_(1);
+      }
+   }
+
+   D("no element of with this name\n");
+   FREE(el->name);
+   FREE(el);
+   D_RETURN_(0);
+}
+
+int
+e_view_layout_delete_element(E_View_Layout *layout, char *name)
+{
+   Evas_List l;
+
+   D_ENTER;
+
+   for (l = layout->elements; l; l = l->next)
+   {
+      E_View_Layout_Element *el = l->data;
+      
+      if (!strcmp(name, el->name))
+      {
+	 FREE(el->name);
+	 layout->elements = evas_list_remove(layout->elements, el);
+	 FREE(el);
+	 
+	 D_RETURN_(1);
+      }
+   }
+
+   D("no element of with this name\n");
+   D_RETURN_(0);
+}
+int
+e_view_layout_get_element_geometry(E_View_Layout *layout, char *name,
+                                   double *x, double *y, double *w, double *h)
+{
+   Evas_List l;
+
+   D_ENTER;
+
+   for (l = layout->elements; l; l = l->next)
+   {
+      E_View_Layout_Element *el = l->data;
+
+      if (!strcmp(name, el->name))
+      {
+
+	 if (x) *x = el->x;
+	 if (y) *y = el->y;
+	 if (w) *w = el->w;
+         if (h) *h = el->h;
+
+
+	 D_RETURN(1);
+      }
+   }
+
+   D_RETURN(0);
+}
+
+void
+e_view_layout_update(E_View_Layout *layout)
+{
+   Evas_List l;
+
+   D_ENTER;
+
+   if (!layout->bits)
+     D_RETURN;
+   /* move/resize bits */
+   ebits_move(layout->bits, 0, 0);
+   ebits_resize(layout->bits, layout->view->size.w, layout->view->size.h);
+   D("update layout- w:%i, h:%i\n", layout->view->size.w, layout->view->size.h);
+
+   /* update elements */
+   for (l = layout->elements; l; l = l->next)
+   {
+      E_View_Layout_Element *el = l->data;
+      double x, y, w, h;
+
+      ebits_get_named_bit_geometry(layout->bits, el->name, &x, &y, &w, &h);
+
+      el->x = x;
+      el->y = y;
+      el->w = w;
+      el->h = h;
+   }
+
+   D_RETURN;
+}
diff --git a/src/view_layout.h b/src/view_layout.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e15968570
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/view_layout.h
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+#ifndef E_VIEW_LAYOUT_H
+#define E_VIEW_LAYOUT_H
+
+#include "e.h"
+#include "view.h"
+#include "object.h"
+
+#ifndef E_VIEW_LAYOUT_TYPEDEF
+#define E_VIEW_LAYOUT_TYPEDEF
+typedef struct _E_View_Layout E_View_Layout;
+typedef struct _E_View_Layout_Element E_View_Layout_Element;
+#endif
+
+#ifndef E_VIEW_TYPEDEF
+#define E_VIEW_TYPEDEF
+typedef struct _E_View    E_View;
+#endif
+
+
+struct _E_View_Layout
+{
+   E_Object     o;
+
+   E_View      *view;
+
+   char        *file;
+   char        *prev_file;
+
+   Ebits_Object bits;
+
+   Evas_List    elements;
+
+   time_t       mod_time;
+};
+
+struct _E_View_Layout_Element
+{
+   char        *name;
+   double       x, y, w, h;
+};
+
+E_View_Layout *e_view_layout_new(E_View *v);
+void e_view_layout_realize(E_View_Layout *layout);
+void e_view_layout_update(E_View_Layout *layout);
+
+void e_view_layout_add_new_element(E_View_Layout *layout, char *name);
+
+/**
+ * e_view_layout_get_element_geometry - Get element geometry
+ * 
+ * This function returns 1 if the element exists, and 0 if it doesn't.
+ * It also sets the passed pointers (x, y, w, h) to the values of an
+ * elements geometry.
+ */
+int e_view_layout_get_element_geometry(E_View_Layout *layout, char *element,
+                                        double *x, double *y, double *w,
+					double *h);
+
+#endif