diff --git a/gitk b/gitk
index 650435e7d2..8132812b50 100755
--- a/gitk
+++ b/gitk
@@ -435,56 +435,59 @@ proc makewindow {} {
     .bar.help configure -font $uifont
     . configure -menu .bar
 
-    if {![info exists geometry(canv1)]} {
-	set geometry(canv1) [expr {45 * $charspc}]
-	set geometry(canv2) [expr {30 * $charspc}]
-	set geometry(canv3) [expr {15 * $charspc}]
-	set geometry(canvh) [expr {25 * $linespc + 4}]
-	set geometry(ctextw) 80
-	set geometry(ctexth) 30
-	set geometry(cflistw) 30
-    }
+    # the gui has upper and lower half, parts of a paned window.
     panedwindow .ctop -orient vertical
-    if {[info exists geometry(width)]} {
-	.ctop conf -width $geometry(width) -height $geometry(height)
-	set texth [expr {$geometry(height) - $geometry(canvh) - 56}]
-	set geometry(ctexth) [expr {($texth - 8) /
-				    [font metrics $textfont -linespace]}]
+
+    # possibly use assumed geometry
+    if {![info exists geometry(topheight)]} {
+        set geometry(topheight) [expr {15 * $linespc}]
+        set geometry(topwidth) [expr {80 * $charspc}]
+        set geometry(botheight) [expr {15 * $linespc}]
+        set geometry(botwidth) [expr {50 * $charspc}]
+        set geometry(canv) [expr {40 * $charspc}]
+        set geometry(canv2) [expr {20 * $charspc}]
+        set geometry(canv3) [expr {20 * $charspc}]
     }
-    frame .ctop.top
-    frame .ctop.top.bar
-    frame .ctop.top.lbar
-    pack .ctop.top.lbar -side bottom -fill x
-    pack .ctop.top.bar -side bottom -fill x
-    set cscroll .ctop.top.csb
-    scrollbar $cscroll -command {allcanvs yview} -highlightthickness 0
-    pack $cscroll -side right -fill y
-    panedwindow .ctop.top.clist -orient horizontal -sashpad 0 -handlesize 4
-    pack .ctop.top.clist -side top -fill both -expand 1
-    .ctop add .ctop.top
-    set canv .ctop.top.clist.canv
-    canvas $canv -height $geometry(canvh) -width $geometry(canv1) \
+
+    # the upper half will have a paned window, a scroll bar to the right, and some stuff below
+    frame .tf -height $geometry(topheight) -width $geometry(topwidth)
+    frame .tf.histframe
+    panedwindow .tf.histframe.pwclist -orient horizontal -sashpad 0 -handlesize 4
+
+    # create three canvases
+    set cscroll .tf.histframe.csb
+    set canv .tf.histframe.pwclist.canv
+    canvas $canv -width $geometry(canv) \
 	-background $bgcolor -bd 0 \
 	-yscrollincr $linespc -yscrollcommand "scrollcanv $cscroll"
-    .ctop.top.clist add $canv
-    set canv2 .ctop.top.clist.canv2
-    canvas $canv2 -height $geometry(canvh) -width $geometry(canv2) \
+    .tf.histframe.pwclist add $canv
+    set canv2 .tf.histframe.pwclist.canv2
+    canvas $canv2 -width $geometry(canv2) \
 	-background $bgcolor -bd 0 -yscrollincr $linespc
-    .ctop.top.clist add $canv2
-    set canv3 .ctop.top.clist.canv3
-    canvas $canv3 -height $geometry(canvh) -width $geometry(canv3) \
+    .tf.histframe.pwclist add $canv2
+    set canv3 .tf.histframe.pwclist.canv3
+    canvas $canv3 -width $geometry(canv3) \
 	-background $bgcolor -bd 0 -yscrollincr $linespc
-    .ctop.top.clist add $canv3
-    bind .ctop.top.clist <Configure> {resizeclistpanes %W %w}
-    lappend bglist $canv $canv2 $canv3
+    .tf.histframe.pwclist add $canv3
 
-    set sha1entry .ctop.top.bar.sha1
+    # a scroll bar to rule them
+    scrollbar $cscroll -command {allcanvs yview} -highlightthickness 0
+    pack $cscroll -side right -fill y
+    bind .tf.histframe.pwclist <Configure> {resizeclistpanes %W %w}
+    lappend bglist $canv $canv2 $canv3
+    pack .tf.histframe.pwclist -fill both -expand 1 -side left
+
+    # we have two button bars at bottom of top frame. Bar 1
+    frame .tf.bar
+    frame .tf.lbar -height 15
+
+    set sha1entry .tf.bar.sha1
     set entries $sha1entry
-    set sha1but .ctop.top.bar.sha1label
+    set sha1but .tf.bar.sha1label
     button $sha1but -text "SHA1 ID: " -state disabled -relief flat \
 	-command gotocommit -width 8 -font $uifont
     $sha1but conf -disabledforeground [$sha1but cget -foreground]
-    pack .ctop.top.bar.sha1label -side left
+    pack .tf.bar.sha1label -side left
     entry $sha1entry -width 40 -font $textfont -textvariable sha1string
     trace add variable sha1string write sha1change
     pack $sha1entry -side left -pady 2
@@ -505,91 +508,105 @@ proc makewindow {} {
 	0x00, 0x38, 0xff, 0x7f, 0xff, 0x7f, 0xff, 0x7f, 0x00, 0x38, 0x00, 0x1c,
 	0x00, 0x0e, 0x00, 0x07, 0x80, 0x03, 0xc0, 0x01};
     }
-    button .ctop.top.bar.leftbut -image bm-left -command goback \
+    button .tf.bar.leftbut -image bm-left -command goback \
 	-state disabled -width 26
-    pack .ctop.top.bar.leftbut -side left -fill y
-    button .ctop.top.bar.rightbut -image bm-right -command goforw \
+    pack .tf.bar.leftbut -side left -fill y
+    button .tf.bar.rightbut -image bm-right -command goforw \
 	-state disabled -width 26
-    pack .ctop.top.bar.rightbut -side left -fill y
+    pack .tf.bar.rightbut -side left -fill y
 
-    button .ctop.top.bar.findbut -text "Find" -command dofind -font $uifont
-    pack .ctop.top.bar.findbut -side left
+    button .tf.bar.findbut -text "Find" -command dofind -font $uifont
+    pack .tf.bar.findbut -side left
     set findstring {}
-    set fstring .ctop.top.bar.findstring
+    set fstring .tf.bar.findstring
     lappend entries $fstring
     entry $fstring -width 30 -font $textfont -textvariable findstring
     trace add variable findstring write find_change
-    pack $fstring -side left -expand 1 -fill x
+    pack $fstring -side left -expand 1 -fill x -in .tf.bar
     set findtype Exact
-    set findtypemenu [tk_optionMenu .ctop.top.bar.findtype \
-			  findtype Exact IgnCase Regexp]
+    set findtypemenu [tk_optionMenu .tf.bar.findtype \
+		      findtype Exact IgnCase Regexp]
     trace add variable findtype write find_change
-    .ctop.top.bar.findtype configure -font $uifont
-    .ctop.top.bar.findtype.menu configure -font $uifont
+    .tf.bar.findtype configure -font $uifont
+    .tf.bar.findtype.menu configure -font $uifont
     set findloc "All fields"
-    tk_optionMenu .ctop.top.bar.findloc findloc "All fields" Headline \
+    tk_optionMenu .tf.bar.findloc findloc "All fields" Headline \
 	Comments Author Committer
     trace add variable findloc write find_change
-    .ctop.top.bar.findloc configure -font $uifont
-    .ctop.top.bar.findloc.menu configure -font $uifont
-    pack .ctop.top.bar.findloc -side right
-    pack .ctop.top.bar.findtype -side right
+    .tf.bar.findloc configure -font $uifont
+    .tf.bar.findloc.menu configure -font $uifont
+    pack .tf.bar.findloc -side right
+    pack .tf.bar.findtype -side right
 
-    label .ctop.top.lbar.flabel -text "Highlight:  Commits " \
-	-font $uifont
-    pack .ctop.top.lbar.flabel -side left -fill y
+    # build up the bottom bar of upper window
+    label .tf.lbar.flabel -text "Highlight:  Commits " \
+    -font $uifont
+    pack .tf.lbar.flabel -side left -fill y
     set gdttype "touching paths:"
-    set gm [tk_optionMenu .ctop.top.lbar.gdttype gdttype "touching paths:" \
-		"adding/removing string:"]
+    set gm [tk_optionMenu .tf.lbar.gdttype gdttype "touching paths:" \
+	"adding/removing string:"]
     trace add variable gdttype write hfiles_change
     $gm conf -font $uifont
-    .ctop.top.lbar.gdttype conf -font $uifont
-    pack .ctop.top.lbar.gdttype -side left -fill y
-    entry .ctop.top.lbar.fent -width 25 -font $textfont \
+    .tf.lbar.gdttype conf -font $uifont
+    pack .tf.lbar.gdttype -side left -fill y
+    entry .tf.lbar.fent -width 25 -font $textfont \
 	-textvariable highlight_files
     trace add variable highlight_files write hfiles_change
-    lappend entries .ctop.top.lbar.fent
-    pack .ctop.top.lbar.fent -side left -fill x -expand 1
-    label .ctop.top.lbar.vlabel -text " OR in view" -font $uifont
-    pack .ctop.top.lbar.vlabel -side left -fill y
+    lappend entries .tf.lbar.fent
+    pack .tf.lbar.fent -side left -fill x -expand 1
+    label .tf.lbar.vlabel -text " OR in view" -font $uifont
+    pack .tf.lbar.vlabel -side left -fill y
     global viewhlmenu selectedhlview
-    set viewhlmenu [tk_optionMenu .ctop.top.lbar.vhl selectedhlview None]
+    set viewhlmenu [tk_optionMenu .tf.lbar.vhl selectedhlview None]
     $viewhlmenu entryconf None -command delvhighlight
     $viewhlmenu conf -font $uifont
-    .ctop.top.lbar.vhl conf -font $uifont
-    pack .ctop.top.lbar.vhl -side left -fill y
-    label .ctop.top.lbar.rlabel -text " OR " -font $uifont
-    pack .ctop.top.lbar.rlabel -side left -fill y
+    .tf.lbar.vhl conf -font $uifont
+    pack .tf.lbar.vhl -side left -fill y
+    label .tf.lbar.rlabel -text " OR " -font $uifont
+    pack .tf.lbar.rlabel -side left -fill y
     global highlight_related
-    set m [tk_optionMenu .ctop.top.lbar.relm highlight_related None \
-	       "Descendent" "Not descendent" "Ancestor" "Not ancestor"]
+    set m [tk_optionMenu .tf.lbar.relm highlight_related None \
+	"Descendent" "Not descendent" "Ancestor" "Not ancestor"]
     $m conf -font $uifont
-    .ctop.top.lbar.relm conf -font $uifont
+    .tf.lbar.relm conf -font $uifont
     trace add variable highlight_related write vrel_change
-    pack .ctop.top.lbar.relm -side left -fill y
+    pack .tf.lbar.relm -side left -fill y
 
-    panedwindow .ctop.cdet -orient horizontal
-    .ctop add .ctop.cdet
-    frame .ctop.cdet.left
-    frame .ctop.cdet.left.bot
-    pack .ctop.cdet.left.bot -side bottom -fill x
-    button .ctop.cdet.left.bot.search -text "Search" -command dosearch \
+    # Finish putting the upper half of the viewer together
+    pack .tf.lbar -in .tf -side bottom -fill x
+    pack .tf.bar -in .tf -side bottom -fill x
+    pack .tf.histframe -fill both -side top -expand 1
+    .ctop add .tf
+
+    # now build up the bottom
+    panedwindow .pwbottom -orient horizontal
+
+    # lower left, a text box over search bar, scroll bar to the right
+    # if we know window height, then that will set the lower text height, otherwise
+    # we set lower text height which will drive window height
+    if {[info exists geometry(main)]} {
+        frame .bleft -width $geometry(botwidth)
+    } else {
+        frame .bleft -width $geometry(botwidth) -height $geometry(botheight)
+    }
+    frame .bleft.top
+
+    button .bleft.top.search -text "Search" -command dosearch \
 	-font $uifont
-    pack .ctop.cdet.left.bot.search -side left -padx 5
-    set sstring .ctop.cdet.left.bot.sstring
+    pack .bleft.top.search -side left -padx 5
+    set sstring .bleft.top.sstring
     entry $sstring -width 20 -font $textfont -textvariable searchstring
     lappend entries $sstring
     trace add variable searchstring write incrsearch
     pack $sstring -side left -expand 1 -fill x
-    set ctext .ctop.cdet.left.ctext
+    set ctext .bleft.ctext
     text $ctext -background $bgcolor -foreground $fgcolor \
 	-state disabled -font $textfont \
-	-width $geometry(ctextw) -height $geometry(ctexth) \
 	-yscrollcommand scrolltext -wrap none
-    scrollbar .ctop.cdet.left.sb -command "$ctext yview"
-    pack .ctop.cdet.left.sb -side right -fill y
+    scrollbar .bleft.sb -command "$ctext yview"
+    pack .bleft.top -side top -fill x
+    pack .bleft.sb -side right -fill y
     pack $ctext -side left -fill both -expand 1
-    .ctop.cdet add .ctop.cdet.left
     lappend bglist $ctext
     lappend fglist $ctext
 
@@ -620,36 +637,45 @@ proc makewindow {} {
     $ctext tag conf msep -font [concat $textfont bold]
     $ctext tag conf found -back yellow
 
-    frame .ctop.cdet.right
-    frame .ctop.cdet.right.mode
-    radiobutton .ctop.cdet.right.mode.patch -text "Patch" \
+    .pwbottom add .bleft
+
+    # lower right
+    frame .bright
+    frame .bright.mode
+    radiobutton .bright.mode.patch -text "Patch" \
 	-command reselectline -variable cmitmode -value "patch"
-    radiobutton .ctop.cdet.right.mode.tree -text "Tree" \
+    radiobutton .bright.mode.tree -text "Tree" \
 	-command reselectline -variable cmitmode -value "tree"
-    grid .ctop.cdet.right.mode.patch .ctop.cdet.right.mode.tree -sticky ew
-    pack .ctop.cdet.right.mode -side top -fill x
-    set cflist .ctop.cdet.right.cfiles
+    grid .bright.mode.patch .bright.mode.tree -sticky ew
+    pack .bright.mode -side top -fill x
+    set cflist .bright.cfiles
     set indent [font measure $mainfont "nn"]
-    text $cflist -width $geometry(cflistw) \
+    text $cflist \
 	-background $bgcolor -foreground $fgcolor \
 	-font $mainfont \
 	-tabs [list $indent [expr {2 * $indent}]] \
-	-yscrollcommand ".ctop.cdet.right.sb set" \
+	-yscrollcommand ".bright.sb set" \
 	-cursor [. cget -cursor] \
 	-spacing1 1 -spacing3 1
     lappend bglist $cflist
     lappend fglist $cflist
-    scrollbar .ctop.cdet.right.sb -command "$cflist yview"
-    pack .ctop.cdet.right.sb -side right -fill y
+    scrollbar .bright.sb -command "$cflist yview"
+    pack .bright.sb -side right -fill y
     pack $cflist -side left -fill both -expand 1
     $cflist tag configure highlight \
 	-background [$cflist cget -selectbackground]
     $cflist tag configure bold -font [concat $mainfont bold]
-    .ctop.cdet add .ctop.cdet.right
-    bind .ctop.cdet <Configure> {resizecdetpanes %W %w}
 
-    pack .ctop -side top -fill both -expand 1
+    .pwbottom add .bright
+    .ctop add .pwbottom
 
+    # restore window position if known
+    if {[info exists geometry(main)]} {
+        wm geometry . "$geometry(main)"
+    }
+
+    bind .pwbottom <Configure> {resizecdetpanes %W %w}
+    pack .ctop -fill both -expand 1
     bindall <1> {selcanvline %W %x %y}
     #bindall <B1-Motion> {selcanvline %W %x %y}
     bindall <ButtonRelease-4> "allcanvs yview scroll -5 units"
@@ -802,18 +828,16 @@ proc savestuff {w} {
 	puts $f [list set fgcolor $fgcolor]
 	puts $f [list set colors $colors]
 	puts $f [list set diffcolors $diffcolors]
-	puts $f "set geometry(width) [winfo width .ctop]"
-	puts $f "set geometry(height) [winfo height .ctop]"
-	puts $f "set geometry(canv1) [expr {[winfo width $canv]-2}]"
-	puts $f "set geometry(canv2) [expr {[winfo width $canv2]-2}]"
-	puts $f "set geometry(canv3) [expr {[winfo width $canv3]-2}]"
-	puts $f "set geometry(canvh) [expr {[winfo height $canv]-2}]"
-	set wid [expr {([winfo width $ctext] - 8) \
-			   / [font measure $textfont "0"]}]
-	puts $f "set geometry(ctextw) $wid"
-	set wid [expr {([winfo width $cflist] - 11) \
-			   / [font measure [$cflist cget -font] "0"]}]
-	puts $f "set geometry(cflistw) $wid"
+
+        puts $f "set geometry(main) [winfo geometry .]"
+	puts $f "set geometry(topwidth) [winfo width .tf]"
+	puts $f "set geometry(topheight) [winfo height .tf]"
+	puts $f "set geometry(canv) [expr {[winfo width $canv]-0}]"
+	puts $f "set geometry(canv2) [expr {[winfo width $canv2]-0}]"
+	puts $f "set geometry(canv3) [expr {[winfo width $canv3]-0}]"
+	puts $f "set geometry(botwidth) [winfo width .bleft]"
+	puts $f "set geometry(botheight) [winfo height .bleft]"
+
 	puts -nonewline $f "set permviews {"
 	for {set v 0} {$v < $nextviewnum} {incr v} {
 	    if {$viewperm($v)} {
@@ -4043,11 +4067,11 @@ proc addtohistory {cmd} {
     }
     incr historyindex
     if {$historyindex > 1} {
-	.ctop.top.bar.leftbut conf -state normal
+	.tf.bar.leftbut conf -state normal
     } else {
-	.ctop.top.bar.leftbut conf -state disabled
+	.tf.bar.leftbut conf -state disabled
     }
-    .ctop.top.bar.rightbut conf -state disabled
+    .tf.bar.rightbut conf -state disabled
 }
 
 proc godo {elt} {
@@ -4067,10 +4091,10 @@ proc goback {} {
     if {$historyindex > 1} {
 	incr historyindex -1
 	godo [lindex $history [expr {$historyindex - 1}]]
-	.ctop.top.bar.rightbut conf -state normal
+	.tf.bar.rightbut conf -state normal
     }
     if {$historyindex <= 1} {
-	.ctop.top.bar.leftbut conf -state disabled
+	.tf.bar.leftbut conf -state disabled
     }
 }
 
@@ -4081,10 +4105,10 @@ proc goforw {} {
 	set cmd [lindex $history $historyindex]
 	incr historyindex
 	godo $cmd
-	.ctop.top.bar.leftbut conf -state normal
+	.tf.bar.leftbut conf -state normal
     }
     if {$historyindex >= [llength $history]} {
-	.ctop.top.bar.rightbut conf -state disabled
+	.tf.bar.rightbut conf -state disabled
     }
 }
 
@@ -4591,7 +4615,7 @@ proc searchmarkvisible {doall} {
 proc scrolltext {f0 f1} {
     global searchstring
 
-    .ctop.cdet.left.sb set $f0 $f1
+    .bleft.sb set $f0 $f1
     if {$searchstring ne {}} {
 	searchmarkvisible 0
     }