diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/gsiDeclLayLayoutView.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/gsiDeclLayLayoutView.cc
index 5ac536d89..f0fab85b2 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/gsiDeclLayLayoutView.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/gsiDeclLayLayoutView.cc
@@ -402,20 +402,137 @@ static LayerPropertiesConstIteratorWrapper each_layer2 (lay::LayoutView *view, u
   return LayerPropertiesConstIteratorWrapper (view->begin_layers (list_index));
 }
 
-static lay::LayoutView *new_view ()
+static lay::LayoutView *new_view (QWidget *parent, bool editable, db::Manager *manager, unsigned int options)
 {
-  return new lay::LayoutView (0, false, 0);
+  lay::LayoutView *lv = new lay::LayoutView (manager, editable, 0 /*plugin parent*/, parent, "view", options);
+  if (parent) {
+    //  transfer ownership to the parent
+    lv->keep ();
+  }
+  return lv;
 }
 
 Class<lay::LayoutView> decl_LayoutView (QT_EXTERNAL_BASE (QWidget) "lay", "LayoutView",
-  gsi::constructor ("new", &new_view,
+  gsi::constructor ("new", &new_view, gsi::arg ("parent", (QWidget *) 0), gsi::arg ("editable", false), gsi::arg ("manager", (db::Manager *) 0), gsi::arg ("options", (unsigned int) 0),
     "@brief Creates a standalone view\n"
     "\n"
     "This constructor is for special purposes only. To create a view in the context of a main window, "
     "use \\MainWindow#create_view and related methods.\n"
     "\n"
+    "@param parent The parent widget in which to embed the view\n"
+    "@param editable True to make the view editable\n"
+    "@param manager The \\Manager object to enable undo/redo\n"
+    "@param options A combination of the values in the LV_... constants\n"
+    "\n"
     "This constructor has been introduced in version 0.25.\n"
+    "It has been enhanced with the arguments in version 0.26.4.\n"
   ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_NoLayers", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_NoLayers,
+    "@brief With this option, no layers view will be provided (see \\layer_control_frame)\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_NoHierarchyPanel", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_NoHierarchyPanel,
+    "@brief With this option, no cell hierarchy view will be provided (see \\hierarchy_control_frame)\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_NoLibrariesView", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_NoLibrariesView,
+    "@brief With this option, no library view will be provided (see \\libraries_frame)\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_NoBookmarksView", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_NoBookmarksView,
+    "@brief With this option, no bookmarks view will be provided (see \\bookmarks_frame)\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_Naked", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_Naked,
+    "@brief With this option, no separate views will be provided\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "This option is basically equivalent to using \\LV_NoLayers+\\LV_NoHierarchyPanel+\\LV_NoLibrariesView+\\LV_NoBookmarksView\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_NoZoom", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_NoZoom,
+    "@brief With this option, zooming is disabled\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_NoGrid", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_NoGrid,
+    "@brief With this option, the grid background is not shown\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_NoMove", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_NoMove,
+    "@brief With this option, move operations are not supported\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_NoTracker", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_NoTracker,
+    "@brief With this option, mouse position tracking is not supported\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "This option is not useful currently as no mouse tracking support is provided.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_NoSelection", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_NoSelection,
+    "@brief With this option, objects cannot be selected\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_NoPlugins", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_NoPlugins,
+    "@brief With this option, all plugins are disabled\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::constant ("LV_NoServices", (unsigned int) laybasic::LayoutView::LV_NoServices,
+    "@brief This option disables all services except the ones for pure viewing\n"
+    "Use this value with the constructor's 'options' argument.\n"
+    "With this option, all manipulation features are disabled, except zooming.\n"
+    "It is equivalent to \\LV_NoMove + \\LV_NoTracker + \\LV_NoSelection + \\LV_NoPlugins.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This constant has been introduced in version 0.26.4.\n"
+  ) +
+#if defined(HAVE_QTBINDINGS)
+  gsi::method ("layer_control_frame", &lay::LayoutView::layer_control_frame,
+    "@brief Gets the layer control side widget\n"
+    "A 'side widget' is a widget attached to the view. It does not have a parent, so you can "
+    "embed it into a different context. Please note that with embedding through 'setParent' it will be "
+    "destroyed when your parent widget gets destroyed. It will be lost then to the view.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "The side widget can be configured through the views configuration interface.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This method has been introduced in version 0.26.4\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::method ("hierarchy_control_frame", &lay::LayoutView::hierarchy_control_frame,
+    "@brief Gets the cell view (hierarchy view) side widget\n"
+    "For details about side widgets see \\layer_control_frame.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This method has been introduced in version 0.26.4\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::method ("libraries_frame", &lay::LayoutView::libraries_frame,
+    "@brief Gets the library view side widget\n"
+    "For details about side widgets see \\layer_control_frame.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This method has been introduced in version 0.26.4\n"
+  ) +
+  gsi::method ("bookmarks_frame", &lay::LayoutView::bookmarks_frame,
+    "@brief Gets the bookmarks side widget\n"
+    "For details about side widgets see \\layer_control_frame.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "This method has been introduced in version 0.26.4\n"
+  ) +
+#endif
   gsi::method ("current", &lay::LayoutView::current,
     "@brief Returns the current view\n"
     "The current view is the one that is shown in the current tab. Returns nil if no layout is loaded.\n"
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.cc
index eda3aa1d4..c3c419ff2 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.cc
@@ -477,6 +477,7 @@ LayoutView::init (db::Manager *mgr, lay::PluginRoot *root, QWidget * /*parent*/)
 
     connect (mp_hierarchy_panel, SIGNAL (cell_selected (cell_path_type, int)), this, SLOT (select_cell_dispatch (cell_path_type, int)));
     connect (mp_hierarchy_panel, SIGNAL (active_cellview_changed (int)), this, SLOT (active_cellview_changed (int)));
+    connect (mp_hierarchy_frame, SIGNAL (destroyed ()), this, SLOT (side_panel_destroyed ()));
 
     QFrame *levels_frame = new QFrame (hierarchy_frame);
     levels_frame->setObjectName (QString::fromUtf8 ("lvl_frame"));
@@ -521,6 +522,8 @@ LayoutView::init (db::Manager *mgr, lay::PluginRoot *root, QWidget * /*parent*/)
     mp_bookmarks_view = new lay::BookmarksView (this, bookmarks_frame, "bookmarks");
     left_frame_ly->addWidget (mp_bookmarks_view, 1 /*stretch*/);
 
+    connect (mp_bookmarks_frame, SIGNAL (destroyed ()), this, SLOT (side_panel_destroyed ()));
+
   }
 
   if ((m_options & LV_NoLibrariesView) == 0 && (m_options & LV_Naked) == 0) {
@@ -536,6 +539,7 @@ LayoutView::init (db::Manager *mgr, lay::PluginRoot *root, QWidget * /*parent*/)
     left_frame_ly->addWidget (mp_libraries_view, 1 /*stretch*/);
 
     connect (mp_libraries_view, SIGNAL (active_library_changed (int)), this, SLOT (active_library_changed (int)));
+    connect (mp_libraries_frame, SIGNAL (destroyed ()), this, SLOT (side_panel_destroyed ()));
 
   }
 
@@ -559,6 +563,7 @@ LayoutView::init (db::Manager *mgr, lay::PluginRoot *root, QWidget * /*parent*/)
     mp_control_panel = new lay::LayerControlPanel (this, manager (), 0, "lcp");
     mp_control_frame = mp_control_panel;
 
+    connect (mp_control_frame, SIGNAL (destroyed ()), this, SLOT (side_panel_destroyed ()));
     connect (mp_control_panel, SIGNAL (tab_changed ()), this, SLOT (layer_tab_changed ()));
     connect (mp_control_panel, SIGNAL (order_changed ()), this, SLOT (layer_order_changed ()));
     /*
@@ -679,6 +684,23 @@ LayoutView::~LayoutView ()
   mp_bookmarks_view = 0;
 }
 
+void LayoutView::side_panel_destroyed ()
+{
+  if (sender () == mp_control_frame) {
+    mp_control_frame = 0;
+    mp_control_panel = 0;
+  } else if (sender () == mp_hierarchy_frame) {
+    mp_hierarchy_frame = 0;
+    mp_hierarchy_panel = 0;
+  } else if (sender () == mp_libraries_frame) {
+    mp_libraries_frame = 0;
+    mp_libraries_view = 0;
+  } else if (sender () == mp_bookmarks_frame) {
+    mp_bookmarks_frame = 0;
+    mp_bookmarks_view = 0;
+  }
+}
+
 void LayoutView::hideEvent (QHideEvent *)
 {
   hide_event ();
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.h
index 172d1bc46..feab2526a 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.h
@@ -2685,6 +2685,7 @@ private slots:
   void active_cellview_changed (int index);
   void active_library_changed (int index);
   void goto_bookmark ();
+  void side_panel_destroyed ();
 
 signals:
   /**