diff --git a/openide.windows/apichanges.xml b/openide.windows/apichanges.xml
--- a/openide.windows/apichanges.xml
+++ b/openide.windows/apichanges.xml
@@ -50,6 +50,21 @@
 <apidef name="winsys">Window System API</apidef>
 </apidefs>
 <changes>
+<change id="role.in.TC.registration.annotation">
+    <api name="winsys"/>
+    <summary>Added optional <code>role</code> parameter to <code>TopComponent</code> <code>Registration</code> annotation.</summary>
+    <version major="6" minor="45"/>
+    <date day="16" month="6" year="2011"/>
+    <author login="saubrecht"/>
+    <compatibility addition="yes" source="compatible" semantic="compatible" deprecation="no" deletion="no" modification="no"/>
+    <description>
+        Since the window system now supports multiple window layouts - roles -
+        the annotation for TopComponent registration needs an optional parameter
+        to specify the role the window should belong to.
+    </description>
+    <class package="org.openide.windows" name="TopComponent"/>
+    <issue number="199452"/>
+</change>
 <change id="mode.enhancements">
     <api name="winsys"/>
     <summary>Added more attributes to Mode DTD to support new winsys features.</summary>
diff --git a/openide.windows/manifest.mf b/openide.windows/manifest.mf
--- a/openide.windows/manifest.mf
+++ b/openide.windows/manifest.mf
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Manifest-Version: 1.0
 OpenIDE-Module: org.openide.windows
-OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 6.43
+OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 6.45
 OpenIDE-Module-Localizing-Bundle: org/openide/windows/Bundle.properties
 AutoUpdate-Essential-Module: true
 
diff --git a/openide.windows/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/windows/TopComponentProcessor.java b/openide.windows/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/windows/TopComponentProcessor.java
--- a/openide.windows/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/windows/TopComponentProcessor.java
+++ b/openide.windows/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/windows/TopComponentProcessor.java
@@ -84,13 +84,20 @@
             Description info = findInfo(e);
             String id = info.preferredID().replace('.', '-');
             
+            String role = reg.role();
+            if( role.trim().isEmpty() )
+                role = null;
+            String rootFolder = "Windows2";
+            if( null != role )
+                rootFolder += "/Roles/" + role;
+            
             File settingsFile = layer(e).
-                file("Windows2/Components/" + id + ".settings").
+                file(rootFolder+"/Components/" + id + ".settings").
                 contents(settingsFile(e));
             settingsFile.write();
             
             File modeFile = layer(e).
-                file("Windows2/Modes/" + reg.mode() + "/" + id + ".wstcref").
+                file(rootFolder+"/Modes/" + reg.mode() + "/" + id + ".wstcref").
                 position(reg.position()).
                 contents(modeFile(info.preferredID(), reg.openAtStartup()));
             modeFile.write();
diff --git a/openide.windows/src/org/openide/windows/TopComponent.java b/openide.windows/src/org/openide/windows/TopComponent.java
--- a/openide.windows/src/org/openide/windows/TopComponent.java
+++ b/openide.windows/src/org/openide/windows/TopComponent.java
@@ -1430,6 +1430,12 @@
         int position() default Integer.MAX_VALUE;
         /** Shall the component be opened at start */
         boolean openAtStartup();
+        /** 
+         * Window layout role or an empty string for the default layout 
+         * @see WindowManager#setRole(java.lang.String) 
+         * @since 6.45
+         */
+        String role() default "";
     }
     
     /** Creates an action that can open the component.