diff --git a/openide.windows/apichanges.xml b/openide.windows/apichanges.xml
--- a/openide.windows/apichanges.xml
+++ b/openide.windows/apichanges.xml
@@ -50,6 +50,25 @@
 <apidef name="winsys">Window System API</apidef>
 </apidefs>
 <changes>
+<change id="minimize_and_float">
+    <api name="winsys"/>
+    <summary>New API to check/modify the floating and minimize state of a TopComponent.</summary>
+    <version major="6" minor="57"/>
+    <date day="27" month="6" year="2012"/>
+    <author login="saubrecht"/>
+    <compatibility addition="yes" source="compatible" semantic="compatible" deprecation="no" deletion="no" modification="no"/>
+    <description>
+        <p>New methods in WindowManager class:
+        <br/>
+            isTopComponentMinimized()<br/>
+            setTopComponentMinimized()<br/>
+            isTopComponentFloating()<br/>
+            setTopComponentFloating()<br/>
+        </p>
+    </description>
+    <class package="org.openide.windows" name="WindowManager"/>
+    <issue number="214854"/>
+</change>
 <change id="onshowing">
     <api name="winsys"/>
     <summary>Easy to use replacement for <code>invokeWhenUIReady</code></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: 6.56
+OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 6.57
 OpenIDE-Module-Localizing-Bundle: org/openide/windows/Bundle.properties
 AutoUpdate-Essential-Module: true
 
diff --git a/openide.windows/src/org/openide/windows/WindowManager.java b/openide.windows/src/org/openide/windows/WindowManager.java
--- a/openide.windows/src/org/openide/windows/WindowManager.java
+++ b/openide.windows/src/org/openide/windows/WindowManager.java
@@ -715,6 +715,47 @@
     public String getRole() {
         return null;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Checks the minimized status of given TopComponent.
+     * @param tc
+     * @return True if the given TopComponent is minimized (slided-out), false
+     * otherwise.
+     * @since 6.57
+     */
+    public boolean isTopComponentMinimized( TopComponent tc ) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Minimizes the given TopComponent.
+     * @param tc
+     * @param minimize True to minimize (slide-out) given TopComponent, false
+     * to pin it back to the main window.
+     * @since 6.57
+     */
+    public void setTopComponentMinimized(  TopComponent tc, boolean minimize ) {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Checks the floating status of given TopComponent.
+     * @return True if the given TopComponent is separated from the main window.
+     * @since 6.57
+     */
+    public boolean isTopComponentFloating( TopComponent tc ) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Floats the given TopComponent or docks it back to the main window.
+     * @param tc
+     * @param floating True to separate the given TopComponent from the main window,
+     * false to dock it back to the main window.
+     * @since 6.57
+     */
+    public void setTopComponentFloating(  TopComponent tc, boolean floating ) {
+
+    }
     
     /** A manager that handles operations on top components.
      * It is always attached to a {@link TopComponent}.