diff --git a/ui/data.js b/ui/data.js
index ebe14b8a..6240c646 100755
--- a/ui/data.js
+++ b/ui/data.js
@@ -1548,6 +1548,23 @@ function updateRibbonOrder(no_reload_viewer){
 
 
 
+// Action wrapper of alignDataToRibbon(...)
+//
+// Align ribbons to the current ribbon.
+//
+// XXX need to change the default to base ribbon for production...
+function alignRibbons(ribbon){
+	console.warn('alignRibbons(): not yet ready for production use!')
+	// XXX remove this line for production....
+	ribbon = ribbon == null ? getRibbonIndex() : ribbon
+
+	DATA = alignDataToRibbon(ribbon)
+
+	reloadViewer()
+}
+
+
+
 /******************************************************* Extension ***/
 
 // Open image in an external editor/viewer
@@ -1570,5 +1587,21 @@ function openImageWith(prog){
 
 
 
+/**********************************************************************
+* Experimental 
+*/
+
+// The idea here is to add markers as first-class image-like elements...
+//
+// 	+ can be ordered
+// 	- re-sorting via metadata will mess things up
+//
+// XXX this is not persistent...
+function appendMarker(){
+	return $('<div class="marker"/>').insertAfter(getImage())
+}
+
+
+
 /**********************************************************************
 * vim:set ts=4 sw=4 spell :                                          */
diff --git a/ui/layout.css b/ui/layout.css
index 7b10f338..f01beb18 100644
--- a/ui/layout.css
+++ b/ui/layout.css
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ button:hover {
   margin-bottom: 0px;
 }
 /*********************************************************** Image ***/
+.marker,
 .image {
   position: relative;
   display: inline-block;
@@ -285,6 +286,40 @@ button:hover {
 
   border: solid red 5px;
 }
+.marker {
+  width: 50px;
+  border: none;
+  background: no-repeat 50% transparent;
+  background-color: transparent;
+  color: white;
+}
+.marker:after {
+  display: block;
+  position: absolute;
+  content: "marker";
+  font-size: 32px;
+  font-weight: bold;
+  text-align: center;
+  overflow: visible;
+  width: 200px;
+  height: 32px;
+  top: 50%;
+  margin-top: -16px;
+  left: 50%;
+  margin-left: -100px;
+  -webkit-transform-origin: center center;
+  -ms-transform-origin: center center;
+  transform-origin: center center;
+  -webkit-transform: rotate(270deg) scaleY(1) scaleX(1);
+  -moz-transform: rotate(270deg) scaleY(1) scaleX(1);
+  -o-transform: rotate(270deg) scaleY(1) scaleX(1);
+  -ms-transform: rotate(270deg) scaleY(1) scaleX(1);
+  transform: rotate(270deg) scaleY(1) scaleX(1);
+  opacity: 0.5;
+}
+.single-image-mode.viewer .marker {
+  display: none;
+}
 /* single image mode transitions */
 /* XXX still buggy and not too needed...
 .single-image-mode.viewer .image {
@@ -429,17 +464,26 @@ button:hover {
 }
 */
 /* separator test */
-.image.red + .image:not(.red):before {
-  display: inline-block;
-  position: relative;
-  content: "";
-  top: 0px;
-  left: -50px;
-  width: 100px;
-  height: 100%;
-  background-color: yellow;
+/*
+.image.red+.image:not(.red):before {
+	display: inline-block;
+	position: relative;
+	content: "";
+	top:0px;
+	left: -50px;
+	width: 100px;
+	height: 100%;
+
+	background-color: yellow;
 }
+*/
 /***************************************************** Image marks ***/
+/*
+.marks-visible.single-image-mode.viewer .marker {
+	display: inline-block;
+	opacity: 0.5;
+}
+*/
 .marks-visible.viewer .marked.image:after {
   display: block;
   position: absolute;
diff --git a/ui/layout.less b/ui/layout.less
index 787bcd7d..c89316d5 100755
--- a/ui/layout.less
+++ b/ui/layout.less
@@ -365,6 +365,7 @@ button:hover {
 
 
 /*********************************************************** Image ***/
+.marker,
 .image {
 	position: relative;
 	display: inline-block;
@@ -393,6 +394,38 @@ button:hover {
 	border: solid red 5px;
 }
 
+.marker {
+	width: 50px;
+	border: none;
+	background: no-repeat 50% transparent;
+	background-color: transparent;
+	color: white;
+}
+.marker:after {
+	display: block;
+	position: absolute;
+	content: "marker";
+	font-size: 32px;
+	font-weight: bold;
+	text-align: center;
+	overflow: visible;
+
+	width: 200px;
+	height: 32px;
+	top: 50%;
+	margin-top: -16px;
+	left: 50%;
+	margin-left: -100px;
+
+	.origin(center, center);
+	.rotate(270deg);
+
+	opacity: 0.5;
+}
+.single-image-mode.viewer .marker {
+	display: none;
+}
+
 
 /* single image mode transitions */
 /* XXX still buggy and not too needed...
@@ -489,6 +522,7 @@ button:hover {
 
 
 /* separator test */
+/*
 .image.red+.image:not(.red):before {
 	display: inline-block;
 	position: relative;
@@ -500,11 +534,19 @@ button:hover {
 
 	background-color: yellow;
 }
+*/
 
 
 
 /***************************************************** Image marks ***/
 
+/*
+.marks-visible.single-image-mode.viewer .marker {
+	display: inline-block;
+	opacity: 0.5;
+}
+*/
+
 .marks-visible.viewer .marked.image:after {
 	display: block;
 	position: absolute;
@@ -565,6 +607,7 @@ button:hover {
 	display: none;
 }
 
+
 /* corner mark... (a-la bookmarks in PortableMag) 
  * XXX account for flipping... */
 /*