diff --git a/src/subplot.jl b/src/subplot.jl
index 9913d7be..7cf50848 100644
--- a/src/subplot.jl
+++ b/src/subplot.jl
@@ -1,4 +1,19 @@
 
+abstract SubPlotLayout
+
+type AutoGridLayout
+  maxplts::Int
+  maxrows::Int
+  maxcols::Int
+end
+
+# create a grid structure that optimally fits in numplts, optionally fixing the numrows/numcols
+function AutoGridLayout(numplts::Int; numrows::Int = -1, numcols::Int = -1)
+end
+
+
+# ------------------------------------------------------------
+
 doc"""
 y = rand(100,3)
 subplot(y; layout=(2,2), kw...)           # creates 3 lines going into 3 separate plots, laid out on a 2x2 grid (last row is filled with plot #3)
@@ -11,6 +26,7 @@ type SubPlot <: PlottingObject
   plotter::PlottingPackage
   p::Int # number of plots
   n::Int # number of series
+  layout::SubPlotLayout
 end
 
 Base.string(subplt::SubPlot) = "SubPlot{$(subplt.plotter) p=$(subplt.p) n=$(subplt.n)}"
@@ -23,5 +39,65 @@ getplot(subplt::SubPlot, i::Int) = subplt.plts[mod1(i, subplt.p)]
 
 
 function subplot(args...; kw...)
+  subplt = SubPlot(Plot[], plotter(), 0, 0)
+
+  d = Dict(kw)
+
+  # figure out the layouts
+  if !haskey(d, :layout) || d[:layout] == :auto
+    # do an automatic grid layout
+
+  else
+    layout = d[:layout]
+  end
 end
 
+
+
+# # this creates a new plot with args/kw and sets it to be the current plot
+# function plot(args...; kw...)
+#   plt = plot(plotter(); getPlotKeywordArgs(kw, 1, 0)...)  # create a new, blank plot
+#   plot!(plt, args...; kw...)  # add to it
+# end
+
+# # this adds to the current plot
+# function  plot!(args...; kw...)
+#   plot!(currentPlot(), args...; kw...)
+# end
+
+# # this adds to a specific plot... most plot commands will flow through here
+# function plot!(plt::Plot, args...; kw...)
+
+#   # increment n if we're going directly to the package's plot method
+#   if length(args) == 0
+#     plt.n += 1
+#   end
+
+#   plot!(plt.plotter, plt, args...; kw...)
+#   currentPlot!(plt)
+
+#   # do we want to show it?
+#   d = Dict(kw)
+#   if haskey(d, :show) && d[:show]
+#     display(plt)
+#   end
+
+#   plt
+# end
+
+# # show/update the plot
+# function Base.display(plt::Plot)
+#   display(plt.plotter, plt)
+# end
+
+
+# # most calls should flow through here now... we create a Dict with the keyword args for each series, and plot them
+# function plot!(pkg::PlottingPackage, plt::Plot, args...; kw...)
+#   kwList = createKWargsList(plt, args...; kw...)
+#   for (i,d) in enumerate(kwList)
+#     plt.n += 1
+#     plot!(pkg, plt; d...)
+#   end
+#   plt
+# end
+