diff -r 13c497c2e4c9 openide.windows/apichanges.xml
--- a/openide.windows/apichanges.xml	Wed Oct 12 12:15:11 2011 +0200
+++ b/openide.windows/apichanges.xml	Wed Oct 12 16:10:29 2011 +0200
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@
     <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.
+        to specify one or more roles the window should belong to. If no roles
+        are specified, the TopComponent is registered in the default layout.
     </description>
     <class package="org.openide.windows" name="TopComponent"/>
     <issue number="199452"/>
diff -r 13c497c2e4c9 openide.windows/manifest.mf
--- a/openide.windows/manifest.mf	Wed Oct 12 12:15:11 2011 +0200
+++ b/openide.windows/manifest.mf	Wed Oct 12 16:10:29 2011 +0200
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Manifest-Version: 1.0
 OpenIDE-Module: org.openide.windows
-OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 6.46
+OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 6.47
 OpenIDE-Module-Localizing-Bundle: org/openide/windows/Bundle.properties
 AutoUpdate-Essential-Module: true
 
diff -r 13c497c2e4c9 openide.windows/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/windows/TopComponentProcessor.java
--- a/openide.windows/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/windows/TopComponentProcessor.java	Wed Oct 12 12:15:11 2011 +0200
+++ b/openide.windows/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/windows/TopComponentProcessor.java	Wed Oct 12 16:10:29 2011 +0200
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@
 
 package org.netbeans.modules.openide.windows;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Set;
 import javax.annotation.processing.Processor;
 import javax.annotation.processing.RoundEnvironment;
@@ -86,10 +88,16 @@
                 throw new LayerGenerationException("Cannot find TopComponent.Description for this element", e, processingEnv, reg);
             }
             String id = info.preferredID().replace('.', '-');
-            
-            String role = reg.role();
+            List<String> uniqueRolesList = new ArrayList<String>();
+            String[] roles = reg.roles();
+            for (String role : roles){
             String rootFolder = role.isEmpty() ? "Windows2" : "Windows2/Roles/" + role;
-
+            if(!uniqueRolesList.contains(role)){
+                uniqueRolesList.add(role);
+            } else {
+                throw new LayerGenerationException("Duplicate role name found", e, processingEnv, reg);
+            }
+           
             File settingsFile = layer(e).
                 file(rootFolder+"/Components/" + id + ".settings").
                 contents(settingsFile(e));
@@ -101,6 +109,7 @@
                 contents(modeFile(info.preferredID(), reg.openAtStartup()));
             modeFile.write();
         }
+        }
         
         for (Element e : roundEnv.getElementsAnnotatedWith(TopComponent.OpenActionRegistration.class)) {
             TopComponent.OpenActionRegistration reg = e.getAnnotation(TopComponent.OpenActionRegistration.class);
diff -r 13c497c2e4c9 openide.windows/src/org/openide/windows/TopComponent.java
--- a/openide.windows/src/org/openide/windows/TopComponent.java	Wed Oct 12 12:15:11 2011 +0200
+++ b/openide.windows/src/org/openide/windows/TopComponent.java	Wed Oct 12 16:10:29 2011 +0200
@@ -1428,11 +1428,11 @@
         /** Shall the component be opened at start */
         boolean openAtStartup();
         /** 
-         * Window layout role or an empty string for the default layout 
+         * Window layout roles or an empty string for the default layout 
          * @see WindowManager#setRole(java.lang.String) 
          * @since 6.45
          */
-        String role() default "";
+        String[] roles() default "";
     }
     
     /** Creates an action that can open the component.
diff -r 13c497c2e4c9 openide.windows/test/unit/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/windows/TopComponentProcessorTest.java
--- a/openide.windows/test/unit/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/windows/TopComponentProcessorTest.java	Wed Oct 12 12:15:11 2011 +0200
+++ b/openide.windows/test/unit/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/windows/TopComponentProcessorTest.java	Wed Oct 12 16:10:29 2011 +0200
@@ -72,11 +72,13 @@
     }
 
     public void testTCRegisteredInRoleFine() throws Exception {
-        FileObject set = FileUtil.getConfigFile("Windows2/Roles/UnitTestRole/Components/my-tc2.settings");
-        assertNotNull("Settings file found", set);
-        assertValidate(set.asText());
+        FileObject set1 = FileUtil.getConfigFile("Windows2/Roles/UnitTestRole1/Components/my-tc2.settings");
+        assertNotNull("Settings file found", set1);
+        assertValidate(set1.asText());
+        FileObject set2 = FileUtil.getConfigFile("Windows2/Roles/UnitTestRole2/Components/my-tc2.settings");
+        assertNotNull("Settings file found", set2);
     }
-
+    
     public void testTCRegisteredFine() throws Exception {
         FileObject set = FileUtil.getConfigFile("Windows2/Components/my-tc.settings");
         assertNotNull("Settings file found", set);
@@ -169,7 +171,7 @@
     @TopComponent.Registration(
         mode="output",
         openAtStartup=false,
-        role="UnitTestRole"
+        roles={"UnitTestRole1", "UnitTestRole2"}
     )
     @TopComponent.Description(
         preferredID="my-tc2", iconBase="org/openide/windows/Icon.png"