widget packing challenge

[Chris Hoefler <hoeflerb brandeis edu>]

Hi,

I have an interesting challenge. I need to pack a set of rectangular 
widgets in a T-like fashion, like so (each widget here a string of 5 X's):
        X     X
        X     X
        XXXXXXX
        X     X
        X     X
      XXXXX

In other words, when a horizontal widget is packed against another 
horizontal widget, it is pretty straightforward. Likewise for a vertical 
widget against another vertical widget. But if I pack a horizonatal 
widget against a vertical widget, I want the short edge centered against 
the long edge, and I want all the widgets to maintain their aspect ratio.

If I start with, say, 3 of these widgets, I can come up with a set of 
embedded vboxes and hboxes that will do the trick, but if I want to keep 
adding additional widgets the layout becomes infinitely more 
complicated. I just can't think of any way to do it other then using a 
GtkFixed container, but that tends to be frowned on.

Can anybody think of anything I might be missing?

-Chris