diff --git a/docs/latex/wx/rect.tex b/docs/latex/wx/rect.tex
index ccbb5cea42..729b214952 100644
--- a/docs/latex/wx/rect.tex
+++ b/docs/latex/wx/rect.tex
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ None
 
 \latexignore{\rtfignore{\wxheading{Members}}}
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::wxRect}\label{wxrectctor}
 
 \func{}{wxRect}{\void}
@@ -38,30 +39,35 @@ Creates a wxRect object from position and size values.
 
 Creates a wxRect object from size values at the origin.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::x}\label{wxrectx}
 
 \member{int}{x}
 
 x coordinate of the top-level corner of the rectangle.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::y}\label{wxrecty}
 
 \member{int}{y}
 
 y coordinate of the top-level corner of the rectangle.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::width}\label{wxrectwidth}
 
 \member{int}{width}
 
 Width member.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::height}\label{wxrectheight}
 
 \member{int}{height}
 
 Height member.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::Deflate}\label{wxrectdeflate}
 
 \func{void}{Deflate}{\param{wxCoord }{dx}, \param{wxCoord }{dy}}
@@ -83,78 +89,91 @@ new rectangle leaving this one unchanged.
 
 \helpref{Inflate}{wxrectinflate}
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetBottom}\label{wxrectgetbottom}
 
 \constfunc{int}{GetBottom}{\void}
 
 Gets the bottom point of the rectangle.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetHeight}\label{wxrectgetheight}
 
 \constfunc{int}{GetHeight}{\void}
 
 Gets the height member.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetLeft}\label{wxrectgetleft}
 
 \constfunc{int}{GetLeft}{\void}
 
 Gets the left point of the rectangle (the same as \helpref{wxRect::GetX}{wxrectgetx}).
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetPosition}\label{wxrectgetposition}
 
 \constfunc{wxPoint}{GetPosition}{\void}
 
 Gets the position.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetTopLeft}\label{wxrectgettopleft}
 
 \constfunc{wxPoint}{GetTopLeft}{\void}
 
 Gets the topleft position of the rectangle. (Same as GetPosition).
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetBottomRight}\label{wxrectgetbottomright}
 
 \constfunc{wxPoint}{GetBottomRight}{\void}
 
 Gets the the bottom right position. Returns the bottom right point inside the rectangle.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetRight}\label{wxrectgetright}
 
 \constfunc{int}{GetRight}{\void}
 
 Gets the right point of the rectangle.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetSize}\label{wxrectgetsize}
 
 \constfunc{wxSize}{GetSize}{\void}
 
 Gets the size.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetTop}\label{wxrectgettop}
 
 \constfunc{int}{GetTop}{\void}
 
 Gets the top point of the rectangle (the same as \helpref{wxRect::GetY}{wxrectgety}).
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetWidth}\label{wxrectgetwidth}
 
 \constfunc{int}{GetWidth}{\void}
 
 Gets the width member.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetX}\label{wxrectgetx}
 
 \constfunc{int}{GetX}{\void}
 
 Gets the x member.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::GetY}\label{wxrectgety}
 
 \constfunc{int}{GetY}{\void}
 
 Gets the y member.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::Inflate}\label{wxrectinflate}
 
 \func{void}{Inflate}{\param{wxCoord }{dx}, \param{wxCoord }{dy}}
@@ -176,6 +195,7 @@ new rectangle leaving this one unchanged.
 
 \helpref{Deflate}{wxrectdeflate}
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::Inside}\label{wxrectinside}
 
 \constfunc{bool}{Inside}{\param{int }{x}, \param{int }{y}}
@@ -185,6 +205,7 @@ new rectangle leaving this one unchanged.
 Returns {\tt true} if the given point is inside the rectangle (or on its
 boundary) and {\tt false} otherwise.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::Intersects}\label{wxrectintersects}
 
 \constfunc{bool}{Intersects}{\param{const wxRect\& }{rect}}
@@ -192,6 +213,7 @@ boundary) and {\tt false} otherwise.
 Returns {\tt true} if this rectangle has a non empty intersection with the
 rectangle {\it rect} and {\tt false} otherwise.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::Offset}\label{wxrectoffset}
 
 \func{void}{Offset}{\param{wxCoord }{dx}, \param{wxCoord }{dy}}
@@ -202,42 +224,60 @@ Moves the rectangle by the specified offset. If {\it dx} is positive, the
 rectangle is moved to the right, if {\it dy} is positive, it is moved to the
 bottom, otherwise it is moved to the left or top respectively.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::SetHeight}\label{wxrectsetheight}
 
 \func{void}{SetHeight}{\param{int}{ height}}
 
 Sets the height.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::SetWidth}\label{wxrectsetwidth}
 
 \func{void}{SetWidth}{\param{int}{ width}}
 
 Sets the width.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::SetX}\label{wxrectsetx}
 
 \func{void}{SetX}{\param{int}{ x}}
 
 Sets the x position.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::SetY}\label{wxrectsety}
 
 \func{void}{SetY}{\param{int}{ y}}
 
 Sets the y position.
 
+
+\membersection{wxRect::Union}\label{wxrectunion}
+
+\constfunc{wxRect}{Union}{\param{const wxRect\&}{ rect}}
+
+\func{wxRect\&}{Union}{\param{const wxRect\&}{ rect}}
+
+Modifies the rectangle to contain the bounding box of this rectangle and the
+one passed in as parameter. The const version returns the new rectangle, the
+other one modifies this rectangle in place.
+
+
 \membersection{wxRect::operator $=$}\label{wxrectassign}
 
 \func{void}{operator $=$}{\param{const wxRect\& }{rect}}
 
 Assignment operator.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::operator $==$}\label{wxrectequal}
 
 \func{bool}{operator $==$}{\param{const wxRect\& }{rect}}
 
 Equality operator.
 
+
 \membersection{wxRect::operator $!=$}\label{wxrectnotequal}
 
 \func{bool}{operator $!=$}{\param{const wxRect\& }{rect}}
diff --git a/include/wx/gdicmn.h b/include/wx/gdicmn.h
index ff1c1a722b..d47960755e 100644
--- a/include/wx/gdicmn.h
+++ b/include/wx/gdicmn.h
@@ -319,8 +319,12 @@ public:
         : x(xx), y(yy), width(ww), height(hh)
         { }
     wxRect(const wxPoint& topLeft, const wxPoint& bottomRight);
-    wxRect(const wxPoint& pos, const wxSize& size);
-    wxRect(const wxSize& size);
+    wxRect(const wxPoint& pt, const wxSize& size)
+        : x(pt.x), y(pt.y), width(size.x), height(size.y)
+        { }
+    wxRect(const wxSize& size)
+        : x(0), y(0), width(size.x), height(size.y)
+        { }
 
     // default copy ctor and assignment operators ok
 
@@ -392,8 +396,13 @@ public:
         return r;
     }
 
-    wxRect operator+(const wxRect& rect) const;
-    wxRect& operator+=(const wxRect& rect);
+    wxRect& Union(const wxRect& rect);
+    wxRect Union(const wxRect& rect) const
+    {
+        wxRect r = *this;
+        r.Union(rect);
+        return r;
+    }
 
     // compare rectangles
     bool operator==(const wxRect& rect) const;
@@ -406,6 +415,16 @@ public:
     // return true if the rectangles have a non empty intersection
     bool Intersects(const wxRect& rect) const;
 
+
+    // these are like Union() but don't ignore empty rectangles
+    wxRect operator+(const wxRect& rect) const;
+    wxRect& wxRect::operator+=(const wxRect& rect)
+    {
+        *this = *this + rect;
+        return *this;
+    }
+
+
 public:
     int x, y, width, height;
 };
diff --git a/src/common/gdicmn.cpp b/src/common/gdicmn.cpp
index 58f901a085..a2c7cb5a8c 100644
--- a/src/common/gdicmn.cpp
+++ b/src/common/gdicmn.cpp
@@ -119,18 +119,6 @@ wxRect::wxRect(const wxPoint& point1, const wxPoint& point2)
     height++;
 }
 
-wxRect::wxRect(const wxPoint& point, const wxSize& size)
-{
-    x = point.x; y = point.y;
-    width = size.x; height = size.y;
-}
-
-wxRect::wxRect(const wxSize& size)
-{
-    x = 0; y = 0;
-    width = size.x; height = size.y;
-}
-
 bool wxRect::operator==(const wxRect& rect) const
 {
     return ((x == rect.x) &&
@@ -139,13 +127,7 @@ bool wxRect::operator==(const wxRect& rect) const
             (height == rect.height));
 }
 
-wxRect& wxRect::operator += (const wxRect& rect)
-{
-    *this = (*this + rect);
-    return ( *this ) ;
-}
-
-wxRect wxRect::operator + (const wxRect& rect) const
+wxRect wxRect::operator+(const wxRect& rect) const
 {
     int x1 = wxMin(this->x, rect.x);
     int y1 = wxMin(this->y, rect.y);
@@ -154,6 +136,25 @@ wxRect wxRect::operator + (const wxRect& rect) const
     return wxRect(x1, y1, x2-x1, y2-y1);
 }
 
+wxRect& wxRect::Union(const wxRect& rect)
+{
+    // ignore empty rectangles
+    if ( rect.width && rect.height )
+    {
+        int x1 = wxMin(x, rect.x);
+        int y1 = wxMin(y, rect.y);
+        int y2 = wxMax(y + height, rect.height + rect.y);
+        int x2 = wxMax(x + width, rect.width + rect.x);
+
+        x = x1;
+        y = y1;
+        width = x2 - x1;
+        height = y2 - y1;
+    }
+
+    return *this;
+}
+
 wxRect& wxRect::Inflate(wxCoord dx, wxCoord dy)
 {
     x -= dx;