     [Inspectable(category="General")]
 
     /**
-     *  Specifies the width of the columns if <code>variableColumnWidth</code>
-     *  is false.
-     * 
-     *  If this property isn't explicitly set, then the measured width
-     *  of the first element is returned.
+     *  If variableColumnWidth="false" then 
+     *  this property specifies the actual width of each layout element.
+     * 
+     *  If variableColumnWidth="true" (the default), then this property
+     *  has no effect.
+     * 
+     *  The default value of this property is the preferred width
+     *  of the typicalLayoutElement.
      */
     public function get columnWidth():Number
     {
         if (!isNaN(_columnWidth))
             return _columnWidth;
-        else if (!target || (target.numLayoutElements <= 0))
-            return 0;
-        else
-            return target.getLayoutElementAt(0).getPreferredBoundsWidth();
+        else 
+        {
+            var elt:ILayoutElement = typicalLayoutElement
+            return (elt) ? elt.getPreferredBoundsWidth() : 0;
+        }
     }
 
     /**

                
                var layoutElementHeight:Number;
                if (hasPercentHeight(layoutElement))
                    layoutElementHeight = calculatePercentHeight(layoutElement, unscaledHeight);
                else
                    layoutElementHeight = layoutElement.getPreferredBoundsHeight();
                    

     */
    private var _verticalAlign:String = VerticalAlign.TOP;

    [Inspectable(category="General", enumeration="top,bottom,middle,justify,contentJustify", defaultValue="top")]

    /** 
     *  Vertical alignment of layout elements.
     * 
     *  If the value is one of "bottom", "middle", "top"  then the 
     *  layout element is aligned relative to the target's contentHeight.
     * 
     *  If the value is "contentJustify" then the layout element's actual
     *  height is set to the contentHeight.
     * 
     *  If the value is "justify" then the layout element's actual height
     *  is set to the target's height.
     *
     *  This property does not affect the layout's measured size.
     *  
     *  @default "top"
     */
    public function get verticalAlign():String
    {
