diff --git a/doc/CMakeLists.txt b/doc/CMakeLists.txt
index 10030d225ad..62bd815df7e 100644
--- a/doc/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/doc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -212,12 +212,12 @@ if(JKQtPlotter_BUILD_EXAMPLES)
         functionplot/functionplot,functionplot_fy
         styledboxplot/test_styledboxplot
         multiplot/multiplot,multiplot_controlwindow
-        #symbols_and_styles
+        symbols_and_styles
         symbols_and_errors
         stepplots
         stackedbars/stackedbars,stackedbars_hor
-        #geo_arrows
-        #geo_simple
+        geo_arrows
+        geo_simple
         geometric
         imageplot/imageplot,imageplot__scale02,imageplot__smallscalelimitcolor,imageplot__smallscalecolor,imageplot__smallscaletransparent/--iteratefunctorsteps
         imageplot_modifier
diff --git a/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_multi_row.png b/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_multi_row.png
index c618f93ad78..374c9d0d46f 100644
Binary files a/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_multi_row.png and b/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_multi_row.png differ
diff --git a/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsidebottom_multi_column.png b/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsidebottom_multi_column.png
index 97fb868e112..cf06ae80aa2 100644
Binary files a/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsidebottom_multi_column.png and b/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsidebottom_multi_column.png differ
diff --git a/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsideright_multi_column.png b/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsideright_multi_column.png
index 4f896c5f97a..54f6a8425fc 100644
Binary files a/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsideright_multi_column.png and b/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsideright_multi_column.png differ
diff --git a/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsideright_multi_row.png b/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsideright_multi_row.png
index 5060979a8b2..972e692761f 100644
Binary files a/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsideright_multi_row.png and b/doc/images/keylayouts/JKQTPKeyLayout_outsideright_multi_row.png differ
diff --git a/lib/jkqtplotter/jkqtpkey.cpp b/lib/jkqtplotter/jkqtpkey.cpp
index 0f3aa1877ac..1378c83ee7a 100644
--- a/lib/jkqtplotter/jkqtpkey.cpp
+++ b/lib/jkqtplotter/jkqtpkey.cpp
@@ -225,37 +225,71 @@ void JKQTPBaseKey::modifySize(JKQTPEnhancedPainter &painter, KeySizeDescription
 #ifdef JKQTBP_AUTOTIMER
     JKQTPAutoOutputTimer jkaat(QString("JKQTPBaseKey[%1]::modifySize()").arg(objectName()));
 #endif
+    // in odd cases (many plots), the initial key size may be larger than the actual plot. then we can have negative sizes.
+    // in these cases we correct them preliminary plot size to 80% of the widget size (=available size)!
+    const auto widgetSize=QSizeF(parent->getWidth(), parent->getHeight());
+    if (preliminaryPlotSize.width()<0) preliminaryPlotSize.setWidth(widgetSize.width()*0.8);
+    if (preliminaryPlotSize.height()<0) preliminaryPlotSize.setHeight(widgetSize.height()*0.8);
+
+
     const auto lay=getLayout();
     if (lay==JKQTPKeyLayoutMultiColumn || lay==JKQTPKeyLayoutMultiRow) {
-        std::function<bool(QSizeF, QSizeF)> fCompare=[](const QSizeF& requiredSize, const QSizeF& preliminaryPlotSize) {
-            return true;
-        };
 
+        std::function<bool(QSizeF, QSizeF)> fcmpSizeTooLarge=[](const QSizeF& requiredSize, const QSizeF& preliminaryPlotSize) { return true; };
+
+        bool increaseColumnCount=true;
+        bool fillMaxMode=false;
         if (currentKeyLayout.keyLocation==KeySizeDescription::keyInside) {
-            fCompare=[](const QSizeF& requiredSize, const QSizeF& preliminaryPlotSize) {
+            fcmpSizeTooLarge=[](const QSizeF& requiredSize, const QSizeF& preliminaryPlotSize) {
                             return (requiredSize.width()>preliminaryPlotSize.width() || requiredSize.height()>preliminaryPlotSize.height());
-                        };
+            };
         } else if (currentKeyLayout.keyLocation==KeySizeDescription::keyOutsideTop || currentKeyLayout.keyLocation==KeySizeDescription::keyOutsideBottom) {
-            fCompare=[](const QSizeF& requiredSize, const QSizeF& preliminaryPlotSize) {
-                            return (requiredSize.height()>preliminaryPlotSize.height());
-                        };
+            fcmpSizeTooLarge=[widgetSize](const QSizeF& requiredSize, const QSizeF& preliminaryPlotSize) {
+                return (requiredSize.width()>preliminaryPlotSize.width());
+            };
+            increaseColumnCount=true;
+            fillMaxMode=true;
+
         } else if (currentKeyLayout.keyLocation==KeySizeDescription::keyOutsideLeft || currentKeyLayout.keyLocation==KeySizeDescription::keyOutsideRight) {
-            fCompare=[](const QSizeF& requiredSize, const QSizeF& preliminaryPlotSize) {
-                            return (requiredSize.width()>preliminaryPlotSize.width());
-                        };
+            fcmpSizeTooLarge=[widgetSize](const QSizeF& requiredSize, const QSizeF& preliminaryPlotSize) {
+                return (requiredSize.height()>preliminaryPlotSize.height());
+            };
+            increaseColumnCount=false;
+            fillMaxMode=true;
         }
 
         const int itemCnt=currentKeyLayout.d->countItems();
-        int newCount=1;
-        while ((newCount<=itemCnt) && (currentKeyLayout.requiredSize.width()>preliminaryPlotSize.width() || currentKeyLayout.requiredSize.height()>preliminaryPlotSize.height())) {
-            newCount++;
-            if (lay==JKQTPKeyLayoutMultiColumn) {
-                currentKeyLayout.d->redistributeOverColumns(newCount);
-            } else if (lay==JKQTPKeyLayoutMultiRow) {
-                currentKeyLayout.d->redistributeOverRows(newCount);
+        const auto initialLayout=currentKeyLayout;
+        if (fillMaxMode) {
+            int newCount=itemCnt+1;
+            bool notSizeOK=true;
+            while (newCount>1 && notSizeOK) {
+                newCount--; // increase number of rows/columns
+                currentKeyLayout=initialLayout; // reset to initial layout, which should have one column only!
+                    // this is required, so redistribute...() does not scramble the order
+                if (increaseColumnCount) {
+                    currentKeyLayout.d->redistributeOverColumns(newCount, lay==JKQTPKeyLayoutMultiColumn);
+                } else {
+                    currentKeyLayout.d->redistributeOverRows(newCount, lay==JKQTPKeyLayoutMultiRow);
+                }
+                calcLayoutSize(painter, currentKeyLayout);
+                notSizeOK=fcmpSizeTooLarge(currentKeyLayout.requiredSize, preliminaryPlotSize);
+            }
+        } else {
+            int newCount=1;
+            while (newCount<itemCnt && fcmpSizeTooLarge(currentKeyLayout.requiredSize, preliminaryPlotSize)) {
+                newCount++; // increase number of rows/columns
+                currentKeyLayout=initialLayout; // reset to initial layout, which should have one column only!
+                                                // this is required, so redistribute...() does not scramble the order
+                if (increaseColumnCount) {
+                    currentKeyLayout.d->redistributeOverColumns(newCount, lay==JKQTPKeyLayoutMultiColumn);
+                } else {
+                    currentKeyLayout.d->redistributeOverRows(newCount, lay==JKQTPKeyLayoutMultiRow);
+                }
+                calcLayoutSize(painter, currentKeyLayout);
             }
-            calcLayoutSize(painter, currentKeyLayout);
         }
+
     }
 }
 
@@ -380,6 +414,7 @@ JKQTPBaseKey::KeySizeDescription &JKQTPBaseKey::KeySizeDescription::operator=(co
     return *this;
 }
 
+
 JKQTPBaseKey::KeyColumnDescription::KeyColumnDescription():
     rows()
 {
@@ -470,12 +505,12 @@ void JKQTPBaseKey::KeyLayoutDescription::redistributeIntoOneColumn()
     }
 }
 
-void JKQTPBaseKey::KeyLayoutDescription::redistributeOverRows(int rowCnt)
+void JKQTPBaseKey::KeyLayoutDescription::redistributeOverRows(int rowCnt, bool rowMajor)
 {
     const int itemCnt=countItems();
     if (itemCnt>1) {
         const int colCnt=static_cast<int>(ceil(static_cast<float>(itemCnt)/static_cast<float>(rowCnt)));
-        if (colCnt>1) {
+        if (true) {
             redistributeIntoOneColumn();
             const auto items=columns[0].rows;
             columns.clear();
@@ -484,17 +519,26 @@ void JKQTPBaseKey::KeyLayoutDescription::redistributeOverRows(int rowCnt)
             for (int c=0; c<colCnt; c++) {
                 columns.push_back(KeyColumnDescription());
             }
-            for (int r=0; r<rowCnt; r++) {
+            if (rowMajor) {
+                for (int r=0; r<rowCnt; r++) {
+                    for (int c=0; c<colCnt; c++) {
+                        if (i<itemCnt) columns[c].rows.append(items[i]);
+                        i++;
+                    }
+                }
+            } else {
                 for (int c=0; c<colCnt; c++) {
-                    if (i<itemCnt) columns[c].rows.append(items[i]);
-                    i++;
+                    for (int r=0; r<rowCnt; r++) {
+                        if (i<itemCnt) columns[c].rows.append(items[i]);
+                        i++;
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
     }
 }
 
-void JKQTPBaseKey::KeyLayoutDescription::redistributeOverColumns(int colCnt)
+void JKQTPBaseKey::KeyLayoutDescription::redistributeOverColumns(int colCnt, bool colMajor)
 {
     const int itemCnt=countItems();
     if (itemCnt>1) {
@@ -506,9 +550,20 @@ void JKQTPBaseKey::KeyLayoutDescription::redistributeOverColumns(int colCnt)
             int i=0;
             for (int c=0; c<colCnt; c++) {
                 columns.push_back(KeyColumnDescription());
+            }
+            if (colMajor) {
+                for (int c=0; c<colCnt; c++) {
+                    for (int r=0; r<rowCnt; r++) {
+                        if (i<itemCnt) columns[c].rows.append(items[i]);
+                        i++;
+                    }
+                }
+            } else {
                 for (int r=0; r<rowCnt; r++) {
-                    if (i<itemCnt) columns[c].rows.append(items[i]);
-                    i++;
+                    for (int c=0; c<colCnt; c++) {
+                        if (i<itemCnt) columns[c].rows.append(items[i]);
+                        i++;
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/lib/jkqtplotter/jkqtpkey.h b/lib/jkqtplotter/jkqtpkey.h
index a4acde2f379..3ff2967afb5 100644
--- a/lib/jkqtplotter/jkqtpkey.h
+++ b/lib/jkqtplotter/jkqtpkey.h
@@ -313,9 +313,9 @@ class JKQTPLOTTER_LIB_EXPORT JKQTPBaseKey: public QObject {
             /** \brief put all items into one column */
             void redistributeIntoOneColumn();
             /** \brief takes all elements in columns and redistributes them over the given number of rows, items are distributed as equally as possible (last row may have fewer items) */
-            void redistributeOverRows(int rows);
+            void redistributeOverRows(int rows, bool rowMajor=true);
             /** \brief takes all elements in columns and redistributes them over the given number of columns, items are distributed as equally as possible (last column may have fewer items) */
-            void redistributeOverColumns(int cols);
+            void redistributeOverColumns(int cols, bool colMajor=true);
         };
 
         /** \brief calculates all layout properties of the key/legend,necessary to size and draw it
diff --git a/screenshots/datastore_regression_linweight.png b/screenshots/datastore_regression_linweight.png
index 3e6d4aa2f19..af0fde4c67f 100644
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diff --git a/screenshots/errorbarstyles.png b/screenshots/errorbarstyles.png
index 41ed2d22bff..6699028e500 100644
Binary files a/screenshots/errorbarstyles.png and b/screenshots/errorbarstyles.png differ
diff --git a/screenshots/geo_arrows.png b/screenshots/geo_arrows.png
index a0af9b5198a..ffbd827a892 100644
Binary files a/screenshots/geo_arrows.png and b/screenshots/geo_arrows.png differ
diff --git a/screenshots/geo_arrows_small.png b/screenshots/geo_arrows_small.png
index 930bfcc731b..ab53aa8fecf 100644
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diff --git a/screenshots/geo_simple.png b/screenshots/geo_simple.png
index d784f6ce123..bbca40a6efe 100644
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diff --git a/screenshots/geo_simple_small.png b/screenshots/geo_simple_small.png
index 257e5f87d73..bc5aceff684 100644
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diff --git a/screenshots/geometric.png b/screenshots/geometric.png
index ce8230b9ed0..89f0bdc9fdb 100644
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diff --git a/screenshots/geometric_small.png b/screenshots/geometric_small.png
index 85c5af5ca03..a4d6877f9e6 100644
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diff --git a/screenshots/mandelbrot.png b/screenshots/mandelbrot.png
index ba5f9dfb8fe..c6729f7e0b2 100644
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diff --git a/screenshots/mandelbrot_small.png b/screenshots/mandelbrot_small.png
index 03cbd72fed4..b1e3294a15a 100644
Binary files a/screenshots/mandelbrot_small.png and b/screenshots/mandelbrot_small.png differ
diff --git a/screenshots/symbols_and_styles.png b/screenshots/symbols_and_styles.png
index 2b2cf95d386..d9f89e2bce1 100644
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diff --git a/screenshots/symbols_and_styles_small.png b/screenshots/symbols_and_styles_small.png
index 53d806c79f7..2de866ac5d9 100644
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