diff --git a/src/Charts/ChartBar.cpp b/src/Charts/ChartBar.cpp
index 0e49d7680..6c8f567a3 100644
--- a/src/Charts/ChartBar.cpp
+++ b/src/Charts/ChartBar.cpp
@@ -119,13 +119,14 @@ ChartBar::ChartBar(Context *context) : QWidget(context->mainWindow), context(con
     connect(menuMapper, SIGNAL(mapped(int)), this, SLOT(triggerContextMenu(int)));
 
     barMenu = new QMenu("Add");
-    chartMenu = barMenu->addMenu(tr("New "));
+    chartMenu = barMenu->addMenu(tr("New Chart"));
 
-    barMenu->addAction(tr("Import ..."), context->mainWindow, SLOT(importChart()));
+    barMenu->addAction(tr("Import Chart ..."), context->mainWindow, SLOT(importChart()));
 
 #ifdef GC_HAS_CLOUD_DB
-    barMenu->addAction(tr("Download ..."), context->mainWindow, SLOT(addChartFromCloudDB()));
+    barMenu->addAction(tr("Download Chart..."), context->mainWindow, SLOT(addChartFromCloudDB()));
 #endif
+
     // menu
     connect(menuButton, SIGNAL(clicked()), this, SLOT(menuPopup()));
     connect(chartMenu, SIGNAL(aboutToShow()), this, SLOT(setChartMenu()));
diff --git a/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp b/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
index 396547583..4f218d5b0 100644
--- a/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -658,6 +658,9 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(const QDir &home)
     viewMenu->addAction(tr("Trends"), this, SLOT(selectHome()));
     viewMenu->addAction(tr("Train"), this, SLOT(selectTrain()));
     viewMenu->addSeparator();
+    viewMenu->addAction(tr("Import Perspective..."), this, SLOT(importPerspective()));
+    viewMenu->addAction(tr("Export Perspective..."), this, SLOT(exportPerspective()));
+    viewMenu->addSeparator();
     subChartMenu = viewMenu->addMenu(tr("Add Chart"));
     viewMenu->addAction(tr("Import Chart..."), this, SLOT(importChart()));
 #ifdef GC_HAS_CLOUD_DB
@@ -947,6 +950,64 @@ MainWindow::importChart()
     }
 }
 
+void
+MainWindow::exportPerspective()
+{
+    int view = currentTab->currentView();
+    TabView *current = NULL;
+
+    switch (view) {
+    case 0:  current = currentTab->homeView; break;
+    case 1:  current = currentTab->analysisView; break;
+    case 2:  current = currentTab->diaryView; break;
+    case 3:  current = currentTab->trainView; break;
+    }
+
+    // export the current perspective to a file
+    QString suffix;
+    QString fileName = QFileDialog::getSaveFileName(this, tr("Export Persepctive"),
+                       QDir::homePath()+"/"+ current->perspective_->title() + ".gchartset",
+                       ("*.gchartset;;"), &suffix, QFileDialog::DontUseNativeDialog); // native dialog hangs when threads in use (!)
+
+    if (fileName.isEmpty()) {
+        QMessageBox::critical(this, tr("Export Perspective"), tr("No perspective file selected!"));
+    } else {
+        current->exportPerspective(current->perspective_, fileName);
+    }
+}
+
+void
+MainWindow::importPerspective()
+{
+    int view = currentTab->currentView();
+    TabView *current = NULL;
+
+    switch (view) {
+    case 0:  current = currentTab->homeView; break;
+    case 1:  current = currentTab->analysisView; break;
+    case 2:  current = currentTab->diaryView; break;
+    case 3:  current = currentTab->trainView; break;
+    }
+
+    // import a new perspective from a file
+    QString fileName = QFileDialog::getOpenFileName(this, tr("Select Perspective file to export"), "", tr("GoldenCheetah Perspective Files (*.gchartset)"));
+    if (fileName.isEmpty()) {
+        QMessageBox::critical(this, tr("Import Perspective"), tr("No perspective file selected!"));
+    } else {
+
+        // import and select it
+        pactive = true;
+        current->importPerspective(fileName);
+        current->setPerspectives(perspectiveSelector);
+
+        // and select remember pactive is true, so we do the heavy lifting here
+        perspectiveSelector->setCurrentIndex(current->perspectives_.count()-1);
+        current->perspectiveSelected(perspectiveSelector->currentIndex());
+        pactive = false;
+    }
+
+}
+
 #ifdef GC_HAS_CLOUD_DB
 
 void
diff --git a/src/Gui/MainWindow.h b/src/Gui/MainWindow.h
index 63bc9c3b5..960c30431 100644
--- a/src/Gui/MainWindow.h
+++ b/src/Gui/MainWindow.h
@@ -145,6 +145,10 @@ class MainWindow : public QMainWindow
         void perspectiveSelected(int index);
         void perspectivesChanged(); // when the list of perspectives is updated in PerspectivesDialog
 
+        // import and export perspectives
+        void exportPerspective();
+        void importPerspective();
+
         // chart importing
         void importCharts(QStringList);
 
diff --git a/src/Gui/Perspective.cpp b/src/Gui/Perspective.cpp
index 8ce6e2220..bb023e629 100644
--- a/src/Gui/Perspective.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/Perspective.cpp
@@ -1410,6 +1410,112 @@ Perspective::presetSelected(int n)
     }
 }
 
+/*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ *  Import and Export the Perspective to xml
+ * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+Perspective *Perspective::fromFile(Context *context, QString filename, int type)
+{
+    Perspective *returning = NULL;
+
+    QFileInfo finfo(filename);
+    QString content = "";
+
+    // no such file
+    if (!finfo.exists()) return returning;
+
+    QFile file(filename);
+    if (file.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly)) {
+        content = file.readAll();
+        file.close();
+    } else return returning;
+
+    // parse the content
+    QXmlInputSource source;
+    source.setData(content);
+    QXmlSimpleReader xmlReader;
+    ViewParser handler(context, type, false);
+    xmlReader.setContentHandler(&handler);
+    xmlReader.setErrorHandler(&handler);
+
+    // parse and instantiate the charts
+    xmlReader.parse(source);
+
+    // none loaded ?
+    if (handler.perspectives.count() == 0) return returning;
+
+    // return the first one (if there are multiple)
+    returning = handler.perspectives[0];
+
+    // delete any further perspectives
+    for(int i=1; i<handler.perspectives.count(); i++) delete (handler.perspectives[i]);
+
+    // return it, but bear in mind it hasn't been initialised (current ride, date range etc)
+    return returning;
+}
+
+bool
+Perspective::toFile(QString filename)
+{
+    QFile file(filename);
+    if (!file.open(QFile::WriteOnly)) return false;
+
+    // truncate and use 8bit encoding
+    file.resize(0);
+    QTextStream out(&file);
+    out.setCodec("UTF-8");
+
+    // write to output stream
+    toXml(out);
+
+    // all done
+    file.close();
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+void
+Perspective::toXml(QTextStream &out)
+{
+    out<<"<layout name=\""<< title_ <<"\" style=\"" << currentStyle <<"\">\n";
+
+    // iterate over charts
+    foreach (GcChartWindow *chart, charts) {
+        GcWinID type = chart->property("type").value<GcWinID>();
+
+        out<<"\t<chart id=\""<<static_cast<int>(type)<<"\" "
+           <<"name=\""<<Utils::xmlprotect(chart->property("instanceName").toString())<<"\" "
+           <<"title=\""<<Utils::xmlprotect(chart->property("title").toString())<<"\" >\n";
+
+        // iterate over chart properties
+        const QMetaObject *m = chart->metaObject();
+        for (int i=0; i<m->propertyCount(); i++) {
+            QMetaProperty p = m->property(i);
+            if (p.isUser(chart)) {
+               out<<"\t\t<property name=\""<<Utils::xmlprotect(p.name())<<"\" "
+                  <<"type=\""<<p.typeName()<<"\" "
+                  <<"value=\"";
+
+                if (QString(p.typeName()) == "int") out<<p.read(chart).toInt();
+                if (QString(p.typeName()) == "double") out<<p.read(chart).toDouble();
+                if (QString(p.typeName()) == "QDate") out<<p.read(chart).toDate().toString();
+                if (QString(p.typeName()) == "QString") out<<Utils::xmlprotect(p.read(chart).toString());
+                if (QString(p.typeName()) == "bool") out<<p.read(chart).toBool();
+                if (QString(p.typeName()) == "LTMSettings") {
+                    QByteArray marshall;
+                    QDataStream s(&marshall, QIODevice::WriteOnly);
+                    LTMSettings x = p.read(chart).value<LTMSettings>();
+                    s << x;
+                    out<<marshall.toBase64();
+                }
+
+                out<<"\" />\n";
+            }
+        }
+        out<<"\t</chart>\n";
+    }
+    out<<"</layout>\n";
+}
+
 /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  *  Import Chart Dialog - select/deselect charts before importing them
  * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
diff --git a/src/Gui/Perspective.h b/src/Gui/Perspective.h
index 3b98d51d1..7ca7ea120 100644
--- a/src/Gui/Perspective.h
+++ b/src/Gui/Perspective.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ class LTMSettings;
 class TabView;
 class ViewParser;
 class PerspectiveDialog;
+class QTextStream;
 
 class Perspective : public GcWindow
 {
@@ -58,6 +59,11 @@ class Perspective : public GcWindow
         Perspective(Context *, QString title, int type);
         ~Perspective();
 
+        // import and export
+        static Perspective *fromFile(Context *context, QString filename, int type);
+        bool toFile(QString filename);
+        void toXml(QTextStream &out);
+
         QString title() const { return title_; }
 
         void resetLayout();
diff --git a/src/Gui/PerspectiveDialog.cpp b/src/Gui/PerspectiveDialog.cpp
index d330f1607..e039de2db 100644
--- a/src/Gui/PerspectiveDialog.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/PerspectiveDialog.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <QFormLayout>
 #include <QLabel>
 #include <QMessageBox>
+#include <QFileDialog>
 
 ///
 /// PerspectiveDialog
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ PerspectiveDialog::PerspectiveDialog(QWidget *parent, TabView *tabView) : QDialo
 {
 
     setWindowTitle("Manage Perspectives");
-    setMinimumWidth(400*dpiXFactor);
+    setMinimumWidth(450*dpiXFactor);
     setMinimumHeight(450*dpiXFactor);
 
     //setAttribute(Qt::WA_DeleteOnClose);
@@ -77,6 +78,9 @@ PerspectiveDialog::PerspectiveDialog(QWidget *parent, TabView *tabView) : QDialo
     upPerspective->setFixedSize(20*dpiXFactor,20*dpiYFactor);
     downPerspective->setFixedSize(20*dpiXFactor,20*dpiYFactor);
 
+    importPerspective = new QPushButton(tr("Import"), this);
+    exportPerspective = new QPushButton(tr("Export"), this);
+
     addPerspective = new QPushButton("+", this);
     removePerspective = new QPushButton("-", this);
 
@@ -98,6 +102,9 @@ PerspectiveDialog::PerspectiveDialog(QWidget *parent, TabView *tabView) : QDialo
     xb->addWidget(upPerspective);
     xb->addWidget(downPerspective);
     xb->addStretch();
+    xb->addWidget(importPerspective);
+    xb->addWidget(exportPerspective);
+    xb->addStretch();
     xb->addWidget(addPerspective);
     xb->addWidget(removePerspective);
     mainLayout->addLayout(xb);
@@ -112,6 +119,9 @@ PerspectiveDialog::PerspectiveDialog(QWidget *parent, TabView *tabView) : QDialo
     connect(perspectiveTable, SIGNAL(chartMoved(GcChartWindow*)), this, SLOT(perspectiveSelected())); // just reset the chart list
     connect(perspectiveTable, SIGNAL(itemChanged(QTableWidgetItem*)), this, SLOT(perspectiveNameChanged(QTableWidgetItem*))); // user edit
 
+    connect(importPerspective, SIGNAL(clicked(bool)), this, SLOT(importPerspectiveClicked()));
+    connect(exportPerspective, SIGNAL(clicked(bool)), this, SLOT(exportPerspectiveClicked()));
+
     connect(removePerspective, SIGNAL(clicked(bool)), this, SLOT(removePerspectiveClicked()));
     connect(addPerspective, SIGNAL(clicked(bool)), this, SLOT(addPerspectiveClicked()));
     connect(upPerspective, SIGNAL(clicked(bool)), this, SLOT(upPerspectiveClicked()));
@@ -227,6 +237,47 @@ PerspectiveDialog::addPerspectiveClicked()
     }
 }
 
+void
+PerspectiveDialog::exportPerspectiveClicked()
+{
+    int index = perspectiveTable->selectedItems()[0]->row();
+
+    // wipe it - tabView will worry about bounds and switching if we delete the currently selected one
+    Perspective *current = tabView->perspectives_[index];
+
+    // export the current perspective to a file
+    QString suffix;
+    QString fileName = QFileDialog::getSaveFileName(this, tr("Export Persepctive"),
+                       QDir::homePath()+"/"+ current->title() + ".gchartset",
+                       ("*.gchartset;;"), &suffix, QFileDialog::DontUseNativeDialog); // native dialog hangs when threads in use (!)
+
+    if (fileName.isEmpty()) {
+        QMessageBox::critical(this, tr("Export Perspective"), tr("No perspective file selected!"));
+    } else {
+        tabView->exportPerspective(current, fileName);
+    }
+}
+
+void
+PerspectiveDialog::importPerspectiveClicked()
+{
+    // import a new perspective from a file
+    QString fileName = QFileDialog::getOpenFileName(this, tr("Select Perspective file to export"), "", tr("GoldenCheetah Perspective Files (*.gchartset)"));
+    if (fileName.isEmpty()) {
+        QMessageBox::critical(this, tr("Import Perspective"), tr("No perspective file selected!"));
+    } else {
+
+        // import and select it
+        tabView->importPerspective(fileName);
+
+        // update the table
+        setTables();
+
+        // new one added
+        emit perspectivesChanged();
+    }
+}
+
 void
 PerspectiveDialog::upPerspectiveClicked()
 {
diff --git a/src/Gui/PerspectiveDialog.h b/src/Gui/PerspectiveDialog.h
index 7924c196c..14ee4a843 100644
--- a/src/Gui/PerspectiveDialog.h
+++ b/src/Gui/PerspectiveDialog.h
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ class PerspectiveDialog : public QDialog
         void upPerspectiveClicked();
         void downPerspectiveClicked();
 
+        void exportPerspectiveClicked();
+        void importPerspectiveClicked();
+
         void perspectiveNameChanged(QTableWidgetItem *);
 
     signals:
@@ -91,6 +94,7 @@ class PerspectiveDialog : public QDialog
         PerspectiveTableWidget *perspectiveTable;
         ChartTableWidget *chartTable;
 
+        QPushButton *exportPerspective, *importPerspective;
         QPushButton *addPerspective, *removePerspective;
         QToolButton *upPerspective, *downPerspective;
         QLabel *instructions;
diff --git a/src/Gui/TabView.cpp b/src/Gui/TabView.cpp
index 4e48b6021..d320b6b22 100644
--- a/src/Gui/TabView.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/TabView.cpp
@@ -294,44 +294,8 @@ TabView::saveState()
     // so lets run through the perspectives
     foreach(Perspective *page, perspectives_) {
 
-        out<<"<layout name=\""<< page->title_ <<"\" style=\"" << page->currentStyle <<"\">\n";
-
-        // iterate over charts
-        foreach (GcChartWindow *chart, page->charts) {
-            GcWinID type = chart->property("type").value<GcWinID>();
-
-            out<<"\t<chart id=\""<<static_cast<int>(type)<<"\" "
-               <<"name=\""<<Utils::xmlprotect(chart->property("instanceName").toString())<<"\" "
-               <<"title=\""<<Utils::xmlprotect(chart->property("title").toString())<<"\" >\n";
-
-            // iterate over chart properties
-            const QMetaObject *m = chart->metaObject();
-            for (int i=0; i<m->propertyCount(); i++) {
-                QMetaProperty p = m->property(i);
-                if (p.isUser(chart)) {
-                   out<<"\t\t<property name=\""<<Utils::xmlprotect(p.name())<<"\" "
-                      <<"type=\""<<p.typeName()<<"\" "
-                      <<"value=\"";
-
-                    if (QString(p.typeName()) == "int") out<<p.read(chart).toInt();
-                    if (QString(p.typeName()) == "double") out<<p.read(chart).toDouble();
-                    if (QString(p.typeName()) == "QDate") out<<p.read(chart).toDate().toString();
-                    if (QString(p.typeName()) == "QString") out<<Utils::xmlprotect(p.read(chart).toString());
-                    if (QString(p.typeName()) == "bool") out<<p.read(chart).toBool();
-                    if (QString(p.typeName()) == "LTMSettings") {
-                        QByteArray marshall;
-                        QDataStream s(&marshall, QIODevice::WriteOnly);
-                        LTMSettings x = p.read(chart).value<LTMSettings>();
-                        s << x;
-                        out<<marshall.toBase64();
-                    }
-
-                    out<<"\" />\n";
-                }
-            }
-            out<<"\t</chart>\n";
-        }
-        out<<"</layout>\n";
+        // write to output stream
+        page->toXml(out);
     }
     out<<"</layouts>\n";
     file.close();
@@ -419,6 +383,7 @@ TabView::restoreState(bool useDefault)
 
     // if we *still* don't have content then something went
     // badly wrong, so only reset if its not blank
+    QList<Perspective*>restored;
     if (content != "") {
 
         // whilst this happens don't show user
@@ -434,22 +399,16 @@ TabView::restoreState(bool useDefault)
 
         // parse and instantiate the charts
         xmlReader.parse(source);
-        perspectives_ = handler.perspectives;
+        restored = handler.perspectives;
 
     }
-    if (legacy && perspectives_.count() == 1) perspectives_[0]->title_ = "General";
+    if (legacy && restored.count() == 1) restored[0]->title_ = "General";
 
-    if (perspectives_.count() == 0) {
-        perspective_ = new Perspective(context, "empty", type);
-        perspectives_ << perspective_;
-    }
+    // MUST have at least one
+    if (restored.count() == 0)  restored << new Perspective(context, "empty", type);
 
-    // add to stack
-    foreach(Perspective *page, perspectives_) {
-        pstack->addWidget(page);
-        cstack->addWidget(page->controls());
-        page->configChanged(0); // set colors correctly- will have missed from startup
-    }
+    // initialise them
+    foreach(Perspective *page, restored) appendPerspective(page);
 
     // default to first one
     perspective_ = perspectives_[0];
@@ -471,7 +430,29 @@ TabView::restoreState(bool useDefault)
             context->athlete->selectRideFile(context->athlete->rideCache->rides().last()->fileName);
         }
     }
+}
 
+void
+TabView::appendPerspective(Perspective *page)
+{
+    perspectives_ << page;
+    pstack->addWidget(page);
+    cstack->addWidget(page->controls());
+    page->configChanged(0); // set colors correctly- will have missed from startup
+}
+
+void
+TabView::importPerspective(QString filename)
+{
+    Perspective *newone = Perspective::fromFile(context, filename, type);
+    if (newone) appendPerspective(newone);
+}
+
+void
+TabView::exportPerspective(Perspective *p, QString filename)
+{
+    // write to file
+    p->toFile(filename);
 }
 
 void
@@ -483,10 +464,8 @@ TabView::addPerspective(QString name)
     if (type == VIEW_TRAIN) page->styleChanged(2);
     else page->styleChanged(0);
 
-    perspectives_ << page;
-    pstack->addWidget(page);
-    cstack->addWidget(page->controls());
-    page->configChanged(0); // set colors correctly- will be empty...
+    // append
+    appendPerspective(page);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/Gui/TabView.h b/src/Gui/TabView.h
index e6ab7d518..a2acf4789 100644
--- a/src/Gui/TabView.h
+++ b/src/Gui/TabView.h
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ class TabView : public QWidget
         // load/save perspectives
         void restoreState(bool useDefault = false);
         void saveState();
+        void appendPerspective(Perspective *page);
 
         void setPerspectives(QComboBox *perspectiveSelector); // set the combobox when view selected
         void perspectiveSelected(int index); // combobox selections changed because the user selected a perspective
@@ -104,6 +105,9 @@ class TabView : public QWidget
 
         void importChart(QMap<QString,QString>properties, bool select) { perspective_->importChart(properties, select); }
 
+        void importPerspective(QString filename);
+        void exportPerspective(Perspective *, QString filename);
+
     signals:
 
         void sidebarClosed(); // the user dragged the sidebar closed.