diff --git a/apps/opencs/CMakeLists.txt b/apps/opencs/CMakeLists.txt
index 628b97433..b58000b56 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/apps/opencs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ opencs_units (model/prefs
     state
     )
 
+opencs_units_noqt (model/prefs
+    category
+    )
+
 opencs_units_noqt (model/filter
     node unarynode narynode leafnode booleannode parser andnode ornode notnode textnode valuenode
     )
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/category.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/category.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2f94c729b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/category.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+
+#include "category.hpp"
+
+CSMPrefs::Category::Category (State *parent, const std::string& key, const std::string& name)
+: mParent (parent), mKey (key), mName (name)
+{}
+
+const std::string& CSMPrefs::Category::getKey() const
+{
+    return mKey;
+}
+
+const std::string& CSMPrefs::Category::getName() const
+{
+    return mName;
+}
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/category.hpp b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/category.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d80d5416f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/category.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#ifndef CSV_PREFS_CATEGORY_H
+#define CSM_PREFS_CATEGORY_H
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+namespace CSMPrefs
+{
+    class State;
+
+    class Category
+    {
+            State *mParent;
+            std::string mKey;
+            std::string mName;
+
+        public:
+
+            Category (State *parent, const std::string& key, const std::string& name);
+
+            const std::string& getKey() const;
+
+            const std::string& getName() const;
+    };
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.cpp
index 9b183f66a..70e4c86c5 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "state.hpp"
 
 #include <stdexcept>
+#include <algorithm>
 
 CSMPrefs::State *CSMPrefs::State::sThis = 0;
 
@@ -27,11 +28,45 @@ void CSMPrefs::State::load()
 
 void CSMPrefs::State::declare()
 {
+    declareCategory ("window", "Windows");
 
+    declareCategory ("records", "Records");
+
+    declareCategory ("table-input", "ID Tables");
+
+    declareCategory ("dialogues", "ID Dialogues");
+
+    declareCategory ("report-input", "Reports");
+
+    declareCategory ("search", "Search & Replace");
+
+    declareCategory ("script-editor", "Scripts");
+
+    declareCategory ("general-input", "General Input");
+
+    declareCategory ("scene-input", "3D Scene Input");
+
+    declareCategory ("tooltips", "Tooltips");
+}
+
+void CSMPrefs::State::declareCategory (const std::string& key, const std::string& name)
+{
+    std::map<std::string, Category>::iterator iter = mCategories.find (key);
+
+    if (iter!=mCategories.end())
+    {
+        mCurrentCategory = iter;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        mCurrentCategory =
+            mCategories.insert (std::make_pair (key, Category (this, key, name))).first;
+    }
 }
 
 CSMPrefs::State::State (const Files::ConfigurationManager& configurationManager)
-: mConfigFile ("opencs.ini"), mConfigurationManager (configurationManager)
+: mConfigFile ("opencs.ini"), mConfigurationManager (configurationManager),
+  mCurrentCategory (mCategories.end())
 {
     if (sThis)
         throw std::logic_error ("An instance of CSMPRefs::State already exists");
@@ -53,6 +88,19 @@ void CSMPrefs::State::save()
     mSettings.saveUser (user.string());
 }
 
+std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string> > CSMPrefs::State::listCategories() const
+{
+    std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string> > list;
+
+    for (std::map<std::string, Category>::const_iterator iter (mCategories.begin());
+        iter!=mCategories.end(); ++iter)
+        list.push_back (std::make_pair (iter->second.getName(), iter->first));
+
+    std::sort (list.begin(), list.end());
+
+    return list;
+}
+
 CSMPrefs::State& CSMPrefs::State::get()
 {
     if (!sThis)
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.hpp b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.hpp
index d2ed8061e..fd49db3ef 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.hpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 #ifndef CSV_PREFS_STATE_H
 #define CSM_PREFS_STATE_H
 
+#include <map>
+#include <string>
+
 #include <QObject>
 
 #ifndef Q_MOC_RUN
@@ -9,6 +12,8 @@
 
 #include <components/settings/settings.hpp>
 
+#include "category.hpp"
+
 namespace CSMPrefs
 {
     class State : public QObject
@@ -20,6 +25,8 @@ namespace CSMPrefs
             const std::string mConfigFile;
             const Files::ConfigurationManager& mConfigurationManager;
             Settings::Manager mSettings;
+            std::map<std::string, Category> mCategories;
+            std::map<std::string, Category>::iterator mCurrentCategory;
 
             // not implemented
             State (const State&);
@@ -31,6 +38,8 @@ namespace CSMPrefs
 
             void declare();
 
+            void declareCategory (const std::string& key, const std::string& name);
+
         public:
 
             State (const Files::ConfigurationManager& configurationManager);
@@ -39,6 +48,9 @@ namespace CSMPrefs
 
             void save();
 
+            /// \return collection of name, key pairs (sorted)
+            std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string> > listCategories() const;
+
             static State& get();
     };
 
diff --git a/apps/opencs/view/prefs/dialogue.cpp b/apps/opencs/view/prefs/dialogue.cpp
index 5f5ceaada..cc794c286 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/view/prefs/dialogue.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/view/prefs/dialogue.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <QSplitter>
 #include <QListWidget>
 #include <QStackedWidget>
+#include <QListWidgetItem>
 
 #include "../../model/prefs/state.hpp"
 
@@ -19,6 +20,21 @@ void CSVPrefs::Dialogue::buildCategorySelector (QSplitter *main)
 
     main->addWidget (mList);
 
+    QFontMetrics metrics (QApplication::font());
+
+    int maxWidth = 1;
+
+    for (std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string> >::const_iterator iter (mCategories.begin());
+        iter!=mCategories.end(); ++iter)
+    {
+        QString label = QString::fromUtf8 (iter->first.c_str());
+        maxWidth = std::max (maxWidth, metrics.width (label));
+
+        mList->addItem (label);
+    }
+
+    mList->setMaximumWidth (maxWidth + 10);
+
     /// \todo connect to selection signal
 }
 
@@ -30,7 +46,7 @@ void CSVPrefs::Dialogue::buildContentArea (QSplitter *main)
     main->addWidget (mContent);
 }
 
-CSVPrefs::Dialogue::Dialogue()
+CSVPrefs::Dialogue::Dialogue() : mCategories (CSMPrefs::get().listCategories())
 {
     setWindowTitle ("User Settings");
 
diff --git a/apps/opencs/view/prefs/dialogue.hpp b/apps/opencs/view/prefs/dialogue.hpp
index 78c832c9f..2773bcccc 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/view/prefs/dialogue.hpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/view/prefs/dialogue.hpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ namespace CSVPrefs
 
             QListWidget *mList;
             QStackedWidget *mContent;
+            std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string> > mCategories;
 
         private: