Hey Guys, Now that 2.0 Alpha has been released, I have been trying to work with it. I have followed the 'Panels' demo, and I got it all set up so that it displays properly on the page. But when I try and access components of the layout, I just do not understand how to do it. Every attempt I have made so far does not allow me to access the methods. Am I doing something wrong, can someone please explain this. Thanks...

PHP Code:
Ext.state.Manager.setProvider(new Ext.state.CookieProvider());
// create some portlet tools
var tools = [{
    id:'gear',
    handler: function(){
        Ext.Msg.alert('Message', 'The Settings tool was clicked.');
    }
},{
    id:'close',
    handler: function(e, target, panel){
        panel.ownerCt.remove(panel, true);
    }
}];

var viewport = new Ext.Viewport({
    layout:'border',
    items:[{
        region:'west',
        id:'west-panel',
        title:'West',
        split:true,
        width: 200,
        minSize: 175,
        maxSize: 400,
        collapsible: true,
        margins:'0 0 5 5',
        cmargins:'0 5 5 5',
        layout:'accordion',
        layoutConfig:{
            animate:true
        },
        items: [{
            html: 'blah',
            title:'Navigation',
            autoScroll:true,
            border:false,
            iconCls:'nav'
        },{
            title:'Settings',
            html: 'blah',
            border:false,
            autoScroll:true,
            iconCls:'settings'
        }]
    }
    ,{
        region:'north'
        ,id:'north-panel'
        ,layout:'fit'
        ,height:35
        ,border:true
        ,style:'text-align:center;'
        ,margins:'3 3 3 3'
        ,html:'<h2>Welcome to the Freedom Of Information Research Center (FOIRC)</h2>'
    }
    ,HomePanel = new Ext.TabPanel({
        region:'center',
        deferredRender:false,
        activeTab:0,
        items:[{
            id:'HomePanel',
            title:'Test',
            xtype:'portal',
            region:'center',
            margins:'35 5 5 0',
            items:[{
                id:'col1',
                columnWidth:.33,
                baseCls:'x-plain',
                bodyStyle:'padding:10px 0 10px 10px',
                items:[{
                    title: 'Panel 1',
                    draggable:true,
                    collapsible:true,
                    frame:true,
                    tools: tools,
                    html: 'blah'
                },{
                    title: 'Another Panel 1',
                    collapsible:true,
                    draggable:true,
                    frame:true,
                    tools: tools,
                    html: 'blah'
                }]
            },{
                id:'col2',
                columnWidth:.33, 
                baseCls:'x-plain',
                bodyStyle:'padding:10px 0 10px 10px',
                items:[{
                    title: 'Panel 2',
                    collapsible:true,
                    draggable:true,
                    frame:true,
                    tools: tools,
                    html: 'blah'
                },{
                    title: 'Another Panel 2',
                    collapsible:true,
                    draggable:true,
                    frame:true,
                    tools: tools,
                    html: 'blah'
                }]
            },{
                id:'col3',
                columnWidth:.33,
                baseCls:'x-plain',
                bodyStyle:'padding:10px',
                items:[{
                    title: 'Panel 3',
                    collapsible:true,
                    draggable:true,
                    frame:true,
                    tools: tools,
                    html: 'blah'
                },{
                    title: 'Another Panel 3',
                    collapsible:true,
                    draggable:true,
                    frame:true,
                    tools: tools,
                    html: 'blah'
                }]
            }]
        }]
    })]
});
alert(HomePanel.getItem['HomePanel']);
var HomeTab = viewport.layout.center.items[0];
var Center = viewport.layout.center;
alert(HomeTab.items[2].baseCls);
alert(Center.items[0].getItem('col3'));
Center.remove(HomeTab.items[2], true); 
I have a live demo available at www.foirc.net