There are four different types of windows in GAMGI: 1) top windows; task windows; exclusive windows and help windows.

Top

Top windows are GAMGI main windows, when GAMGI starts a top window is created. Memory permiting, an unlimited number of these windows can be open simultaneously, and objects can be freely moved from a window to another. These windows are independent: if GAMGI starts with window A and then window B is created, these windows have exactly the same priority, so removing window A will leave GAMGI running normally with window B.

Task

Task windows are all the dialogs related with tasks selected from the main menu in top windows. Throughout GAMGI documentation task windows are named first by the object, then by the task, and if necessary by the specific topic, as in Molecule Measure Symmetry.

Task windows include input dialogs, such as Atom Create, where users enter information and output dialogs, as Cluster Measure Voronoi where analysis data is reported. Task windows also include the Help input windows, such as Help Topic, where users select the documentation they need.

Task windows do not require exclusive attention, and after opening a task window users can still use all the menus and facilities provided by the other windows.

For the sake of simplicity, only one task can be active at a given time in GAMGI, thus selecting Light->Modify after Atom->Create will close automatically the Atom Create window before opening the Light Modify window.

However, some tasks can open more than one window simultaneously, for example, selecting Atom->Create opens a first window and then selecting Table opens a second window. Selecting another task will automatically remove both windows. Removing the first window automatically removes the second. Removing the second window leaves the first unchanged.

When multiple top windows are open simultaneously, the task is executed in the window where the task was selected. Task windows are automatically removed when the corresponding top window is removed.

Exclusive

Exclusive windows are windows that require exclusive attention, because some sensitive operation is occurring, so users are not allowed to perform any other operation until handling properly this issue, not even consulting the Help.

There are three types of exclusive windows in GAMGI: message, confirmation and history. Message windows usually show an error or warning message and only expect users to click on a Cancel button to remove the window.

Confirmation windows usually prompts a question, asking users to confirm some sensitive task, as in Gamgi Reset and Gamgi Exit. Users can confirm the task, pressing the Ok button, or cancel it, pressing the Cancel button (always the default option).

History windows are used to handle Undo and Save tools, and must be exclusive because GAMGI is in a fragile state when navigating through old configurations.

Help

Windows showing GAMGI documentation are help windows, including Help Start. However, windows to select the documentation, such as Help Search, are task windows.

Help windows are independent from task windows: they can be open simultaneously, without interference. For example, a user may be reading Help Bond Create while Atom Create is open. However, GAMGI knows which task is active, so selecting Help Current the current help window is replaced by Help Atom Create.

Help windows do not require exclusive attention, and after opening a help window users can still use all the menus and facilities provided by the other windows.

For the sake of simplicity, only one help window can be active at a given time in GAMGI, thus selecting Help->Current when Atom Create is open, will close automatically any previous help window before opening Help Atom Create.

However, more than one window related with the Help system can be open simultaneously. For example, selecting Help->Topic opens a task window and then selecting a topic opens a help window. Selecting another help topic automatically removes the help window before showing the one. Removing the task window does not remove the help window.

Help windows do not produce active actions (even tutorial help windows only tell users what to do), so they are not attached to a particular top window. When several top windows are open simultaneously and one is removed, help windows are not affected, even if this was the top window used to call the help window.