## Setting General Preferences

Understand for Java allows you to control a number of aspects of its operation using the Software Preferences dialog. To open this dialog, choose Options->Preferences.

This section describes the options in the General tab. Other tabs in this dialog are discussed in the following locations of this manual:

Tab | See
--- | ---
Banners | Printing Headers and Footers
Syntax Colors | Colorizing Source Views
Info Tree | Setting Viewing Preferences
Browsers | Viewing Reports
Logs | Setting Logging Options
Edit | Edit Tab Options
Keyboard | Key Mappings
File | File Tab Options
Backup | Backup Tab Options
File Filters | File Filters for Colorization

The following options can be controlled from the General tab of the Options->Preferences dialog:

- Display Full Path Names in Selector - If checked (the default), the full path is shown for open source files listed in the dialog shown when you choose Window->Selector.
- Prompt OK on project close - If checked (the default), you are asked whether you want to close the current project and all associated windows when you attempt to open a different project.
- Show splash screen at start up - If checked (the default), the product introduction screen is shown briefly while the software is starting.
- Open last project at start up - If checked (off by default), the most recently opened project is automatically opened when you start Understand for Java with no other project specified. This is a useful option if you typically work with only one project.
- Allow multiple instances of application - If checked (the default), you can run more than one instance of Understand for Java at the same time (subject to memory limitations).
- Application to use MDI (Multiple Document Interface) -If checked (the default), Understand for Java runs in Multiple Document Interface (MDI) mode. The main application window contains windows opened from within Understand for Java.

If this box is unchecked, Understand for Java runs in Single Document Interface (SDI) mode. In SDI mode, there is no single application window to contain the Understand for Java windows. Instead, each window is separate.

SDI mode is useful when using the Information Browser in conjunction with other tools as described in Server Mode: Controlling from Other Programs. You may decide that you prefer SDI mode even if you are not using external programs.

In SDI mode, the Information Browser window has a “Stay on Top” push pin icon you can click to cause its window to stay on top of other windows. In addition, each code, info browser, and graphical view window has its own history buttons when you are using SDI mode.

You will need to close and restart Understand for Java in order for changes to the MDI/SDI setting to take effect.

See Using an External Editor for recommendations for MDI/SDI settings when using an external source code editor.

Checking or unchecking this box has the same effect as checking or unchecking the box for this option in the dialog opened when you choose Options->Editor Selection.

- Always reuse window if same type as invoked - If checked (the default), the current Information Browser displays new information if you choose View Information for an item. This is true no matter whether the Reuse box is checked in the Information Browser. The same behavior applies to graphical views opened from graphical views.

If you uncheck this box, a new Information Browser or graphical view is opened if the Reuse box is unchecked.

- Start new windows with reuse on - If these boxes are checked (off by default), the Reuse box is checked by default in new windows.
- Show entity filter selection as - By default, the entity lists above the Information Browser are shown in tabs. You can use this option to switch the display to drip-down lists.

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