An interface in which tabs are used to manage open documents is referred to as a " tabbed document interface" (TDI). In recent years it has become increasingly common for MDI applications to use "tabs" to display the currently opened windows. This is different from SDI applications where the window manager's task bar or task manager displays the currently opened windows. In MDI applications, the application developer must provide a way to switch between documents or view a list of open windows, and the user might have to use an application-specific menu ("window list" or something similar) to switch between open documents. MDI can be confusing if it has a lack of information about the currently opened windows. SDI can be more useful in cases where users switch more often between separate applications than among the windows of one application. For example, Microsoft changed its Office applications from SDI to MDI mode and then back to SDI, although the degree of implementation varies from one component to another.
#Mac program designs for single instance software
Software companies have used both interfaces with mixed responses. In the usability community, there has been much debate about whether the multiple-document or single-document interface is preferable. 3.2 Tabbed document interface for sub-panesĬomparison with single-document interface.