When DL Visualize starts it opens 2 windows. The first provides the menus and tools for controlling the application. The second is the 3D viewer for interacting with displayed models. DLV may open a third window, the 2D viewer, if the user displays a LEED pattern, a plot, or a 2D view of contours.

The main window provides access to DLV's functions. It consists of 5 objects

• The Menus.
• A Toolbar.
• 3 text widgets.
• A Status Bar.
• The Object Selector.

3D objects that the user has chosen to display are rendered in this window. The following mouse buttons can be used to manipulate the view

Left button

Clicking the left mouse button on an atom will select (if unselected) or unselect (if already selected) the atom. Clicking on the viewer background unselects all atoms.

Right button

The right button rotates, zooms or translates the object depending on the currently selected transformation button in the toolbar (in the main window). The default is to rotate the object.

Middle button

Holding down the middle mouse button rotates the object.

Shift Middle button

Holding down the shift key and the middle mouse button zooms the object.

Control Middle button

Holding down the control key and the middle mouse button X-Y translates the object.