### 4.4 Floating Windows

Although the MDI, as described so far, is already extremely flexible, it is possible that you prefer to have several top-level windows under direct control of your system or window manager. This would be the case for instance if you want to benefit from some extra possibilities that your system might provide (virtual desktops, different window decoration depending on the window's type, transparent windows, multiple screens, ...).

GPS is fully compatible with this behavior, since windows can also be floating windows. Any window that is currently embedded in the MDI can be made floating at any time, simply by selecting the window and then selecting the menu `Window->Floating`. The window will then be detached, and can be moved anywhere on your screen, even outside of GPS's main window.

There are two ways to put a floating window back under control of GPS. The more general method is to select the window through its title in the menu `Window`, and then unselect `Window->Floating`.

The second method assumes that the preference Destroy Floats in the menu `Edit->Preferences` has been set to false. Then, you can simply close the floating window by clicking in the appropriate title bar button, and the window will be put back in GPS. If you actually want to close it, you need to click once again on the cross button in its title bar.

A special mode is also available in GPS, where all windows are floating. The MDI area in the main window becomes invisible. This can be useful if you rely on windows handling facilities supported by your system or window manager but not available in GPS. This might also be useful if you want to have windows on various virtual desktops, should your window manager support this.

This special mode is activated through a preference (menu `Edit->Preferences`). This preference is entitled All Floating.