> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.b2ihealthcare.com/snow-owl-authoring-platform/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.b2ihealthcare.com/snow-owl-authoring-platform/introduction/user-interface/perspectives.md).

# Perspectives

A perspective defines the layout of the user interface. Snow Owl comes with a set of pre-defined perspectives for different use cases.&#x20;

The default perspectives are:

* ![](/files/Y4uQeAf3qqSFrQ3Gnp5b) Authoring perspective
* ![](/files/IUk8ike2RPH2a28FHovk)Reference Sets perspective
* ![](/files/Z8o0hXecL3zLZrJ0aDM2) Drug Dictionary perspective

You can select a perspective by choosing `Window > Open Perspective`. Alternatively, click on one of the perspective icons located at the top right corner of the main toolbar to activate a perspective.&#x20;

### Customize your perspective <a href="#introducingthesnowowluserinterface-customizeyourperspective" id="introducingthesnowowluserinterface-customizeyourperspective"></a>

In addition to the available perspective layouts, you can also rearrange the user interface in a way that helps you perform your tasks most efficiently and create your perspective based on that. This allows working with different layouts for different use cases or tasks. For example, when mapping SNOMED CT concepts to ICD-10 codes, it may be useful to have the SNOMED CT Concepts view on the far-left side of the screen, the ICD-10 view on the far-right side of the screen, and the editor window between them to simplify dragging and dropping concepts to the map editor.

You can also go to `Window > Customize Perspective` and select the required views in the pop-up window.&#x20;

To create a new perspective

* Change the layout of the user interface (e.g. by closing views, moving views to different positions, resizing views or editors).
* Once you are happy with the layout, go to `Window > Save Perspective As...` and enter a name for the new perspective. Click **`OK`**.

A new icon will be automatically added to the main toolbar allowing you to easily access your saved perspective.&#x20;

{% hint style="info" %}
The icon depends on the perspective you started from.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary>Example</summary>

If you change the look of the authoring perspective, a suitcase icon will be added to the toolbar; the original icon for the authoring perspective will be hidden. If you start from the reference set perspective, a reference set icon will be used for your custom perspective, and the default icon for the reference set perspective will be hidden.

</details>

To activate a perspective, go to `Window > Open Perspective...` and select the perspective that you want to display. The respective button will be present in the toolbar as well. This way you can display default perspectives as well as customized perspectives.&#x20;

{% hint style="info" %}
Hover over the icons to see which perspective it refers to.
{% endhint %}

If you would like to reset your current layout to the default settings, go to `Window > Reset Perspective...`


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.b2ihealthcare.com/snow-owl-authoring-platform/introduction/user-interface/perspectives.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
