Editing Dialog box (section)

== Application modal ==
{{Main|Modal window}}

'''Modal''' dialog boxes temporarily halt the program: the user cannot continue without closing the dialog; the program may require some additional information before it can continue, or may simply wish to confirm that the user wants to proceed with a potentially dangerous course of action ([[confirmation dialog box]]). Usability practitioners generally regard modal dialogs as bad design-solutions, since they are prone to produce [[mode error]]s. Dangerous actions should be undoable wherever possible; a modal alert dialog that appears unexpectedly or which is dismissed automatically (because the user has developed a [[habituation|habit]]) will not protect from the dangerous action.<ref>[[Aza Raskin]], A List Apart: [http://www.alistapart.com/articles/neveruseawarning Never Use a Warning When you Mean Undo]</ref>

A modal dialog interrupts the main [[workflow]]. This effect has either been sought by the developer because it focuses on the completion of the task at hand or rejected because it prevents the user from changing to a different task when needed.