The CWMS CAVI main window, contains four modules - Acquisition, Visualization, Modeling, Setup - each represented by a tab. Each module has its own set of menus, tools, and a map window specific to the module's function.
These are the basic elements of the main window:
| Title Bar | Displays the name of the active watershed. |
| Menu Bar | Contains general and module-specific menus. |
| Main Toolbar | Contains shortcut icons for menu commands. |
| Module Tabs | Each tab represents a CWMS module. Clicking a module tab opens that module in the CAVI. |
| Watershed Pane | The area where the module specific commands and items are located. |
| Map Window | A map window displays the watershed representation, which is geographically-referenced (geo-referenced). |
| Map Window Toolbar | Contains tools to navigate within the map window, and setup time series icons. |
| Message Pane | Displays a scrolling list of messages. System output log information appears in this window from the time you start CWMS until you exit. Messages related to incoming data are colored coded based on the quality of the data. Messages may also report a problem with a system component; problems with field equipment; a caution, warning, or flood event; or other critical situations. |
| Status Bar | Displays map coordinates when the select tool is hovering over a location in the map window. |
Main Toolbar
The main toolbar of the CWMS interface provides quick access to the most frequently used options from the CWMS menu bar and consists of the following six toolbars:
Standard Toolbar 
From this toolbar you can create a new watershed; open a watershed; close a watershed; save a watershed; and, print what is displayed in the Map Window.
Map Toolbar 
From this toolbar you can open a new map window; set the zoom level for all open map windows to the selected map window's zoom level; in the Map Panel, tile all open map windows; and, in the Map Panel, stack all open map windows.
Modules Toolbar 
From this toolbar you can select the individual Module tabs – Acquisition, Visualization, Modeling, and Setup.
Modeling Toolbar 
From this toolbar you can open MFP (need to have an MFP alternative selected); open HEC-HMS; open HEC-ResSim; open HEC-FIA; open the Supplemental Program dialog; open the Scripting Program dialog; and, open HEC-RAS.
Tools Toolbar 
From this toolbar you can open CWMS-Vue.
Animation Toolbar 
This toolbar is only available in the Visualization module, and when you have created a grid set. The Animate button will open the Animate dialog and the grid set will display in the map window.