The instance header
The name, the state, and the buttons that change with it: Start, Suspend, Resume, Install.
Across the top of the detail pane: a large distro badge, the instance's name, and "Distro · State" under it. On the right, the buttons — which ones depends on the state.
The buttons#
Terminal is always there. It switches to the Terminal tab, which opens a shell (starting the instance if needed).
The second button changes:
| When the instance is… | You see | Clicking it… |
|---|---|---|
| Stopped, distro downloaded | Start | starts it (or resumes a hibernated session). |
| Stopped, distro not downloaded | **Install Distro** | downloads the image. Shows Downloading… meanwhile. |
| Running | Suspend ▾ | freezes it. |
| Suspended | Resume ▾ | unfreezes it, almost instantly. |
Suspend and Resume are split buttons: click the main part for the action, or the small arrow for the same menu as right-clicking the instance in the sidebar — Shut Down, Open in Terminal.app, Show Apps in Finder and Remove….
Busy#
While MSL works on an instance — starting, suspending, hibernating, restoring a snapshot — a small spinner appears in the header and on its sidebar row, and the buttons wait until it's done.