A method and apparatus for selecting a view mode from a plurality of view modes and for selecting a setting within the selected view mode for displaying one or more items in a screen display. A single user input indicates both a selected view mode and a selected setting within that view mode. The input mechanism can be a hardware device, such as a keyboard or mouse, or a software control presented in a graphical user interface. The software view control may include a setting range display indicating a plurality of available settings, a view mode range display indicating a plurality of available view modes corresponding to the plurality of available settings, and a user selection component.