# The main drawer

The left drawer contains the main operations a user typically performs outside of active surveying: managing projects, importing/exporting data, settings, help and about information.

:::{figure} images/main_drawer.png
:alt: The main, or left, drawer
:width: 70%
:align: center

The main, or left, drawer.
:::

## Projects

Opens the project view, where you can:

- browse the local folders to open an existing project
- create a new project, entering a name or accepting the default one based on the current timestamp
- pick one of the most recently used projects from a list.

New projects are created inside the [application's folder structure](folder_structure.md).

SMASH projects inherit the format from its predecessor, Geopaparazzi, hence the **gpap** file extension.

## Import

See [Import](import_export.md#import).

## Export

See [Export](import_export.md#export).

## Settings

See [Settings](settings.md).

## Online Help

Opens the online SMASH documentation in the browser (requires an internet connection).

## About

Shows information about the app, including version and license.

## Exit

Closes the application, disabling all background processes and saving the current state.
This is an important action to remember, as it ensures that all data is properly saved and no background tasks are left running.