+/**
+ * modest_main_window_new
+ *
+ * instantiates a new ModestMainWindow widget
+ *
+ * Returns: a new ModestMainWindow, or NULL in case of error
+ */
+ModestWindow* modest_main_window_new (void);
+
+/*
+ * we could use the GType instead, but that would require
+ * that there only on widget of a certain type; that is
+ * true now, but might not be. Therefore, these types
+ */
+typedef enum {
+ MODEST_MAIN_WINDOW_WIDGET_TYPE_HEADER_VIEW,
+ MODEST_MAIN_WINDOW_WIDGET_TYPE_FOLDER_VIEW,
+ MODEST_MAIN_WINDOW_WIDGET_TYPE_MSG_PREVIEW,
+
+ MODEST_MAIN_WINDOW_WIDGET_TYPE_NUM,
+} ModestMainWindowWidgetType;
+
+
+/**
+ * modest_main_window_get_child_widget
+ *
+ * get a child window for this window
+ *
+ * Returns: a child window or NULL
+ */
+GtkWidget* modest_main_window_get_child_widget (ModestMainWindow *self,
+ ModestMainWindowWidgetType widget_type);
+
+
+/**
+ * modest_main_window_set_style:
+ * @self: the #ModestMainWindow
+ * @style: a #ModestMainWindowStyle that will be set
+ *
+ * sets the style of the main window, a splitview with folders at
+ * the left and messages at the right, or the simple view, with just
+ * messages.
+ **/
+void modest_main_window_set_style (ModestMainWindow *self,
+ ModestMainWindowStyle style);
+
+/**
+ * modest_main_window_get_style:
+ * @self:
+ *
+ * gets the current show style of the main window
+ *
+ * Return value: the current #ModestWindowStyle
+ **/
+ModestMainWindowStyle modest_main_window_get_style (ModestMainWindow *self);
+
+/**
+ * modest_main_window_set_contents_style:
+ * @self: the #ModestMainWindow
+ * @style: a #ModestMainWindowContentsStyle that will be set. Either headers or details.
+ *
+ * Shows either the folder details, or the header list of the current
+ * selected folder.
+ **/
+void modest_main_window_set_contents_style (ModestMainWindow *self,
+ ModestMainWindowContentsStyle style);