Generating a user interface

A method and apparatus provide the ability to generate a graphical user interface. Two user interface groups are defined that both contain two or more user interface (UI) components that are used to perform operations in an image processing application. The two groups are displayed (in panels having panel dimensions) on a first display device having a first aspect ratio. Each UI component has a corresponding size that it is displayed in and spacing between the UI components has a defined spacing size. The two groups are displayed on a second display device having a second different aspect ratio. The second aspect ratio is such that both panels cannot be completely displayed in the panel dimensions. First UI components are displayed in a first panel while the second panel is displayed with a portion obscured by the first panel.