Abstract: A method of customizing a graphical user interface (GUI) having one or more command structures (such as toolbars, pull-down menus, or status bars), by dynamically modifying the command structure in response to direct manipulation of the command structure using a graphical pointer of the GUI controlled by a pointing device (e.g., mouse). The structures may be modified using a direct manipulation “drag-and-drop” procedure. A command item can be dragged from a first location within a command structure to a second location within the same command structure, simply moving the position of the item within that structure. The command item can also be dragged from a first location within a command structure to a second location outside of the command structure, such as to a trash bin provided by the GUI (for deletion of the item), or to a second command structure (for moving or copying the item, e.g., from a toolbar to a pull-down menu).