diff --git a/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayEditorOptionsPage.cc b/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayEditorOptionsPage.cc
index b5860e3ef..a59044b35 100644
--- a/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayEditorOptionsPage.cc
+++ b/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayEditorOptionsPage.cc
@@ -48,10 +48,20 @@ Class<lay::EditorOptionsPage> decl_EditorOptionsPageBase (QT_EXTERNAL_BASE (QWid
     "@brief Sets a flag indicating whether the page is a focus page\n"
     "The focus page is the page that is selected when the tab key is pressed during some plugin action.\n"
   ) +
-  method ("make_current", &lay::EditorOptionsPage::make_current,
-    "@brief Brings the page to the front of the tab stack\n"
-    "Calling this method will make this page the current one in the tab stack, provided "
-    "the page is visible."
+  method ("is_modal_page?", &lay::EditorOptionsPage::is_modal_page,
+    "@brief Gets a flag indicating whether the page is a modal page\n"
+    "See \\modal_page= for a description is this attribute.\n"
+  ) +
+  method ("modal_page=", &lay::EditorOptionsPage::set_modal_page, gsi::arg ("flag"),
+    "@brief Sets a flag indicating whether the page is a modal page\n"
+    "A modal page is shown in a modal dialog upon \\show. Non-modal pages are shown in the "
+    "editor options dock.\n"
+  ) +
+  method ("show", &lay::EditorOptionsPage::show,
+    "@brief Shows the page\n"
+    "Provided the page is selected because the plugin is active, this method will "
+    "open a dialog to show the page if it is modal, or locate the page in the editor options "
+    "dock and bring it to the front if it is non-modal."
   ) +
   method ("do_apply", &lay::EditorOptionsPage::apply, gsi::arg ("dispatcher"),
     "@brief Transfers data from the page to the configuration\n"
@@ -72,6 +82,9 @@ Class<lay::EditorOptionsPage> decl_EditorOptionsPageBase (QT_EXTERNAL_BASE (QWid
   "It features some useful methods such as 'view' and provides a slot to call for triggering a data "
   "transfer ('edited').\n"
   "\n"
+  "Note that even though the page class is derived from QWidget, you can call QWidget methods "
+  "but not overload virtual methods from QWidget.\n"
+  "\n"
   "This class has been introduced in version 0.30.4.\n"
 );
 
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPage.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPage.cc
index 7ef7ded95..a33d53c4b 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPage.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPage.cc
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 #include "layEditorOptionsPages.h"
 #include "layLayoutViewBase.h"
 
+#include <QApplication>
+#include <QKeyEvent>
+
 namespace lay
 {
 
@@ -34,15 +37,20 @@ namespace lay
 //  EditorOptionsPage implementation
 
 EditorOptionsPage::EditorOptionsPage (lay::LayoutViewBase *view, lay::Dispatcher *dispatcher)
-  : QWidget (0), mp_owner (0), m_active (true), m_focus_page (false), mp_plugin_declaration (0), mp_dispatcher (dispatcher), mp_view (view)
+  : QWidget (0), mp_owner (0), m_active (true), m_focus_page (false), m_modal_page (false), mp_plugin_declaration (0), mp_dispatcher (dispatcher), mp_view (view)
 {
   attach_events ();
 }
 
 EditorOptionsPage::EditorOptionsPage ()
-  : QWidget (0), mp_owner (0), m_active (true), m_focus_page (false), mp_plugin_declaration (0), mp_dispatcher (0), mp_view (0)
+  : QWidget (0), mp_owner (0), m_active (true), m_focus_page (false), m_modal_page (false), mp_plugin_declaration (0), mp_dispatcher (0), mp_view (0)
 {
-  //  .. nothing here -> call init to set view and dispatcher
+  //  .. nothing yet ..
+}
+
+EditorOptionsPage::~EditorOptionsPage ()
+{
+  set_owner (0);
 }
 
 void
@@ -53,16 +61,69 @@ EditorOptionsPage::init (lay::LayoutViewBase *view, lay::Dispatcher *dispatcher)
   attach_events ();
 }
 
-EditorOptionsPage::~EditorOptionsPage ()
+void
+EditorOptionsPage::edited ()
 {
-  set_owner (0);
+  apply (dispatcher ());
+}
+
+static bool is_parent_widget (QWidget *w, QWidget *parent)
+{
+  while (w && w != parent) {
+    w = dynamic_cast<QWidget *> (w->parent ());
+  }
+  return w == parent;
+}
+
+bool
+EditorOptionsPage::focusNextPrevChild (bool next)
+{
+  bool res = QWidget::focusNextPrevChild (next);
+
+  //  Stop making the focus leave the page - this way we can jump back to the
+  //  view on "enter"
+  if (res && ! is_modal_page () && ! is_parent_widget (QApplication::focusWidget (), this) && focusWidget ()) {
+    focusWidget ()->setFocus ();
+  }
+
+  return res;
 }
 
 void
-EditorOptionsPage::make_current ()
+EditorOptionsPage::keyPressEvent (QKeyEvent *event)
+{
+  if (! is_modal_page () && event->modifiers () == Qt::NoModifier && event->key () == Qt::Key_Return) {
+
+    //  The Return key on a non-modal page commits the values and gives back the focus
+    //  to the view
+    edited ();
+    if (view ()->canvas ()->widget ()) {
+      view ()->canvas ()->widget ()->setFocus (Qt::TabFocusReason);
+    }
+
+    event->accept ();
+
+  } else {
+    QWidget::keyPressEvent (event);
+  }
+}
+
+void
+EditorOptionsPage::set_focus ()
+{
+  setFocus (Qt::TabFocusReason);
+  QWidget::focusNextPrevChild (true);
+}
+
+void
+EditorOptionsPage::show ()
 {
   if (mp_owner && m_active) {
-    mp_owner->make_page_current (this);
+    if (! is_modal_page ()) {
+      mp_owner->make_page_current (this);
+    } else {
+      mp_owner->exec_modal (this);
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPage.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPage.h
index 85b92a57d..50e90eb54 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPage.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPage.h
@@ -68,11 +68,16 @@ public:
 
   bool is_focus_page () const { return m_focus_page; }
   void set_focus_page (bool f) { m_focus_page = f; }
+  void set_focus ();
+
+  bool is_modal_page () const { return m_modal_page; }
+  void set_modal_page (bool f) { m_modal_page = f; }
+
   bool active () const { return m_active; }
   void activate (bool active);
   void set_owner (EditorOptionsPages *owner);
 
-  void make_current ();
+  void show ();
 
   const lay::PluginDeclaration *plugin_declaration () const { return mp_plugin_declaration; }
   void set_plugin_declaration (const lay::PluginDeclaration *pd) { mp_plugin_declaration = pd; }
@@ -90,19 +95,20 @@ public:
   }
 
 protected slots:
-  void edited ()
-  {
-    apply (dispatcher ());
-  }
+  void edited ();
 
 protected:
   virtual void active_cellview_changed () { }
   virtual void technology_changed (const std::string & /*tech*/) { }
 
+  virtual bool focusNextPrevChild (bool next);
+  virtual void keyPressEvent (QKeyEvent *event);
+
 private:
   EditorOptionsPages *mp_owner;
   bool m_active;
   bool m_focus_page;
+  bool m_modal_page;
   const lay::PluginDeclaration *mp_plugin_declaration;
   lay::Dispatcher *mp_dispatcher;
   lay::LayoutViewBase *mp_view;
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPages.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPages.cc
index 738528d27..e1efbc650 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPages.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPages.cc
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 #include <QToolButton>
 #include <QCompleter>
 #include <QLineEdit>
+#include <QDialogButtonBox>
+#include <QPushButton>
 
 namespace lay
 {
@@ -52,6 +54,8 @@ struct EOPCompareOp
 EditorOptionsPages::EditorOptionsPages (QWidget *parent, const std::vector<lay::EditorOptionsPage *> &pages, lay::Dispatcher *dispatcher)
   : QFrame (parent), mp_dispatcher (dispatcher)
 {
+  mp_modal_pages = new EditorOptionsModalPages (this);
+
   QVBoxLayout *ly1 = new QVBoxLayout (this);
   ly1->setContentsMargins (0, 0, 0, 0);
 
@@ -73,6 +77,9 @@ EditorOptionsPages::~EditorOptionsPages ()
   while (m_pages.size () > 0) {
     delete m_pages.front ();
   }
+
+  delete mp_modal_pages;
+  mp_modal_pages = 0;
 }
 
 void
@@ -84,17 +91,51 @@ EditorOptionsPages::focusInEvent (QFocusEvent * /*event*/)
   }
 }
 
-bool EditorOptionsPages::has_content () const
+bool
+EditorOptionsPages::has_content () const
 {
   for (std::vector <lay::EditorOptionsPage *>::const_iterator p = m_pages.begin (); p != m_pages.end (); ++p) {
-    if ((*p)->active ()) {
+    if ((*p)->active () && ! (*p)->is_modal_page ()) {
       return true;
     }
   }
   return false;
 }
 
-void EditorOptionsPages::activate (const lay::Plugin *plugin)
+bool
+EditorOptionsPages::has_modal_content () const
+{
+  for (std::vector <lay::EditorOptionsPage *>::const_iterator p = m_pages.begin (); p != m_pages.end (); ++p) {
+    if ((*p)->active () && (*p)->is_modal_page ()) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+bool
+EditorOptionsPages::exec_modal (EditorOptionsPage *page)
+{
+  QTabWidget *modal_pages = mp_modal_pages->pages_widget ();
+
+  for (int i = 0; i < modal_pages->count (); ++i) {
+
+    if (modal_pages->widget (i) == page) {
+
+      //  found the page - make it current and show the dialog
+      modal_pages->setCurrentIndex (i);
+      page->set_focus ();
+      return mp_modal_pages->exec () != 0;
+
+    }
+
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
+void
+EditorOptionsPages::activate (const lay::Plugin *plugin)
 {
   for (auto op = m_pages.begin (); op != m_pages.end (); ++op) {
     bool is_active = false;
@@ -126,6 +167,7 @@ EditorOptionsPages::make_page_current (lay::EditorOptionsPage *page)
   for (int i = 0; i < mp_pages->count (); ++i) {
     if (mp_pages->widget (i) == page) {
       mp_pages->setCurrentIndex (i);
+      page->set_focus ();
       break;
     }
   }
@@ -151,6 +193,8 @@ EditorOptionsPages::update (lay::EditorOptionsPage *page)
   std::vector <lay::EditorOptionsPage *> sorted_pages = m_pages;
   std::sort (sorted_pages.begin (), sorted_pages.end (), EOPCompareOp ());
 
+  QTabWidget *modal_pages = mp_modal_pages->pages_widget ();
+
   if (! page && m_pages.size () > 0) {
     page = m_pages.back ();
   }
@@ -158,17 +202,39 @@ EditorOptionsPages::update (lay::EditorOptionsPage *page)
   while (mp_pages->count () > 0) {
     mp_pages->removeTab (0);
   }
+
+  while (modal_pages->count () > 0) {
+    modal_pages->removeTab (0);
+  }
+
   int index = -1;
+  int modal_index = -1;
+
   for (std::vector <lay::EditorOptionsPage *>::iterator p = sorted_pages.begin (); p != sorted_pages.end (); ++p) {
     if ((*p)->active ()) {
-      if ((*p) == page) {
-        index = mp_pages->count ();
+      if (! (*p)->is_modal_page ()) {
+        if ((*p) == page) {
+          index = mp_pages->count ();
+        }
+        mp_pages->addTab (*p, tl::to_qstring ((*p)->title ()));
+      } else {
+        if ((*p) == page) {
+          modal_index = modal_pages->count ();
+        }
+        modal_pages->addTab (*p, tl::to_qstring ((*p)->title ()));
       }
-      mp_pages->addTab (*p, tl::to_qstring ((*p)->title ()));
     } else {
       (*p)->setParent (0);
     }
   }
+
+  lay::EditorOptionsPage *single_modal_page = modal_pages->count () == 1 ? dynamic_cast<lay::EditorOptionsPage *> (modal_pages->widget (0)) : 0;
+  if (single_modal_page) {
+    mp_modal_pages->setWindowTitle (tl::to_qstring (single_modal_page->title ()));
+  } else {
+    mp_modal_pages->setWindowTitle (tr ("Editor Options"));
+  }
+
   if (index < 0) {
     index = mp_pages->currentIndex ();
   }
@@ -177,27 +243,33 @@ EditorOptionsPages::update (lay::EditorOptionsPage *page)
   }
   mp_pages->setCurrentIndex (index);
 
+  if (modal_index < 0) {
+    modal_index = modal_pages->currentIndex ();
+  }
+  if (modal_index >= int (modal_pages->count ())) {
+    modal_index = modal_pages->count () - 1;
+  }
+  modal_pages->setCurrentIndex (modal_index);
+
   setVisible (mp_pages->count () > 0);
 }
 
 void 
 EditorOptionsPages::setup ()
 {
-  try {
+BEGIN_PROTECTED
 
-    for (std::vector <lay::EditorOptionsPage *>::iterator p = m_pages.begin (); p != m_pages.end (); ++p) {
-      if ((*p)->active ()) {
-        (*p)->setup (mp_dispatcher);
-      }
+  for (std::vector <lay::EditorOptionsPage *>::iterator p = m_pages.begin (); p != m_pages.end (); ++p) {
+    if ((*p)->active ()) {
+      (*p)->setup (mp_dispatcher);
     }
-
-    //  make the display consistent with the status (this is important for 
-    //  PCell parameters where the PCell may be asked to modify the parameters)
-    do_apply ();
-
-  } catch (...) {
-    //  catch any errors related to configuration file errors etc.
   }
+
+  //  make the display consistent with the status (this is important for
+  //  PCell parameters where the PCell may be asked to modify the parameters)
+  do_apply ();
+
+END_PROTECTED_W (this)
 }
 
 void 
@@ -219,6 +291,54 @@ BEGIN_PROTECTED
 END_PROTECTED_W (this)
 }
 
+// ------------------------------------------------------------------
+//  EditorOptionsModalPages implementation
+
+EditorOptionsModalPages::EditorOptionsModalPages (EditorOptionsPages *parent)
+  : QDialog (parent), mp_parent (parent)
+{
+  QVBoxLayout *ly = new QVBoxLayout (this);
+
+  mp_pages = new QTabWidget (this);
+  ly->addWidget (mp_pages, 1);
+  mp_pages->setTabBarAutoHide (true);
+
+  mp_button_box = new QDialogButtonBox (this);
+  ly->addWidget (mp_button_box);
+  mp_button_box->setOrientation (Qt::Horizontal);
+  mp_button_box->setStandardButtons (QDialogButtonBox::Cancel | QDialogButtonBox::Apply | QDialogButtonBox::Ok);
+
+  connect (mp_button_box, SIGNAL (clicked(QAbstractButton *)), this, SLOT (clicked(QAbstractButton *)));
+  connect (mp_button_box, SIGNAL (accepted()), this, SLOT (accept()));
+  connect (mp_button_box, SIGNAL (rejected()), this, SLOT (reject()));
+}
+
+EditorOptionsModalPages::~EditorOptionsModalPages ()
+{
+  //  .. nothing yet ..
+}
+
+void
+EditorOptionsModalPages::accept ()
+{
+  mp_parent->apply ();
+  QDialog::accept ();
+}
+
+void
+EditorOptionsModalPages::reject ()
+{
+  QDialog::reject ();
+}
+
+void
+EditorOptionsModalPages::clicked (QAbstractButton *button)
+{
+  if (button == mp_button_box->button (QDialogButtonBox::Apply)) {
+    mp_parent->apply ();
+  }
+}
+
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPages.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPages.h
index 10024e982..b549e1dd6 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPages.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorOptionsPages.h
@@ -28,14 +28,16 @@
 #include "laybasicCommon.h"
 #include "layEditorOptionsPage.h"
 
-#include <tlVariant.h>
-
 #include <QFrame>
+#include <QDialog>
+
 #include <vector>
 #include <string>
 
 class QTabWidget;
 class QLabel;
+class QDialogButtonBox;
+class QAbstractButton;
 
 namespace lay
 {
@@ -43,9 +45,10 @@ namespace lay
 class PluginDeclaration;
 class Dispatcher;
 class Plugin;
+class EditorOptionsModalPages;
 
 /**
- *  @brief The object properties dialog
+ *  @brief The object properties tab widget
  */
 class LAYBASIC_PUBLIC EditorOptionsPages
   : public QFrame
@@ -61,6 +64,7 @@ public:
   void activate (const lay::Plugin *plugin);
   void focusInEvent (QFocusEvent *event);
   void make_page_current (lay::EditorOptionsPage *page);
+  bool exec_modal (lay::EditorOptionsPage *page);
 
   const std::vector <lay::EditorOptionsPage *> &pages () const
   {
@@ -68,6 +72,7 @@ public:
   }
 
   bool has_content () const;
+  bool has_modal_content () const;
 
 public slots:
   void apply ();
@@ -77,11 +82,40 @@ private:
   std::vector <lay::EditorOptionsPage *> m_pages;
   lay::Dispatcher *mp_dispatcher;
   QTabWidget *mp_pages;
+  EditorOptionsModalPages *mp_modal_pages;
 
   void update (lay::EditorOptionsPage *page);
   void do_apply ();
 };
 
+/**
+ *  @brief The object properties modal page dialog
+ */
+class LAYBASIC_PUBLIC EditorOptionsModalPages
+  : public QDialog
+{
+Q_OBJECT
+
+public:
+  EditorOptionsModalPages (EditorOptionsPages *parent);
+  ~EditorOptionsModalPages ();
+
+  QTabWidget *pages_widget ()
+  {
+    return mp_pages;
+  }
+
+private slots:
+  void accept ();
+  void reject ();
+  void clicked (QAbstractButton *button);
+
+private:
+  EditorOptionsPages *mp_parent;
+  QTabWidget *mp_pages;
+  QDialogButtonBox *mp_button_box;
+};
+
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorServiceBase.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorServiceBase.cc
index e20f200a5..e28e1ba5e 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorServiceBase.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layEditorServiceBase.cc
@@ -367,8 +367,7 @@ EditorServiceBase::key_event (unsigned int key, unsigned int buttons)
     auto pages = editor_options_pages ();
     for (auto p = pages.begin (); p != pages.end (); ++p) {
       if ((*p)->is_focus_page ()) {
-        (*p)->make_current ();
-        (*p)->setFocus (Qt::TabFocusReason);
+        (*p)->show ();
         return true;
       }
     }