A method (500; 514-1; 514-2) of controlling operation of an excavator (100; 200; 400; 700) having a lift arm structure (230; 730) pivotally mounted to a house (211; 711) by a swing mount (215; 715) to allow the lift arm structure to be rotated laterally relative to the house by a swing actuator (233A; 474), an implement mounted to the lift arm structure, and an undercarriage (212; 712) to which the house is rotatably mounted to allow 360-degree rotation of the house relative to the undercarriage by a slew actuator, characterized in that the method includes: receiving, at a controller, a mode selection input from a mode input device manipulated by an operator to select a mode of operation of the excavator; determining (504; 510; 512), using the controller, from the mode selection input whether the selected mode is a first mode of operation in which full 360-degree rotational movement of the house (211; 711) by the slew actuator responsive to a slew user input is allowed, or whether the selected mode is a second mode of operation in which rotational movement of the house by the slew actuator is limited to a predefined range to limit positioning of the implement to a work area defined by a predefined range; identifying (514; 514-1; 514-2), using the controller, the predefined range if it was determined that the selected mode is the second mode of operation; receiving, at the controller, from the slew user input a slew control signal commanding rotational movement of the house (211; 711) relative to the undercarriage (212; 712); receiving, at the controller, from a swing user input a swing control signal commanding lateral rotational movement of the lift arm structure relative to the house (211; 711); controlling, using the controller, the slew actuator to rotate the house (211; 711) relative to the undercarriage (212; 712) responsive to the slew control signal, wherein when the selected mode is the first mode the slew actuator is controlled responsive to the slew control signal to allow full 360-degree rotation of the house relative to the undercarriage, and wherein when the selected mode is the second mode the slew actuator is controlled responsive to the slew control signal to limit rotation of the house relative to the undercarriage (212; 712) to the predefined range and to move the implement into, or maintain the implement within, the work area defined by the predefined range; and controlling, using the controller, the swing actuator (233A; 474) to laterally rotate the lift arm structure (230; 730) relative to the house (211; 711) responsive to the swing control signal, wherein when the selected mode is the second mode the controller controls the swing actuator (233A; 474) to allow commanded lateral rotational movement of the lift arm structure (230; 730) relative to the house (211; 711) only if such lateral rotational movement moves the implement into, or maintains the implement within, the work area defined by the predefined range. receiving, at a controller, a mode selection input from a mode input device manipulated by an operator to select a mode of operation of the excavator; determining (504; 510; 512), using the controller, from the mode selection input whether the selected mode is a first mode of operation in which full 360-degree rotational movement of the house (211; 711) by the slew actuator responsive to a slew user input is allowed, or whether the selected mode is a second mode of operation in which rotational movement of the house by the slew actuator is limited to a predefined range to limit positioning of the implement to a work area defined by a predefined range; identifying (514; 514-1; 514-2), using the controller, the predefined range if it was determined that the selected mode is the second mode of operation; receiving, at the controller, from the slew user input a slew control signal commanding rotational movement of the house (211; 711) relative to the undercarriage (212; 712); receiving, at the controller, from a swing user input a swing control signal commanding lateral rotational movement of the lift arm structure relative to the house (211; 711); controlling, using the controller, the slew actuator to rotate the house (211; 711) relative to the undercarriage (212; 712) responsive to the slew control signal, wherein when the selected mode is the first mode the slew actuator is controlled responsive to the slew control signal to allow full 360-degree rotation of the house relative to the undercarriage, and wherein when the selected mode is the second mode the slew actuator is controlled responsive to the slew control signal to limit rotation of the house relative to the undercarriage (212; 712) to the predefined range and to move the implement into, or maintain the implement within, the work area defined by the predefined range; and controlling, using the controller, the swing actuator (233A; 474) to laterally rotate the lift arm structure (230; 730) relative to the house (211; 711) responsive to the swing control signal, wherein when the selected mode is the second mode the controller controls the swing actuator (233A; 474) to allow commanded lateral rotational movement of the lift arm structure (230; 730) relative to the house (211; 711) only if such lateral rotational movement moves the implement into, or maintains the implement within, the work area defined by the predefined range.