3.1. The User Interface

The user interface includes the following components:

  • A menu bar on the top.

  • On the left side below the menu bar the search bar is displayed. It can be enabled or disabled together with the folder tree.

  • The Folder tree can be activated on the left side.

  • On the right side below the menu bar a toolbar is displayed. It contains app specific functions and functions for selecting the view in the display area.

  • The remaining space is used for the display area.

  • Depending on the action executed, the pop-up window or the notification area will overlap the display area.

  • Text that can be clicked is displayed in blue.

  • You can also use the keyboard to access the user interface functions.

The following screen shots show the user interface, using the E-Mail application as an example.

Menu bar 

Contains the following icons and buttons:

  • Buttons for launching applications like E-Mail or Calendar

  • Depending on the action, additional buttons might be displayed e.g., if composing a new E-Mail or editing an appointment.

  • Unread Badge icon . The icon notifies you of the number of new objects e.g., unread E-Mails or scheduled appointment invitations. Clicking opens the notification area .

  • Refresh icon . Reloads objects from the server. Irrespective of this function, objects are refreshed in regular intervals.

  • System menu icon . Opens a menu with the following entries:

    • Settings. Opens a page that allows customizing settings.

    • My contact data. Opens a window where you can adjust your personal contact data in the global address book.

    • Help. Opens the online help.

    • Fullscreen. Switches to fullscreen mode or back to windowed mode.

    • Sign out. Signs you out from the groupware.

    Depending on the groupware's configuration, further menu entries might be available.

Search bar 

In order to display the search bar, click on View in the function bar. Enable Folder view. The search bar is located on the left side below the menu bar. It contains the following:

  • Input field for the search term

  • Search icon . Starts a search.

As soon as the search is enabled the folder tree is overlapped by the search functions. The search result is displayed in the list that is shown in the display area. In order to finish the search, click on Close search.

Toolbar 

The toolbar is located below the menu bar. It contains the following functions:

  • Buttons for creating new objects, e.g. a new E-Mail or a new contact.

    If you do not have the permission to create objects in the current folder, the button is disabled.

  • Buttons or icons for editing objects.

  • Depending on the app, further app specific buttons or icons might be available.

  • More icon . Contains app specific functions for organizing objects.

  • View button. Contains functions for controlling the layout in the display area and for opening or closing the folder tree.

Folder tree 

In order to display the folder tree, click on View in the function bar. Enable Folder view. The following information are displayed in the folder tree:

  • the app specific folders

  • depending on the application, sections for personal, public and shared folders

    Note: Depending on the groupware configuration, those sections might not be displayed if there are no public or shared folders.

  • The Folder-specific actions iconnext to the selected folder. It contains functions for organizing folders. Depending on the folder, further functions might be available.

    Tip: You can also access the folder-specific actions by right-clicking on a folder.

  • Depending on the app, further functions might be available.

  • The Open folder view icon or the Close folder view icon at the bottom left side opens or closes the folder tree.

Display area 

Depending on the app and the view selected, the display area includes the following comonents.

  • A list of objects or an icons view of the objects in the selected folder. On top of the list, control elements for selecting or sorting objects are displayed.

  • The detail view of the object that you selected in the list.

You can change the view in the display area by using the View button in the toolbar. Clicking on an object in the display area opens a pop-up window.

Pop-up 

Displays detailed information about an object shown in the display area. In order to open the pop-up, click on a groupware object in the display area. If you read an E-Mail in the display area and click on the name of the sender, the following elements are displayed in the pop-up:

  • buttons for certain actions, e.g. copying the sender's contact data to a folder

  • the sender's contact data

  • relevant information, e.g. your shared appointments or your E-Mail conversation with the sender

  • this person's data from social networks like Xing or LinkedIn. You can use the available buttons to open this person's profile.

Those person related data are called halo view. If clicking on a certain element in the pop-up, an additional pop-up might be opened. In order to close a pop-up, click on Close in the upper right side. In order to close all pop-ups, click on Close all.

Notification area 

Displays information about the following objects:

  • unread E-Mails

  • new appointment invitations

  • queued tasks

  • tasks with a due date in the past

In order to open the notification area, click the Unread badge iconon the right side of the menu bar. You can do the following:

  • To read a new E-Mail click on it.

  • To open the inbox click on Show Inbox.

  • To confirm new appointments click on the Confirm button.

  • To hide information about specific objects, click the Close iconnext to the group.

To close the notification area, click the Unread badge icon again.