Object Linking

Objects from different sections can arbitrarily be linked to each other. These additional connections provide a better overview and optimize your work. For example, a calendar entry can be linked with different documents. This way the user can look at the calendar entry and immediately gains an overview of which documents are connected with this calendar entry. It is also possible to link a calendar entry with a project, which provides an easy overview of the temporal scheduling for individual projects. Any objects in the system can be linked. For example, addresses can be linked with calendar entries, addresses with projects, projects with documents, etc. It is not only possible to link an object to another (1:1 linking), but also to link an object directly to several other objects (1:n linking).

Object Linking

Every object can be linked with one or several other objects. To create a link between two individual objects, proceed as follows: first open one of the two objects which you would like to link in the detailed view and change from there to the Links tab. All existing links are listed here in table form.

In order to create a new link, you just need to click on the buttons Activate linking mode and Add to linking repository. Then switch to the detail view of the second object to be linked and switch there to the Links tab as well. In order to finalize a link you just need to click the Create button. The link is now active. In order to leave the linking mode, click on the button End mode. All objects selected for the linking process can be displayed at any time via the left/right frame of the groupware portal under active links.

Group Links - Procedure 1

In order to link several documents with a project, proceed just as described under Creating Links on this page. Then do not quit the linking mode, but change to the detailed view of another document that you also want to link to the project selected first. Here you also need to the Links tab and click on the Create button. This establishes the link. You can now repeat this approach until you have processed all documents that are to be linked with the project selected first. Next, to leave the linking mode, click on the button "End mode".

Group Links - Procedure 2

There is another way for quickly creating multiple links. In order to link several addresses with a project, for instance, first open one of the addresses and select its Links tab.

Figure 1.9. Figure 1‑9: Linking, first Object

Figure 1‑9: Linking, first Object

In the overview you see all existing links of this address to other objects. In order to add new links, first click the activate linking mode button. Under linking mode active you can see the current address which is to be linked. If you want to link further addresses with a project, successively open these objects and open their Links tab as well. The button Add to linking repository adds the individual elements to the stored list of links. Finally you open the project with which the selected addresses are to be linked, and open its Links tab. The actual linking is performed by clicking the Create button. Finally you should leave the linking mode by clicking on the button End mode. Links are bidirectional, by the way. If an address was linked to a project, the link is shown for the project as well as for the address. By clicking on the respective links you can comfortably jump back and forth between the objects. The object to which you would like to link does not need to be loaded in the linking list. It is always displayed under the Links tab. Simple clicking on the Create button is sufficient.

Example

You work on a task in a group. You would like to discuss how the task is to be done in a forum. Detailed information about this task can be found in a PDF file in the document archive. In order to provide a better overview of these objects, you want to connect them with each other. First select the Links tab of the task. Then click on the Activate linking mode button.

Please note: The task is stored in the linking repository. The task cannot be linked with itself, which is why the checkbox is absent in the first column of the table. Now select the Documents section from the menu bar and there select the PDF document that you want to connect with the task and the forum. Click on the Links tab. The task is already present in the linking repository. Click on the checkbox in the first column of the table and then on the Create button.

In the lower table showing the links to this object an entry appears for the task. Test the link by clicking on the yellow arrow in the first column of the table. You are taken to the detail view of the task. Click on the Links tab again. There you see a link to the PDF document. Links are bidirectional. Click on the yellow arrow again and navigate back to the linking page of the document.

In order to be able to connect the PDF document with the forum, you first have to put it into the linking repository. On the Links page of the PDF document click on the Add to linking repository button. Now the linking repository contains your task and the PDF document. Next, navigate to the Links page of the forum. Select both checkboxes and click on Create. Congratulations! You have connected a task, a forum and a file with each other. You immediately see which objects belong to another and thus you can work more efficiently. Finally, click on the button "End mode".

Display of Links

Once an object is linked, it is added to the list of existing links. You can see the existing links for an object by opening the suitable object via the individual modules and clicking on the Links tab. There you can follow the individual links by clicking on them with the mouse pointer.

Figure 1.10. Figure 1‑10: List of existing Links

Figure 1‑10: List of existing Links

Delete Links

A link can be deleted at any time. Go to the Links tab of an object to see the list of existing links. At the end of each row in the tabular listing of currently existing links you find a small checkbox. Activate this checkbox for all links that you would like to delete. Then delete the selected links by clicking the Delete button.

Note: Deleting a Link

When you delete the link between objects only the link is deleted, but not the objects themselves!