3.1. The User Interface

The user interface includes the following components:

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.

    • Help. Opens the online help.

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

    • Sign out. Signs you out from the groupware.

Toolbar  The toolbar is on the left. It contains the following icons:

  • New icon . Creates new objects like a new E-Mail or a new contact.

  • Toggle Folder icon . Opens or closes the folder tree.

  • Toggle Search icon . Opens or closes the search input field.

Depending on the application, further icons may be available e.g., an icon for selecting a view for the display area.

Toggle Search input field  If you click the Toggle Search icon in the toolbar, the Toggle Search is opened or closed. When entering a search term, the sidebar only displays elements matching the search term. To reset the search result, click the Toggle Search icon in the toolbar.

Folder tree  When clicking the Toggle Folder icon in the toolbar, the folder tree is opened or closed. It shows the following contents:

  • an alphabetically sorted list of application specific folders

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

  • a function bar containing the following:

    • Add icon and Edit icon . Provides functions for managing folders.

    • Close icon . Closes the folder tree.

Sidebar  Depending on the application and the view selected, the sidebar displays a list of the objects in the current folder. Depending on the application, additional buttons are shown below the list e.g., for sorting objects. If the folder tree is closed, it can be opened by clicking on the folder name below the list.

Display area  Depending on the application and the view selected, the display area shows the content of the object you selected in the sidebar or the content of the folder selected. If you selected an E-Mail, the display area shows the following elements:

  • application specific buttons for replying to the E-Mail, forwarding it or for using other functions

  • the header and the content of the E-Mail

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

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 icon on the right side of the menu bar. The following actions are possible:

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