Introduction

This tab of WebGuide is for reading and working with the notes in a collaboration space. This tab includes the Tree Panel on the left and the Discussion Control Panel on the right.

The Tree Panel

The Tree Panel in the Discussion Tab displays the notes that are visible in the currently selected perspective. The Tree Panel includes several navigation controls. Click here for information on the Tree Panel.

If you select a note in the Tree Panel, then the full content of that note is displayed in a seperate html Web browser window.

Discussion Control Panel

Some of the buttons in this panel are deactivated depending on which actions the author is permitted to take within the selected perspective. Click here for information of the policies implemented in WebGuide. Several buttons in the Discussion Control Panel activate the Editing Tab to serve as a dialog for inputting note content. Click here for information on the Editing Tab.

Author's name

The name of the person who is currently logged in is displayed at the top of the panel. This name will be used to label any new notes added by this author.

Title or Content Display

A set of radio buttons can be used to select whether the title of notes or the first line of their content is displayed in the Tree Panel. The selected radio button takes effect the next time the Tree Panel display is refreshed.

Message Area

Instructions, warnings and error messages are displayed at the bottom of the panel. Look here if you do not know what to do or if nothing is happening when or how you expect it to.

Note Function Buttons

For each of the following functions, you must first select a note in the tree. The new note will be placed in the tree either "below" or "after" the selected note -- depending on a choice you make in the editing panel when you define the new note. "Below" means that the new note will be a "child" note indented one level below the old note as a sub-item of it. "After" means that the new note will be a "sibling" note at the same level as the old note and following it as a sub-item of the same parent note. 

To enter a sequence of sub-items below a parent note, first select the parent note in the tree, and enter the first item "below" it. Then select that new child note and enter the second item "after" it. Continue to select the latest note and enter subsequent notes "after" it. 

If you want to enter a new note before the first child note of a parent, select the parent and enter the new note "below" it.

Discuss

This is the simplest way to add a new note. It automatically selects the category to be "comment" and the position to be "below" the selected note.

New Note 

This is the standard way to add a new note. In the editing panel you may select whether the new note goes "below" or "after" the selected note and what category to assign.

Edit Note

This lets you make changes to the category, title and content of the selected note. In your personal perspective, you may edit any note.

Delete Note

This lets you make delete the selected note. In your personal perspective, you may delete any note. The deletion takes effect in the perspective in which it was made -- and possibly in inherited perspectives. For instance, in your personal perspective you may delete a heading that you inherited from the group perspective; this will affect the note in your perspective but not in the group or other personal perspectives.

Move Note

Change the position of the selected note in the tree. After pressing this button, you should select a second note to put the first one below or after and then press the button for Select Note as Second Item (see below).

Copy Note

Make another copy of the selected note in the tree. After pressing this button, you should select a second note to put the copy of the first one below or after and then press the button for Select Note as Second Item (see below).

Copy Note 

Use this to make a copy of a note from another perspective in your personal perspective. Select a note and then press this button. The system should change to display your personal perspective. Select a second note to put the copy of the first one below or after and then press the button for Select Note as Second Item (see below). 

This button differs from the following one in that it creates a new note in your perspective that has the same content as the other note to start with. However, changes to either note will not affect the other.

Link Note 

Use this to make a "virtual" copy of a note from another perspective in your personal perspective. Select a note and then press this button. The system should change to display your personal perspective. Select a second note to put the copy of the first one below or after and then press the button for Select Note as Second Item (see below). 

Your "virtual" copy will change to reflect changes in the original if the original is edited but you have not edited your virtual copy. If you edit your virtual copy it will become a new note, not connected to the original. Your edit will not affect the original.

Email from Note

[This function is not yet implemented.]

Private Note

This is the same as Add Discussion Note (described above) except that the note is private to the author. It will only be displayed when its author is logged in. This is useful for making personal annotations on your own or other people's notes that are not for public display.

Proposal

[This function is not yet implemented.]

Vote

[This function is not yet implemented.]

Select Note as Second Item

This is used for certain functions in which two notes must be selected, one after the other.

Go to top of this page

Return to Gerry Stahl's Home Page

Send email to Gerry.Stahl@drexel.edu

This page last modified on August 01, 2003