Left pane modules

The left pane modules provide many different types of framework and features.

The left pane module provides the following type of framework and features:
  • enables you to develop third-party modules
  • provides APIs for third-party modules
  • single-instance and multi-instance modules are supported
  • customizable labels and modules of user-defined modules
  • preserves the module configuration
  • displays catalogs and hierarchies
  • extension points
  • APIs to build modules that can extract server data and store module configuration information

Customizing the left pane modules

You can customize and develop your own left pane module. You need to edit the configuration file before you define your module.
  1. Edit the following extension points:
    $TOP/etc/default/user_leftPane.conf.xml
    This file defines the custom modules. You must specify the name of the custom modules. For those modules that allow multiple instances, you must also specify the fully qualified class path of your implementation of LeftPaneDataObjectFactory.
    $TOP/public_html/user/user_jsp_include.jsp
    This file is the JavaScript interface for i18n labels for the custom modules. You must edit this file in order to provide the appropriate i18n labels for your custom modules.
  2. Optional: You can edit the $TOP/public_html/user/userjs/module/<custom module name>.jsp This file is the JavaScript part of custom module implementation. You can edit this file to include other JavaScript files of your own.

Populating the left pane for easy navigation

You can configure the left pane toolbar by adding a list of objects. Objects in the left pane appear in the order that they are added.

The left pane is a useful navigation tool that allows you to quickly find and access different pieces of information and functionality in Admin UI. You can customize the left pane by choosing which modules you want to add. There are various module types to choose from providing access to different features.
  1. Access the left pane toolbar by clicking the Please select a module to add field. You can add the following modules to the left pane:
    Alerts

    Identifies the status of any current alert. The alerts table presents the status and number of alerts that are active. The types of alerts include: error alerts, information alerts, and actionable alerts.

    To add an Alerts view to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select Alerts.
    2. Click the + button. The Alerts component appears in a table, which displays any active alerts.
    3. Click on any alert number hyperlink to view the details for that alert. Click REFRESH to refresh the table information.
    Bookmarks

    Links to a location that you define, including searches. You can select this object for components that are most commonly used. You can add different areas of Admin UI as bookmarks that appear in the bookmarks list.

    To add a Bookmarks view to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select Bookmarks.
    2. Click the + button.
    To add or remove a bookmark from the Bookmarks view:
    1. Navigate to the page in Admin UI that you want to bookmark.
    2. Click the + or Remove Link button from the Bookmarks view to add or remove a bookmark.
    Custom Tools

    Displays a list of custom tools that are available to you.

    To add a Custom Tools view to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select Custom Tools.
    2. Click the + button.
    Documents

    The document store shows Admin UI documents, including hyperlinks to the file location.

    To add a Documents view to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select Documents.
    2. Click the + button.
    Last Visited

    Stores the last 10 pages that were visited. When a page is visited, it is automatically added to the Last Visited view. The list is cleared when you log out of Admin UI.

    To add the Last Visited view to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select Last Visited.
    2. Click the + button.

    You can click the page name to display the page.
    Selections

    Displays all of the static saved catalog selections. When a catalog item selection is created, it appears in the Item Selection Console and is automatically added to the Selections view in the left pane.

    To add a Selections view to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select Selections.
    2. Click the + button.

    You can click the arrows button to refresh the list of selections.
    Spec Explorer

    Displays the search results of specifications and attributes. With the Spec Explorer view, you can search and view all specs that are available to you.

    To add the Spec Explorer view to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select Spec Explorer.
    2. Click the + button.

    From the Spec Explorer, you can click Search and search for a spec by specifying a search criteria. From the results list, click a spec name to add it to the Spec Explorer view.
    Catalogs

    For each catalog in the system you have access to, you can add a catalog module for it in the left pane. The list of available catalogs is displayed in the module selection drop-down. A catalog module allows you to browse and search a given catalog as well as perform various operations on it.

    To add a catalog to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select a collaboration area.
    2. Click the + button. The catalog appears in a collapsed format under the Catalogs view.
    Collaboration Areas

    Displays a list of all of the collaboration areas that are available in the drop-down selection. Shows all collaboration areas that are available to you and includes the collaboration area hierarchy.

    To add a collaboration area to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select a collaboration area.
    2. Click the + button. The collaboration area appears in a collapsed format under the Collaboration Areas view.

    When you add a collaboration area to the left pane, it shows up similarly to a catalog or hierarchy. You can expand the collaboration area section to see a list of steps that are contained by the workflow of the collaboration area. You can also expand the steps to see the items in each step.

    You can also right-click on the collaboration area and select Hide inaccessible steps to display only the steps that you can perform an action.
    Hierarchies

    For each hierarchy in the system you have access to, you can add one or more hierarchy modules for it in the left pane. The list of available hierarchies is displayed in the module selection drop-down. A hierarchy module allows you to browse and search a given hierarchy as well as perform various operations on it.

    To add a hierarchy to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select a collaboration area.
    2. Click the + button. The hierarchy appears in a collapsed format under the Hierarchies view.
    Organizations

    For each organization in the system you have access to, you can add an organization module for it in the left pane. The list of available organizations is displayed in the module selection drop-down. An organization module allows you to browse and search a given organization as well as perform various operations on it.

    To add an organization to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select an organization.
    2. Click the + button. The organization appears in a collapsed format under the Organizations view.
    Jobs If you have more than one job running at a time, it is difficult to check the status of all the jobs from a single screen. Therefore, management and monitoring of jobs is critical. This job explorer module reduces the time and provides ease in managing and monitoring the status of all of your running jobs. A progress bar for each running job displays in the left pane navigation. You can also use the On-Demand Filter to filter based on the type of job.
    To add a Jobs view to the left pane:
    1. From the Please select a module to add field, select Jobs.
    2. Click the + button. The Jobs component appears in the left pane navigation and displays any progress bars to track your running jobs.
      Important: This feature is no longer supported.
    Tip: To show or hide the left pane, select or deselect Window > Hide Left Pane.
  2. You can use the following features within any module:
    Hide/Show On-Demand Filter

    Changes the current hierarchy that is being used for a catalog. The On-Demand Filter feature is accessible through the Hierarchy and Catalog views.

    To access the On-Demand Filter in the left pane:
    1. Expand the Hierarchy or Catalog view.
    2. Click the On-Demand Filter button to display the filter. The filter panel slides down. Click the On-Demand Filter button again to hide the filter.
    3. Change the version, hierarchy, or selection. The catalog is updated.
    Hide/Show On-Demand Search

    Displays your search output. The On-Demand Search feature is accessible through the Hierarchy and Catalog views.

    To access the On-Demand Search in the left pane:
    1. Expand the Hierarchy or Catalog view.
    2. Click the On-Demand Search button to display the search. The search panel slides down. Click the On-Demand Search button again to hide the search.
    3. Provide a search string and an item to search.
  3. You can click any selection from the left pane drop-down field to view the results and details for that selection.