Customization Tasks

You can alter the layout, wording, and appearance of the different parts of your Web Parts product page. If you log in as an administrator, you can change the appearance for all users at your site. Users can also change the page to suit their personal preferences.

This section describes how to customize the Web Parts product page. Functionality that is only available to administrators is indicated by the words Admin Only in the title. This section covers the following topics:

• "Choosing a Page to Customize (Admin Only)"

• "Designing Custom Search Forms (Admin Only)"

• "Adding Web Parts (Admin Only)"

• "Modifying Web Parts"

• "Customizing the Title Bar (Admin Only)"

• "Customizing the Navigation Tree"

• "Customizing the Search Criteria Section"

• "Customizing the Search Results Section"

• "Designing the Page"

Choosing a Page to Customize (Admin Only)

If you log in as an Administrator, you have the option to modify the page for all users or only for yourself.

• To modify the page for all users, click Edit Page on the Site Actions Menu.

• To modify the page for your own use, click Personalize this Page on the "Welcome username" menu at the top of the Web Parts page.

A box is displayed around the shared icon (Figure 4-1) or the personal icon (Figure 4-2), indicating which option is selected.

Figure 4-1 Shared Iconf

Figure 4-2 Personal Icon

Designing Custom Search Forms (Admin Only)

If you log in as an administrator, you can design a custom search form that limits the metadata seen by users. This enables you to minimize the data that users can see and also simplifies their search process.

Follow these steps to design a custom search form:

1. Click Search Form Definitions on the Main Navigation Tree.

   The Search Form Options Screen (Admin Only) is displayed.

2. From the list of display names and fields, select a definition to use for your search form. You can modify the fields that are included in the search.

3. Click Create Form.

   The Define New Search Form Screen (Admin Only) is displayed.

4. Enter a name for the new search form.

5. Add or remove fields to be included in the search.

Click Cancel to exit without saving the search form. Click OK when done.

The new search is displayed in the Search Forms folder with a search form icon (Figure 4-3.), which is different than the icon used for personally created queries (Figure 4-4).

Figure 4-3 Search Form Icon

Figure 4-4 Personally Created Queries Icon

Adding Web Parts (Admin Only)

Administrators can delete or add web parts to the page. Any changes that are made will be available to all users who have access to the page.

Use this procedure to modify the content of the web parts page:

1. Click the Site Actions Menu and select Edit Page.

   The Add/Edit Web Parts Screen is displayed.

2. Click Add a Web Part above a section of the Web Parts page that you want to modify.

   The Add Web Parts Options Screen (Admin Only) is displayed.

3. You can select options from the list of web parts, and click Add when you are done.

   Alternately, on the Add Web Parts Options List you can click Advanced Web Parts gallery and options to use one of the following methods to add web parts to any section of the page:

   • Add Web Parts by Browsing

   • Add Web Parts by Searching

   • Add Web Parts by Importing

On any of these screens to widen the screen, click the arrow icon next to the title of the screen. When done, click the X icon at the top right corner of the screen. The screen closes.

Add Web Parts by Browsing

If you select Advanced Web Parts gallery and options on the Add Web Parts Options Screen (Admin Only), the Add Web Parts (Browse) Screen (Admin Only) is displayed. Use this screen to search through galleries for additional web parts to add to your page.

1. Select the gallery you want to use. A list of available elements is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

   
   

   Tip: Rest the cursor on each gallery name. A brief description of the gallery and its contents is displayed.

   
   

2. Click the web part you want to use.

3. Use the Add to menu to select the area of the page where the element will be inserted. Available options depend on what type of layout you chose for your Web Parts product page.

4. Click Add when done to insert the web part.

The new element is added to the location you specified. Use this procedure to continue adding more elements to your page.

Add Web Parts by Searching

If you select Advanced Web Parts gallery and options on the Add Web Parts Options Screen (Admin Only), the Add Web Parts (Browse) Screen (Admin Only) is displayed. Use the arrow in the Browse header to select Search. The Add Web Parts (Search) Screen (Admin Only) is displayed. Use this screen to search for a specific element to include on your page.

1. Enter the search term to use.

2. Click Go.

3. All available galleries are searched.

4. Use the Add to menu to select the area of the page where the element will be inserted. Available options depend on what type of layout you chose for your Web Parts product page.

5. Click Add when done to insert the web part.

Add Web Parts by Importing

If you select Advanced Web Parts gallery and options on the Add Web Parts Options Screen (Admin Only), the Add Web Parts (Browse) Screen (Admin Only) is displayed. Use the arrow in the Browse header to select Import, the Add Web Parts (Import) Screen (Admin Only) is displayed. Use this screen to import customized web parts, such as titles and help links.

1. Enter the file name with the .dwp extension or use the Browse button to search for a web part.

2. After selecting a file to import, click Upload.

3. Select the area of the page where the element will be inserted. Available options depend on what type of layout you chose for your Web Parts product page.

4. Click Add when done.

Modifying Web Parts

You can modify individual sections of the Web Parts product page by selecting Edit Parts on the Site Actions Menu (Admin Only), or by selecting Show Personal View on the Welcome username menu and then selecting Edit Parts on the Site Actions Menu to modify your personal page.

Administrators can change the title bar on the Web Parts product page. All users can change the navigation tree, search criteria pane, and the search result pane for their personal use. This section describes the following tasks:

• "Customizing the Title Bar (Admin Only)"

• "Customizing the Navigation Tree"

• "Customizing the Search Criteria Section"

• "Customizing the Search Results Section"

  
  

  Note:: If you modified shared web parts and closed a web part using the Parts Submenu, that web part no longer appears on the Change Web Parts menu. Only active web parts appear on the menu. In addition, if you checked Hidden on the Layout portion for the section, (Hidden) is displayed in front of the title.

  
  

When you modify a section of the page, highlighting is displayed around the section, indicating which area is being changed. For example, Figure 4-5 shows My Saved Queries highlighted, indicating that the Search Results section of the web parts page is being changed.

Figure 4-5 Modification highlighting

Clicking the down arrow next to edit in the header displays the Parts Submenu, which can be used to quickly change aspects of the section. Clicking the X closes the screen.

Customizing the Title Bar (Admin Only)

Follow this procedure to customize the title bar of the Web Parts product page.

1. Select Edit Title Bar Properties from the Web Parts page in Edit Mode.

   The Change Page Title Screen (Admin Only) is displayed.

2. Enter the title to be displayed at the top of the page.

3. Enter a caption to appear above the title.

4. Enter a description. This description is displayed on any listings of the page.

5. To use an alternate icon to appear with the title, enter the pathname where the image is located.

6. To view the results of your changes, click Apply. To save the changes, click OK. To cancel the changes, click Cancel.

Customizing the Navigation Tree

Follow this procedure to customize the navigation section of the Web Parts product page.

1. Select edit in the header for the Navigation Tree (Oracle Web Part) section of the Web Parts page in Edit Mode. If the Navigation Title has been previously changed, that title appears on the menu in place of Navigation Tree (Oracle Web Part).

   The Change Navigation Tree Screen is displayed.

2. Enter the title to be displayed at the top of the navigation section.

3. Select a height for the section. Click Yes if you want to enter a specific height for the navigation section. Click No to adjust the height to fit the designated section.

4. Select a width for the section. Click Yes if you want to enter a specific width for the navigation section. Click No to adjust the width to fit the designated section.

5. Select a Chrome State for the section. If you want to have the section always minimized, click Minimized. If you want the section to always be available, click Normal. Minimized sections can be maximized by clicking on the maximize icon.

6. Select a Chrome Type for the section. The options include:

   • Default: The default for your SharePoint system.

   • None: no frame will appear around the navigation section.

   • Title and Border: A colored title bar and thin border is displayed around the section.

   • Title Only: A colored title bar is displayed with no border.

   • Border Only: A think border is displayed around the section.

7. Change the layout and link information. See "Modifying the Layouts and Advanced Settings" for details.

8. To view the results of your changes, click Apply. To save the changes, click OK. To cancel the changes, click Cancel.

Customizing the Search Criteria Section

Follow this procedure to customize the navigation section of the Web Parts product page.

1. Select edit in the header for the Content Search (Oracle Web Part) section of the Web Parts page in Edit Mode. If the Content Search section title has been previously changed, that title appears on the menu in place of Content Search (Oracle Web Part).

   The Change Search Criteria Screen is displayed.

2. Enter the title to be displayed at the top of the section.

3. Select a height for the section. Click Yes if you want to enter a specific height for the section. Click No to adjust the height to fit the designated zone.

4. Select a width for the section. Click Yes if you want to enter a specific width for the section. Click No to adjust the width to fit the designated zone.

5. Select a Chrome State for the section. If you want to have the section always minimized, click Minimized. If you want the section to always be available, click Normal. Minimized sections can be maximized by clicking on the maximize icon.

6. Select a Chrome Type for the section. The options include:

   • Default: The default for your SharePoint system.

   • None: no frame will appear around the section.

   • Title Bar and Border: A colored title bar and thin border is displayed around the section.

   • Title Bar Only: A colored title bar is displayed with no border.

   • Border Only: A thin border is displayed around the section.

7. Change the layout and link information. See "Modifying the Layouts and Advanced Settings" for details.

To view the results of your changes, click Apply. To save the changes, click OK. To cancel the changes, click Cancel.

Customizing the Search Results Section

Follow this procedure to customize the search results section of the Web Parts product page.

1. Select edit in the header for the Search Results (Oracle Web Part) section of the Web Parts page in Edit Mode. If the Search Results title has been previously changed, that title appears on the menu in place of Search Results (Oracle Web Part).

   The Change Search Results Screen is displayed.

2. Enter the title to be displayed at the top of the section.

3. Select a height for the section. Click Yes if you want to enter a specific height for the section. Click No to adjust the height to fit the designated zone.

4. Select a width for the section. Click Yes if you want to enter a specific width for the section. Click No to adjust the width to fit the designated zone.

5. Select a Chrome State for the section. If you want to have the section always minimized, click Minimized. If you want the section to always be available, click Normal. Minimized sections can be maximized by clicking on the maximize icon.

6. Select a Chrome Type for the section. The options include:

   • Default: The default for your SharePoint system.

   • None: no frame will appear around the section.

   • Title Bar and Border: A colored title bar and thin border is displayed around the section.

   • Title Bar Only: A colored title bar is displayed with no border.

   • Border Only: A thin border is displayed around the section.

7. Change the layout and link information. See "Modifying the Layouts and Advanced Settings" for details.

8. Click the Maximize button (+) next to WSS Data to change the WSS Data information. See "Modifying WSS Data" for details.

To view the results of your changes, click Apply. To save the changes, click OK. To cancel the changes, click Cancel.

Modifying the Layouts and Advanced Settings

If you click the Maximize button (+) next to Layout or Advanced on a customization page, the Layout Settings Screen or Advanced Settings Screen are displayed.

Use the Layout portion of the edit screen to change the following information:

• Hidden: Check this box to hide the section on the page. If this box is unchecked, the section is visible.

• Direction: Select the direction in which text will flow. Options include:

  • Left to right: Icons appear on the left of menu text

  • Right to left: Icons appear on the right side of menu text

  • None: The default for your system is used.

• Zone Index: Select the location for the section in relation to other web parts in that zone.

  • Header: The section is displayed in the top portion of the page.

  • Left column: The section is displayed in the left portion of the page.

  • Body: The section is displayed in the center, larger portion of the page.

Use the Advanced portion of the edit screen to change the following information. This information is retained with the web part if it is exported at a later time:

• Allow Minimize: If checked, this option is displayed on the section's submenu, enabling users to minimize the section and display only the title.

• Allow Close: If checked, this option is displayed on the section's submenu, enabling users to close the section. If a section is closed, it is no longer accessible and must be inserted again by modifying the web parts. See "Adding Web Parts (Admin Only)" for details.

• Allow Hide: If checked, this option is hidden on the section's submenu.

• Allow Zone Change: If checked, this option is displayed on the section's submenu, enabling users to move the section to a different zone.

• Allow Connections:

• Allow Editing in Personal View: If checked, this option enables users to edit the section for their personal view of the web page.

• Export Mode: Enables exporting for re-use in other pages. Options include the following:

  • Export all data

  • Non-sensitive data only

• Title URL: Link to detail information.

• Description: A description of the web part used in the section.

• Help URL: A link to the help file for this web part.

• Help Mode: The help mode to use. Options include the following:

  • Modal

  • Modeless

  • Navigate

• Catalog Icon Image URL: The pathname to the icon file to be used for the web part.

• Title Icon Image URL: The pathname to the icon file to be used for the web part.

• Import Error Message: The error message displayed if the web part for this section is missing.

• Target Audiences: Specifies the audiences for this web part. Icons are provided to enable you to check names, or to Browse for names by using a Select Audiences screen.

To view the results of your changes, click Apply. To save the changes, click OK. To cancel the changes, click Cancel.

Modifying WSS Data

tIf you click the Maximize button (+) next to WSS Data on the Change Search Results Screen, the WSS Data Settings Screen is displayed. Use this portion of the edit screen to change the search stack, the search name, the context menu folder, and to indicate whether the search is dynamic. See your SharePoint documentation for more details.

To view the results of your changes, click Apply. To save the changes, click OK. To cancel the changes, click Cancel.

Designing the Page

Additional menu options are available on the Parts Submenu in the top right corner of each section. Those special options are noted below:

• Login: Logs you into the WSS and the Content Server.

• Logout: Logs you out of the Web Parts product portal page.

• Minimize|Restore: Hides the subsection or restores it if it is hidden.

• Close: Removes the section from the page. You can also close a section by clicking the X in the upper right corner of the section. To add the section back, click Reset Page Content on the Modify My Page menu. If you are an administrative user and closed the section for all users (Shared View), add the section back by using the Add Web Parts option on the Modify My Page menu. The section is made available in the Galleries list in the Browse option.

• Delete: (Admin Only): Deletes the section. If the section was imported, it is no longer accessible and a DWP file describing it must be imported again. If the section came from an available gallery accessible through the Browse option, it will still be there for later use.

• Modify My|Shared Web Part: Opens the appropriate modification screen, depending on the section of the page that is used.

• Connections: (Admin Only): Used to allow web parts to share data. See your SharePoint documentation for more details.

• Export: (Admin Only): Used to access a copy of the DWP for the web part. See your SharePoint documentation for more details.

Creating a Web Part Page (Admin Only)

Administrators can create a new Web Part Page, which is a collection of web parts. Administrators can design the layout and content of a Web Part Page for all users, and the web parts can optionally be personalized by individual users.

To create a new Web Part Page, follow these steps:

1. Click Site Actions, then click Create. The Create Screen (Admin Only) is displayed.

2. In the Web Pages column, click Web Part Page. The New Web Part Page Screen (Admin Only) is displayed.

3. Enter a name for the new Web Part Page. If you have an existing file with the same and want to overwrite it, check the box for Overwrite if the file already exists?

4. Select a layout template from the list of available templates. This arranges web parts in sections on the Web Part Page.

5. Select the document library in which to store the Web Part Page from the Document Library menu.

6. Click Create.