PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal 9.1 PeopleBook: Using Portal Features

Using My Links

This chapter provides an overview of My Links functionality and discusses how to:

Enable My Links.
Maintain My Links.
Access My Links.

Understanding My Links

Using My Links functionality in Oracle's PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal provides you an easy way for you to bookmark your most frequently needed and accessed content. My Links serves as a collection of bookmarks to specific PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal pages, to PeopleSoft transactions, and to non-PeopleSoft content such as external websites.

The following example shows the My Links drop-down list box with My Links functions (refresh, add, edit), a link at the root of the My Links collection, and other links organized by folders:

My Links drop-down list box

My Links are defined and accessible according to the user ID with which you log in to PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal. Therefore, unlike browser bookmarks, you can access your My Links collection from any workstation that can connect to your PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal site.

The content types supported by My Links include:

External URLs.
Navigation collections.
Components with user-defined query string parameters.
Pages directly accessible from the Enterprise Menu.
PeopleSoft queries.

Enabling My Links

This section discusses how to enable My Links functionality.

Page Used to Enable My Links

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Installation Options	EO_PE_OPTIONS1	Portal Administration, System Data, Installation Options	Set installation options for your portal solutions, including enabling Branding Themes, which makes it possible for you to provide the My Links functionality to your users.

Enabling My Links Functionality

Access the Installation Options page (Portal Administration, System Data, Installation Options).

Enable Branding Themes

By activating the configurable branding feature in your PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal implementation, it becomes possible to provide the My Links functionality to your users. You would configure branding special bar elements to display the My Links drop-down list box the portal header. You can also configure header bar items to display the Add to My Links link.

Maintaining My Links

This section discusses how to:

Add the current page to My Links.
Maintain your My Links collection.
Add a link to My Links.
Select a menu item or menu folder as a link.
Edit a link.
Add or edit My Links folders.
Add menu folders or navigation collections to My Links.
Select a navigation collection as a link.

Pages Used to Maintain My Links

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Add to My Links	EPPSC_ADD_MYSHRTCT	Click the Add to My Links link in the portal header. Click the Add to My Links link in the My Links drop-down list box the portal header.	Add a link to the current page to your My Links collection.
Edit My Links	EPPSC_EDIT_MYSC	Click the Edit My Links link in the My Links drop-down list box in the portal header. Click the Edit My Links button on the View My Links page.	Maintain your My Links collection. Access pages that enable you to add, edit, and delete links and folders.
Add Link	EPPSC_AE_MYSHRTCT	Click the Add Link button on the Edit My Links page.	Add a link to your My Links collection.
Select Menu Item	EPPSC_BROWSEREG_MS	Select the Menu Item lookup button on the Add Link page. Select the Menu Item lookup button on the Edit Link page. Select the Menu Folder lookup button on the Add Other page. Select the Menu Folder lookup button on the Edit Folder page.	Browse through a hierarchical display of the Enterprise Menu and select the menu folder or menu item for which you want to create a My Links.
Edit Link	EPPSC_AE_MYSHRTCT	Click the Edit Link button on the Edit My Links page.	Edit a link in your My Links collection.
Add Folder	EPPSC_AE_MYFOLDER	Click the Add Folder button on the Edit My Links page.	Add a folder to organize your links in your My Links collection.
Edit Folder	EPPSC_AE_MYFOLDER	Click the Edit Folder button on the Edit My Links page.	Edit a folder in your My Links collection.
My Links - Delete Confirmation	EO_PE_DEL_CONFIRM	Click the Delete Link button on the Edit My Links page. Click the Delete Folder button on the Edit My Links page.	Confirm or cancel the deletion.
Add Other	EPPSC_AE_MYFLD_OTH	Click the Add Other button on the Edit My Links page.	Add an item that references either a menu folder or a navigation collection to your My Links collection.
Browse Navigation Collections	EPPSC_SRCH_MS	Click the Navigation Collection lookup button on the Add Other page. Click the Navigation Collection lookup button on the Edit Folder page.	Search for and select the navigation collection for which you want to create a link in your My Links collection.

Adding the Current Page to My Links

Access the Add to My Links page (select the Add to My Links item in the My Links drop-down list box, or click the Add to My Links link in the portal header).

Name

The menu item link text defined for the currently accessed menu item automatically defaults as the link name. You can override this default text as shown in the example.

Save

Click to save the current page to My Links.

Maintaining Your My Links Collection

Access the Edit My Links page (click the Edit My Links link in the My Links drop-down list box in the portal header).

Use the Edit My Links page to maintain your My Links collection.

My Links	This is the root folder that holds your My Links collection.
Add Link	Click to access the Add to My Links page. This option is available when you select the My Links top-level folder or a folder added using the Add Folder page.
Add Folder	Click to access the Add Folder page. This option is available when you select the My Links top-level folder.
Add Other	Click to access the Add Other page. This option is available when you select the My Links top-level folder.
Edit Link	Click to access the Edit Link page. This option is available when you select a link in the My Links hierarchy.
Delete Link	Click to access the My Links - Delete Confirmation page, where you are prompted to confirm or cancel your deletion. This option is available when you select a link in the My Links hierarchy.
Edit Folder	Click to access the Edit Folder page. This option is available when you select a folder in the My Links hierarchy.
Delete Folder	Click to access the My Links - Delete Confirmation page, where you are prompted to confirm or cancel your deletion. This option is available when you select a folder in the My Links hierarchy.

Adding a Link to My Links

Access the Add Link page (click the Add Link button on the Edit My Links page).

Use the Add Link page to add a link to your My Links collection.

Link Type	Select from the following: Menu Item. Select to add a link to a menu item. This establishes a link to the menu item's content reference in the portal registry. If selected, the Menu Item link displays. Query. Select to establish a link to a PeopleSoft query within any PeopleSoft content provider. If selected, the Content Provider and Query Name fields display. URL Address. Select to establish a link to a URL. This option can be used to establish a link to an external website. If selected, the URL Address field displays.
Name	Enter a name for the item. When the Link Type field value is set to Menu Item, the link text defined for the menu item you select automatically defaults as the link name. You can override this default text.
Open in a new window	Select to indicate that, when accessed, you want the item to display in a new window. If this option is not selected, when accessed, the item is displayed within your PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal target frame.
Menu Item	Displays when the Link Type field value is set to Menu Item. Select to access the Select Menu Item page, where you can browse through the enterprise menu for the menu item for which you want to create a link. Once you have selected a menu item, displays the menu-based navigation path to the item.
Query Name	Displays when the Link Type field value is set to Query. Select from available public queries. You may manually enter a non-public query.
URL Address	Displays when the Link Type field value is set to URL Address.

Advanced Properties

The Advanced Properties group box displays when the Link Type field value is set to Menu Item or Query.

Additional Parameters

Enter additional query string parameters to PeopleSoft components. For example, you can use these additional parameters to point a link to a specific query or row of data on an application business transaction page.

When the Link Type field value is set to Query, you can use this field to enter additional query parameters.

When the Link Type field value is set to Menu Item, you can use this field to enter additional parameters.

Selecting a Menu Item or a Menu Folder as a Link

Access the Select Menu Item page (click the Menu Item lookup button on the Add Link page, or click the Menu Folder lookup button on the Add Other page).

Use the Select Menu Item page to select a menu item or a menu folder to be a link in your My Links collection.

Search by

Description. Select to conduct your search based on menu item or folder description text.

Label. Select to conduct your search based on menu item or folder label text.

The search is not case sensitive.

Search Results

Label

Select the linked label text to locate and select the item or folder in the enterprise menu hierarchy displayed at the bottom of the page.

Editing a Link

Access the Edit Link page (select a link and click the Edit Link button on the Edit My Links page).

Use the Edit Link page to edit a link in your My Links collection.

Link Type	Select from the following: Menu Item. Select to add a link to a menu item. This establishes a link to the menu item's content reference in the portal registry. If selected, the Menu Item link displays. Query. Select to establish a link to a PeopleSoft query within any PeopleSoft content provider. If selected, the Content Provider and Query Name fields display. URL Address. Select to establish a link to a URL. This option can be used to establish a link to an external website. If selected, the URL Address field displays.
Name	Enter a name for the item. When the Link Type field value is set to Menu Item, the link text defined for the menu item you select automatically defaults as the link name. You can override this default text.
Open in a new window	Select to indicate that, when accessed, you want the item to display in a new window. If this option is not selected, when accessed, the item is displayed within your PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal target frame.
Menu Item	Displays when the Link Type field value is set to Menu Item. Select to access the Select Menu Item page, where you can browse through the enterprise menu for the menu item for which you want to create a link. Once you have selected a menu item, displays the menu-based navigation path to the item.
Query Name	Displays when the Link Type field value is set to Query. Select from available public queries. You may manually enter a non-public query.
URL Address	Displays when the Link Type field value is set to URL Address.
Folder	Displays the folder in which the item is stored. You can move the link to another My Links folder by selecting an available folder from the drop-down list box.

Advanced Properties

The Advanced Properties group box displays when the Link Type field value is set to Menu Item or Query.

Additional Parameters

When the Link Type field value is set to Query, you can use this field to enter additional query parameters.

When the Link Type field value is set to Menu Item, you can use this field to enter additional parameters.

Adding or Editing My Links Folders

Access the Add Folder page (click the Add Folder button on the Edit My Links page).

Access the Add Folder page (select a folder and click the Edit Folder button on the Edit My Links page).

Use the Add Folder page and the Edit Folder page to maintain the name of the folder.

Name

Enter the name for the folder.

Adding Menu Folders or Navigation Collections to My Links

Access the Add Other page (click the Add Other button on the Edit My Links page).

Use the Add Other page to add a menu folder or navigation collection as a link in your My Links collection. In the My Link drop-down list box, the contents of the menu folder or navigation collection are expanded to allow you to navigate to any link in the folder or collection.

Note. On the Edit My Links page and the View My Links page, these items remain collapsed and you cannot view, navigate to, or edit the individual links within the folder or navigation collection.

Name	When the Folder Reference value is set to Menu Folder, the menu folder label text automatically defaults as the folder name. You can override this default text. When the Folder Reference value is set to Navigation Collection, the navigation collection name automatically defaults as the folder name. You can override this default text.
Folder Reference	Menu Folder. Select to establish a link that accesses a folder in the enterprise menu. If selected, the Menu Folder link displays. Navigation Collection. Select to establish a link that accesses a folder that contains a navigation collection. To be eligible for My Links functionality, the navigation collection must have been published with the Option for My Links option selected on the Publish Collection page. If selected, the Navigation Collection link displays.
Menu Folder	Displays when the Folder Reference value is set to Menu Folder. Select to access the Select Menu Item page, where you can browse through the enterprise menu for the menu folder for which you want to create a link. See Selecting a Menu Item or a Menu Folder as a Link. Once you have selected a menu folder, displays the menu-based navigation path to the folder.
Navigation Collection	Displays when the Folder Reference value is set to Navigation Collection. Select to access the Browse Navigation Collections page, where you can browse through navigation collections for which you want to create a link. To be accessible on this page, the navigation collection must have been published with the Option for My Links option selected on the Publish Collection page.

Selecting a Navigation Collection as a Link

Access the Browse Navigation Collections page (click the Navigation Collection lookup button on the Add Other page).

Use the Browse Navigation Collections page to select a navigation collection to be a link in your My Links collection.

Search by

Description. Select to conduct your search based on navigation collection descriptions.

Name. Select to conduct your search based on navigation collection names.

This search is not case sensitive.

Search Results

Navigation collections available for selection in the Search Results scroll area meet your search criteria and have been published with the Option for My Links option selected on the Publish Collection page.

See Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: PeopleTools Portal Technology, “Working With Navigation Pages,” Publishing Navigation Collections.

Accessing My Links

This section discusses how to:

Access My Links in the portal header.
View My Links.

Page Used to Access My Links

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
View My Links	EPPSC_VIEW_MYSC	Click the My Links link in the portal header. In the My Links drop-down list box, select a folder, a menu folder, or a navigation collection folder.	Access your My Links collection to navigate to a specific link.

Accessing My Links in the Portal Header

My Links are accessible from the My Links drop-down list box in the portal header.

Use the My Links drop-down list box to navigate to links you have defined or to perform selected My Links functions.

My Links	Click to access the View My Links page.
Refresh My Links...	Select to force a refresh of the My Links data displayed in the drop-down list box.
Add to My Links	Select to access the Add to My Links page.
Edit My Links	Select to access the Edit My Links page.
<link name>	Click to navigate to the link content.
<folder name> or <menu folder name> or <navigation collection name>	Click to access the View My Links page.

Viewing My Links

Access the View My Links page (click My Links in the portal header).

Use the View My Links page to access your My Links collection to navigate to a specific link.

<link name>	Click to navigate to the link content.
Edit My Links	Click to access the Edit My Links page.

Name	The menu item link text defined for the currently accessed menu item automatically defaults as the link name. You can override this default text as shown in the example.
Save	Click to save the current page to My Links.