37 Creating and Managing Your Personal Favorites

Use Favorites to keep your own personal list of favorites to access from any browser you choose. This chapter describes how to create, organize, and manage a list of personal favorites.

This chapter includes the following sections:

• Section 37.1, "What You Should Know About Favorites"

• Section 37.2, "Accessing the Favorites User Interface"

• Section 37.3, "Adding Favorites"

• Section 37.4, "Adding Favorites Folders"

• Section 37.5, "Managing Favorites"

Audience

This chapter is intended for users who want to create and manage portable links to their favorite and most useful web sites.

37.1 What You Should Know About Favorites

The great advantage to Spaces application Favorites is their portability. They are not dependent on a particular type of browser, so any browser you use to access your Spaces application provides access to your Spaces Favorites. You can create favorite links to sites internal or external to the Spaces application. This makes Spaces the best choice for managing and tracking your favorites list.

Favorites are personal. The favorites you see on the Favorites menu are the favorites you create. No other user sees your favorites, and you do not see any other user's favorites. If you like, though, you can share favorites with other users, by making one or more of them discoverable in a search.

Favorites are created at the application level; consequently, when you move from one space to another, the favorites on the Favorites menu stay the same.

The Spaces application provides a Manage Favorites dialog, which you can use to further customize your favorites. Use the Manage Favorites dialog to:

• Control the order of display of links on the Favorites menu

• Specify a method for opening a favorite target

• Create folders for organizing your favorites

• Create, edit, or delete favorite links and folders

For more information about the Manage Favorites dialog, see Section 37.5, "Managing Favorites."

37.2 Accessing the Favorites User Interface

The easiest way to access the Favorites user interface is to open the Favorites menu. However, the availability of navigational links and menus, such as the Favorites menu, is determined by the people who design and build your portal. This being so, you may not see a Favorites menu.

The Favorites Menu and Add To Favorites link are available as spaces components. If the Spaces application administrator adds these components to the Resource Catalog that is used for personal pages, then you can edit the page (provided you are authorized) and add the Add To Favorites or Favorites Menu component to your page.

In a space, these components must be included in the Resource Catalog that is provided for all spaces or the space of interest.

See Also: For information about Resource Catalogs and spaces components, see the following: For information about adding components to a Resource Catalog, see Section 16.3.1.2, "Adding Resources." For information about configuring the application or a space to use a particular Resource Catalog, see Section 16.10.1, "Configuring the Application-Level Resource Catalog," and Section 16.10.2, "Configuring the Space-Level Resource Catalog." For more information, see Section 13.2.4, "Add to Favorites," and Section 13.2.14, "Favorites Menu," in Chapter 13, "Adding Spaces Components to Your Templates."

37.3 Adding Favorites

Add favorite links for quick access to Spaces application pages and the web sites you find most useful. If you like, you can share favorites with other users by making one or more of them discoverable in a search. This section describes how to add new favorites and how to share them with other users.

Note: This section describes how to add favorites through the Favorites menu. You can also add favorites through the Manage Favorites dialog. For more information, see Section 37.5.1, "Adding a Favorite Using the Manage Favorites Dialog." You can add files, including wikis and blogs, to your Favorites through the Document Previewer. For more information, see Section 41.30, "Adding a Folder or File to Your Favorites."

To add a favorite:

1. The way you obtain your favorite's URL differs depending on the circumstances:

   • For pages external to the Spaces application, go to a favorite web location and copy its URL.

   • For Spaces application pages, log in and go to the page you want to make a favorite.

   • If you know the URL, enter it manually when the time comes.

2. Open the Add To Favorites dialog (for more information, see Section 37.2, "Accessing the Favorites User Interface").

3. In the Name field, enter a display name for the favorite (Figure 37-1).

   Figure 37-1 Add To Favorites Dialog

   
   
   
   

   Note: The value you enter for Name becomes the favorite's link text. The name of the current page is provided by default. You can change this or leave it as is.

   
   

4. In the Web Address field, enter the target URL for the favorite.

   The default entry for this field is the URL of the current Spaces application page; you have three options:

   • Leave the default entry (the path to the current page) as is.

   • Paste the URL you copied in step 1.

   • Enter the URL manually.

5. From the Create In pick list, select the favorites folder in which to create the favorite.

   
   

   See Also: WebCenter provides one top-level default folder: Favorites. You can also create your own folders by clicking the New Folder button. For more information, see Section 37.4, "Adding Favorites Folders."

   
   

6. To enable this favorite to be discovered by other users during a search, select the Shared checkbox.

   Clear the Shared checkbox if you do not want other users to have any kind of access to this favorite.

7. Click OK to add the favorite to the Favorites menu and the Manage Favorites dialog.

37.4 Adding Favorites Folders

To keep your list of favorites manageable, you can organize them into folders. The folder hierarchy you create appears on the Favorites menu and in the Manage Favorites dialog. Because the favorite folders you create are user-level customizations, they display only in your application view.

Note: This section describes one way to create favorites folders. You can also create them in the Manage Favorites dialog. For more information, see Section 37.5.3, "Editing Favorites and Favorites Folders."

To add a favorites folder:

1. Open the Add To Favorites dialog.

   
   

   See Also: For more information, see Section 37.2, "Accessing the Favorites User Interface."

   
   

2. Click the New Folder button to open the Create Folder dialog (Figure 37-2).

   Figure 37-2 New Folder Button and Create Folder Dialog

   
   

3. In the Folder Name field, enter a name for the new folder.

4. Click Create to save the new folder and close the Create Folder dialog.

   The new folder appears as a selection in the Add To Favorites dialog on the Create In pick list.

5. Click OK to close the Add To Favorites dialog.

37.5 Managing Favorites

The Spaces application Manage Favorites dialog provides a convenient, one-stop location for creating, editing, and deleting favorite links and folders and rearranging their display order on the Favorites menu (Figure 37-3).

Figure 37-3 Manage Favorites Dialog

This section describes how to use the controls available in the Manage Favorites dialog. It contains the following subsections:

• Section 37.5.1, "Adding a Favorite Using the Manage Favorites Dialog"

• Section 37.5.2, "Adding a Favorites Folder Using the Manage Favorites Dialog"

• Section 37.5.3, "Editing Favorites and Favorites Folders"

• Section 37.5.4, "Rearranging Favorites and Favorites Folders"

• Section 37.5.5, "Searching for Favorites"

• Section 37.5.6, "Deleting Favorites and Favorites Folders"

37.5.1 Adding a Favorite Using the Manage Favorites Dialog

When you want to add multiple favorites, the best place to do this is in the Manage Favorites dialog. This is because the Manage Favorites dialog remains open until you close it, saving you steps in the creation process.

To add favorites through the Manage Favorites dialog:

1. Go to the web page of interest, and copy its URL.

   You can skip this step if you plan to enter the URL manually. For information about getting the URL of an application page, see Section 29.9, "Viewing Space and Page Information."

2. Open the Manage Favorites dialog (for more information, see Section 37.2, "Accessing the Favorites User Interface").

3. Select the folder of interest.

   
   

   Tip: Select a folder by clicking in its row.

   
   

4. Click the Add button in the toolbar at the top of the window (Figure 37-4).

   Figure 37-4 Add Button in Manage Favorites Dialog

   
   

5. In the resulting Add To Favorites dialog, go to the Name field and enter a display name for the favorite (Figure 37-5).

   Figure 37-5 The Add To Favorites Dialog

   
   

6. In the Web Address field, paste the URL you copied in step 1, or enter a URL manually.

7. To enable the sharing of this favorite in other users' search results, select Shared.

8. Click OK.

   The new favorite appears in the Manage Favorites dialog and on the Favorites menu (Figure 37-6).

   Figure 37-6 New Favorite on Favorites Menu

   
   

9. Click Close to exit the Manage Favorites dialog.

37.5.2 Adding a Favorites Folder Using the Manage Favorites Dialog

To keep your list of favorites manageable, you can organize them into folders. The folder hierarchy you create appears on the Favorites menu and in the Manage Favorites dialog. Because the favorite folders you create are user-level customizations, they display only in your application view.

In addition to adding favorites folders through the Add To Favorites dialog (see Section 37.4, "Adding Favorites Folders") you can add them through the Manage Favorites dialog.

To add a favorites folder through the Manage Favorites dialog:

1. Open the Manage Favorites dialog (for more information, see Section 37.2, "Accessing the Favorites User Interface").

2. Select the folder in which to create the new folder, and click the New button in the toolbar at the top of the window (Figure 37-7).

   Figure 37-7 New Button in Manage Favorites Dialog

   
   

3. In the resulting Create Folder dialog, go to the Folder Name field and enter a display name for the favorite folder (Figure 37-8).

   Figure 37-8 Create Folder Dialog

   
   

4. Click Create.

   The new folder appears in the Manage Favorites dialog and on the Favorites menu.

5. Click Close to exit the Manage Favorites dialog.

37.5.3 Editing Favorites and Favorites Folders

The Manage Favorites dialog provides controls for editing favorites and favorites folders. Use this feature to revise a folder or favorite name, a favorite target URL, or a favorite open behavior.

Open behavior determines how a favorite target URL opens from the Favorites menu or the Manage Favorites dialog. Choose from opening a favorite target in the current browser window or a new browser window or tab.

To edit a favorite or favorite folder:

1. Log in, and, navigate to the Manage Favorites dialog (for more information, see Section 37.2, "Accessing the Favorites User Interface").

2. If necessary, expand favorites folders to access the favorite or folder you want to edit.

   
   

   Tip: To expand a folder, click the Expand icon to the left of the folder.

   
   

3. Select the favorite or favorite folder you want to edit, and click the Edit button in the toolbar to open the Edit Favorite or Folder dialog (Figure 37-7).

   
   

   Tip: To select a favorite or a folder, click in its row.

   
   

   Figure 37-9 Edit Favorite Dialog

   
   

   Table 37-1 lists and describes the types of values you can enter for the Edit Favorite and Edit Folder dialogs.

   Table 37-1 Values Taken By Edit Favorite and Edit Folder Dialogs

   Label	Applies To	Value
   Name	Edit Favorite and Folder	The display name of the favorite or folder. This is the name that appears on the Favorites menu and in the Manage Favorites dialog. This field is editable.
   Location	Edit Favorite	The favorite target URL. This field is editable
   Shared	Edit Favorite	Specify whether to allow other users to discover this favorite through a search. Checked means yes, cleared means no. This checkbox is editable.
   Open Behavior	Edit Favorite	An option for specifying how a favorite opens Choose from: New Window—The favorite opens in a new browser tab or window. Current Window—The current browser window redraws, displaying the favorite target. This field is editable. Note: The open behavior you specify for a Favorite does not apply to Favorites returned in a search. To control the open behavior of a Favorite returned in a search, right click the search result and select an open behavior from your browser's context menu.
   Type	Edit Favorite	The link type, always URL This field is read-only.
   Icon	Edit Favorite and Folder	An option for providing an icon to display along with the display name shown in the Favorites menu Enter the full URL to the icon. This field is editable.
   Created On	Edit Favorite and Folder	The date the favorite or folder was created This field is read-only.
   Last Visited On	Edit Favorite	The date the favorite was last visited using the favorites link This field is read-only.

   
   

4. Make your changes to the fields and pick lists.

5. Click OK to save your changes and close the Edit Favorites dialog.

37.5.4 Rearranging Favorites and Favorites Folders

The Manage Favorites dialog provides controls for moving a favorite or a favorite folder higher or lower on the Favorites menu. You can accomplish a move by clicking icons or by dragging and dropping. Use this feature to arrange your view of the Favorites menu exactly to your liking.

To rearrange favorites and favorites folders:

1. Open the Manage Favorites dialog (for more information, see Section 37.2, "Accessing the Favorites User Interface").

2. If necessary, expand favorites folders and then select the favorite or folder you want to rearrange.

   
   

   Tip: To select a favorite or a folder, click in its row.

   
   

3. Click the Move Up or Move Down icon in the toolbar to rearrange the selected favorite or folder (Figure 37-10).

   Figure 37-10 Move Icons in Manage Favorites Dialog

   
   

   Alternatively, drag the favorite or folder to its target position.

   
   

   Accessibility Note: In the Spaces application, you cannot move a favorite into an existing folder using only the keyboard. To work around this issue, create a duplicate favorite within the target folder, then delete the original favorite.

   
   

4. Click Close to exit the Manage Favorites dialog.

   The favorite or folder is repositioned in the Manage Favorites dialog and on the Favorites menu.

37.5.5 Searching for Favorites

The Manage Favorites dialog includes a search feature that enables you to locate favorites. You can use the favorites search feature to search for favorite display names or target URLs. This search feature does not search for favorite folder names. Search results display in the Manage Favorites dialog.

To search for favorites:

1. Open the Manage Favorites dialog (for more information, see Section 37.2, "Accessing the Favorites User Interface").

2. Enter a search term in the Search field, and click the Search icon (Figure 37-11).

   Figure 37-11 Filter Feature in Manage Favorites Dialog

   
   

   Results display in the Manage Favorites dialog.

   
   

   Tip: To exit search results, you must exit the Manage Favorites dialog. Alternatively, you can delete the search term from the Search field and click the Search icon. A search without a search term returns the Manage Favorites dialog to its default view.

   
   

3. Click Close to close the Manage Favorites dialog.

37.5.6 Deleting Favorites and Favorites Folders

When you delete a favorite or a favorites folder, it is permanently removed from both the Favorites menu and the Manage Favorites dialog. Additionally, when you delete a favorites folder all the favorites it contains are also deleted.

To delete favorites and favorites folders:

1. Open the Manage Favorites dialog (for more information, see Section 37.2, "Accessing the Favorites User Interface").

2. Select the favorite or favorite folder you want to delete.

   
   

   Tip: To select a favorite or favorite folder, click in its row.

   
   

3. Click the Delete button on the toolbar (Figure 37-12).

   Figure 37-12 Delete Button in Manage Favorites Dialog

   
   

4. In the confirmation dialog, click Delete.

   The selected favorite or favorite folder and any favorites the folder contained are permanently removed from the Manage Favorites dialog and the Favorites menu.

5. Click Close to close the Manage Favorites dialog.