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Basic Functionality

Note: This is the print view with all the Reference Manual pages on one page. The paginated version is available here, if you prefer that.

How to use the Vista web site.

1. Logging in

To add content to the site, you need to be logged in.

To access the full site and be able to add your own content, you need to log in:

  1. Click the Log in link (bottom of menu)
  2. Provide your log-in details
  3. Click the Log in button

You are now logged in, notice how some new options have been added in the bar where you found the log-in link earlier.

2. Editing content

There is a common way of editing all content in the site, no matter what type of content it is.

When you are inside a content item that you can edit, you get a green border around the content.

Along the top of the content you will see several tabs: View, Edit, Properties and Sharing.

The most interesting one of these to you is the Edit tab, which is where you can change the information contained in any content item — Projects, Project Reports, etc.

If you don't see the green border, you do not have editing permissions. In general, you can't edit things that you don't own or aren't given permission to edit explicitly via groups or sharing privileges.

3. Adding new content

After you are logged in, you can start adding content.

To add content, you need to have the permission to do so. This is indicated by the green border showing up in a location where you have the correct permissions

On the bar along the top of the content item, there will be a pulldown menu that says Add item. If you click this, you will get a list of content items that you can add in that particular location.

If you don't get this pull-down menu, it means that you don't have the permissions to add anything in that particular location.

4. Locating content

There are a couple of commonly used ways to find the content you are looking for.
Locating your own content
The easiest way to find content that you have authored is to click your name (or the "My Details" link) in the bar at the top of the page. This will take you to a page that lists all the content you have put into the system.
Use the site-wide search field
This will pop down a live listing that is updated as you start writing. When you see the content you are interested in, you can simply click the content item, or use the up/down arrows on your keyboard to navigate to it, then press return to go to the item.
Use the advanced search
If you need to specify thing more precisely — let's say you're looking for all images that have been added after a certain date — you can use the advanced search form. A link to this form will show up when you start writing your search terms in the site-wise search field. Click it or use the up/down arrows to navigate to it. You will then be able to specify a number of search criteria.

5. Updating your personal information and picture

The site stores some basic information about you, here's how to change it.
  1. Click the Preferences link in the personal bar
  2. Click the "Personal Preferences' link
  3. Update whatever information needs to be changed
  4. Click Save

6. Submitting content for approval

When you are done working on your content, you should publish it. Here's how to submit content for approval.

As a normal user, you usually don't have the permissions to publish content without approval. The way it works is:

  • You work on your content until it is completed
  • You submit your content for approval by a reviewer
  • The reviewer approves your content for publishing, or sends back your content for more editing

Submitting a content item for approval is very easy: All you have to do is to pull down the menu called State, and select the menu item called Submit for approval.

Your item will then transition to a state called Pending, and you may be notified of any changes to it by e-mail - depending on how the system is set up.

7. About the color coding

When you are logged in, various elements in the navigation are color-coded according to what state they are in. Here's the overview of the colors:
Blue
Public. Visible on the public web site to everybody.
Green
Visible internally. Only people that have a user account and are currently logged in can see this content.
Red
Private. Only the Author of the item and the Site Management can see these.

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