Difference between revisions of "Common Functionality"

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Describe the common functionality provided by any Community Web Portal for searching a collection, browsing the results, managing the content etc.
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==Workspace==
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A workspace represents a collaborative area in which users can exchange and organize information objects (items) according to their specific needs. Because of this, every user of any Virtual Research Environment is provided with this area. Such an area is further organized in workspaces and baskets  as to resemble a classic folder-based file system. The information objects that can be managed via the workspace range from files to D4Science documents, i.e. compound objects comprising metadata, alternative representations and multiple parts. The modality a workspace is populated range from the dragging of D4Science documents (or part of them) to the upload of files from its desktop and the exchange of workspace objects among users.  
  
== Search ==
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[[Workspace | Click here for more information]]
  
Search is the most important functionality in the gCube system.
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== Login to VO/VRE ==
You can perform different kind of searches, depending on the results you want to have and how generic or specific your search wants to be. The different kinds are: ''Combined Search'', ''Simple Search'', ''Quick Search'', ''Google Search'', ''Collections browsing'' and ''Generic Search''. Each one of them will be described below. <br>
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Independently of the search type all results are displayed by the Results portlet.
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=== Combined Search ===
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See [[Log in User Guide]].
  
In Combined Search you have to select the collections you want to search in at the left panel. Then in the right panel you select the Combined Search header and you can type as many keywords as you like.
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== Search ==
You can select the fields where each one of the keywords should exist in. Depending on the common schema of the selected collections and the indexes that the back-end supports there are choices like title, language, creator, description and 'Terms' (which means that you want to search for this keyword everywhere inside the selected collections).
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See [[Search User Guide]].
  
[[Image:Artesearch1.png]]
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== Annotations ==
  
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Annotations’ management is performed by the Annotation Portlet. This is a graphical user interface which provides an easy and sufficient way to annotate gCube information objects. Annotation Portlet can be invoked by selecting the “Manage Annotations” action among the actions associated with any item displayed in the Results portlet.
  
You can add a new condition by pressing the '''Add Condition''' button.
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Then the user is moved to the annotation portlet where s/he is able to see the title, the mimetype, the content of the selected object as well as its  annotations sorted by their creation date and grouped into threads.
If you have more than one condition, you can select whether you want to search for results matching all conditions or for results matching any condition. You can do this by selecting one of the below radio buttons. The default choice is: ''match any condition''
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Depending on the mimetype of the annotated object, the visualization of its content may differ.
  
[[Image:Conditions.png]]
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In most cases, the content is displayed in a specified part of the portlet.
 
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You can delete any of the conditions by pressing the '''"X"''' button or you can clean the whole form by pressing the '''Reset''' button. Notice here that if there is only one condition and try to delete it a warning message will appear and the condition will not be deleted.
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=== Simple Search ===
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In Simple search you can search for the keywords you type at the text area, in the collections you have selected on the left panel.
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When you use the simple search, a full text search is performed, which means that the keywords you have typed are being searched inside all fields of the selected collections.
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[[Image:Simplesearch.png]] <br>
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=== Collections Browsing ===
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In Collections Browsing search you can browse all the contents of the collections you have selected on the left panel. You can choose by which element the results will be sorted. Depending on the collection's schema, different elements can be selected for sorting.
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[[Image:BrowseCollections.png]]
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=== Quick Search ===
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Using Quick Search you can perform a generic search in the gCube system. No selection of collections is required in order to search using this feature. The system automatically identifies the most appropriate collections to search, taking into account the terms specified by the user. <br>
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You can also perform a Google search, whose results are displayed in the Results portal. Due to google's restrictions the system returns at most 10 results.
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[[Image:QuickArte.png]] <br>
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=== Generic Search ===
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Generic Search allows users to type their query in the DILIGENT query language.
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In order the user to submit a valid query, he/she must be well aware of both the syntax of the query and the current status of the infrastructure. He/she must know the IDs of the content and also the existence or not of several types of indexes.
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This is the reason the user is provided with an XML that contains all this information.
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Then the user has only to type his/her query and submit it to the system.
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After that he/she can redirect to the results page in order to browse the results.
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----
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[[Image:Generic_search.JPG]]
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Information about the syntax of the query language can be found [http://ddwiki.di.uoa.gr/mediawiki/index.php/Search_Management here]
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----
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== Result Browsing ==
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Available functionality for browsing the search results. For any record in the results page, the following actions are available: accessing metadata, add annotations, save or view the content. If the item is an image you can access to a small preview of it.
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=== The Basket ===
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'''The Basket is thought of as a personal user dependent DL area.'''
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The user can save its own preferred results by dragging them on it.
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[[Image:DragRecordInBasket.jpg|frame|none|Example of dragging record in the Basket]]
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It is even possible to drag images in the basket (if they are retrieved results).
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Indeed in the results page it is possible to drag whether records or images.
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[[Image:4_DragAndDrop_FromResults.jpg|frame|none|Example of dragging an image in the Basket]]
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Once you have chosen your results you have the possibility to '''make them persistent''' by giving the basket a name and saving it on the server. The possibility is also thought of using saved results in the report generation and courses management.
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[[Image:14_GaliciaResults_And_SaveBasket.jpg|frame|none|Example of saving a Basket]]
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You can always '''load your saved basket''' using the dropdown list placed on the top of the Basket.
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[[Image:LoadBasket.jpg|frame|none|Load Basket example]]
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By accessing the File menu besides the dropdown list it is possible to '''save the basket, to clean it or delete it'''.
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Be aware that the delete command will phisically remove your saved basket from the server without any possibility to have it back.
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[[Image:BasketMenuFile.jpg|frame|none|Load Basket example]]
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Once you have your chosen items in the basket it is possible to access to all the actions you had in the results record page such as accessing metadata, add annotations, save or view the content. If the item is an image you can access to a small preview of it.
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[[Image:7_All_Collection_Search_-_ViewContent.jpg|frame|none|Record actions from basket]]
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[[Image:4 GeoSpatial Results inBasket with Preview.jpg|frame|none|Image Preview from basket]]
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=== Common Browsing Activities ===
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== Annotations ==
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Annotations’ management is performed by the Annotation Portlet. This is a graphical user interface which provides an easy and sufficient way to annotate gCube informtion objects. Annotation Portlet can be invoked by selecting the “Add annotation” action among the actions associated with any item displayed in the  Results portlet.
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For a zip file, its entries are displayed and the user is able to download any of them.  
  
Then the user is moved to the generic annotation portlet where s/he is able to see the title, the mimetype, the content of the selected object as well as its generic annotations sorted by their creation date.
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Tiff images are transformed into a displayable format (png); video files are available only for download and the visualization of pdf files depends on the behavior of the browser (normally a plug-in is required).
  
Depending on the mimetype of the annotated object the visualization of its content may differ. For the majority of the objects which are supported from browsers, the content is displayed in a specified part of the portlet. For zip files, its entries are displayed and the user is able to download it. Tiff images are transformed into a displayable format (png), video files are available only for download and the visualization of pdf files depends on the behaviour of the browser (normally a plug-in is required).
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On the other hand, the annotations are grouped into threads, shown up as a list where the title of each thread is the title of the first contained annotation.
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The user can enter each thread and the annotations of this thread are displayed as a list where the title, their creation/ modification date and the author’s  name are posted up.
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The user is able to select which annotations (comments or associations) s/he wants to see just by clicking on it. The content of the annotations is shown at a pop up window where you can edit it. In the case of associations, the title of the associated object as well as a link to its content is displayed.
  
On the other hand, the annotations are shown up as a list where their title, their creation/ modification date and the author’s user name are posted up. The user is able to select which annotations (comments or associations) s/he wants to see just by clicking on the available checkboxes. The content of the annotations is shown below this list. In the case of associations, the title of the associated object as well as a link to its content is displayed.
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The user can either enter a selected Thread or create a new Thread by clicking on the corresponding buttons. By creating a new Thread a new annotation is actually created.
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After entering a Thread the uses can add an annotation by clicking on the “Add” button and afterwards by filling in the title and text field, in the case of text annotations, or by filling in the title field and selecting an object existing in the basket as an associated object in the case of associations. S/he may also delete or edit an annotation.
  
The user may perform three operations. He can add an annotation by clicking on the “Add Annotation” button and afterwards by filling in the title and text field in the case of text annotations or by filling in the title field and selecting an object existing in basket as an associated object in the case of associations. S/he may also delete or edit an annotation.
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All the changes made by the user are persisted when s/he presses the "Save Changes" button.
  
If anchored annotations are supported for the annotated object the user can choose to be moved to the appropriate portlet by clicking on the “Go to anchored mode” button. Three portlets for anchored annotations are provided which are cover images, text and video files.
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<!--If anchored annotations are supported for the annotated object the user can choose to be moved to the appropriate portlet by clicking on the “Go to anchored mode” button. Three portlets for anchored annotations are provided, namely, cover images, text and video documents.-->
  
  
[[Image:GenericAnnotationScaled.png|frame|none|Generic Annotation Portlet]]
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[[Image:AnnotViewThreads.png|frame|none|Annotation Portlet]]
  
  
In image annotation portlet a user is able to add an annotation to a specific part of the image file. The user selects a space fragment which can be a rectangular area or a specific point (with a pin) and then he fills in the title and text fields. Then the space fragments are shown on the image and by clicking on one of them the content of the annotation is displayed.
 
  
  
[[Image:ImageAnnotationScaled.png|frame|none|Image Annotation Portlet]]
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When the object that is annotated is an image the user is able to add an annotation to a specific part of the image file. The user selects a space fragment and then he fills in the title and text fields. Then the space fragments are shown on the image and by clicking on one of them the content of the annotation is displayed.
  
  
In text annotation portlet there is the capability of adding an annotation on a selected text fragment of the file. The selection of the text fragment is done in a very user friendly way as the user has only to choose the part of the text file with his mouse. The text fragments are shown with a different background in order to be distinguishable and by clicking on one of them the content of the annotation is displayed.
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[[Image:AnnotCreateNew.png|frame|none|New annotation with fragment]]
  
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The user can edit an annotation be selecting the annotation s/he wants to edit and click on the "Edit" button. A pop up window appears with the content of the annotation
  
[[Image:TextAnnotationScaled.png|frame|none|Text Annotation Portlet]]
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[[Image:AnnotEdit.png|frame|none|New annotation with fragment]]
  
  
In video annotation portlet (still under construction) a user is able to select a time fragment which means a part of the video file that is defined by its starting and ending moment. Video annotation portlet has although some requirements as it needs Java Media Framework installed on the user’s computer.
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<!-- In text annotation portlet there is the capability of adding an annotation on a selected text fragment of the textual document (e.g. plain text, xml documents). The selection of the text fragment is done in a very user friendly way as the user has only to choose the part of the text document with his mouse. The text fragments are shown with a different background in order to be distinguishable and by clicking on one of them the content of the annotation is displayed.
  
  
[[Image:VideoAnnotationScaled.png|frame|none|Video Annotation Portlet]]
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In video annotation portlet (still under construction) a user will be able to select a time fragment which means a part of the video file that is defined by its starting and ending moment. Video annotation portlet has although some requirements as it needs Java Media Framework installed on the user’s computer. -->
  
== Metadata Management ==
 
View and Edit metadata are the two functionalities that gCube offers to its users concerning the Metadata Management. These are described below.
 
  
=== Metadata Viewing ===
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== Content Viewer ==
  
The Metadata Viewing Portlet is a graphical user interface that displays the metadata which are associated with a specific information object. This interface displays the object’s metadata in a graphical way which depends on their schema.
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The content viewer portlet provides the functionality to view a gCube object and all its properties and transform it, if any transformation is available for the object's mime type.
  
Furthermore the portlet provides each user with the ability to change the way the metadata are displayed. If a user wants to manage the layout of the metadata viewing portlet, s/he may choose one layout of the available. This selection can be done in the user profile editing portlet.
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Using this portlet you can:
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* View the content of the selected object
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* View the available metadata of the object
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* View the aternative representations
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* Transform the main object using any of the available transformation programs (if any) and save the result of the transformation as a new object
  
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In order to use this portlet you should select from the results menu the '''Explore Object''' option for the object you would like to explore. After selecting this option you will be redirected to the Content Viewer portlet.<br>
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The main object is displayed as you can see at the image below<br>
  
[[Image:MetadataViewingScaled.png|frame|none|Metadata Viewing Portlet]]
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[[File:CVMain.png]]
  
=== Metadata Editing ===
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When you click on the '''Display''' button the pop-up window with the all the available properties for this object is displayed. You can select any of the available properties to view.
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For example you can see at the image below the metadata at the FARM_dc schema for this object.<br>
  
Metadata’s editing is performed by Metadata Editing Portlet. This is a graphical user interface which can be invoked by selecting to edit the metadata of an object in Results portlet. Depending on the schema of the metadata different editors can be displayed. There are two visual editors for dc and eiDB schemas and a generic one for the rest. However, for some collections, it is forbidden to change the metadata, something that is stated on screen with a relevant message.
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[[File:CMDisMetadata.png]]
  
The visual metadata editors provide an easy and user friendly way of editing the metadata. Adding, deleting and editing elements can be performed by clicking on the appropriate buttons and filling in text fields. When the desired changes are completed, the user has to apply the changes he has done by clicking on the “Save Changes” button.
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To view any of the alternative objects that are related to this object click on them<br>
  
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[[File:CVDisAlt.png]]
  
[[Image:MetadataEditingScaled.png|frame|none|Visual Editor]]
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=== Transforming the selected object ===
  
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Depending on the available transformations programs you can transform the object to a new object and save it.
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In the example below the main object can be transformed to a new image with given height and width. <br>
  
The generic editor provides two options. The first one is to edit the bare xml in a text editor and the second one is to upload an xml file as metadata. However, these options require the user to have sufficient knowledge of XML.
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[[File:CVTransformMain.png]]
  
  
[[Image:MetadataEditingGenericScaled.png|frame|none|Generic Editor]]
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=== Search Profile Settings ===
  
== User Profile Management ==
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The Search Profile portlet can be accessed by all users that have a portal account. Each user has his/her own search profile and he/she can view and/or edit its content through this portlet.
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By editing the search profile's contents you have several options that affect the search results or the presentation of the results and their metadata.
  
The User Profile Management in gCube provides the functionality to the end-user to view and/or edit his/her profile. It also provides the functionality to the system's administrator to manage the users' profiles.
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<!-- * <b>Personalize the search results:</b>
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** Change the language using the drop-down list. The language in the profile affects the results that will be retrieved. The results will be only contain content in the preferred language.
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** <b>EngineType:</b> InternalEngine
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EngineType element specifies the desired type of the engine that will be
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employed for executing plans produced by the search engine. The value
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type of this element is string. Currently these types are supported:
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  InternalEngine: Search internal execution engine
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  ActiveBPEL: ActiveBPEL engine
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  OSIRIS: OSIRIS execution engine
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* <b>Persistence:</b> false
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Persistence refers to the ability of the execution engine to
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persist its runtime state, in order to perform execution reincarnation,
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multiple executions, execution logging and analysis, etc.
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The value type of this element is boolean (true or false).
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* <b>FaultTolerance: </b>false
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FaultTolerance refers to
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the ability of the execution engine to recover from errors. The value
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type of this element is boolean (true or false).
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<br>
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-->
  
=== User Profile Editing ===
 
  
The User Profile Editing portlet can be accessed by all users that have a portal account. Each user has his/her own profile and he/she can view and/or edit its content through this portlet.
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* <b>Personalize the presentation of the results and their metadata:</b>
By editing its profile's contents the user can change the language he/she prefers to search with within the selected collections in the Search portlet. Furthermore, he/she can also select the preferred presentation and metadata xslts, in order to view the results and the metadata the way he/she likes.
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** For each available collection you can select any of the available presentable fields that will be used for the presentation of the results from the results portlet when this collection is used in search. If you don't select any field then all the available presentable fields will be displayed.
In order to apply the changes the user has to press the '''Save profile''' button.
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** For each available metadata schema you can select one of the available xslts that will be used for the presentation of the metadata. If you don't change anything the default XSLT will be used.
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** A preview is displayed for the current selected schema and XSLT. This helps you to select the desired XSLT.
  
[[Image:UserProfile2.png]]
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In order to apply the changes you need to click on the '''Save profile''' button. A message is displayed to inform you if the profile was successfully updated.
  
=== Profile Administration ===
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== Report Management ==
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See [[Report Management]] page.
  
The Profile Administration portlet can be accessed only by the portal's administrator. Using this portlet, the administrator can create and/or delete a user profile by typing the user's username.
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== Time Series ==
The Administrator is also responsible by uploading the Default User Profile on the DIS as a generic resource. This can be done through this portlet. The Default User Profile should be a valid XML document.
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[[Time Series | Click here to visit the Time Series portlet guide]]
  
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== AquaMaps Suite ==
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The AquaMaps suite supports the production of AquaMaps and related data products, i.e. compound objects containing species and biodiversity occurrence predictive maps.
  
[[Image:ProfileAdmin.png]]
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[[AquaMaps | Click here to visit the AquaMaps Suite guide]]

Latest revision as of 14:23, 8 April 2015

Workspace

A workspace represents a collaborative area in which users can exchange and organize information objects (items) according to their specific needs. Because of this, every user of any Virtual Research Environment is provided with this area. Such an area is further organized in workspaces and baskets as to resemble a classic folder-based file system. The information objects that can be managed via the workspace range from files to D4Science documents, i.e. compound objects comprising metadata, alternative representations and multiple parts. The modality a workspace is populated range from the dragging of D4Science documents (or part of them) to the upload of files from its desktop and the exchange of workspace objects among users.

Click here for more information

Login to VO/VRE

See Log in User Guide.

Search

See Search User Guide.

Annotations

Annotations’ management is performed by the Annotation Portlet. This is a graphical user interface which provides an easy and sufficient way to annotate gCube information objects. Annotation Portlet can be invoked by selecting the “Manage Annotations” action among the actions associated with any item displayed in the Results portlet.

Then the user is moved to the annotation portlet where s/he is able to see the title, the mimetype, the content of the selected object as well as its annotations sorted by their creation date and grouped into threads.

Depending on the mimetype of the annotated object, the visualization of its content may differ.

In most cases, the content is displayed in a specified part of the portlet.

For a zip file, its entries are displayed and the user is able to download any of them.

Tiff images are transformed into a displayable format (png); video files are available only for download and the visualization of pdf files depends on the behavior of the browser (normally a plug-in is required).

On the other hand, the annotations are grouped into threads, shown up as a list where the title of each thread is the title of the first contained annotation. The user can enter each thread and the annotations of this thread are displayed as a list where the title, their creation/ modification date and the author’s name are posted up. The user is able to select which annotations (comments or associations) s/he wants to see just by clicking on it. The content of the annotations is shown at a pop up window where you can edit it. In the case of associations, the title of the associated object as well as a link to its content is displayed.

The user can either enter a selected Thread or create a new Thread by clicking on the corresponding buttons. By creating a new Thread a new annotation is actually created. After entering a Thread the uses can add an annotation by clicking on the “Add” button and afterwards by filling in the title and text field, in the case of text annotations, or by filling in the title field and selecting an object existing in the basket as an associated object in the case of associations. S/he may also delete or edit an annotation.

All the changes made by the user are persisted when s/he presses the "Save Changes" button.


Annotation Portlet



When the object that is annotated is an image the user is able to add an annotation to a specific part of the image file. The user selects a space fragment and then he fills in the title and text fields. Then the space fragments are shown on the image and by clicking on one of them the content of the annotation is displayed.


New annotation with fragment

The user can edit an annotation be selecting the annotation s/he wants to edit and click on the "Edit" button. A pop up window appears with the content of the annotation

New annotation with fragment



Content Viewer

The content viewer portlet provides the functionality to view a gCube object and all its properties and transform it, if any transformation is available for the object's mime type.

Using this portlet you can:

  • View the content of the selected object
  • View the available metadata of the object
  • View the aternative representations
  • Transform the main object using any of the available transformation programs (if any) and save the result of the transformation as a new object

In order to use this portlet you should select from the results menu the Explore Object option for the object you would like to explore. After selecting this option you will be redirected to the Content Viewer portlet.
The main object is displayed as you can see at the image below

CVMain.png

When you click on the Display button the pop-up window with the all the available properties for this object is displayed. You can select any of the available properties to view. For example you can see at the image below the metadata at the FARM_dc schema for this object.

CMDisMetadata.png

To view any of the alternative objects that are related to this object click on them

CVDisAlt.png

Transforming the selected object

Depending on the available transformations programs you can transform the object to a new object and save it. In the example below the main object can be transformed to a new image with given height and width.

CVTransformMain.png


Search Profile Settings

The Search Profile portlet can be accessed by all users that have a portal account. Each user has his/her own search profile and he/she can view and/or edit its content through this portlet. By editing the search profile's contents you have several options that affect the search results or the presentation of the results and their metadata.


  • Personalize the presentation of the results and their metadata:
    • For each available collection you can select any of the available presentable fields that will be used for the presentation of the results from the results portlet when this collection is used in search. If you don't select any field then all the available presentable fields will be displayed.
    • For each available metadata schema you can select one of the available xslts that will be used for the presentation of the metadata. If you don't change anything the default XSLT will be used.
    • A preview is displayed for the current selected schema and XSLT. This helps you to select the desired XSLT.

In order to apply the changes you need to click on the Save profile button. A message is displayed to inform you if the profile was successfully updated.

Report Management

See Report Management page.

Time Series

Click here to visit the Time Series portlet guide

AquaMaps Suite

The AquaMaps suite supports the production of AquaMaps and related data products, i.e. compound objects containing species and biodiversity occurrence predictive maps.

Click here to visit the AquaMaps Suite guide