Navigation¶
This diagram provides an overview of the high level navigation within the system and is included as a basic reference. The five panel approach is common is web applications as is the general concepts of asymmetry in the presentation and detail of information with the value of the information decreasing from top-left to bottom-right and the detail increasing in the same way.
Despite BioRails being a web application, great effort has been expended to make it feel like a desk-top application. Panels can be opened and closed, the menu items provide sub menus and many of the data entry forms are highly interactive. In addition the application behaves very much like any other web application with hyperlinks to records providing a simple methods of navigating pages.
Main Menu¶
Main navigation is through the main menu across the top. More detailed navigation is also possible through the left hand panel however this is mainly used for specific actions or actions on the 'current' record.
Left Hand Panel¶
The left hand panel includes a clipboard which allows the user to store the results of searches to use when writing reports.
Centre Panel¶
The centre panel is used to display the main information such as listing all the records of a certain type, writing reports or editing a single record.
Right Hand Panel¶
The right hand panel is used to either provide contextual information such as guidance in using a form or provides associated information about the record. The folders within the system are also presented as tree (Project Tree) that can be used for navigation.
History Panel¶
The History panel is used to display audit information for the record being viewed in the centre panel or even individual values within a data entry sheet.
