Getting Started/General Help

Modified on 2007/12/21 08:41 by geneder — Categorized as: Help

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Table of Contents [Hide/Show]

   1 - Introduction
      1.1 - Website Location
      1.2 - Application Requirements
   2 - Page Layout
      2.1 - Page Title
      2.2 - User Status/Options
         2.2.1 - Logged Out
         2.2.2 - Logged In
      2.3 - Menu Bar
      2.4 - Content Area
         2.4.1 - Filters
         2.4.2 - Results
         2.4.3 - Submenus

1 - Introduction¶

The ADGA Genetics web application provides tools to help dairy goat owners make informed herd management decisions. The application combines registry data from ADGA and production and type evaluation data from USDA. This information can be searched, sorted and viewed in many different ways.

1.1 - Website Location¶

The ADGA Genetics website is accessible to any computer with an active connection to the Internet.

1.2 - Application Requirements¶

The ADGA Genetics web application has the following requirements:

The site is best viewed with Internet Explorer 6+ although most browsers should work ok.
A screen resolution of 800x600 or better is recommended although 640x480 will work.
Javascript should be enabled in your browser.
Cookies should be enabled for this site so account information can be remembered between visits.
DSL, Cable or better Internet connection speeds are recommended although dial-up will work.

2 - Page Layout¶

Every page in the ADGA Genetics web application has the same basic layout. The layout is optimized to reduce the need for scrolling. Each page is set to fill the entire available browser window while in full or resizable mode. If your monitor resolution is greater than 800x600, you may want to view your browser in a resizeable window to reduce the amount of whitespace.

The common parts are located in the page header at the top of each page. Their functions are listed below. The area below the header is the content area and will vary depending on which page you have selected. Each individual page and their content will be explained in other help topics.

2.1 - Page Title¶

Header - Page Title

The current page title is always present in the upper left-hand corner of each page.

2.2 - User Status/Options¶

The user status display is shown in the upper right-hand corner of each page header. The display is different depending on whether you are signed in or not. While it is not necessary to log in, there are additional features available to you when you are. See My Genetics for details.

2.2.1 - Logged Out¶

Header - User Status Logged Out

If you are not logged in, the user status display will show the User: Guest and links for Login and Join. Many features are available when in this state but not all. If you have previously created an account using the Join link, you can Login at this time. If you haven't created an account yet, click the Join link to do this. For more details see Account Management.

2.2.2 - Logged In¶

Header - User Status Logged In

If you are logged in, the user status display will show the User: (your user name) and links for Logout, Change Password and MyGenetics. All application features are available to logged in users. If you had selected to remember when you last logged in, you will be automatically connected to your account each time you visit the site until you logout. For more details see Account Management.

2.3 - Menu Bar¶

Page Header - Menu Bar

The application menu bar is your main method of navigation with the ADGA Genetics website. It is visible on every page in the bottom part of the page header. Simply click the Menu text to navigate to a new page. Menu options with the black triangle beside them indicate submenu options are available. Run your mouse over the top level menu option to see the submenu items. Each menu option is explained in more detail in individual help pages.

2.4 - Content Area¶

The Content Area is the area below the page header. This area contains different information depending on the current page. This could include any or all of the following:

Filters for selecting data you want to display
Tables for displaying data
Left-hand submenus when a single page has multiple functions

2.4.1 - Filters¶

Filters appear directly below the page header when necessary. Filters have the following features:

They are made up of a combination of dropdownlists, textboxes and buttons that allow you to set search criteria for the current page.
Some filters may automatically refresh results when a new value is selected.
They are by default set to the least restrictive values (return the most results). You can narrow your search and number of results returned by changing the filter values.
Filter values, once set, are remembered across different pages for your current browser session.

For more information on individual filters, see the Filter Help page.

2.4.2 - Results¶

Search Results generally appear in tables in the Content Area just below any filters that may be present. Here are some features that are common to most results tables:

All columns are sortable by clicking any column heading. Clicking the same column a second time will sort results in the opposite direction based on the column clicked.
A registered name can be clicked to take you to the Goat Details page for that animal.
Results are displayed up to 20 records per page. If more than 20 records are returned for your filter settings, a page navigation control will be visible just under your results.

2.4.3 - Submenus¶

Some pages contain additional menu option located under the page header on the left side of the Content Area. Clicking these options will leave you on the same page but will display different data in the Content Area to the right. Examples of these can be seen on the Goats Details and MyGenetics pages.