Shortcuts
- What is the Shortcuts concept?
- The Shortcuts area at the top of the page, just below the Header is intended to provide handy, clickable choices that move the Browser User quickly and efficiently to commonly used functions.
- Why use the Concept?
- Simply stated, it makes the site easier to use and reduces clicks by navigating directly to commonly used functions
- How is the concept implemented?
- The Webmaster utilizes a page (usually named Options-Shortcuts) to define which elements should be utilized to make up the Shortcut area for the Site users. Each entry in the database table represents a possible element that will be allocated and displayed, as appropriate. Some of the Shortcuts are relatively static, where others may or may not appear (depending on the individual Session circumstances).
Shortcuts
Each of the following entries (sometimes referenced as Shortcut Elements) can be allocated using Options-Shortcuts. Each Shortcut contains an identity (the Shortcut itself), a Sequence (the order in which it will appear), a Title (the Popup string for hover purposes), which Group(s) the Shortcut applies to, as well as the optional URL that the Shortcut will transfer the Browser to (for Static Shortcuts).
- Static Shortcuts
- To create a Static Shortcut (one that will always display and always use the same coding), simply create an entry using Options-Shortcuts completing the various data fields.
- Static Symbols
- To allocate a Static Symbol in the Shortcut area, place the standard RidgeStar Text Format strings directly into the Shortcut. As an example, coding [:shortcut] in the Shortcut identity will cause a
to be displayed at the appropriate point (leave the URL empty for non-clickable entries, complete the URL with a valid address to make it clickable).
- Dynamic Page Location
- It is possible to get the Shortcuts to store and re-display the current hierarchy within the Table of Contents most recently used during the individual Session. Code "=Segment", "=Area", and/or "=Subarea" to cause a Shortcut entry consisting of the last Page used at each level of the hierarchy.
- Dynamic Action Symbols
- The Shortcuts can also be configured to dynamically display a symbol for the last Show ("=LastShow"), Next("=LastNext"), and/or Display("=LastDisplay") actions processed by the Site for the individual. Sites with Feature=Mail operational can also utilize "=GotMail" to allocate a Shortcut when an unread Mail message is in the User Inbox.
Click the symbol will return the Visitor to the same location in the site that was list visited with the corresponding Action.
