If you are using the outline to plan your application, you can create the outline entries prior to designing the actual design elements. Begin by creating a new outline and then adding entries for each element you plan to include in your application. You can include outline entries for any element that will be part of your application or site, such as jumps to pages, documents, views, folders, Web pages, or other IBM® Lotus® Domino(TM) databases. Outline entries represent each piece or planned piece of your application or navigation structure. Outline entries can also be clickable actions, or can be top-level categories that organize other entries. You can also choose what icons display with the entry. You can organize your application into units and create multiple outlines to represent the different portions of your application.

If you have already created all of your design elements or are working with a database created from a template, you can begin by creating a default outline and customizing it.

Designing for accessibility

Use outlines instead of navigators to create applications that are accessible to assistive technologies like screen readers. An outline lets you create an organizing structure for an application and gives you control over how elements are displayed in a navigator pane. Outlines are programmable and customizable so you can control the look of the outline while maintaining accessibility. If the outline will be used for Web applications, do not select the option to display using the Java applet. Outlines displayed using the Java applet are not accessible.

For more information on designing an application for maximum accessibility for people with disabilities, see Designing an application for maximum accessibility for people with disabilities.

To create a new outline

1. Click Shared Code - Outlines in the Design pane.

2. Click "New Outline."

3. Add outline entries for each design element, action, or link you want to include in the outline.

4. Save and name the outline. In the "Save outline as" box, type an outline name.

Specify an alias if you plan to embed the outline and there is a chance that the embedded outline could be renamed. An alias allows you to change an outline name without rewriting formulas that reference the embedded outline. An alias also remains the same if a database is translated or modified. To specify an alias, type a vertical bar (|) followed by the alias name. For example, OutlineName|OutlineAlias.

The default outline creates outline entries for all the views and folders in the database. In addition, the default outline contains placeholders called "Other views," "Other folders," "Other private views," and "Other private folders."

1. Create a new outline.

2. Click "Generate Default Outline."

To add a new outline entry to an outline

1. Open or create an outline.

2. Click "New Entry."

Note You can also cut and paste outline entries from other outlines.

4. In the Outline Entry Properties box, type the popup text that you want to appear. Popup text appears if the window is not wide enough to display the entire label and the user moves the mouse over the outline entry.

5. (Optional) Specify an alias for the outline entry.

6. Specify a type for the element in the Content field. Types include:

• None - use this to create a top-level category for nesting entries.
• Action - choose this if you want the outline entry to perform an action such as open or create a document. To enter an action, click the @ button, and enter a formula using the formula language.
• Link - such as to an anchor, document, view, or database link.
• Named element - such as a Page, Form, or View.

If you are creating a link to a named element that does not exist, IBM® Lotus® Domino(TM) Designer displays a prompt saying that you will need to create the element later.
• URL.

8. (Optional) In the Frame field, specify the target frame where you want the action or link to be displayed.

If you have not yet created a frameset, you can either enter the name you are planning to use in your frameset or you can add this entry later, after you have created your frameset.

To reorder elements in an outline

Create the order for the outline entries as you want them to appear to the user. To reorder the elements after you create them, select one or more outline entries in the Design pane and drag to move them up or down in the list.

To create a hierarchy between elements

Outline elements can have a hierarchy, that is, there can be top-level entries and subordinate entries. This is especially useful, for example, if you want to create nested outline entries. To create a hierarchy between elements, do one of the following:

• Select one or more outline entries and click "Indent Entry" (or press TAB) to indent the element one tab stop to the right.
• Select one or more outline entries and click "Outdent Entry" (or press SHIFT+TAB) to outdent the elements one tab stop to the left.

1. Select an outline entry.

2. Press DEL or choose Edit - Delete.

See Also

Outlines

Glossary