Table of Contents
1. Links: the main way to navigate
2. Navigation bars
3. Context-sensitive help links
For administrative users:
4. Navigation on report pages
5. Extra options in the bottom navigation bar
6. The "Related Functions" drop-down menu
Navigation in ConfTool
Navigating in ConfTool is straightforward. The basic elements you use to navigate are links, supported by a few navigation bars that help you find your way around. This page explains all of them – first for all users, then the additional options available to administrators.
1. Links: The Main Way to Navigate
Links to options are displayed in bold and in a clearly discernible colour. The function of each option is explained in the link text itself and directly below the link (see image 1).
2. Navigation Bars
To move back and forth between the menus, ConfTool provides three navigation bars (see image 2 for an overview).
Main Navigation Bar
The main navigation bar sits directly beneath the conference header and includes the central functions (see image 3):
| Element | Function |
|---|---|
| Back button (left) | Always returns you to the last navigation page of the system. Use this as your back button instead of your browser's. |
| Country flag / language name | Switches the interface language, if the installation offers several. |
| Server time & time zone | Shows the current server time, not your local time, so all users can meet deadlines. This is information only, not a navigation tool, and can be disabled by admins. |
| Your name | Opens the basic functions of your user account. |
| "Logout" / exit symbol | Ends your ConfTool session. |
Use ConfTool's back button, not your browser's.
The back button on the left of the main navigation bar reliably returns you to the previous page within ConfTool.
Your browser's back button may resubmit data.
Top Navigation Bar
Whenever you leave the overview page and select a function, an additional top navigation bar appears beneath the main navigation bar (see image 4):
| Element | Function |
|---|---|
| Breadcrumbs | Show your position in the structure of the system and lead you back to your starting point. |
| Printer symbol | Generates a printable version of the page. |
| Arrow pointing down | Scrolls directly to the bottom of the page. |
| Disk symbol (when shown) | Saves the content of the page to your local drive as a Word document. Appears depending on the page content. |
Bottom Navigation Bar
At the bottom of the page you find the bottom navigation bar, which resembles the top one (see image 5):
| Element | Function |
|---|---|
| Arrow pointing up | Scrolls directly to the top of the page. |
| Printer symbol | Generates a printable version of the page. |
3. Context-Sensitive Help Links
On many pages you will find context-sensitive help links, marked with a small help icon.
When you hover over the icon, a tooltip shows the topic of the help page. When you click it, a new window opens that guides you to the corresponding online manual, a specific section of it, or a page in the ConfTool support forum. You can find the help icon in three places:
| Where you find it | Where it leads |
|---|---|
| Top & bottom navigation bars | More specific information about the current page (see image 6). |
| Section headers | Usually the main manuals (see image 7). |
| Next to a specific option or function | More information about that particular option or function (see image 8). |
For Administrative Users
The following options are only visible to users with administrative roles. Normal users (for example authors or participants) will not see them.
4. Navigation on Report Pages
On report pages – namely the lists of users, participants, submissions and review results – an additional navigation bar appears above the list (see image 9):
| Element | Function |
|---|---|
| Search field (left) | Find an item directly. Several search terms are combined – only items matching all terms are shown. You can also use your browser search (Ctrl+F). |
| Numbers & arrows (centre) | Move from page to page. |
| "Per Page" drop-down (right) | Set how many items are displayed at once. |
| Column headers | Click a header to sort by that category; click the arrows to switch between ascending and descending order. |
| Filters (above the bar) | Select which items are displayed. "Show more filter options" reveals additional, less frequently used filters. |
5. Extra Options in the Bottom Navigation Bar
On selected pages of the configuration section ("Settings"), admins find additional options in the bottom navigation bar (see image 10):
Expert Settings: save first.
Clicking "Expert Settings: Disabled" reloads the page with further options that are not normally needed for standard conferences. Please save your current settings on the page before you do this, otherwise unsaved changes are lost.
Clicking the flash symbol (only visible on the overview page or when service mode is enabled) clears the ConfTool user cache. This is useful when you want to see changes you have made to the wording or other settings of the conference.
6. The "Related Functions" Drop-Down Menu
On many admin pages, a "Related Functions" drop-down menu appears on the right, beneath the top navigation bar.
It contains three kinds of links:
| Icon | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Double arrows | Go to the previous or next settings page in a sequence of settings (see image 11). |
| Single arrow | Go to a page related to the current one in content or function (see image 11). |
| Download / .zip icon | Start the corresponding download (see image 12). |
