APPLICATION DESIGN

Embedding an outline
To use an outline as a navigational device, it must be embedded on a form, page, or rich text field of a document. Whether you choose to embed your outline on a form, page, or document will depend on how you want to use it. You can embed the outline on a form so that each document created from that form includes the embedded outline. The outline then presents an easy way for users to navigate to other views, create a new document, move to the next document, and so on. For example, in a Discussion database, you can embed the outline on the Main Topic form. When a user creates a document with that form, the outline appears on the document.

You might want outlines or outline entries to appear under certain circumstances or for only certain kinds of users. Using the Programmer's pane gives you greater flexibility in planning and designing your outlines. For example, you can supply different outlines to IBMR LotusR NotesR or Web browser users; or you can limit access to outline entries based on users in different organizations such as sales or manufacturing.

The most common way to use an outline is to embed the outline on a page and use it as part of a frameset. Embed the outline on multiple pages if you need to have several occurrences of the same outline with different styles (for example, one outline with only text, another with graphical buttons).

If you want several navigational structures in one application you can do one of two things. You can create one outline and embed it several times on different pages, or you can create several different outlines and embed each on different pages.

To embed the outline on a page

1. Click Shared Elements - Outlines in the Applications Navigator.

2. Open the outline you wish to embed.

3. Click "Use Outline" on the action bar at the top of the Applications Navigator. The embedded outline appears on a new page with the default style applied to it.

4. If you do not want to display the same outline in all circumstances, write a formula in the Programmer's pane to display the appropriate outline.

5. Choose File - Save. As prompted, enter a name for the page on which the outline is embedded.

To embed the outline on a form, page, or document

1. Open or create the form, page, or document on which you want to embed the outline.

2. Position the cursor where you want the outline to appear. In a document you must be in a rich text field.

3. Choose Create - Embedded Element - Outline.

4. From the dialog box, select the outline you want to embed. The dialog box lists all of the saved outlines in the current database. You can also choose to embed an outline from a different database.

5. If you do not want to display the same outline in all circumstances, write a formula in the Programmer's pane to display the appropriate outline.

6. After you have embedded your outline, you can format it.

See Also