Getting started with sample manager
Log in
Start your browser and type in the website address (URL) for Q_Panel on your server.
This will bring you to the Log in screen:
Username is not case sensitive but Password is.
You cannot open more than one Q_Panel browser session (window or tab) per Windows user account.
The main areas of the screen
What you see depends on the database selected and the Group Filter settings which you will see shortly. Here is an example screen:
| Header | Shows the currently logged-in user and the language and database. |
| User bar | Contains the User Settings button which opens an area for database selection (v7.03 and older versions only) and language selection and a Logout button. The user bar also shows you which function (i.e. screen or view) you are currently using. (Some menus and functions may be reserved/licensed for particular users). |
| Navigation pane | Click Maintenance, Administration, Reports etc. to switch to these menus for other Q_Panel functions. By default, Sample Manager is open and displays a four-layer tree in the form: database > Favourites/Recent/Filtered > prototypes > sample projects. |
| Toolbar | A set of functions made available in context. |
| Details (when using Sample Manager) | When the database is clicked in the navigation pane, displays the Default Prototype Details. When Favourites, Recent or Filtered is clicked in the navigation pane, displays the appropriately filtered prototypes selection list. When a prototype is selected in the navigation pane, displays the sample projects selection list for that prototype. When a sample project is selected in the navigation pane, displays the Sample Details of that project. |
| Details (other menus) |
Displays a selection list according to the menu item selected in the navigation pane.
|
User Settings
Click + User Settings in the User Bar. This opens a new area:
If using v7.04, only the Language can be selected:
If using v7.03 or a earlier version, the Language or Database can be selected:
Your user settings are retained so that the next time you log in you do not need to repeat your selection.
Language
You can select a language (region) from those available.
Q_Panel by default uses UK English language and number/date formatting. Your database administrator can add other language options.
There is currently a US option available which provides US date formatting (m/d/yyyy). Q_Panel does not yet support language translation for other regions.
Database
The selection of a database is only available for version 7.03 or earlier. For v7.04 the database is pre-configured.
The first time you use Q_Panel no database is selected. You will need to select a database before proceeding any further.
Click the dropdown arrow to the right of Database. You will see the list of panel databases that your system administrator has implemented. From the list click the particular database you are going to work with.
The next time you start Q_Panel it will remember your database selection. There is no need to re-start Q_Panel when changing the selected database.
Group Filter
Click the Sample Manager menu in the Navigation pane, make sure you have selected a database, displayed at the top level.
By default under ‘Filtered’, Sample Manager shows you only the prototypes and sample projects that your user id has created. The Group Filter determines the list that is displayed under Filtered.
In order to see everyone’s projects the Group Filter must be set to Show sample projects belonging to all owners.
Click Filtered then click Modify Group Filter on the toolbar:
In the Edit Group Filter dialog box which appears, check the box next to Show all owners. You can also filter by date and by a partial text match on the Prototype Name.
Sample Manager will now update to show prototypes and sample projects that have been saved by all users.
The Group Filter you set remains in place when you log out and back in again.
The four-layer tree
Click Filtered then expand it by clicking the + sign next to it to show a list of prototypes created by users of this database. Click one of the + signs in the list under Filtered in order to see the sample projects which are in the next, lowest layer.
This is typically where you will begin working:
Use the +/- boxes to expand or collapse the list.
The navigation pane of Sample Manager displays a list of sample projects organized as the lowest layer of a four-layer tree:
| Layer | is always: |
| 1 | the selected Database |
| 2 | Favourites, Recent and Filtered |
| 3 | the user-defined Prototypes List |
| 4 | the Samples List of sample projects organized by prototype |
Click the refresh icon to update the tree of prototypes and sample projects in the navigation pane. If another user creates a prototype or sample project it will not be displayed in Sample Manager until you click refresh (or until you log on again).
Favourites, Recent and Filtered
The list you see under Filtered is determined by the Group Filter. Generally you will set this to be the full set of sample projects that you work with. It can also be useful when searching for a particular prototype amongst many.
Favourites and Recent work similarly to Windows and help you keep track of your active prototypes.
- To add a prototype to favourites click Filtered, select a prototype from the list in details, and the toolbar button Add To Favourites will become available.
- To remove a prototype from favourites click Favourites, select the prototype to be removed in the details pane and the toolbar button Remove from Favourites will appear.
When you save a new prototype or a sample project within a prototype it will appear in the Recent tree for the next 28 days.
Log Out
You should end every session by saving your work and then using the Logout button in the user bar.
For reasons of security:
If you are inactive for 20 minutes you will be automatically logged out and you will lose any unsaved changes.
Always Save your work before logging out.