Customizing the iGrafx Platform's Appearance

The iGrafx Platform lets you customize its user interface in the following ways:

• Add dynamic links to the top of iGrafx Platform pages, for a specific repository or globally
• Change the page appearance theme to use a blue gradient effect
• Replace the iGrafx Platform logo
• Create and save alternate chart color schemes
• Change the format of user display names
• Add/modify localization strings

The following sections describe how to make these changes. Additional settings specific to an individual repository's appearance are described in Customizing a Repository's Appearance.

Using Dynamic Links

The iGrafx Platform lets you add links to other sites at the top of its pages. These links can appear at all times (global) or be specific to a single repository. The following sections describe how to add, change, or delete a dynamic link.

Adding a Dynamic Link

To add a dynamic link, do the following:

1. Choose the Administration area, and then Customization
2. Click the DYNAMIC LINKS tab
3. Click ADD NEW LINK
4. In the form, specify the following values:
   • A name for the link in Link Name
   • The link's URL in Link URL
   • For Repository, choose either an existing repository to which this link is specific, or choose Global (which will always display)
   • If you would like the link to open in a new tab (rather than loading in the current tab), check the box for Open Link in New Tab
5. Certain variables can be used within the Link URL, which will dynamically change depending on the current context (e.g. the user, the repository and/or object being viewed).  Unknown variables, or valid variables without a current value, will be made blank. The variables available for use are:
   • {{username}}
   • {{baseUrl}}
   • {{repoShortname}}
   • {{objId}}
   • {{objName}}
   • {{objType}}
6. To specify an image to use as an icon for this link (required), click the CHOOSE ICON button. The Windows "Open" dialog box appears.
   1. Navigate to the image file you want to use as an icon, click to select it, and then click the Open button. The name of the icon you chose appears in the File Name field.
7. Click ADD NEW LINK
   
   The new dynamic link is displayed in the list of all dynamic links.
   

   
   

   

   If you choose a specific repository for a dynamic link, only users with access to that repository will be able to see it.

Changing a Dynamic Link

To change a dynamic link in the Current Links list, do the following:

1. Choose the Administration area, and then Customization
2. Click the DYNAMIC LINKS tab
3. Click ADD NEW LINK
4. Find the dynamic link you want to modify in the list, and click the Edit link to the right of it
   
   An Edit Dynamic Link form appears, filled with the existing link's details.
   
   
5. In the Edit Dynamic Link form, change the values as needed and/or click the CHOOSE NEW ICON button to select an alternate image for the link icon
6. When you are satisfied with the changed settings, click the UPDATE LINK button
   
   The updated dynamic link is displayed in the list.

Deleting a Dynamic Link

To delete a dynamic link:

1. Find it in the list
2. Click the trash can icon 

   

   to the right of it
3. In the Delete Link dialog, click CONFIRM DELETE to permanently delete the link (this cannot be undone)

The dynamic link disappears from the list of all dynamic links.

Ordering Dynamic Links

When you have multiple dynamic links, you can change the order in which they display in the header bar.  Dynamic links at the top of the list will display to the left in the header, while dynamic links towards the bottom will display to the right in the header.  You can drag and drop the dynamic links in the list, to order them however you please.  When the ordering has changed, a Changes Saved box appears, with an option to UNDO the changes.  (The changes to the ordering within the header bar will be seen when the browser window is refreshed, or another page is navigated to.)

Changing the Theme

To change the theme setting for the iGrafx platform, do the following:

1. Choose the Administration area, and then Customization
2. Click the APPEARANCE tab
3. Click ADD NEW LINK
4. In the Theme drop-down, choose an alternate theme
   
   The theme changes immediately and a "Theme changed" message appears on the page, with an UNDO link that allows you to revert to the previous theme. Or, you can just change it back in the Theme box.

Customizing the Narrative Template Theme

CLOUD In the iGrafx Cloud release, Narrative reports can be exported to Microsoft Word. The theme does not define content, but rather the styling, such as heading sizes, colors, etc.

To upload a custom theme, do the following:

1. Choose the Administration area, and then Customization
2. Click the APPEARANCE tab
3. In the Theme section, click the UPLOAD button
4. Click CHOOSE FILE and navigate to the Word .dotx or .docx file that contains the theme you want to use and click SAVE

Using Custom Logos in Navbar and Login Screen

You can replace the iGrafx platform logo in the navigation bar and login screen with another of your own choosing. Any image file you select will be scaled to fit in the top area of iGrafx platform pages.

To upload a custom logo, do the following:

1. Choose the Administration area, and then Customization
2. Click the APPEARANCE tab
3. In Navbar Logo and / or Login Logo sections, click UPLOAD A NEW LOGO
4. In the Open dialog, navigate to the image file you want to use as an logo, click to select it, and then click the Open button
   
   The logo you chose appears at the top left of the page, and in the Current Global Logo box

To revert to the original iGrafx platform logo, click the trash can icon next to your new logo

. The custom logo is replaced with the default logo.

Changing Chart Color Schemes

The iGrafx platform lets you create alternate color schemes for charts, as well as modify the color set in the default color scheme.

Adding a New Chart Color Scheme

To create an alternate color scheme, do the following:

1. Choose the Administration area, and then Customization
2. Click the CHART COLOR SCHEMES tab
3. Click UPLOAD A NEW LOGO
4. In the lower, right corner, click the CREATE NEW COLOR SCHEME
   
   A new color scheme appears on the page, with a single color, black:
   
   

   

   
   
   
5. Add colors to the new scheme. Click the ADD COLOR button in the new scheme, use the pointer to locate a desirable color in the resulting color picker, and then click the CHOOSE button to select it. Repeat this step until you've chosen the range of colors you want for your scheme.
   
   You can click and drag the individual color bars to change their position in the scheme.
   
   To delete a color you no longer want in your scheme, click the trash can icon at the right of it.
   
   
6. Name your new color scheme. Click the pencil icon next to the "New Color Scheme" title at the top of the new scheme. The title appears in a text box where you can edit or re-type it. Click outside the text box or press the Enter key to accept your change. This may cause your scheme to move elsewhere on the page; they are sorted by name.

View the Customizing a Repository's Appearance topic to understand how changing the Color Scheme alters the display of Charts.

Changing the Default Scheme

You can specify a scheme as the default by clicking the Make Default link at the bottom right of the scheme. The default scheme has a green box at the bottom with the words "Default Scheme" in it.

Deleting a Color Scheme

To delete a color scheme, click the trash can icon to the right of its name. The scheme is grayed out, and a Deleted box appears over it, offering you a chance to undo the deletion.

Adding Custom Localization

The iGrafx platform lets you add/modify localization properties and their language specific strings.

1. Choose the Administration area, and then Customization
2. Click the LOCALIZATION PROPERTIES tab

Adding a new property

Click ADD NEW PROPERTY , and a form will pop up.  In the form, enter in a name (the 'key') for the new property using only alphanumeric characters and underscores.  Then, for each language, you can define the particular word or phrase that will result from using the property in the application.  (The effects of these localized strings will primarily be used within the customizable email templates.)  Note: any Resulting Strings that are left blank for a given language, is fine, but will result in an empty blank string in the application when viewed by users of that language.

Changing a property

Localization property names cannot be changed once they have been created, but the word(s) or phrase associated with each language can be changed.  Simply navigate via the Language tabs to whichever you would like to edit, and find the property you want to change.  In the text edit box, make your changes, and then either hit the 'Enter' key (or click away from the edit box with your mouse).  A 'Changes Saved' message will briefly appear to confirm that you've successfully made changes.

Deleting a property

Click on the trashcan icon to permanently delete a particular localization property.  A deletion confirmation popup will be shown.  Once the deletion is confirmed, the property will be deleted, and no longer available for any language.

Enable or Disable Change Icons in the Repository Tree

Change icons indicate repository content modifications that the user has not yet viewed. Administrators have the option of turning this capability off for all repositories in the iGrafx Platform.

1. Choose the Administration area, and then Customization
2. Click the NOTIFICATIONS tab
3. Set the Enable change icons in the repository tree switch as desired