Version 17.1
On this page:
[Show/Hide]- Introduction
- Getting Started
- Logging In
- Switching between User experiences
- 1 The Stream View
Introduction
MindLink Desktop is a real-time web-based social business tool designed to extend and the features of Microsoft Lync 2010 and Office Communication Server 2007 R2 Group Chat. It can also function as a toolkit which can be embedded within a portal.
MindLink desktop has two modes of operation, Classic View and Column view.
Classic View can be accessed using Microsoft Internet Explorer 6+, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox 2+, Safari 3+, Google Chrome 3+, and Opera 9+.
Column View can be accessed using Microsoft Internet Explorer 8+, Microsoft Edge and the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome and Opera.
If your browser does not support playing WAV or MP3 files (or a plugin that can play them) then Adobe Flash (version 8+) will be used. If you don’t have Adobe Flash 8+ then there will be no sound notification.
This document is served as a user guide that elaborates the functionality of the application.
Getting Started
To start the application, launch a browser and navigate to the designated URL. A login screen will be presented, as in Figure a.
Figure a: The login screen
Logging In
The application can be configured so the sign-in address does not have to be entered. In this case, the sign-in address box will not be shown, and the username and password only have to be entered.
The application can also be setup to use ‘single-sign-on’ (SSO) which means it will use attempt to use the user’s Windows credentials. However, an administrator needs to set up the configuration before SSO can be used. Once it is configured, you will not see the login screen. The active directory credentials on the computer will be used to login and the welcome page will be displayed straight away. Only when the login fails will the login screen be displayed.
On the login screen, enter your details:
- Enter your user name (domain_name\username)
- Enter your password
- Click the ‘Login’ button
An error message will pop up if the login is unsuccessful. Otherwise the login window will disappear.
Switching between User experiences
MindLink Desktop provides users with a choice of two different usage modes, ‘Stream View’ and Classic. To switch to a different view select the appropriate view from the icons at the top of the screen:
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This Icon represents the ‘Stream view’ mode. |
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This icon represents the ‘Classic view’ mode |
If you select a different usage mode you will be asked to log in again if single sign on is not present.
1 The Stream View
Figure 1a: The user view
Once you have signed in you will be presented with the default layout. This includes the ‘Dock’ on the left hand side and the conversation area to the right.
When you first login to MindLink Desktop all groups are displayed as streams in the conversation area.
1.1 The LiveStream
Figure 1.1a: The LiveStream
The LiveStream shows all the messages and updates from all your contacts and the groups that you have joined. The latest message that you have received appears at the top of the window.
1.1.1 Status Message
Figure 1.1.1a: Status update
Entering a status update will display a status update to all the users who have you as contact in their contact list. When one of your contacts enters a status message it will appear as an update in your LiveStream.
1.2 Group Panel
Figure 1.2a: The Group Panel
The group panel displays a list of all your groups.
1.2.1 Edit Mode
Figure 1.2.1a: Edit Mode
To enter edit mode click on the cog icon. Edit mode brings up the options to add a group or a folder and to delete groups and folders.
To remove groups and folders, click the red cross which appears next to the name of the group or folder. Groups are displayed in alphabetical order.
To exit the edit mode, click on the cog once again.
1.2.2 Add a folder
Figure 1.2.2a: Add a folder
You can sort your groups into folders to make it easier for you to navigate. To add a folder, click on the icon as shown in Figure 7.
1.2.3 Remove a folder
Figure 1.2.3a: Remove a folder
Once in edit mode, you can remove a folder by selecting the red cross next to the folder you wish to delete. Please note that the folder must be empty in order to remove it.
1.2.4 Rename a folder
Figure 1.2.4a: Rename a folder
Once in edit mode you can rename a folder by selecting it and then amending the text.
1.2.5 Add a group
Figure 1.2.5a: Add a group
To add a group, select the ‘Add Group’ button as indicated in Figure 10.
1.2.6 Search for a group
You will see a new window that shows the groups that are available; you can search for a group by name by entering details in the ‘Search chat rooms’ box.
Figure 1.2.6a: Join a group by searching tab
When you have found the groups(s) that you wish to join, select them and select the ‘join’ button.
1.2.7 Join by name
Figure 1.2.7a: Join a group by name
By selecting the ‘By Name’ tab, you can type the name of the group you wish to access and then select the ‘join’ button.
1.2.8 View invitations
Figure 1.2.8a: View invitations
The invitations tab shows you details of group invitations that you have previously received.
The ‘Show only new invitations’ option at the bottom left of the box displays the invitations which have not yet been accepted. Once you have selected a group, clicking on the ‘join’ button will add you to the group.
1.3 Contacts
Figure 1.3a: Contacts view
The contacts panel show a list of all of your contacts displayed in alphabetical order.
1.3.1 Add a contact
Figure 1.3.1a: Add a contact
To add a contact, click on the cog icon at the top right hand corner of the contacts stream. Then select the ‘add contact’ icon from the contact panel.
Figure 1.3.1b: Search for a contact
The dialogue box allows you to search for a contact by name, or alternatively, add them by username by entering their email address.
1.3.2 Remove a contact
Figure 1.3.2a: Remove a contact
To remove a contact, click on the cog icon from the top right hand corner of the contacts panel. Then click on the red cross next to the contact you wish to remove.
1.4 IM call signalling
Figure 1.4a: IM call signalling
When a new private IM comes in, the contacts icon in the top bar becomes highlighted as shown.
A badge showing the number of newly received, unread messages is also displayed on the contacts icon.
Once the contacts icon is selected, the user who sent the message(s) is shown below with a speech bubble and a red asterisk, in addition to the number of unread messages sent.
Once the speech bubble is selected, a separate conversation channel between you and the user will be opened to continue the conversation.
1.5 Presence
Figure 1.5a: Changing presence
You can change your presence state by selecting an option form the presence panel.
1.6 Sending a message
There are several ways to send a message; you can use a quick reply from the LiveStream by selecting either the name of a person who has posted a message or the name of the group that the person has posted to.
Alternatively, you can select the message icon from the stream you want to reply to.
Figure 1.6a: Quick reply in LiveStream vs Sending a message in a group
1.6.1 Alert message
To send an alert message select the red warning icon in the message entry area.
Figure 1.6.1a: The message entry pane with the alert function selected
1.6.2 Insert a file
To post a file in your message select the attachment icon within the message entry area.
Figure 1.6.2a: The message entry pane with the file attachment function selected
1.6.3 Insert an emoticon
To insert an emoticon select the emoticon icon within the message entry area.
Figure 1.6.3a: The message entry pane with the emoticon function selected
1.6.4 Inserting a hyperlink
Links can be entered directly into the message sending area and they will automatically be rendered as a hyperlink, alternatively you can enter a ‘pretty link’ by selecting the insert link icon in the message sending area.
Figure 1.6.4a: The message entry pane with pretty link function selected
By selecting the ‘pretty link’ icon, a prompt to insert the title of the display text and the URL for the link will appear. After this information has been inserted, click ‘insert link’ to complete the action.
Figure 1.6.4b: Composing a hyperlink
1.7 Opening a conversation stream
A conversation stream (a one-to-one conversation or group conversation) can be opened from the LiveStream by selecting the message body.
If a conversation stream is already open, then the conversation area will scroll to the selected stream and highlight it.
If a conversation stream is not open in the conversation area then it will be opened at the right hand side of the conversation area.
1.8 Member list
The member list of a group can be accessed by selecting the user’s icon. This displays the list of users who are currently online and have the group in their subscriptions.
Figure 1.8a: Accessing the members list
This opens the list of members who are currently signed into the system and are subscribed to the group.
Figure 1.8b: The members list
1.9 Ordering your streams
You can drag and drop conversation streams to re-order them, their locations are saved when you log out of the application or save your settings.
Figure 1.9a: Re-arranging the streams
1.10 Search
Figure 1.10a: The search function
To search the history of a group, select the search icon from the top of the panel.
Figure 1.10b: The search panel
The search panel allows you to search by group name, user, key-word or date range.
1.11 Notifications
Figure 1.11a: The notification options
A stream can be set to notify you when a new message is received. You can choose to display a pop-up notification or play a sound.