Table of Contents
coreBOSApps User Guide
From the users point of view the coreBOSApps extension is very simple to use as it is really an infrastructure to make it easy for developers to offer simple solutions, encapsulated in windows. Each of these applications will have their own functionality and user requirements, which each user will have to learn to get the most out of the coreBOSApp.
So here we will be talking about the base functionality and user experience that is needed to work with the coreBOSApps extension.
Accessing coreBOSApps is just like accessing any other coreBOS module, clicking on the menu link that can be found in Analytics will take us to the coreBOSApps Canvas. On the canvas we will find a header toolbar with three options: Windows, Dashboard and Applications. This toolbar permits us to change the view between the three different views, establish the default view using the small yellow icon on top of each option and also minimize the toolbar or the whole coreBOS top menu section.
Windows
An ordered list of coreBOSApp icons. Each icon represents an individual application.
Hovering the mouse over any icon will show us a short description of the intended functionality of the coreBOSApp.
All the icons, can be sorted by simply dragging the icon to the desired position.
Clicking on the icon of the coreBOSApp will open a window, within which we will be able to see the execution of the coreBOSApp. Each window has a series of base functionality. They can be resized and moved. Most will have a refresh button to execute the coreBOSApp again without having to close and open the window, and some will also have an edit button that will open an additional window with setting options that will affect the behavior of the coreBOSApp. Both the contents of the coreBOSApp and of it's related edit settings window are totally dependent on the functionality of the coreBOSApp.
Some windows can be instantiated, that is executed or opened more than once, so that the user can configure each one independently from the others although the base functionality is the same. To accomplish this we must press and hold the CONTROL button while clicking open the coreBOSApp.
Each user will be able to order and position his windows to his likings and the configuration will be saved so when he returns he will find all in it's place.
Dashboard
A view where we can divide the canvas in boxes fixed to the browser and within which each application runs. We distribute the sections in rows and columns defining characteristics such as size, status and application to execute within each frame.
Applications
A view where each application will have the whole canvas to run in and where we go from one application to the next by clicking on the side buttons.
On the top right coreBOSApps toolbar there is an icon identifying the running application and also a drop down with an index of all applications to jump quickly to any of them.
Special coreBOSApps
There are two special coreBOSApps that are installed by default and cannot be deleted. These are the coreBOSApps Shop and the coreBOSApps Configurator, which will help us install and configure permissions on the installed coreBOSApps.
coreBOSApps Shop. Install and Update.
coreBOSApps Configurator
This coreBOSApp permits administrative users to set certain parameters for each coreBOSApp and user. Initially only the admin users of coreBOS have access to the configuration coreBOSApp, but an admin user can grant access to this coreBOSApp to any user and they will be able to affect the configuration of any other user. For each user we can establish these variables:
| Open (on start) | If a window will be open by default when accessing the coreBOSApp extension. If true, the coreBOSApp will be opened and launched automatically when the user opens coreBOSApps. Each user can change this value by closing the window when they configure their canvas. If the Hide variable is set to false and this one to true, the user will not be able to close the window and it will always be open. |
|---|---|
| Enabled | If false the user will not see this coreBOSApp, it will be as if it weren't installed. |
| Show | If false the user will not be able to open the window, only see the icon. This could be useful to simply show an icon on the canvas, but also can be used to dynamically change the icon on certain event based on time or on the results of another coreBOSApp running in another window |
| Hide | If false the user will not be able to close the window |
| Write | If false the user will not have access to the Edit option of the coreBOSApp |
Only administrative users can delete and install coreBOSApps. Once a coreBOSApp has been eliminate it cannot be recovered. You would have to install it again. coreBOSApps can be hidden for certain users by the administrator using the coreBOSApps Configurator.
Modifying and saving values is straight forward in the coreBOSApp window.
Developers Guide and Other Resources
Disclaimer
coreBOSApps does not pretend to be a secure environment, we do not impose any restrictions on the coreBOSApp possibilities, just as anyone can send you a coreBOS module that you can install in your coreBOS and have it do anything to your information, also a coreBOSApp has full access to all the information contained inside your coreBOS and the coreBOSApp can do anything with it. Although we will strive to evaluate and respond to all suspicious code conducts we probably won't have time to go through all the code of all the coreBOSApp, so the full responsibility of the acts of any coreBOSApp is beyond our control. You will install coreBOSApps at your own risk.
