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 Plato Customization
Navigation bars, headings, and content are under
the control of your designated administrator(s). The
overall look and feel, and the style sheet can be customized
on the your behalf if necessary.
The layout of the "home" or "top" page has five
conceptual parts as shown below:
Figure 1 - Conceptual Parts of a Plato Page
Banner with Logo and heading
The Banner, including logo,name and by-line can be customized for a site by the site administrator.
A number of examples follow:
Example 1 -- The InternetConnect Software Consortium
(http://www.opengroup.org/icsc/
Example 2 -- The Hotel Technology Next Generation
Example 3 -- The Jericho Forum (http://www.opengroup.org/jericho/)
Navigation Bar
The Navigation bar can be created by the site
administrator, except that the log in information, and levels are automatically
generated by the system depending on the user's status. The following
items can be inserted: a link to a page to be referenced from the
navigation bar, a URL, or a subheading. Each can have a
Horizontal Rule (HR) or a blank line before or after it. The
sequence of the items if determined by the Sort Order which is a positive
integer, increasing in the downward direction. Items in the
navigation bar can be associated with a particular user level. It
is also possible to include a graphic in the navigation bar.
| Example 4 - ICSC | Example 5 - HTNG | Example 6 - Jericho |
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Introductory Text
The Introductory Text is added or amended by the client
administrator, save that the bread crumbs ("You are Here") are automatically generated by
the system. The system provides for a parent site (name and URL),
and text which is visible at all levels (public and private). There
is also provision for a footer visible for all levels. In addition,
the name plus some introductory text can be supplied for each level.
A number of examples follow:
Example 7 -- The InternetConnect Software Consortium Introductory Text
Example 8 -- The Jericho Forum Introductory Text
Dynamic Content
The Dynamic Content can be set by entering the numbers (if any)
of items set for display. If a particular item has the display count set to zero then no items of that type are displayed. Items include news, events, emails, polls, documents, glossary items, actions and review documents.
Example 9 -- ICSC Dynamic Content
Footer
The footer can also be defined to include standard text.
Example 10 -- ICSC Footer
Example 11 -- HTNG Footer
Access Control
The system provides for the email aliases controlling
access for each level of access, and for administrative purposes, plus
URL's associated with the site.
User levels (public or private) are the key to access and
visibility. Four levels can be employed. The top level (code
40) is for public access and the three levels below (code 30, 20 and 10)
can be assigned as appropriate. For example, the second level (code
30) could be assigned for members, the third level could be assigned
for members of an SIG or Forum, whilst the forth level (code 10) assigned
to a working or steering group. Administrators can dictate which
group(s) of users can access each level as well as the introductory text,
navigation bars, and the dynamic content elements displayed.
Further Customization
Much customization can be achieved
using the administration interfaces . Those clients who wish to further change the look and feel of the
overall displays can ask The Open Group to alter the displays. The
addition or substitution of a logo is easily accomplished within
the existing administration framework. Other
aspects of layout can be controlled through use of include file or through
the cascading style sheet. These can be adjusted by The Open Group
staff taking care to adversely affect the treatment of the dynamic
content. Examples screen shots are shown below, select
an image to see the full screen shot:
For Frequently Asked Questions on Plato
see http://www.opengroup.org/faqs/plato/.
For an introduction to the Maintainers Site Screen - see part 2.
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