The Umler interface provides the same navigational tools found in most Windows applications and Internet sites.  This section provides basic explanations of the elements and components that assist in moving through the various pages of the application to complete tasks. Mouse and keyboard equivalents are discussed for each element.

Railinc Web Page Layout

Each page in a Railinc web application has the same structure.

Exhibit 2. Railinc Web Application Page Layout

1    Logo—Railinc logo. Logo is link to the Railinc corporate website.

2    Application Title—Name of the application. This is also a link to the Home page of the application.

3    User ID—Logged in user.

4    Company—Company user is representing. For individuals representing several roads. Selecting this link while logged on (hand pointer shown below) opens the Select Your Company page (Exhibit 28), to reselect the company on whose behalf the user will be working—without logging out.

5    Launch Pad—Link where the user can click to go directly to the SSO Launch pad, or hover over to display a dual drop-down menu to switch to other authorized Railinc applications (left side) or go to the SSO User Services functions (right side), e.g., change passwords, request other applications, etc. (Exhibit 3).

Exhibit 3. Launch Pad Link Drop-Down Menu

6    Contact Us—Opens a page of contact information (local road, Railinc support).

7    Sign Out—Logs out of current application and returns to the Railinc SSO login page.

8    Application Menu—The top of the Railinc page displays the application menu options. The options on this menu allow you to perform the various functions of the application. Some specific options include:

·         Help—Opens a new window with page-specific help.

·         References—Opens a page with links to various reference documents (e.g., user guide, specification manual, etc.).

9    Display Unit Lookup—Selecting the icon () allows the user to look up and display a unit in a new window without interrupting work on the current page. The Display Unit window can be closed when viewing is completed.

10  Page Title—The title of the specific application task page.

11  Message Area—Area under the page title which displays messages as needed (shown outlined with blue dashes). Error messages are red with a light red background. Informational/warning messages are black on a light yellow background. Success messages are green on a light green background.

12  Page content area—The area of the page where tasks are executed (shown outlined with red dashes). These vary and may include a number of different elements, which are described in the next sections.

13  Legal Links—This area at the bottom left of each page contains links to applicable legal notices, privacy rights, terms of service, and the Contact Us.

14  Copyright—This area at the bottom right of each page shows copyright information.

Railinc Interface Elements

Application Menu

Exhibit 4. Application Menu

Each application menu item can be a specific single task or open a drop-down menu. When no menu exists, the task begins immediately after selecting. Otherwise, a drop-down menu is displayed (Exhibit 5). Tabbing allows the user to visit each menu, right-to-left, and top to bottom sequentially. For this reason, the mouse is the method of choice for menu navigation and selection of tasks.

Drop-Down Menu

Exhibit 5. Drop-Down Menu

Drop-down menus represent tasks that can be selected by left clicking with the mouse (or pressing Enter when the item is highlighted). If the task has a right arrow (>), a submenu (Exhibit 6) appears when selected.

Submenus

See the Note about available menu items.

Exhibit 6. Submenu

Submenus appear whenever the mouse moves over the indicated menu option (or while tabbing through the menu items). Submenus represent tasks that can be selected by left-clicking with the mouse (or pressing Enter when the item is highlighted, as shown in Exhibit 7).

Exhibit 7. Highlighted (focused) Menu Item

Hyperlinks

Hyperlinks appear in the application as underlined text. Selecting a hyperlink displays a page related to that subject (frequently additional details) or a tool to perform the indicated task.

Exhibit 8. Unselected Hyperlink

Exhibit 9. Highlighted (focused) Hyperlink

To select a hyperlink, left-click with the mouse, or press Enter when the link is focused.

Text Boxes

Text boxes are simply empty fields that allow you to enter text. For example, the fields that allow you to enter your User ID and password are text boxes (Exhibit 10). When entering a password the characters are encrypted and appears as a series of asterisks (*).

Exhibit 10. Text Boxes

Text boxes may have limits for the type of data to be entered (i.e., alpha, numeric, special characters), and/or the amounts of input (e.g., 255 characters), and the formatting allowed (e.g., date and time, use of hyphens/slashes).

Drop-Down Text Boxes

Some text boxes have arrows located on the right side. These arrows indicate that predetermined input options are available for that text box.  Selecting the arrow displays a list of the available data entry options.  Select one of the available choices by clicking it, or pressing Enter when the item is highlighted.

Exhibit 11. Drop-Down Text Box

Longer Drop down lists can have a scroll bar at the right, and most longer lists also offer first letter navigation, where typing a letter or number scrolls to that part of the list (Exhibit 12). Scrolling using the scroll bar and button is described in Scroll Bars/Buttons.

Exhibit 12. Drop-Down Text Box with Scroll Bar

Some text boxes allow multiple selections (Exhibit 13). Use the Shift key to select a range of options or the Ctrl key to select multiple, nonsequential items in a list. To select all items in the text box, press Ctrl+A (select all).

Exhibit 13. Multiple Selection Text Box

Scrolling in a multiple selection text box does not select or deselect items. To deselect a single highlighted item, press Ctrl and select the item.

Check Boxes

Check boxes appear under the Select heading on the far-left side of many results lists/tables. Select the empty check box beside the item wanted (click with mouse or press the spacebar when the check box is focused). A selected check box contains a check mark. Select as many check boxes as applicable. To uncheck, select again. In Exhibit 14, two records are selected for further action.

Exhibit 14. Checked Check Boxes

To perform an action on records, first check them and then select the desired command button, such as View and Validate.

Radio Buttons

Radio buttons are similar to check boxes, except only one selection can be made. When a radio button is selected, a dot appears in the marked circle. Selecting one radio button unselects any other that may have been selected previously.

Exhibit 15. Radio Button (AM/PM indicator—AM selected)

Scroll Bars/Buttons

Many Railinc applications have scroll bars and buttons. Some pages may have multiple scroll bars (page scroll bars and list scroll bars). These can be very close, so make sure to navigate using the correct scroll bar.

Exhibit 16. Scroll Bar/Button and Usage

Command Buttons

Command buttons are used to execute tasks on web pages. Command buttons are generally at both the top and bottom of web pages. To activate a command button, select the button with a left mouse click, or press Enter or spacebar when the button has focus (see Exhibit 17).

Exhibit 17. Command Button (with focus)

Exhibit 18 contains general descriptions of buttons found throughout the Railinc and the Umler interfaces.

Exhibit 18. Command Buttons

Workflow Tabs

Multiple-step workflows can sometimes be captured in tabbed panel design to provide a logical, step-wise sequence of user activity that corresponds to a business process.

Exhibit 19. Web Page with Tabs

Tabs allow the user to “toggle” between related pages (like Search Criteria and Search Results for consecutive searches on most query pages). The lighter tab is currently active.

Back and Forward Buttons

The back and forward buttons (Exhibit 20) in the Internet browser’s toolbar can be used to move between pages when no navigation is provided. Caution should be observed when trying to navigate back to a screen viewed several screens previously. Once a transaction has been submitted to the system, it is not possible to reverse or undo the transaction through the use of the back button.

Exhibit 20. Back and Forward Buttons

Icons

Icons are graphic images used to display conditions, status, or to invoke secondary searches.

Exhibit 21. Icons

Calendar

Most Railinc calendars operate in the same way to select a date needed in the field. The default date is usually today. Using the calendar automates correct date formatting (slashes vs. hyphens, etc.).

Exhibit 22. Calendar

Use the < and > buttons to move backward or forward by month (or use the month drop-down). Use the << and >> buttons to move backward or forward by year.

When on the correct month, select the appropriate date (double-click with mouse—or tab to day and press Enter). The calendar panel closes and the picked date shows in the “Date” field.

Tables

Many web pages use tables to display complex lists after searches, or to organize data.

Exhibit 23. Table

Tables longer than one screen have a scroll bar at the right.

·         Links at the top of table columns may provide sorting capability, ascending or descending.

·         Links (hyperlinks) within the table structure generally open other pages with more detailed information for the record item when selected (see Hyperlinks).

Umler-Specific Interface Elements

This section describes the Umler-specific interface elements.

Umler Application Menu

Exhibit 24 show the Umler application menu.

Exhibit 24. Umler Application Menu(split for readability)

The Umler application menu provides the following functions:

Exhibit 25. Umler Application Menu Functions

Umler Checkbox Toggles

On certain pages, Umler uses a checkbox to modify the appearance or display of data. These include:

 Use Spanish for Error Messages and Properties—check to toggle to Spanish language

 Show database values—check to show unformatted database values

 Differing elements only—check to differences values (used in Compare Equipment)

 Flat View—check to display truck components grouped by element in location order

Unchecking the check box returns the data to its default appearance.

Umler Command Buttons

Umler uses some application-specific command buttons.

Exhibit 26. Umler-Specific Command Buttons

Umler Icons and Indicators

Umler uses application-specific icons and indicators to assist the user:

Exhibit 27. Umler-Specific Icons