Computer Customization

User overrides allow you to customize the way that the Workflow client opens and appears on a specific computer for a specific user. Client layouts, startup objects, and startup displays can be customized for individual users that log on to a specific workstation. Global user overrides allow you to customize the way that the Workflow client opens and appears on any computer that the selected user logs into, regardless of whether the computer is included in a default configuration.

Overrides that are configured using the Computer Editor are specific to the selected computer. Overrides that are configured using the Default Computer Editor are global; that is, the specified user can log on to any computer that is included in a global default configuration and the startup options defined for that user will be displayed.

You can specify the startup object in the navigator, as well as the solution and display that are shown at startup, regardless of the user context saved during the previous user session.

User overrides replace any default settings when the specific user logs onto this workstation. User overrides replace any default settings when the specific user logs onto any computer using any computer in the system, regardless of whether it is included in a default configuration.

When creating the layout configuration for a workstation, including any user overrides, the following rules apply:
  • You can select the navigator and/or object views for the user, as well as having specific navigation, startup object, and startup displays/solutions specified.
  • If the navigator is not selected, you must specify a startup object, and if the solution panel is not selected, you must specify startup solution and display objects; otherwise, the configuration is considered invalid and an error is reported.
  • If you specify a startup solution, you must also specify a startup display.

If you do not want a specific computer to use the default configuration, you can either exclude it during the initial default set up or you can override the default configuration.

During startup, after the user has been authenticated, the user's context is loaded, based on the following rules:
  • If a layout is configured for a particular user; that is, user overrides are configured, that layout is used to determine the context that is loaded. Otherwise, the default layout context for a specific computer is used. If global default configurations are used, overrides defined for a specific user take precedence.
  • If a startup object has been specified, as well as the startup solution and display, then no user context from the previous session is loaded. The context is defined by the configured layout settings.
  • Workflow tries to load the context from the previous session on this workstation, and then checks if the startup object or solution and display were specified in the layout. If any of these options were specified, then they are set as part of the user context to be restored.
  • If there is no context associated with a particular workstation, then the last saved user context is loaded and checked against the layout settings.
  • When a user logs in for the first time, no context is loaded. However, the client still checks the layout configuration to set the proper layout, startup navigation, solution, and display objects.

Layout Buttons

The layout buttons are located on the toolbar, and are available according to the layout configured for the specific workstation or according to the user overrides for the individual who is logged in on that workstation.
Note: A layout for a specific workstation can also be based on default settings if the workstation is included in a global default configuration.
If you are working in a layout that exposes the Displays panel, you can maximize your working area by clicking the toggle arrow at the top of the panel, which alternately collapses or expands the panel with each click. In the collapsed mode, the panel appears as a thin vertical bar. Clicking on the bar causes the Displays panel to open in pop-up mode, from which you can select a different display. After selecting a new display, moving your cursor off the pop-up panel collapses it again.
Note: The pop-up version of the panel does not allow you to choose between compatible or all displays. If you need to do so, you must click the toggle arrow to expand the full panel.