Using the Topic Browser

The topic browser allows users to browse and view all the topics in your Zingoolarity instance in list format.

It can also be seen as an "extended search”, as it allows more distinct topic attributes to be used as filters.

To invoke the topic browser, select "Topics” from either the main menu or from the home page:

(Zingoolarity Topic Browser)

Searching & Filtering for Topics

The topic browser allows you to search and filter for the following topic attributes:

• Name
  Enter part of a topic name.
• Type
  Enter part of a topic type name (e.g. "epic”).
• Detail
  Enter a phrase occuring in the details of a topic.
• Active
  Select whether you want to see all topics, only active topics or only inactive topics.
• Parent
  Enter part of the name of a parent topic.
• Timing
  Enter part of a timing name of a topic (e.g. "2024”).
• State
  Enter part of a topic state name (e.g. "progressing”).
• User
  Enter part of an assigned user name of a topic (who works on the topic).
• Percent From / To
  Enter any percentage range to filter for topics with completion percentage in-between.
  You can also specify only a starting or an ending percentage alone.
• Owner
  Enter part of an owner name of a topic (who created the topic).
• Locks
  Enter part of a security locks configuration (e.g. "trinity.w”).

Click the "Search” button to perform the search or click the "Clear” button to reset the already entered search criteria.

Exporting Topics

If you are an administrative user, you can export the currently filtered list of topics in ZML format to a local file.

Click on the "Export” button to perform the export.

A file named "export_topic.zml” or "export_topic.csv" (depending on the export mode settings in the settings screen) will be created in your local "Downloads” directory.

Adding a New Topic

To add a new topic, click the "Add” button.

Note that using the "Add” button in the topic browser will always create new topics located below the top-most "Home” topic.

Please use to the "Add” buttons in the different view modes to create topics in other contexts.

The attributes available in a topic have already been explained in a previous chapter in this getting started guide.

Please refer to the "Editing a Topic” chapter for more details.

At the bottom of the screen, a couple of buttons are available:

• The "Save” button will just save your changes (without leaving the editor screen).
• The "Save+Back” button will do the same but return to the previous screen.
• The "Cancel” button will just return to the previous screen (without saving).
• The "Delete” button will request confirmation, will delete the record and then will return to the previous screen.
Note: Deleting a topic is only possible, if the topic is not yet used somewhere in Zingoolarity already; if this is the case, you will see an appropriate error message.
• The "Log” button will show a historical transaction log of the current record (for auditing purposes).

Editing an Existing Topic

To edit an existing topic, click the "Edit” button next to the topic in the list shown in the topic browser after searching.

Focusing on a Topic or a Parent Topic

You can focus on a topic or a parent topic (and invoke the Contextchart view) by clicking on the name of a topic or the name of a parent topic in the list shown in the topic browser after searching.

Viewing the Assigned User of a Topic

You can view the details of an assigned user of a topic by clicking on the name of a user in the list shown in the topic browser after searching.