Overview

PhixFlow appears differently depending on whether you are using it as an Application User or Application Designer.

Application User

Perform all of their activity in PhixFlow application mode. They are not provided access to the design side of PhixFlow. A users access is set in their profile, as configured by the System Administrator or Application Designer(s).

Application Designer

Use PhixFlow to configure applications. They design the screens, data structure and all elements that make up an application. We recommend that  Design Mode is used on a desktop or laptop computer, as you require screen space to configure PhixFlow.

 Application Mode

Selecting Applications

Applications are shown as a set of cards on the welcome screen. Double click anywhere on a card to open the application.

You can return to the Welcome window by clicking on the  Application menu icon in the top left.

Opening Specific Application with a URL

To open a specific application using a URL the address must include the following at the end. Note that APP is the name of your application.

?application=APP

To see the URL for any PhixFlow application simply open the application and copy the address from the address bar

On Mobile Devices

PhixFlow supports mobile devices, such as tablets and phones. This means team members can access and update data whilst on the move. As mobile devices have less screen space available, the header bar is simplified to show the icons:

•  User Options
•  Administration – option available depend user's permissions.

 Design Mode

PhixFlow is a powerful tool for creating applications that help automate business processes. Design mode is where the configuration takes place.

Users can setup workflows, define data structures, design screens, configure the actions users can perform and create analysis models that process data and provide integration with external systems.

To switch between Design mode and Application mode click:  Design Mode and

Application Mode.

PhixFlow Welcome Window

Lists all the applications available to you, to return to the Welcome window at any time, click  Application menu in the top left. 

PhixFlow Working Window

The arrangement of PhixFlow's window is consistent across all design elements such as ERDs and analysis models. The following screenshot shows the main areas of the PhixFlow window, in this case for an ERD: 

The Header Bar 

The header bar runs across the full width of the PhixFlow Window. It shows, from left to right:

• The Application list icon and, optionally the PhixFlow logo. Both these act as a home button, returning you to the Welcome window and list of applications
• Quick access to the main application activities, Application , Data, Screens and Analysis models. 
• The name of the PhixFlow server 
•  User Details. This provides access to your user account and the  Logout button
•  Repository
•  Console
•  Administration –  the options available to you depend on your permissions.
• either  Design Mode or  Application Mode.

Navigation Tabs

For every diagram or screen that you open, PhixFlow creates a new Navigation Tab. You can easily switch between open items using the tabs.

Context Toolbar

Contains all of the items required to configure and layout PhixFlow applications. Each toolbar is relevant to the area of the system they are in.

Right Panel

On the right there are several things that PhixFlow can display. You can click  show/hide right panel to hide all the tabs open on the right.

Context Help

Context help is available for all major activities within PhixFlow. They consist of a short video to help you get started and a set of links to key areas within the topic and further information. 

To configure whether or not the Help panel is displayed, use your User Details → Show Contextual Help Panes option.

Repository

List all of the items that you can use. See Using the Repository for more information. 

Property Tabs 

Click on the name of an item to open its properties tab on the right. Usually PhixFlow opens each property tab in the same space and automatically closes any saved property tab. 

• To switch between tabs, click on the tab, which shows the name of the item.
• To keep a property tab open, click the  Pin icon in its tab. 
• To unpin a property tab, click the  Pinned icon.
• To view tabs side-by-side, drag the property tab onto the workspace. This creates a second properties area. You can create several property areas and you can drag properties tabs between them.
• To close a property tab, click on the white cross on the tab.

Every properties tab has a toolbar at the top, next to the item name. If the item name is long, toolbar icons are condensed into a  More Options icon.

For information about the properties tabs and their toolbar options, see Menu Options and Toolbar Buttons.

Left Panel

When you are working on screen design, PhixFlow displays a Layers panel on the left of the screen. This panel shows how the different items on the screen are related to each other, and highlights any element you have selected. Click the  Show/Hide Layer Panel to show or hide the Layers panel.

Accessing Help

• The help button in the header bar will take you to the learning centre where you will find, video tutorials, example data sets, template applications, as well as the ability search our extensive help library for your specific topic.
• Item properties and windows in PhixFlow include a  Help icon on the toolbar. This goes directly to the relevant reference help page, which has details about each option.

Notifications and Errors

PhixFlow displays notification pop-ups on the screen. The different coloured notifications are:

• Green - information
• Blue - warnings
• Red - errors.

You can click Dismiss notifications in the header bar to close all green and blue notifications. In the Administration Menu → System Configuration it is possible to set the Notification Timeout to automatically close these popups.

If there is an error that prevents PhixFlow completing something, it will display the system error message. You must close red error messages individually. 

Administrators monitor the details of what PhixFlow is doing using the System Console and can configure how much detail is logged; see System Monitoring and System Logging Configuration.