Getting to Know the Interface: A Guide to UI Components
The Enlighten Enterprise interface is designed to be map-centric, giving you maximum space to view your data while keeping powerful tools within reach. Because the workspace is highly customizable, understanding the primary components, and how to move them out of the way when you don’t need them, is key to a focused workflow.
Here is a breakdown of the primary user interface components and how to navigate them.
The Title Bar & Quick Settings
At the very top of the application is the Title Bar. This is your anchor for high-level navigation and global settings:
- Navigation: Access the Open Spatial Cloud website or return to your dedicated home page.
- Help & Documentation: Direct links to user guides and documentation are located here.
- Personalization: On the right side, you can toggle between light and dark modes, select your preferred language, and access your profile to manage account options or sign out.
Navigation & Dashboard Panels
On the left side of your screen, you will find the control panel for Dashboard and Open Spatial Cloud Components.
- Expand/Collapse: Use the “hamburger” and caret icons to expand the panel for more details or keep them collapsed to save space. Regarding the control panel, you can simply hover over the icons to see what each one represents.
- Permissions: Note that the icons you see here are determined by your unique user permissions, so your view may vary depending on your role.
Understanding the Four-Panel Layout
The main workspace is surrounded by four primary panels. Each serves a specific purpose in your GIS workflow:
- Left Panel: This panel primarily houses the Search It is fully collapsible, allowing you to hide it when you are finished with your queries.
- Right Panel: This is the Workspaces and Layers Here you select and configure your workspaces and manage your layers. Your choice here directly impacts what you see in other panels.
- Top Panel: This is the Active Layer Data Grid. It is typically collapsed by default to keep the map clear. When expanded, it reveals a comprehensive data grid for your active layer (as selected in the Right Panel), allowing you to view and edit underlying attribute data.
- Bottom Panel: This area serves as the Status Bar. Unlike the other panels, it is a fixed element that cannot be expanded or collapsed. This panel provides essential real-time information at a glance including current geographic coordinates, scale, and zoom level.
Learning Through Interactive Tours
If you are ever unsure about a specific component, look for the “question mark” icons found on many panels. These launch interactive tours that highlight sections of the interface and provide helpful context. You can use the “Next” and “Back” buttons within a tour to walk through the configuration of any tool at your own pace.
Watch the Video Tutorial
Interested in more tips for Open Spatial Cloud? Explore the rest of our Learning section for more guides on maximizing your GIS investment.