Using Solo

Table of Contents [Hide/Show]

The Default Screen Layout
Solo's Windows
   The Toolbar
   Lines
   Devices
   Call Log
   Directory
   Call Details
   Chat (Visual Talkback)
Customising the Screen Layout
Minimizing the screen

The Default Screen Layout¶

Shown below is the default screen layout for Solo.

The default appearance of each installation will vary slightly, depending on the number of lines and devices available. Note that it is possible to customise the layout by resizing and repositioning the various widgets). Screen customisation is described later in the wiki. Additionally, it is possible to undock each element of the screen (Lines, Devices, Phonebook, Call details & Chat) to create and save your own screen layout.

Solo's Windows¶

The Toolbar¶

Solo's toolbar is positioned across the top of the screen and includes basic controls as well as access to system menus.

Lines¶

Shown at the top left are Solo's telephone lines. As can be seen, each has a label showing which service the line is configured to.

Devices¶

Devices in Solo include the handset (if used) and the virtual hybrids, which are each represented with a letter. It is also possible to configure Buddies such that devices from other workstations are visible.

The yellow highlight shown on the device letter (device A above) indicates that this is currently the "active" device. In simple terms this means that any dialling or routing actions carried out are actioned on this device. The active device can be changed by simply clicking on an alternative. The yellow block will move to confirm the change.

Call Log¶

The Call Log allows you to see Time, Name, Location, Number and rating of the caller. Additionally if the caller has any Alerts associated with them these will be visible in this view.

Directory¶

Solo's directory is accessed from this window. Clicking on the green plus symbol allows numbers to be added and these can be allocated within named groups.

Call Details¶

The call details window allows you to enter details specific to each call. These can then be retrieved later by double clicking the call in the call log window. Relevant details such as name, location etc. are also retrieved should the caller call again.

Chat (Visual Talkback)¶

Users can have a textual conversation with each other via the chat window. It is possible to setup a chat name for each machine.

The chat area can also be set to Auto Hide, along with the clock. To toggle this feature, click the pin icon in the title bar of the the chat window.

The clock and chat tabs will be docked to the bottom of the main PhoneBOX window when Auto Hide is on. Moving your mouse cursor over either of these tabs will cause it to slide into view, and disappear when not being used.

Customising the Screen Layout¶

Solo's screen layout is fully customisable, in that every window can be moved to a different position, resized, docked to a position on the screen or moved to a floating window. It is also possible to combine several windows into one, at which point Solo will provide tabs to select which one is active.

In order to change the layout, each window can be dragged to a desired location. A series of symbols will appear, as explained below, to show where the window will end up. If the window needs to be undocked first, this can be achieved by clicking "Tools - Undock/Show Window" and selecting the relevant window.

As an example, in the image below the Chat window has been undocked and is in the process of being dragged towards the top right hand side of the screen.

Various buttons have appeared and the window can be dragged onto one of them in order to determine how it will be placed.

Firstly, there are four main buttons at the top, left, right and bottom of the screen. If the window is dropped onto any of these buttons, Solo will create a new section at that position and dock the window into it. In the image below, the Chat window has been dragged onto the left hand button.

Secondly, there is an array of five buttons that has appeared within the section that the window is being dragged into. In this example, that section is the top right hand side of the screen. If the window is dragged into the centre button, this will add the window to the current group. In other words, Chat will be added as a tab along with the Call Log, Call Details and Directory that are already there. If, on the other hand, the window is released into one of the other four buttons, Solo will create a new section within the section being dragged into and dock the Chat window there. For example, in the image below the Chat window has been dragged onto the bottom button of the five.

It is also possible to resize windows by dragging dividing lines into new positions (see example below).

Minimizing the screen¶

Whilst Solo is running you have the ability to minimize the screen to a docked tool bar, allowing you to use the same computer to say, browse the internet, whilst still answering and routing calls. The following image shows the docked tool bar.