Notes Facility

Purpose To allow the creation and maintenance of free-form notes for data in Callista

Image Click for an example of a calling form

Notes Facility

Explanation

This facility allows additional information to be attached to records in the Callista database in a variety of note formats, and is accessed from forms in many subsystems. The forms which call the facility have very similar layouts - an example can be seen using the Image icon above.
All notes must be assigned to a note type. The types are defined by the institution for each subsystem where notes are used, the type reflecting the purpose of the notes associated with it.
Notes may be created, stored and retrieved in almost any format. The currently available formats are:

Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Text
Other OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) - which permits virtually any other format

Example

In the Course Structure & Planning subsystem, notes of type HANDBOOK could be created for inclusion in the institution's handbook.

To create a text note relating to a record on the Callista database:

In Insert mode in the form calling the Notes Facility:

Ensure that the desired context is displayed in the top block.
Select the type representing the purpose of the note from the list of values in the '_ _Type' field.
Save.
Select the corresponding Edit Note navigation button. The Notes Facility is invoked, and a Note Format Type dialogue box displayed.
Select TEXT from the list of values in the Note Format Type field of the dialogue box. Click the OK button. A blank Note form is displayed.
Type the text of the note.
Save.
Exit Note Facility.
Rules:

The label for the '__Type' field will vary, depending on context. The field is the leftmost one for data entry in the calling form.

To create a note of format other than text, which relates to a record on the Callista database:

In Insert mode in the form calling the Notes Facility:

Ensure that the desired context is displayed in the top block.
Select the type representing the purpose of the note from the list of values in the '_ _Type' field.
Save.
Select the corresponding Edit Note navigation button. The Notes Facility is invoked, and a Note Format Type dialogue box displayed.
Select the format of the note being created from the list of values in the Note Format Type field of the dialogue box and click the OK button. A blank Note form is displayed.
Click the right mouse button within the form to invoke a pop up menu.
From the menu, select Insert Object. A dialogue box is displayed. In the dialogue box, there are radio buttons providing three options:

Create New opens the helper application to create a note in your chosen format. Note that the full functionality of the helper application is available.
Create from File permits an existing file residing on your computer or on a remote file server to be inserted as a note. The Link checkbox permits the source file to be linked to the note so that changes in the source file are reflected in the note.
Create Control is not used for Callista purposes at this time.

Select the required Object Type from the list displayed.
Select Display as Icon if you want an icon to represent the document/object in the Note form, rather than having the content of the document/object inserted there.
Click the OK button. The required helper application is started and a document/object can be created using the full functionality of the application.
Close the document/object and application. The content of the document/object (or an icon representing it) is inserted into the Note form.
Save.
Exit the Note form.
Rules:

The label for the '__Type' field will vary, depending on context. The field is the leftmost one for data entry in the calling form.
Note Format Types available are currently MSWORD, MSEXCEL, OTHEROLE. (For TEXT notes, see above.)
IF MSWORD or MSEXCEL is selected as a note format type at step 5, this format type should default as the Object Type at step 7.
The list displayed when Other OLE is selected reflects the applications available to your workstation.
Helper applications interact differently with Callista. For example, just closing the document/object may return you to the Note form in some applications.

To modify a note relating to a record on the Callista database:

In the form calling the Notes Facility:

Ensure that the required context is displayed in the top block.
Select the note record to be edited.
Select the Edit Note navigation button. The Note form is displayed.
Either
if the note was saved as TEXT, amend it in this form
or
invoke and use the helper application by

double-clicking on the icon, if an icon was used, making changes and closing the document/object and application, or
double-clicking the left mouse button, making changes and closing the document/object and application.

Save.
Exit the Note form.
Rules:

The definition of a note cannot be modified, though the contents of the note can generally be edited. This depends on the application used - for example, a Microsoft PowerPoint Slide cannot be altered from Notes.

To delete a note relating to a record on the Callista database:

In the form which normally calls the Notes Facility:

Ensure that the required context is displayed in the top block.
Select the note record to be deleted.
Delete the record.
Save.
Rules:

WARNING - Caution should be exercised before deleting notes to ensure that the information is no longer required.

Last modified 20 November 2000

Purpose	To allow the creation and maintenance of free-form notes for data in Callista
Image		Click for an example of a calling form

To create a text note relating to a record on the Callista database:
In Insert mode in the form calling the Notes Facility: Ensure that the desired context is displayed in the top block. Select the type representing the purpose of the note from the list of values in the '_ _Type' field. Save. Select the corresponding Edit Note navigation button. The Notes Facility is invoked, and a Note Format Type dialogue box displayed. Select TEXT from the list of values in the Note Format Type field of the dialogue box. Click the OK button. A blank Note form is displayed. Type the text of the note. Save. Exit Note Facility.	Rules: The label for the '__Type' field will vary, depending on context. The field is the leftmost one for data entry in the calling form.
To create a note of format other than text, which relates to a record on the Callista database:
In Insert mode in the form calling the Notes Facility: Ensure that the desired context is displayed in the top block. Select the type representing the purpose of the note from the list of values in the '_ _Type' field. Save. Select the corresponding Edit Note navigation button. The Notes Facility is invoked, and a Note Format Type dialogue box displayed. Select the format of the note being created from the list of values in the Note Format Type field of the dialogue box and click the OK button. A blank Note form is displayed. Click the right mouse button within the form to invoke a pop up menu. From the menu, select Insert Object. A dialogue box is displayed. In the dialogue box, there are radio buttons providing three options: Create New opens the helper application to create a note in your chosen format. Note that the full functionality of the helper application is available. Create from File permits an existing file residing on your computer or on a remote file server to be inserted as a note. The Link checkbox permits the source file to be linked to the note so that changes in the source file are reflected in the note. Create Control is not used for Callista purposes at this time. Select the required Object Type from the list displayed. Select Display as Icon if you want an icon to represent the document/object in the Note form, rather than having the content of the document/object inserted there. Click the OK button. The required helper application is started and a document/object can be created using the full functionality of the application. Close the document/object and application. The content of the document/object (or an icon representing it) is inserted into the Note form. Save. Exit the Note form.	Rules: The label for the '__Type' field will vary, depending on context. The field is the leftmost one for data entry in the calling form. Note Format Types available are currently MSWORD, MSEXCEL, OTHEROLE. (For TEXT notes, see above.) IF MSWORD or MSEXCEL is selected as a note format type at step 5, this format type should default as the Object Type at step 7. The list displayed when Other OLE is selected reflects the applications available to your workstation. Helper applications interact differently with Callista. For example, just closing the document/object may return you to the Note form in some applications.
To modify a note relating to a record on the Callista database:
In the form calling the Notes Facility: Ensure that the required context is displayed in the top block. Select the note record to be edited. Select the Edit Note navigation button. The Note form is displayed. Either if the note was saved as TEXT, amend it in this form or invoke and use the helper application by double-clicking on the icon, if an icon was used, making changes and closing the document/object and application, or double-clicking the left mouse button, making changes and closing the document/object and application. Save. Exit the Note form.	Rules: The definition of a note cannot be modified, though the contents of the note can generally be edited. This depends on the application used - for example, a Microsoft PowerPoint Slide cannot be altered from Notes.
To delete a note relating to a record on the Callista database:
In the form which normally calls the Notes Facility: Ensure that the required context is displayed in the top block. Select the note record to be deleted. Delete the record. Save.	Rules: WARNING - Caution should be exercised before deleting notes to ensure that the information is no longer required.