Setting Preferences

About Setting Preferences

CES allows you to establish appearance and table preferences that control the way the search results window sorts and displays data.  By selecting the Preferences link in the Search Result window, you can customize its look and feel.  Regardless of your default configuration, you have the ability to customize this window to meet your needs based on the attributes that you determine are important for your mode of operation.

When Setting Preferences

  • Any preferences that have been set can be reset to the default values by selecting the Reset button in the Preferences window.  Default values are established during installation.  For more information regarding the default values that have been implemented in your organization, see your System Administrator.
  • Some user preferences can be overridden by optimized calculations by the software. These are internal settings and cannot be changed.

Accessing the Search Results Window

Within CES, there are many methods of accessing the Search Results window. To complete the scenario below, select one of the following methods to access the Search Results window:

 
If You Are Using the... Then...

Advanced Access

  1. In the Main Access Area, click the Advanced Access link

  2. In the Advanced Access window, click the Standard Search or Simple Search tab to access the search window.

  3. Complete the search criteria, and click the Search button to execute the search.

Favorites
  1. In the Favorites pane, click the My Searches link to expand the saved searches listed.

  2. Select the search that you want to conduct, right-click, and select Execute Search from the shortcut menu.

How To Set Preferences

For the following scenario, the Accessing the Search Results Window: Advanced Access method is used to access the Search Results window. 
  1. In the Main Access Area, click the Advanced Access link.  The Advanced Access window appears.

  2. Define your search by completing the search criteria and clicking the Search button.  The Search Results window appears with the items listed based upon your defined search.

  3. Within the Search Results window, click the Preferences link.  The Search Results window displays the setting options.

  4. Notice that the columns that appear in the search results have a checkmark next to their column name.  This checkmark indicates that this column should be visible in the Search Results window.  You are able to customize the columns that do and do not display by simply removing or adding this option to the appropriate column.

  5. Also notice that each column has arrows next to the column name, which allows you to set the order in which each column appears in the list.  By selecting the left arrow, you are able to shift the column further left in the display, and by selecting the right arrow, you are able to shift the column further right.  Using this feature will allow you to prioritize the information by allowing you to select those columns that you want to see initially in each search.

  6. Another setting that will assist you in customizing your search result list view is the column sizing option.  Notice in the example above that each column is set at a "minimum" width.  This means that the column will automatically size itself to a minimum requirement based on the largest set of data contained within that column.  However, you can choose to set a standard width for each column by selecting the Fixed option in the drop-down menu and typing the desired column width into the Size field.

  7. Once you have completed your changes, you can apply the changes to your current view without committing them to the database by clicking the Apply button.  This function gives you the ability to review the look and feel of the window before making your final decision.  By clicking the Save button, all changes that you have made are committed to the database and will be retained until you make further changes, or Reset the view back to its default values.  The Cancel button allows you to discard all your changes and revert back to the last saved configuration.

The Search Result: Preferences Window

This table defines the fields that appear in the Search Results: Preferences window.

Fields Description
Displayed Rows The value of the displayed rows, determines the maximum number of objects matching the search criteria, that will be displayed in the search result table.  The default value is set to 20.  If there are more than 20 objects matching the search criteria, then you will have multiple pages of results.
Checkbox against attribute The checkbox determines if an attribute will be shown in the Search Result window.  By default, all the attributes are checked and are displayed in the Search Result window.  If you clear the checkbox, the attribute will not be shown.
Right Arrow You can adjust which attributes will be shown in which column.  Click the right arrow to move the attribute to the right columns.  The last attribute (right most) in the result table will not have the right arrow.
Left Arrow You can adjust which attributes will be shown in the which column.  Click the left arrow to move the attribute to the left columns.  This first attribute (left most) in the result table will not have the left arrow.
Minimum default value The drop-down list has two values: fixed and minimum.
  • When you select Fixed, the size of the column is defined based on your input in the width field, and will not be modified regardless of the displacement of your search text.
  • When you select Minimum, then if more space is available, the column will share it evenly with other "minimum-sized" columns.
  • NOTE: When the number of columns you have selected to display requires the column widths to be adjusted to be able to fit the columns in the window, then this setting will be ignored. This is an internal optimization and cannot be changed.

Size The Size defines the width of the column in characters.

This table describes the buttons that appear in the Search Results: Preferences window.

Button Description
Accesses the previous page in the search results.
Accesses the next page in the search results.
Restores the default settings.
Allows you to see the changes that you have made prior to committing them to the database.
Commits your changes to the database.
Discards the values entered, and reverts to the previously displayed settings.
Moves the column one-step to the right.
Moves the column one-step to the left.