Difference between revisions of "Editing Swimlane Properties for Version 7.0"

Latest revision as of 17:09, 18 January 2021

Overview

In addition to defining row and swimlane properties in the Chart Properties form, you can select a specific swimlane or swimlane level cell and manually edit its individual properties. To do this, use your mouse to select a swimlane or a swimlane level cell with a right-click to access the swimlane level right-click context menu as shown below:

In the illustration above, the Left#3 swimlane level cell is right-clicked to select the swimlane and the Left#3 swimlane level cell and to access the swimlane level right-click context menu. Clicking the Properties … command accesses the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlanes tab shown below:

As an alternative, use the slow left-click selection method to select just the Left#3 swimlane level cell, right-click to access the swimlane level right-click context menu and click the Properties … command where the Swimlane/Cell Properties form is accessed at the Cell tab as shown here:

Either method in the above two illustrations allows you to access either tab of the Swimlane/Cell Properties form. The access method described above in general terms for OnePager Pro applies to OnePager Express as well. Any edits made to a swimlane or a swimlane level cell using the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s controls makes the swimlane and/or swimlane level cell a maverick. In the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane tab you can edit the border properties of the selected swimlane, edit the selected swimlane level cell’s background color (as described later on), and use the Use Default Swimlane Properties button to revert any maverick swimlanes back to their default settings.

Multiple swimlanes and swimlane level cells can be selected and edited using the controls in the Swimlane/Cell Properties form. When selecting multiple swimlane or swimlane level cells, OnePager only allows selections in one swimlane level.

This article describes the use of the Swimlane/Cell Properties form for the situations where one or multiple swimlanes or swimlane level cells are selected. The next section covers the various methods for selecting swimlanes for editing.

If you are comfortable with these selection techniques, you can jump to the article sections at the link where the controls in the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s tabs are discussed: Editing Swimlane Properties with the Swimlane/Cell Properties Form’s Swimlane Tab

Accessing Swimlanes for Editing Swimlanes and Swimlane Level Cells

Often it may be necessary to edit the properties of a swimlane level cell or set of swimlane level cells for the purpose of highlighting them for your schedule discussion presentation. This can be done by selecting the desired swimlane level cell or cells using the appropriate mouse left-click and/or right-click combination selection methods to access the swimlane level right-click context menu and its Properties … command shown here:

This sub-section covers accessing the Swimlane/Cell Properties form using the available selection methods for swimlanes and swimlane level cells.

For more information on the selection methods available for swimlanes and swimlane level cells, please see the article and sub-section at: Selection Methods Available for Multiple Swimlane Levels

Accessing the Swimlane/Cell Properties Form – Single Swimlane and Single Swimlane Level Cell Selection

Clicking the Properties … command when a swimlane is selected accesses the Swimlane/Cell Properties form at the Swimlane tab shown here:

To make sure that there is no confusion on which swimlane level is being accessed, the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane tab’s Swimlane – Left#n Properties control group shows the number of the swimlane level accessed as highlighted in the above illustration.

Accessing a Single Swimlane

Using the above illustration as an example, the Left#1 swimlane level can be accessed as shown below:

Once accessed, any edits applied to the Left#1 swimlane level cell may be applied to the Left#2 and Left#3 swimlane level cells since the swimlane as an entity is selected as opposed to individual swimlane level cells.

For example, if the Left#1 swimlane level cell is used to access the Swimlane/Cell Properties form, changing the Swimlane Background Color applies to the Left#1, Left#2, and Left#3 swimlane level cells as these swimlane level cells are in the same swimlane from the form’s perspective. Making such an edit to change the Swimlane Background Color to red changes the configuration of the chart to look like this:

If the selection is made in the Left#2 swimlane level cell and the same edit is applied, the chart’s configuration is changed to look like this:

Accessing a Single Swimlane Cell

Clicking the Properties … command when a single swimlane level cell is selected accesses the Swimlane/Cell Properties form at the Cell tab shown here:

Use the slow left-click selection method to select an individual swimlane level cell and follow the selection action with the method described above to access the Swimlane/Cell Properties form at the Cell tab as shown here:

When a single swimlane level cell is selected with the slow left-click method and the Swimlane/Cell Properties form is accessed at the Cell tab and the same edit as shown above is applied, only the Left#1 swimlane level cell has its Cell Background Color changed to red as shown below:

Accessing the Swimlane/Cell Properties Form – Multiple Swimlane and Swimlane Level Cell Selection

You can select multiple swimlanes or multiple swimlane level cells as long as they are at the same swimlane level. The CTL+Left-Click or SHIFT+Left-Click selection techniques can be used to select multiple swimlanes or multiple swimlane level cells for editing using the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane or Cell tabs.

For more information on the selection methods available for selecting multiple swimlanes or multiple swimlane level cells, please see the article and sub-section at: Selection Methods Available for Multiple Swimlane Levels

CTL+Left-Click Method Used to Select Multiple Individual Swimlanes

Multiple swimlanes can be edited with the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane tab as demonstrated below using the access method previously described:

Edits made in the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane tab are applied to all selected swimlanes.

SHIFT+Left-Click Method Used to Select Multiple Sequential Swimlanes

Use SHIFT+Left-Click method to select a sequence of swimlanes for editing with the Swimlane/Cell Properties form as shown here:

Edits made in the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane tab are applied to all selected swimlanes.

Using Slow Left-Click and CTL+Left-Click Methods to Select Multiple Individual Swimlane Level Cells

Use the slow left-click method in conjunction with the CTL+Left-Click method to select individual swimlane level cells in the same swimlane level. The method involves first getting the mouse device into the slow left-click mode and then using the CTL+Left-Click method to select the desired individual swimlane level cells as shown below:

Once the three individual swimlane level cells are selected, as shown above, a right-click in the third selected swimlane level cell accesses the swimlane level right-click context menu. Clicking the Properties … command accesses the Swimlane/Cells Properties form’s Cell tab for the Left#3 Cell Properties where any edits that are made to the controls at the Cell tab apply to all selected individual Left#3 swimlane level cells.

For example, we can change the Cell Background Color to red for the selected individual Left#3 swimlane level cells by using the standard OnePager Color Chooser form as shown below:

Using Slow Left-Click and SHIFT+Left-Click Methods to Select a Sequence of Swimlane Level Cells

Use the slow left-click method in conjunction with the SHIFT+Left-Click method to access a sequence of swimlane level cells in the same swimlane level. The method involves first getting the mouse device into the slow left-click mode and then using the SHIFT+Left-Click method to select the desired sequence of swimlane level cells as shown below:

Once the sequence of four (4) swimlane level cells are selected, as shown above, a right-click in the last selected swimlane level cell accesses the swimlane level right-click context menu. Clicking the Properties … command accesses the Swimlane/Cells Properties form’s Cell tab for the Left#2 Cell Properties where any edits that are made to the controls at the Cell tab apply to all selected individual Left#3 swimlane level cells.

For this example, we can change the Cell Background Color to red for the selected sequence of four Left#2 swimlane level cells by using the standard OnePager Color Chooser form as shown below:

Editing Swimlane Properties with the Swimlane/Cell Properties Form’s Swimlane Tab

The Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane tab is shown below:

There are three control groups on this form for:

• Border properties,
• Swimlane Background Color,
• Use Default Swimlane Properties button.

Manually Editing Swimlane Border Properties with the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane Tab

There are three sub-control groups in the Border control group shown at the top of this section. You have control over the selected swimlane’s Border type, Top border, and Bottom border colors; the Line width of the top and bottom border lines; and the Dash type for the top and bottom border lines.

Border Types for Swimlane Borders

There are four border types available for use in the form. For the selected swimlane or swimlanes there are options for turning ON both the top and bottom borders, either the top or the bottom borders ON, or neither top nor bottom border ON. Any changes made to the global setting of swimlane borders make the involved swimlane or swimlanes into a maverick.

Mavericking Border Types for Swimlane Borders - Example

To provide an example, the sample BlueGrass Project Plan Report – Pro chart is modified globally to remove all row and swimlane borders as shown below:

In the illustration that follows, we’ll maverick swimlanes as follows:

• The Prime Left#3 swimlane borders are updated so its bottom border is turned ON with line size 2.0, Color Black, Dash type – Dot.
• The Refactoring & Deployment Left#2 swimlane borders are updated so its top border is turned ON with line size 3.0, Color Red, and Dash type – Dash-dot-dot.
• The Phase III Left#1 swimlane border is updated so that its top and bottom borders are turned ON with line size 3.5, Color Blue, and Dash type – Solid.

When these maverick changes are applied to the individual elements mentioned above using the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane tab, the chart is modified to look like this:

Manually Editing Swimlane Background Colors with the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane Tab

The standard OnePager Color Chooser form is used the change the background color of the selected swimlane level cell or cells. Recall that in a three swimlane level chart, changing the background color for a Left#1 swimlane level cell propagates the color change to the Left#2 and Left#3 swimlane level cells that are members of the selected Left#1 swimlane level cell as shown in the sequence below:

When the OK button is clicked on the Swimlane/Cell Properties form, the configuration of the chart is changed to this:

When the selected swimlane is de-selected, the chart looks like this:

Manually Editing Swimlane Level Cell's Background Colors with the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Cell Tab

Using the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane tab’s Swimlane Background Color control, only the swimlane level cells in the selected swimlane are changed. If you want to select the Startup Left#1 swimlane level cell and change just the Startup Left#1 swimlane level cell’s background color you must access the Swimlane/Cell Properties form at the Cell tab. This can be done by using the slow left-click selection method to just select the Startup Left#1 swimlane level cell or use a standard selection method on the Startup Left#1 swimlane level cell to access the Swimlane/Cell Properties form at the Swimlane tab and simply click the Cell tab as shown below:

When the OK button on the Swimlane/Cell Properties form is clicked and the Startup Left#1 swimlane level cell is de-selected, the chart looks like this:

The procedure for changing the properties of the chart portion of the row (i.e., to the right of the text columns) is explained in the Editing Row Properties article at: Editing Row Properties

The Use Default Swimlane Properties Button in the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Swimlane Tab

The purpose of the Use Default Swimlane Properties button is to restore the selected swimlane or swimlanes properties to the settings in the current Chart Properties form or Template Properties form. This is done by first selecting the swimlane or swimlanes that you want to restore, accessing the Swimlane/Cell Properties form at the Swimlane tab and clicking the Use Default Swimlane Properties button. Note that the Use Default Swimlane Properties button is enabled whenever a change is made to a swimlane level cell or cell’s properties at a swimlane level.

As an example, suppose we start with the chart configuration where we mavericked the top most set of three swimlane level cells by giving them a background color of red as shown below:

If we now select the Startup Left#1 swimlane level cell and access the Swimlane/Cell Properties form the chart shows the illustration below:

When the Use Default Swimlane Properties form is clicked and the form is closed by clicking the OK button, the chart’s configuration changes to that shown below:

Editing Swimlane Cell Properties with the Swimlane/Cell Properties Form’s Cell Tab

The Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Cell tab looks like this:

The properties that can be edited in this tab include:

• The text within the selected swimlane level cell,
• The text’s font properties,
• The horizontal and vertical alignment of the text within the swimlane level cell or cells,
• The cell’s background color,
• And the rotation of the swimlane level cell’s text.

Additionally, there is a Use Default Cell Properties button that can be used to restore any mavericked swimlane level cell’s properties back to the global settings in the Chart Properties or Template Properties forms. Several of these controls such as the Text window, the Font control dropdown that accesses the Font properties form, and the two sets of three Alignment buttons are standard within OnePager. These controls perform the same editing functions as when used for editing the properties of text elements within objects such as task bars/milestone symbols, comment boxes, time axis level cells, and vertical curtains.

Extensive examples are not provided here for the above mentioned controls. Rather, the remaining focus in this sub-section is on the Cell Background Color control, the Text Rotation control, and the Use Default Cell Properties button.

Manually Editing Swimlane Cell Background Colors with the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Cell Tab

Manually editing a selected swimlane level cell or cells for background color requires that the swimlane level cell or cells be individually selected with one of the appropriate cell selection methods.

When the swimlane level cell or cells are selected and the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Cell tab is accessed, the standard OnePager Color Chooser form can be accessed by clicking on the Cell Background Color dropdown as shown below:

When the OK button on the Swimlane/Cell Properties form is clicked, the three selected Left#1 swimlane level cells are reconfigured as shown here:

Recall that swimlane level cell selection can only be done in the same swimlane level so that changing the cell background color for multiple swimlane levels must be done on an individual swimlane level basis.

Manually Editing Swimlane Cell’s Text Rotation with the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Cell Tab

The Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Cell tab’s Text Rotation control provides three different orientation of text contained within a selected swimlane level cell or cells. You have the option to rotate swimlane level cell text horizontally (the typical default setting), rotate swimlane level cell text 90 degrees clockwise, and rotate swimlane level cell text 270 degrees clockwise.

The dropdown list for the Text Rotation control in the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Cell tab looks like this:

As an example, we can rotate the text contained in the Integration & Testing Left#2 swimlane level cell 90 degrees to get the configuration of text within the cell shown below:

Swimlane level cell text rotation is sometimes useful in order to help decrease the width of a swimlane level and allow more horizontal space for the chart itself.

The Use Default Cell Properties Button in the Swimlane/Cell Properties form’s Cell Tab

1The purpose of the Use Default Cell Properties button is to restore the selected swimlane cell or cell’s properties to the settings in the current Chart Properties form or Template Properties form. This is done by first selecting the swimlane level cell or cells that you want to restore, accessing the Swimlane/Cell Properties form at the Cell tab and clicking the Use Default Cell Properties button. Note that the Use Default Cell Properties button is enabled whenever a change is made to a swimlane level cell or cell’s properties at a cell level.

As an example, suppose we start with the chart configuration where we mavericked the Prime Left#3 swimlane level cell to have a background color of red as shown below:

If we now select the Prime Left#3 swimlane level cell and access the Swimlane/Cell Properties form at the Cell tab, the chart shows the illustration below:

When the Use Default Cell Properties form is clicked and the form is closed by clicking the OK button, the chart’s configuration changes to that shown below:

Related Links

Manual Editing Task/Milestone Shapes and Text Labels (Portal)

Creating and Editing Rows and Swimlanes (Portal)

About OnePager's Rows and Swimlanes

Collecting, Formatting, and Sorting Task/Milestones into Rows

Creating, Formatting, and Sorting Swimlanes Levels

Creating and Formatting Text Columns

Row and Swimlane Borders

Editing Text Columns or Swimlane Labels

Manually Hiding and Unhiding Swimlane Levels

Resizing the Width of Text Columns and Swimlanes

Resizing the Height of Rows

Hiding and Unhiding Rows and Swimlanes

Adding a Row or Swimlane

Splitting Swimlanes

Adding a Row to a Swimlane

Making Each Row into a Swimlane

Merging Swimlanes

Editing Row Properties

Zebra Striping for Rows and Swimlanes for OnePager Pro

Zebra Striping for Rows and Swimlanes for OnePager Express

Editing with the Chart Properties form (Portal)

Managing Templates (Portal)

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