| Previous | |Next | |Contents |


CHAPTER 3

Using SunForum




This chapter contains the following topics:

SunForum Basics
Using Directories
Using SunForum
Using SunForum Whiteboard


SunForum Basics

To Start SunForum
SunForum Menus

 

To Start SunForum

  1. Type the following at your system prompt:

 
% sunforum


Note - If the SunForum directory is not set in your path, enter the correct path name (that is, /opt/SUNWdat/bin/sunforum). See Chapter 2 for more information.
The SunForum conference manager is displayed. When you start SunForum for the first time, however, the My Information window is displayed.

FIGURE  3-1 My Information Window

  2. Type your name and email address in the My Information window.

Note - You must enter your name and email address. You cannot collaborate unless this minimum information is entered.
The next time you start SunForum, the My Information window will not display automatically. However, you can change the information in the My Information window anytime by choosing Call Change My Information to open the information window.

When you close the My Information window, the SunForum conference manager is displayed.

FIGURE  3-2 SunForum Conference Manager


 

SunForum Menus

There are four menus on the SunForum menu bar: Call, View, Tools, and Help.


Note - You can also use the SunForum conference manager buttons to access most of the functions in the Call, View, and Tools menus. See Using SunForum for more information.

Call Menu

TABLE  3-1   Call Menu Descriptions 
Menu Item
Description

Place Call

Use to place a call to an indicated address. You can also click the Call button.

Stop Placing Call

Use to cancel an in-progress call request.

Host Conference

Use to start a conference.

Hang Up

Use to end your call. (Same as clicking the Hang Up button.)

Do Not Disturb

Use to block incoming calls. You may, however, call out.

Log Onto Directory Server

Use to log on to a directory server. You will be prompted for the server name.

Change My Information

Use to make changes to your profile information.

Address listing

Use to call recently accessed addresses.


View Menu

You can use the View buttons to change these listings viewed in the SunForum conference manager.

TABLE  3-2   View Menu Descriptions 
Menu Item
Description

Directory

Use to view the directory server. It lists who you can conference.

Address Book

Use to display addresses that you have conferenced and added to your address book.

Call Status

Use during a call to view the status of conference participants and the status of the application sharing, whiteboard, and chatting features.

History

Use to list the status of received calls.

Refresh Directory

Use to query the directory server to update the directory listing.


Note - To remove an item from the Address Book and History lists, select the item and press the Delete key.

Tools Menu

TABLE  3-3   Tools Menu Descriptions 
Menu Item
Description

Share Application

Use to share your applications with others on the call. A submenu lists the applications you have running on your desktop.

Share

Use to select an application window on your desktop for sharing. (Same as clicking the Share button.)

Unshare

Use to unshare the application. (Same as clicking the Unshare button.)

Collaborate

Use to shift a shared application from view-only to collaborate. When you collaborate an application, you enable others to have control of it. (Same as clicking the Collaborate button.)

Send File

Use to select a file for sending to everyone in the conference. (Same as clicking the Send button.)

Cancel All Sends

Use to cancel sending of files.

Cancel All Receives

Use to cancel receipt of files.

Shared Desktop Viewer

Use to show an overview of all user desktops and the location of shared applications.

Whiteboard

Use to start whiteboard graphical application. The whiteboard automatically starts on other user systems in the conference. (Same as clicking the Whiteboard button.)

Chat

Use to start the chat application. The chat window automatically starts on other user systems in the conference. (Same as clicking the Chat button.)

Share Clipboard

Use to copy and paste data between systems.

Options

Use to select various features to run automatically. For example, automatically joining an existing conference, accepting incoming calls, and sharing the clipboard in s conference.


Help Menu

You can access help from the Help menu located on the SunForum menu bar. Choose Help Help Topics for online SunForum information.


Note - The Help Topics menu is on each of the SunForum window menu bars.


Using Directories

This section contains the following topics:

To Change Your Directory Information
To Log On to a Directory Server
To Refresh the Directory List
To Automatically Log On to a Directory Server at Startup
To Remove Your Name From the Directory Server
To Call Someone in the Directory List
To Call Someone at a Server Using Their Email Address

Introduction to Directories

An Internet Locator Server (ILS) directory contains an address listing of people who are currently using SunForum for UNIX, Microsoft NetMeeting, or ILS-compatible conferencing. This makes it easy to locate and connect to other people, either by simply browsing to see who is currently listed or by looking up a specific person by their email address.

To log on to a directory, you must specify your own details, including name, location, and email address. You are prompted for these details the first time you run SunForum. You can choose whether to list these details for access by everyone; if you do not, then only those people who know your email address will be able to call you via the directory.


 

To Change Your Directory Information

  1. Choose Call Change My Information.
  The fields that you need to fill in are:
First Name and Last Name. This is the name used to identify you in a conference.
Email address. This is used to identify you when you are logging on at a directory server.
Category. This is used by NetMeeting users to narrow down the list of names they see when querying a directory server.
  2. Change the details as required and click OK.
The new details will be used the next time you log on to an ILS server. If you are currently logged on to an ILS server, your information is automatically updated.


 

To Log On to a Directory Server

  1. To view the directory listing, choose Call Log Onto Directory Server.
  2. Enter the name of the directory server you want to log on to and click OK.
  When SunForum has successfully logged on to the directory server, the server is automatically queried for other users also logged onto that directory. To view the directory listing, choose Call Log.
Directory servers that you can log on to include:

ils.microsoft.com
ils1.microsoft.com
ils2.microsoft.com
ils3.microsoft.com
ils4.microsoft.com
ils5.microsoft.com
ils.four11.com
ils.business.four11.com
ils.family.four11.com
To Log Off From a Directory Server: choose Call Log Off From Directory Server.


 

To Refresh the Directory List

   Choose View Refresh Directory.
This option can be selected only when the directory list is displayed. See TABLE 3-2 for directory lists.


 

To Automatically Log On to a Directory Server at Startup

  1. Choose Call Change My information.
  2. Select At startup, log on to the directory server.
  3. Type the name of the directory server you want to log on to in the Server Name field.
  The next time you start SunForum, it will log on to the directory server you specified.

 

To Remove Your Name From the Directory Server

  1. Choose Call Change My Information.
  2. Select Do not list my name when logged on to the directory server.
  The next time you log onto a directory server, your details will not be visible to users browsing the directory.
If you are currently logged on and your name is displayed when you select this option, SunForum automatically updates your entry at the directory server so that your name is not displayed.


 

To Call Someone in the Directory List

You can call a user shown in the directory list by double-clicking on that entry in the directory view.


Note - If Add to address book in the Place Call window (Call Place Call) is selected, any users you call via the directory list will be added to the address book list.

 

To Call Someone at a Server Using Their Email Address

SunForum enables you to call someone who is logged onto a directory server by specifying their email address.

   Type the name of the directory server they are logged on to and the user email address separated by a slash (/).

  ils.microsoft.com/bob@acme.com
SunForum queries the specified directory server for a user with the email address you entered. If the user is logged onto the directory server, SunForum tries to start a call with them.


Using SunForum

Refer to the SunForum conference manager as you read the procedures in this section.

This section contains the following topics:

To Make a Call
Sharing Applications
To Collaborate Applications
To Transfer Files
To Chat
To Transfer Data Using the Shared Clipboard

 

To Make a Call


Manual Connection

  1. Choose Call Place Call, or click the Call button.
  The Place Call window is displayed. The Place Call window enables you to join a conference.
  2. Type the address with which you want to conference.
  There are three types of addresses: IP (internet protocol), machine name (with DNS handler), and ILS address (server and email address).

Note - There are currently no ILS server products for UNIX.
In the Place Call window, you can add the address you are calling to your address book. You can also specify a named meeting to join (for example, if you are calling a conference server).

  3. Click OK.
  The view will shift to Call Status if the connection is made, or a prompt will inform you why the attempt was unsuccessful.

Quick Connection

  1. Choose View Address Book, or click the Address Book button.
  2. Double-click on the address book entry that you want to connect.
  You can also simply click the Directory or History view buttons and double-click the entry you want to connect.

Ending a Connection

   Choose Call Hang Up, or click the Hang Up button.
  This ends your participation in a conference.

Note - When you hang up, you may also disconnect others from the conference. This includes all the participants you invited into the conference, or anyone who called you. If you initiated the conference, the whole conference will be terminated. You will get a warning message if you are about to disconnect others by hanging up.

Sharing Applications

When you are using SunForum, the applications on your entire desktop screen can be shared with other conference participants. This results in the following:

If a controlling user within a SunForum conference moves an application window on their desktop, it is actually moved on the host desktop. Other applications on the host desktop may obscure the window being shared. Also, if a portion of the shared application window is obscured on the host desktop, that same portion is also obscured on the controlling user's desktop.
Sun and PC desktops in a SunForum conference may have different desktop screen sizes. When a controlling user moves shared windows around on their desktop, the windows may move outside the viewing area of a user in the conference with a smaller desktop screen. A participant with a smaller desktop screen can move (scroll) the active (view) region of the screen by moving the mouse pointer to that area of the desktop where the entire application can be viewed. (To set the scrolling feature, choose Tools Options from the SunForum conference manager.)

 

To Share Applications

  1. While in a conference call, choose Tools Share, or click the Share button.
  Or, choose Tools Share Application to select the application you want to share.
  2. Place your mouse pointer (now a hand symbol) over the desktop application window you want to share.
  3. Click anywhere in that application window.
All conference participants can now see that application on their system as if it were running locally. SunForum can share almost any application, including terminal windows, word processors, and CAD design packages. Exceptions include SunForum and certain X extensions that are not supported.


Note - The window is labeled with the name of the user who shared the application. At this point, only that person can control it; others can only view the output on their desktop.
  4. Choose Tools Unshare, or click Unshare, to stop sharing the application.
  5. Click on the application window that was being shared.
  Now only you can view and control that application.

 

To Collaborate Applications

Once an application is being shared, the Collaborate button is activated and you can open the application to conference participants for collaborative use.

  1. Share an application (see Sharing Applications).
  2. Choose Tools Collaborate, or click Collaborate.
  The shared application that was view-only by the conference participants is now open for collaboration.
When you collaborate your shared application, other conference participants can take control. For a conference participant to take control of the shared application, they only need to click on that application on their desktop or press any key (except Escape) on their keyboard.


Note - When another conference participant clicks the shared application window and is then in control of it, they effectively take over your mouse and keyboard. Only one user can be in control at a time. Any other user, including the host, can gain control by just clicking the mouse.
  3. To stop collaborating, click Collaborate again.
The shared application is returned to view-only for the conference participants.


 

To Transfer Files

  1. Choose Tools Send File, or click Send File.
  The Select A File To Send window is displayed.
  2. Go to the directory and select the file you want to send.
  3. Click OK.
  The file is sent to all participants of the conference.
Files sent to you by other conference participants are received automatically. While the file is being received, another window shows the progress of the transfer. When the transfer is complete, the file is saved. The default directory for saving files is
/tmp. To change the default directory where files are saved, choose Tools Options.


 

To Chat

  1. Choose Tools Chat, or click the Chat button to start the chat application.
  This also automatically starts the chat application on other user systems in the conference.
  2. Select the recipient of your message.
To send to all participants, choose Send to Everyone in conference.
To send to a single participant, choose Send to user name.
  The names of those conference participants who are running chat are listed in the Send to menu.
  3. Type your message in the message field and press Return.
  The message is displayed in your chat window and on the other participants' chat windows.
You can list the date, time, and name with the message. To do this, click View on the Chat menu bar and select or deselect your choice.

You can save chat sessions to file as a record of the conference. You are prompted to do so when you exit the Chat window.


Note - Though other conferencing products may have T.120 text chatting capability, they may not necessarily work with SunForum chat. Check the chatting status in the SunForum conference manager to see who is running chat.

 

To Transfer Data Using the Shared Clipboard

  1. Ensure that Shared Clipboard is enabled on both systems.
  2. Choose Tools Shared Clipboard.
  The Shared Clipboard menu item should be active (checked).

Note - To automatically enable Shared Clipboard, choose Tools Options.
  3. Select text from an application (for example, a Command Tool) on one system.
  4. Choose Edit Copy.
  5. In an application (for example, a text editor) on another system, choose Edit Paste.


Using SunForum Whiteboard

The SunForum Whiteboard enables all conference participants to exchange ideas and graphics. You do not need to be in a conference, however, to use the whiteboard.

This section contains the following topics:

To Start Whiteboard
To Draw Graphical Objects
To Use Text Objects
To Move and Delete Objects
To Highlight Text and Images
To Add Screen Captures to the Whiteboard
To Import Graphics
To Export Graphics
To Use the Remote Pointer
To Copy to the Clipboard
To Navigate and Organize Pages
To Add a New Page
To Zoom the Whiteboard
To Lock the Whiteboard
To Save the Whiteboard Contents to a File
To Print the Whiteboard Contents

 

To Start Whiteboard

   Choose Tools Whiteboard, or click the Whiteboard button, from the SunForum conference manager.
  The whiteboard is displayed.
 

FIGURE  3-3 SunForum Whiteboard


Whiteboard Menus

TABLE  3-4   Whiteboard Menu Bar Descriptions 
Menu
Description

File

Use for file handling functions such as New, Open, Save, Import, Export, and Print.

Edit

Use to edit functions such as copy, paste, clearing, deleting, inserting pages, and so on.

Tools

Use to select drawing functions. You can also click the icon on the draw tool panel on the left side of the whiteboard.


Whiteboard Tool Panel

Familiarize yourself with the whiteboard by experimenting with the drawing features in the drawing tool panel to the left of the whiteboard. You do not need to be in a conference to do this.

FIGURE  3-4 Whiteboard Tool Panel


 

To Draw Graphical Objects

  1. Click the tool type in the whiteboard tool panel.
  For example, click freehand pen or choose Tools Pen from the menu bar.
  2. Choose your pen color and line thickness.
  a. Click the Whiteboard Options button located on the bottom of the whiteboard.

FIGURE  3-5 Whiteboard Options Button

  The Whiteboard Options panel is displayed.

FIGURE  3-6 Whiteboard Options Panel

  b. Choose your pen color and pen width, then click OK.
  3. Click and drag your mouse button to draw the object.
  As you release the mouse button, the object is seen by all other conference participants.

 

To Use Text Objects


Creating Text Objects

  1. Click the Text tool button, or choose Tools Text.
  2. Place your mouse pointer in the whiteboard where you want to enter text.
  3. Click at that location.
  The Enter Text window is displayed.
  4. Enter the text and click OK.

Editing Text Objects

  1. Click the Text tool button, or choose Tool Text.
  2. Click the text in your whiteboard that you want to edit.
  The Enter Text window is displayed.
  3. Edit the text and click OK.

Setting the Font and Style of Text Objects

  You can set font options in two ways:
By changing settings in the Whiteboard Options tool before creating a new text object
By selecting a text object, then changing the settings in the Whiteboard Options tool or when the Enter Text window is visible.
  1. Click the Whiteboard Option button.
  The Whiteboard Options window is displayed.
  2. Click the Text Font, Text Size, and Text Style menus and choose the font setting.

Note - Only a small number of fonts are available to ensure that text objects are able to display on all user systems in the conference.
  3. Click OK on the Whiteboard Options window.

 

To Move and Delete Objects

  1. Click the Selector tool button, or choose Tools Selector.
  2. Click the graphic or text that you want to move or delete.
  A border is highlighted on the selected object.
  a. To move the graphic or text, drag it with the mouse pointer to its new position.
  b. To delete the graphic or text, press Delete on your keyboard, or choose
Edit Delete.

Note - If you delete an object by mistake, you can undelete and retrieve the last deletion made by choosing Edit Undelete.

 

To Highlight Text and Images

  1. Click the Highlight button, or choose Tools Highlighter.
  2. Draw on the whiteboard area you want to highlight.

 

To Add Screen Captures to the Whiteboard

You can capture the contents of a window or an area of the desktop to add to your whiteboard for conferencing.


Selecting and Capturing a Window

  1. Click the Select window button, or choose Tools Select Window.
  The Whiteboard becomes an icon and the mouse pointer becomes a hand symbol.
  2. Place the mouse pointer on the window you want to add to your whiteboard.
  3. Click the window.
  The window is captured and placed in your whiteboard.

Note - Large graphical objects may take some time to transfer to all participant systems.

Selecting and Capturing an Area of the Screen

  1. Click the Select window button, or choose Tools Select Area.
  The Whiteboard becomes an icon and the mouse pointer becomes a pair of crosshairs.
  2. Drag the mouse pointer over the area of your desktop screen that you want to capture.
  The image area is captured and placed in your whiteboard as you release the mouse button.

Note - Once the image is captured in the whiteboard, you can use the Selector tool to select the image and move or delete it across your whiteboard. See To Move and Delete Objects.

 

To Import Graphics

  1. Choose File Import.
  The Select a file to import window is displayed.
  2. Specify the file you want to import and click OK.
  The image is added to the current page.

Note - You need the shareware filter ghostscript to import PostScript files into the whiteboard. The location of ghostscript is specified in
/etc/opt/SUNWdat/config/dcgx as Whiteboard.GSPath.

 

To Export Graphics

  1. Choose File Export.
  The Export file window is displayed.
  2. Specify the file you want to export.
  3. Choose an image format from the Save file as type menu.
  4. Click OK.
  The contents of the current page is written to the file in the selected format.

 

To Use the Remote Pointer

The remote pointer is a pointing hand that everyone in the conference can see. When you have the Select tool enabled, you can click on the pointer and drag it around, so that you can point out areas of interest on the page.

  1. Click the Remote Pointer button, or choose Tools Remote Pointer.
  A pointer hand symbol is displayed on your whiteboard.
  2. Click and drag the remote pointer to move to selected areas of interest.

Note - The pointer movements are viewed by all conference participants.

 

To Use Rubber Stamps

  The Whiteboard Rubber Stamps window offers a number of images you can "stamp" on the whiteboard. These are user configurable. SunForum enables you to use bitmap files (such as GIF) in user-defined locations. The location is
/etc/opt/SUNWdat/config/dcgx, listed as Whiteboard.StampFilename.1 through Whiteboard.StampFilename.12.
  1. Click the rubber stamps button.

FIGURE  3-7 Rubber Stamps Button

  The Whiteboard Stamps window is displayed.

FIGURE  3-8 Whiteboard Stamps Window

  2. Click on a stamp image and click OK.
  When you place the pointer in the whiteboard, the pointer is a stamp.
  3. Place the stamp pointer in the whiteboard where you want the image to appear and click.
  The stamp image is displayed.

 

To Copy to the Clipboard

You can transfer text and graphics to and from a clipboard in two ways: using the quick method to copy text, or using the Edit commands to cut and paste text and graphics.


Using the Quick Method to Copy Text

  1. Select text in the whiteboard (or another text source window) or from another application.
  2. Place the mouse pointer in the whiteboard and click the middle mouse button to paste the text selection.

Using the Edit Commands

  1. Select the text or object you want to copy.
  2. Choose Edit Cut or Edit Copy.
  3. Go to a new whiteboard page and choose Edit Paste.

 

To Navigate and Organize Pages

   To navigate pages, use the navigation arrows at the bottom of the whiteboard to change pages. or use the Edit menu to clear, delete, insert, and to go to specific pages.
   To organize pages, choose Edit Move and select either Back or Forward to move the current page accordingly.

 

To Add a New Page

   Click the new page button or choose Edit Insert Page, located in the bottom right corner of the whiteboard.
  A new page is added after the current page.
 

FIGURE  3-9 New Page Button


Note - Using the menu to insert a page enables you to place the new page before or after the current page.

 

To Zoom the Whiteboard

   Click the Zoom button, or choose Tools Zoom.
  This changes the magnification of the whiteboard contents you are viewing.

 

To Lock the Whiteboard

You can lock the whiteboard so that no one else in the conference can make any changes to the contents. To release the lock, click the lock button a second time.

   Click the Lock button, or choose Tools Lock.

  After a short delay, either you will have successfully locked the whiteboard (indicated by the lock "down" position), or you will be notified that it could not be locked. You may not be able to lock it because another user in the conference already has the lock or is in the middle of an operation that cannot be interrupted.

 

To Save the Whiteboard Contents to a File

   Choose File Open.
  or
   Choose File Save (or File Save As).

Note - Since SunForum is compatible with Microsoft NetMeeting whiteboard, SunForum whiteboard can read files created by NetMeeting whiteboard and NetMeeting whiteboard can read files created by SunForum.

 

To Print the Whiteboard Contents

   Click the Print button, or choose File Print.

FIGURE  3-10 Print Button

  In the print window, specify the printer or file name to print to, and which pages you want to print.

Note - The printer name must be a valid printer device. SunForum allows you to also specify a networked printer name.



| Previous | |Next | |Contents |

Copyright © 1998 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.