path: root/help/C/usage-mainwindow.sgml

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<chapter id="usage-mainwindow">

  <title>The Evolution Workspace</title>
  <sect1 id="usage-mainwindow-starting">
    <title>Starting Evolution</title>
  <para>
     Start <application>Evolution</application> by selecting
     <guimenuitem>Evolution</guimenuitem> from your
     <guimenu>Programs</guimenu> menu, or by typing
     <command>evolution</command> at the command line.  The first time
     you run the program, it will create a directory called
     <filename>evolution</filename> in your home directory, where it
     will keep all your <application>Evolution</application>-related
     files.  At this point, it will also offer to import old messages
     from other mail clients, such as Netscape mail.
   </para>
  </sect1>

  <sect1 id="usage-mainwindow-basics">
    <title>Evolution Basics</title>
    <para>
      After <application>Evolution</application> starts up, you will
      see the <interface>main window</interface>, with the
      <interface>Inbox</interface> open. On the left of
    the <interface>main window</interface> is the <interface>shortcut
      bar</interface>, with several buttons in it.  Just underneath the
    title bar is a series of menus in the <interface>menu
      bar</interface>, and below that, the <interface>tool
     bar</interface> with buttons for different functions. The largest
    part of the <interface>main window</interface> is taken up by the
    content view, where your messages are displayed.  Above that is
    the message list view, where  a summary of your email is displayed.
    If you're running the program for the first time,
    you'll have one message: a welcome from Ximian.
    </para>
  <sect2 id="usage-mainwindow-shortcutbar">
    <title>The Shortcut Bar</title>
    <para>
        <application>Evolution</application>'s most important job is
        to give you access to your information and help you use it
        quickly.  One way it does that is through the
        <interface>shortcut bar</interface>, the column on the left
        hand side of the main window.  The large buttons with names
        like <guilabel>Inbox</guilabel> and
        <guilabel>Contacts</guilabel> are the shortcuts, and you can
        select different groups of shortcuts by clicking the
        rectangular group buttons.
    </para>
    <para>
       Take a look at the <guilabel>Shortcut Bar</guilabel>
       The shortcut buttons in that category are:

        <variablelist>
          <varlistentry>
        <term> <guibutton>My Evolution</guibutton></term>
        <listitem>
        <para>
            Start your day here.  <guilabel>My Evolution</guilabel>
            gives you a quick summary of new or important messages,
            daily appointments and urgent tasks.  You can customize
            its appearance and content, and use it to access
            Evolution services.
          </para>
        </listitem>
          </varlistentry>

    <varlistentry>
      <term> <guibutton>Inbox</guibutton></term>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Click the <guibutton>Inbox</guibutton> button to start
          reading your mail.  Your Inbox is also where you can
          access Evolution's tools to filter, sort, organize, and
          search your mail.
        </para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

    <varlistentry>
      <term><guibutton>Calendar</guibutton></term>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          The Calendar can store your appointments and To do lists
          for you.  Connected to a network, you can use it to keep
          a group of people on schedule and up to date.
        </para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

       <varlistentry>
         <term><guibutton>Tasks</guibutton></term>
    <listitem>
      <para>
         A full-size view of your calendar's task pad.
      </para>
    </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

    <varlistentry>
      <term><guibutton>Contacts</guibutton></term>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          The Contact Manager holds your addresses, phone numbers,
          and contact information.  Like calendar information,
          contact data can be synchronized with hand-held devices
          and shared over a network.
       </para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

<!-- NOT IMPLEMENTED YET


    <varlistentry>
      <term> <guibutton>Notes:</guibutton></term>
    <listitem>
      <para> The note pad is your catch-all tool: use it to take
        messages from phone conversations, keep small things
        organized, write <glossterm linkend="haiku">haiku</glossterm>, or whatever
        you like. This feature is not yet implemented, but will be
        soon. See <xref linkend="usage-notes"> for more
        information.
      </para>
    </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
-->
      
    </variablelist>
      </para>
    </sect2>
    <sect2 id="usage-mainwindow-folderbar">
    <title>Folders and The Folder Bar</title>
    <para>
      The <interface>folder bar</interface> is a more comprehensive
      way to view the information you've stored with
      <application>Evolution</application>. It displays all your
      appointments, address cards, and email in a tree that's a lot
      like a <glossterm linkend="filetree">file
      tree</glossterm>&mdash; it starts small at the top, and branches
      downwards. On most computers, there will be three or four
      folders at the base.  First is the <guilabel>Local</guilabel>
      folder, which holds all the <application>Evolution</application>
      data that's stored on your computer.  After that are
      <guilabel>Other Contacts</guilabel>, <glossterm
      linkend="ldap">LDAP</glossterm> contact directories stored on a
      network, followed by any <glossterm
      linkend="imap">IMAP</glossterm> mail folders you may have
      available to you over your network.  Lastly, there are
      <guilabel>Virtual Folders</guilabel>, discussed in <xref
      linkend="usage-mail-organize-vfolders">,
    </para>
    <para>
       
      A typical <guilabel>Local</guilabel> folder contains the following folders:
      <itemizedlist>
     <listitem>
        <para>
         <guilabel>My Evolution</guilabel>, a quick summary to help you do
         your tasks.
           </para>
     </listitem>
     <listitem>
        <para>
         <guilabel>Calendar</guilabel>, for appointments and
         event listings.
       </para>
     </listitem> 
     <listitem>
        <para>
        <guilabel>Contacts</guilabel>, for address cards.
       </para>
     </listitem>
         <listitem>
        <para>
        <guilabel>Drafts</guilabel>, for messages you started and didn't finish.
       </para>
     </listitem>
     <listitem>
        <para>
         <guilabel>Inbox</guilabel>, for incoming mail. 
       </para>
     </listitem>

    <listitem>
       <para>
        <guilabel>Outbox</guilabel>, for messages you have written
        but not yet sent.  This will be empty unless you use
        <application>Evolution</application> while offline.
       </para>
     </listitem>

    <listitem>
       <para>
        <guilabel>Sent</guilabel>, for sent mail.
       </para>
     </listitem>

    <listitem>
        <para>
        <guilabel>Trash</guilabel>, a virtual folder view of all
        the messages you have marked for deletion but not yet
        <glossterm linkend="expunge">expunged</glossterm>. Note that 
        once you have expunged a message, it
        is permanently deleted.
       </para>
     </listitem>
      </itemizedlist>

    </para>
    <tip id="foldertips">
    <title>Navigating without the Folder Bar</title>
       <para>
         You don't need the folder bar or the shortcut bar to move
         around the main window. You can use <keycap>Tab</keycap> to
         switch from one part of the window to another. When you hide the folder
         bar, 
         there is a menu on the left side of the window just below the toolbar
         to move about the folder tree, even with the folder and
         shortcut bars hidden.
       </para>
     </tip>

    <para>
       If you get any serious amount of mail, you'll want more folders
       than just your Inbox.  
    To create a new folder:
    <orderedlist numeration="arabic">
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Select
          <menuchoice> <guimenu>File</guimenu>
        <guisubmenu>New</guisubmenu>
        <guimenuitem>Folder</guimenuitem></menuchoice>
          <keycombo action="simul">
        <keycap>Shift</keycap>
        <keycap>Ctrl</keycap>
        <keycap>E</keycap>
          </keycombo>.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Select the name of the folder in the <guilabel>Folder
        Name</guilabel> field.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Select the folder type.  The available options are.

          <itemizedlist>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            Calendar
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            Contacts
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            Mail
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            Mail Storage
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            My Evolution
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            Tasks
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            vTrash
          </para>
        </listitem>
          </itemizedlist>

        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Select the folder for the new folder to go in.
        </para>
      </listitem>
    </orderedlist>
      </para>
    
    <sect3 id="subfolders">
    <title>Subfolders</title>
      <para>
        <application>Evolution</application> can also manage subfolders,
    subfolders are folders inside of folders.  This works well if
    you want to try to separate your home folders from your work
    folders, or if you like to keep very organized.
      </para>

    

       <note>
      <title>Folders Have Limits</title>
      <para>
              Calendars must go in calendar folders, mail in mail
          folders, and contacts in contact folders.
           </para>
    </note>

    <para>
      Right-clicking will bring up a menu for just about anything
      in GNOME, and <application>Evolution</application> is no
      exception.  If you right-click on a folder, you'll have a
      menu with the following options:
      <itemizedlist>
    <listitem><para><guimenuitem>View</guimenuitem>, to view the folder. </para></listitem>
    <listitem><para><guimenuitem>Open in New Window</guimenuitem>, to see it in a new Evolution window. </para></listitem>
    <listitem><para><guimenuitem>Move</guimenuitem>, to move the folder to another location. </para></listitem>
    <listitem><para><guimenuitem>Copy</guimenuitem>, to duplicate the folder. </para></listitem>
    <listitem><para><guimenuitem>Delete</guimenuitem>, to delete the folder and all its contents. </para></listitem>
    <listitem><para><guimenuitem>Rename</guimenuitem>, to change its name. </para></listitem>
    <listitem><para><guimenuitem>Create New Folder</guimenuitem>, to create another folder in the same location. </para></listitem>
    <listitem><para><guimenuitem>Add to Shortcut Bar</guimenuitem>, to add the folder to your shortcut bar. </para></listitem>
    <listitem><para><guimenuitem>Properties</guimenuitem>, to view or change the folder properties. </para></listitem>

      </itemizedlist>
    </para>

    <para>
      You can also rearrange folders and messages by dragging and
      dropping them.
    </para>

    

<!--
    <tip>
     <title>Context-Sensitive Help</title>
      <para>
    GNOME 2.0 offers context-sensitive help, which means you can
    almost always get help on an item by right-clicking it.  If
    you're not sure what something is, or don't know what you can
    do with it, choosing <guimenuitem>Help</guimenuitem> from the
    right-click menu is a good way to find out.
      </para>
    </tip>
-->

    <para>
      Any time new information arrives in a mail folder, that folder label
      is displayed in bold text, along with the number of new messages in
      that folder inside of paranthesis.
    </para>
      </sect3>
    </sect2>
    
    <sect2 id="usage-mainwindow-menubar">
    <title>The Menu Bar</title>
    <para>
      The <interface>menu bar</interface>'s contents will always
      provide all the possible actions for any given view of your
      data.  That means that, depending on the context, menu bar items
      will change.  If you're looking at your Inbox, most of the menu
      items will relate to mail; some will relate to other components
      of <application>Evolution</application> and some, especially
      those in the <guimenu>File Menu</guimenu> will relate to the
      application as a whole. The contents of the menu bar are
      described in <xref linkend="menuref">.
   </para>
   <para>
      <variablelist>
        <varlistentry>
          <term> <guimenu>File</guimenu></term>

          <listitem><para> 
            Anything even related to a file or to the operations
            of the application generally  falls under this
            menu: creating things, saving them to disk, 
            printing them, and quitting the program itself.  

            </para></listitem>
        </varlistentry>

       <varlistentry>
          <term> <guimenu>Edit</guimenu></term>
          <listitem><para>
              The <guimenu>Edit</guimenu> menu holds
              useful tools that help you edit text and move it around.
          </para></listitem>
        </varlistentry>

       <varlistentry>
          <term> <guimenu>View</guimenu></term>
          <listitem><para>
            This menu lets you decide how <application>Evolution</application> 
            should look. Some of the features control the appearance of 
            <application>Evolution</application> as a whole, and others 
            the way a particular kind of information appears.
          </para></listitem>
        </varlistentry>

        <varlistentry>
          <term> <guimenu>Actions</guimenu></term>
          <listitem><para>
        Holds actions which maybe applied to a message.  Normally,
        if there is only one target for the action &mdash; for
        example, replying to a message &mdash; you can find it in
        the <guimenu>Actions</guimenu> menu.
          </para></listitem>
        </varlistentry>


       <varlistentry>
          <term> <guimenu>Tools</guimenu></term>
          <listitem><para>
             Tools for configuring, changing, and
          setting up preferences go here.  For mail, that means things like
          <guimenuitem>Mail Configuration</guimenuitem> and the
          <guimenuitem>Virtual Folder Editor</guimenuitem>.  For the
          <interface>Calendar</interface> and the <interface>Contact
          Manager</interface>, it's color, network, and layout
          configuration.
          </para></listitem>
        </varlistentry>

       <varlistentry>
          <term> <guimenu>Help</guimenu></term>
          <listitem><para>
             Select among these items to open the 
             <application>Help Browser</application> 
             and read the <application>Evolution</application> manual.
          </para></listitem>
        </varlistentry>
      </variablelist>
   </para>

   <para>
      Once you've familiarized yourself with the <interface>main
      window</interface> you can start doing things with it.  We'll
      start with your executive summary.
    </para>
    </sect2>
  </sect1>
  <sect1 id="first-time-druid">
    <title>First Time Druid</title>
    <para>
      When you first start <application>Evolution</application>, you are
      presented with a first time druid.  The druid will help you get your email
      preferences configured and import your email from your other program.
    </para>
    <para>
      The first screen welcomes you to the druid.  It is estimated that
      configuring your mail will take 2 to 5 minutes and importing mail will
      take 1 to 2 minutes.
    </para>
    <sect2 id="first-step">
      <title>Step 1 of 4</title>
      <para>
    The Identity window is the first of four steps in the druid.  The
    identity step lets you configure your basic, personal information.
    <itemizedlist>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Full Name &mdash; Your full name (Example: John Doe).
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Email Address &mdash; Your email address (Example: john@doe.com)
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Organization &mdash; The company you work for (optional).
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Signature file &mdash; You can setup
          <application>Evolution</application> to put text at the end of all
          your emails.  This is the file which that text is located in.
        </para>
      </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>
      </para>
    </sect2>
    <sect2 id="second-step">
      <title>Step 2 of 4</title>
      <para>
    The <guilabel>Recieving Email</guilabel> step lets you configure
    receving email people have sent you.
    <itemizedlist>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Server Type &mdash; There are numerous types of servers which
          <application>Evolution</application> can download your email from:
          <itemizedlist>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            POP &mdash; Downloads your email to your hard disk for
            permanent storage.
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            IMAPv4 &mdash; Keeps the email on your server so you can
            access your email from any computer that supports IMAPv4 and
            have everything be the same.
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            Unix mbox spool-format file &mdash; Bad description, we're
            getting a better definition shortly.
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            Standard Unix mailbox file &mdash; Bad description, we're
            getting a better definition shortly.
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            Qmail maildir format files &mdash; If you download your
            mail using qmail, you'll want to use this.
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            None &mdash How do you  have None?  figure out!
          </para>
        </listitem>
          </itemizedlist>
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Email Server &mdash; This is the address of the server you're
          downloading from.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Username &mdash; The username that you login to your email.  That
          is often the part before the @ in your email.
        </para>
        <para>
          Authentication Type &mdash; Chances are you are using
          <guilabel>Password</guilabel>.  Ask your administrator for more
          details.  You can have <application>Evolution</application> check
          by clicking <guibutton>Check for supported types</guibutton>.
        </para>
        <para>
          Remember Password &mdash; If you prefer to not enter your
          password everytime you check email, press this button.
        </para>
      </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>
      </para>
    </sect2>
    <sect2 id="third-step">
      <title>Step 3 or 4</title>
      <para>
    The <guilabel>Sending Email</guilabel> step lets you configure sending 
    email.
    <itemizedlist>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Server Type &mdash; There are numerous server types that
          <application>Evolution</application> supports for sending your
          mail.
          <itemizedlist>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            SMTP &mdash; Downloads mail into your mailbox file.
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            Sendmail &mdash; Uses another program to download your mail
            to your mailbox files.
          </para>
        </listitem>
          </itemizedlist>
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Host &mdash; The server to connect to that sends your mail.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Server requires authentication &mdash; Check if you need a password to
          send mail.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Authentication Type &mdash; Chances are you are using
          <guilabel>Password</guilabel>.  Ask your administrator for more
          details.  You can have <application>Evolution</application> check
          by clicking <guibutton>Check for supported types</guibutton>.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Username &mdash; The username that you login to your email.  That
          is often the part before the @ in your email.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Remember Password &mdash; If you prefer to not enter your
          password everytime you check email, press this button.
        </para>
      </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>
      </para>
    </sect2>

  <sect2 id="fourth-step">
<!-- This section sucks.  Look at it, ask for improvements -->
      <title>Step 4 of 4</title>
      <para>
    Chances are, <application>Evolution</application> isn't your first email
    program.  You're probably switching from another program and will want
    access to your email from your old program.  It's for exactly these 
    situations that <application>Evolution</application> includes an import 
    feature.
      </para>
      <para>
    <application>Evolution</application> can import the following types of
    files:
      <itemizedlist>
    <listitem>
      <para>
        VCard (.vcf, gcrd) - Contacts
      </para>
    </listitem>
    <listitem>
      <para>
        Outlook Express 4 (.mbx) - Email
      </para>
    </listitem>
    <listitem>
      <para>
        MBox(mbox) - Email
      </para>
    </listitem>
      </itemizedlist>
      VCard is a format to store addressbooks and contact information.  Outlook
      handles your email.  If you're coming from
      Windows, you're probably going to be importing Outlook Express files.  If
      you're coming from a Unix program, you're probably using mbox.  Ask your
      system administrator if you aren't sure which you use.
    </para>
    <note>
      <title>Eudora</title>
      <para>
    Eudora email client uses mbox format to store mail.  So if you're coming
    from Eudora, you'll want to select mbox.
      </para>
    </note>
    <note>
      <title>Outlook 2000</title>
      <para>
    Outlook 2000 uses a format which <application>Evolution</application>
    cannot directly import.  However, you can import it using Mozilla on
    Windows.  Please see the FAQ for more information.
      </para>
    </note>
      
    <para>
      To import your files, go to
      <menuchoice>
    <guimenu>File</guimenu>
    <guimenuitem>Import File</guimenuitem>
      </menuchoice>
    </para>
    <para>
    An assistant will appear, helping you to import your files.  You'll need to
    specify where the file is that you want to import.  Click
    <guibutton>Next</guibutton> and then <guibutton>Import</guibutton>.
    <application>Evolution</application> will present you with the Folder
    dialoge, so you can specify where your new messages will go.  Select the
    desired folder, and your file will be imported into
    <application>Evolution</application>.
      </para>
      <para>
    And if you're timid about using <application>Evolution</application>,
    don't worry.  <application>Evolution</application> won't mangle your
    files, so if you choose to use your old application instead, you can
    import your files right back in.
      </para>
    </sect2>
  </sect1>
</chapter>