Exercise 5: Adding steps for edit session tools

Complexity: Beginner Data Requirement: Installed with software Data Path: \Program Files\ESRI\Task Assistant Manager\Data\Getting Started Goal: Learn how to use the step management tools to promote, demote, move up, or move down the new step in the task assistant workflow.

In this exercise, you will focus on using the step management tools to promote, demote, move up, or move down the new step in the task assistant workflow if it is not added at the correct level. You will also use the Description Editor dialog box and the Description Editor toolbar to format the step description and the Help tab contents.

A step container is a parent step with a number of child steps. You will use the step management tools to promote, demote, move up, or move down the steps in the task assistant workflow to create a step container that will include the following edit session tools:

• Start Editing
• Save Edits
• Stop Editing

Button	Name	Function
	Promote Step	Promotes the highlighted step one level
	Demote Step	Indents the highlighted step one level
	Change Step Order 'Down'	Moves the highlighted step down one level
	Change Step Order 'Up'	Moves the highlighted step up one level

Step management tools and functions

Each of the steps can contain a step description. To add a description, you can type directly into the Description field or click the ellipsis (...) and format the text using the Description Editor dialog box. On the Description Editor dialog box, you will see the Description Editor toolbar.

At the completion of this exercise, your task assistant workflow will appear as follows.

Create the step container

In this part of the exercise, you will create a step container to house your workflow steps.

Steps:

1. Click the New Step button on the Task Assistant toolbar.

   A new step appears in the Task Assistant window.

2. Click to highlight the new step.
3. Click the Designer tab.
4. Click the cell next to Description and type Edit Session Tools.
5. Click the cell next to Name, double-click the existing text, then type Edit Session Tools.

   Note:

   Edit Session Tools is a container step and as such will not have any other configuration information associated with it.

Create the Start Editing step

In this part of the exercise, you will create a new workflow step called Start Editing. You will associate the Start Editing step with the Start Editing command.

Steps:

1. Click the New Step button on the Task Assistant toolbar.

   A new step appears under the Edit Session Tools node in the Task Assistant window.

2. Click to highlight the new step.
3. Click the Demote Step button on the Task Assistant toolbar.

   The step should appear as a child of the Edit Session Tools node. The Designer tab appears.

4. Click to highlight the Description field and click the ellipsis (...) that appears.
5. In the Description Editor dialog box, type Start an edit session.
6. Highlight the text Start an edit session. On the Description Editor toolbar, click the Font size tool and change the font size from 8 to 10.
7. On the Description Editor toolbar, click the Undo tool. The font is returned to the original size of 8. Use the Description Editor toolbar to change the font, font color, text format (bold/italics/underline), and text placement. After finalizing your text, click OK.
8. Use the Description Editor toolbar to change the font, font color, text format (bold/italics/underline), and text placement.
9. Click the cell next to Name, double-click the existing text, then type Start Editing.
10. Click the cell next to Commands and click the ellipsis (...) that appears.

    The Command Item Editor dialog box appears.

11. In the Categories list, click Editor.
12. In the Commands list, double-click Start Editing.

    The command displays in the Selected Commands area.

13. Click OK.

Create the Save Edits step

In this part of the exercise, you will create a new workflow step called Save Edits. You will associate the Save Edits step with the Save Edits command.

Steps:

1. Click the New Step button on the Task Assistant toolbar.

   A new step appears in the Task Assistant window.

2. Click to highlight the new step.
3. If necessary, click the Demote Step button or any of the other step management buttons on the Task Assistant toolbar to place the step at the correct level under Edit Session Tools.
4. Click the Designer tab.
5. Click to highlight the Description field and click the ellipsis (...) that appears.
6. In the Description Editor dialog box, type Saving your edits.
7. Press the ENTER key. On the Description Editor toolbar, click the Bold tool and type Note: You must save your edits before stopping the edit session.
8. Click OK to close the dialog box.

   The information you enter in the Description field is visible to the task assistant user. Use the Description Editor toolbar to emphasize text and notes for the user.

9. Click the cell next to Name, double-click the existing text, then type Save Edits.
10. Click the cell next to Commands and click the ellipsis (...) that appears.

    The Command Item Editor dialog box appears.

11. In the Categories list, click Editor.
12. In the Commands list, double-click Save Edits.

    The command displays in the Selected Commands area.

13. Click OK.

Create the Stop Editing step

In this part of the exercise, you will create a new workflow step called Stop Editing. You will associate the Stop Editing step with the Stop Editing command.

Steps:

1. Click the New Step button on the Task Assistant toolbar.

   A new step appears in the Task Assistant window.

2. Click to highlight the new step.
3. If necessary, click the Demote Step button on the Task Assistant toolbar or any of the other step management buttons on the Task Assistant toolbar to place the step at the correct level under Edit Session Tools.
4. Click the Designer tab.
5. Click the cell next to Description and type Stop the edit session.
6. Click the cell next to Name, double-click the existing text, then type Stop Editing.
7. Click the cell next to Commands and click the ellipsis (...) that appears.

   The Command Item Editor dialog box appears.

8. In the Categories list, click Editor.
9. In the Commands list, double-click Stop Editing.

   The command displays in the Selected Commands area.

10. Click OK.

In this exercise, you used the step management tools to promote, demote, move up, or move down the new step in the task assistant workflow. You created a new step container and added new steps that were associated with step commands. You used the Description Editor toolbar to format text in the Description field.

To proceed to the next exercise, click Exercise 6: Adding a parent node for a help node and digitizing.