List Mode

When browsing and viewing data—and even when doing selective editing—List Mode provides a simple interface. In place of displaying items in hierarchical trees, list mode populates a series of contextual pick lists. Begin by selecting the ontological category. List Mode then populates the subsequent pick list with the next level items. Pick lists continue to populate until the end of the hierarchical branch is reached.

Any item long the path may be viewed and edited as usual. However, List Mode does not allow some of the more advanced editing and arranging allowed by Tree Mode. Unavailable edit actions are grayed out in the tool bar. Notice, for example, that there is only one type of action allowed for inserting items: Insert new item below. Keep in mind that inserting a new item below will add the new item below the final selection in the lowest pick list. If you wish to add the new item as a sibling to the lowest item, then the lowest pick list will display <Select an item>. The penultimate pick list will display the hierarchical context in which you wish to add the new item.

Using List Mode and the View option together is a very simple and useful method for quickly browsing and viewing items. For example, try using List mode to View the currently selected item and select Descendants table as the display option. This combination allows the user to navigate to a hierarchy and view its contents as a spreadsheet-style table.