PINETWORK - SOCIAL NETWORK

DESCRIPTION

Represents a social network similar to Facebook. There is a wall with posts, where each post is commented by users. Each post may has attached files to indicate location, etc. The user can create events - single and cyclic appearing in the calendar. Each user can create groups to participate in and to participate in others' groups. User may rearrange blocks of content in the owned account.

MESSAGES

They are accessed through an icon on the upper part of the page.

The icon shows how many new messages have been received while the user was away. When clicked, the icon opens a block with block with several recent messages.

The icon and the block are merged in colour and shadow appears beneath them. The impression created is for floating window. By this means the user attention is attracted to the current element.

Links:

• Send message – leads to a form for sending, where the addressee is written manually.
• All messages – shows a list of all messages, including the ones already read.
• Each one of the records lead to specific string with this person. The name and the MINIATURE DO NOT link towards the users profile at this stage. By this means the risk for the user to get lost in the menu is minimized.

By clicking on the free space outside the block, it gets closed.

In the general list each message is presented by a miniature and sender's or recipient's name. There is an arrow in front of the info. The arrow points at the miniature, when the user is sender and points back - out of the miniature, when the user is recipient. The message has a timer counting the time from receiving a message /sending and a delete link.

When the number of messages gets over the allowed limit / set by the sysadmin/, in the bottom part an simplified paginator appears.

After clicking on the selected link from the general list, the user may view the whole discussion with the other user.

EVENTS

Last events related to the current user account. It is accessed through dynamic icon the upper part of the page. The icon shows how many new events are gathered during the absence of the user. When clicked the icon opens a block with several recent events.

The icon and the block are merged in colour and shadow appears beneath. The impression created is for floating window. By this means the user attention is attracted to the current element.

Links

• All events - displays a list of all events accumulated.
• Each entry leads to a place on the site where the event is created.

Globally, this unit is important to maintain consumer interest to the system. In short term: it is an additional convenience in navigation.

SEARCH FIELD

The Search field is universal module for searching the news, articles, users and static pages. The tool distinguishes words and phrases, i.e. differentiates key words such as:

• Egreta
• Egreta alba
• "Egreta alba"
• "Egreta alba" habitat
• "Egreta alba" habitat "Stara planina mountain"

While typing keywords it provides a block with assisting content.

When hitting the Enter button, the Search button or the link – “See all” from the assisting menu all matches to the required criteria are listed.

If necessary, on the bottom appears simple paginator.

MENU WITH PERSONAL ELEMENTS OF THE CURRENT USER

It is located at the upper right of the page; displays the name of the current user. Clicking opens a block of links

The data for the last entry in the account are shown for security reasons. The link "my profile" leads to public (visible to all users of the system) part of the current user's profile, located in the upper right of the page. There is displayed the name of the current user. Clicking opens a of links.

In the profile is displayed some of the user’s personal data. There are the groups that the user has created, and the groups in which the user is writing. There is a link to send a message.

TOP-NAVIGATION

It represents a standard horizontal menu with one level of submenus; A structure unequivocally recognizable to the Internet users.

The submenus are standard, with thematic icon in the start.

BLOCKS "GROUPS"

By default, the block is located in the upper left of the page. This is one of the most attractive areas of the site. These units are prompting the users to create new groups and view existing ones as well.

The group is the primary unit of the network. By the way users build and use groups it is possible to make a statistical sample, which serves to improve the functionality of the existing system.

The block allows to:

• Create a group
• View all groups
• View the last created groups

To the aforementioned block are attached to complementary blocks:

• My groups – if the user hasn’t created any groups, this block is invisible. Its function is to grant quick access to the use to personal groups.
• The most active groups – list of groups with the highest user activity.

BLOCK "CALENDAR"

It displays the current month. Dates have hover effect. When a date contains an event or events, their number is shown in the upper right corner of the cell of the day. There are arrow keys on the top used for navigating through the calendar. By clicking on a date a list of the events for this date appears. By clicking “Calendar” a calendar for the current year appears.

Adding an event to the calendar is explained in "wall" section.

The auxiliary block "VIP events" may refer to the Calendar. Each event in the calendar can be VIP. Users offer a regular event to become VIP and the administrator is authorized to allow that. In this block are shown the forthcoming VIP events..

NEWS

This block shows the last 2 news. The news is uploaded only by the system administrator. Each record opens the relevant news. On the bottom there is link towards the the list with all news.

If necessary, on the bottom appears paginator.

Each story has text and pictures, option to have a gallery of photos, list with news related by topic.

POST ON THE WALL

The main working environment for the users is the wall. The wall contains posts. The newest post is located at the top of the wall. In use is analogy with popular social networks. The post may be commented by users.

When logging into the system the user sees common wall with all the latest posts. Posts are from both groups and the common wall. The aim is that the user is able to see the latest events across the social network.

When the user opens a chosen group, he/she sees only its posts.

Each post contains:

• Text – plain text with links. When the user types down a link, it becomes active, while the system will try to delete the information for the page to which the first link redirects / picture/s, title and short intro. The user could reject this module with the button on the bottom right.
• Attached files – when the user places post, he/she may attach one or a variety of files - images, archives, documents, etc. For the convenience of the user to attach multiple files, there is one key for multiple selection.
• Location – by one click the user may tag a point anywhere on the globe. This solution is done through Google Maps.
• Event – For each post can be set date. This post is becoming a calendar event on that date. The user can choose to make this event VIP (with subsequent approval by the administrator). You can also make cycling event - the system will use only the month and day, it repeats (shown in the calendar) every year.

Thus published post consists of several components:

• Miniature and the name of the user who created the post.
• Timer, which shows how long ago the post has been published.
• If the post is marked as an event - a calendar with the specific date of the event.
• Shortened version of the post with a link "More" at the end. Clicking this link opens the entire contents of the post, including the result of captive first link in it.
• If to the post there are attached files and part of them or all of them are pictures - a gallery with one introducing picture and four following ones. If they are two - they are represented with both of them in just the same size. If they are more - arranges in the mentioned above formation and gives a link towards the overall content. When clicked the pictures open in modal window for review.
• If to the post is added a tag, a map centred to the location is shown.
• If there are attachments, including images - they appear in the block "attachments". When the number is not possible to fit in the block - the user uses the link "Show all files" - it expands the block to the necessary size. By clicking on the file begins its download.
• Standard element "Like" – allows to create relation between user and objectof the type "Like" or to stop the "Liking". It shows a list with the other users who liked the post.

All aforementioned actions are done by Ajax technology and do not reload the whole page. If the internet connection is good (over 1 Mbits/s) and the server is not overloaded - the loading happens instantaneously. In the other case the user sees loader/annimation till the icons are loaded.

The users may comment each post. The newest comments are on the top and the oldest on the bottom. The logic of other popular social networks is followed. The last 10 comments . are shown. On the upper part of the comments a special element appears, which allows to open the previous last ten comments or all comments at once. The user decides what is most convenient. This avoids the use of paginator, the user decides if to read a large amount of info or to inspect only the latter data. Each comment can be liked, like the post. The comment has a timer showing how long ago was released. The comment may also capture information about first released link, just like in the post case.

SCREENSHOTS