====ARDI Group Panel====

//Note that this describes the Group Panel found in ARDI clients such as ARDI-VE, ARDI-AR and ARDI-360 only. It does not cover collaboration interfaces found in other products//

The Group Panel allows you to...

  * See and change your current user name.
  * See and change your current [[group|group]].
  * Create a new, temporary group.
  * See where other users on the system are

===Reading the Panel===

{{:ardi-collab:collabgroups.png?500 |}}

===Closing the Panel===

Press the teal-coloured 'Close Panel' button to hide the panel.

===Collapsing and Expanding Groups===

Click on the 'Expand' button to either show or hide the list of users inside the group.

===Sending Direct Messages / Shares===

If you'd like to send a message or a share directly to an individual rather than the group, use the **Send Message** and **Send Share** buttons right next to their name.

Note that their name will then appear at the top of the screen, next to the username. To stop sending messages and shares to that person, simply click on their name.

===Changing Your Group===

To change which group you are in, press the button in the top right of the group header.

===Creating a Temporary Group===

Press the '+' button to add a new group. You will be prompted to give it a unique name.

**You will automatically join any group you create.**

Note that any group you create this way will be //temporary// - it will destroy itself as soon as all of the members leave. Only system administrators have the ability to create permanent groups.

===Changing Your Collaboration Username===

Simply click on the name at the top-right of the Group Panel to change your username.

By default, this will be the ID of your computer (many ARDI clients run on shared systems). However you can feel free to change your name to anything else you would like.

Note that this does **not** have to be your system username. Nicknames are perfectly acceptable, as long as they are going to be understood by other system users.

===Ending Private Chat===

If you've chosen to communicate directly with another user, you might need to **stop** doing so. Your username will appear as **[//<you>// Connected To //<them>//]**. Simply click on their name and you will return to chatting with the group.