The Groove Launchbar opens when you first start up Groove (unless you change your Groove start-up options). You can initiate all Groove activities from the Launchbar.
You can open the Launchbar by clicking the Groove taskbar icon and selecting Open Groove Launchbar or by double-clicking the Groove taskbar icon. If you're not logged into your account, Groove will prompt you to enter your password before opening the Launchbar.
The Launchbar contains two panels, one for creating and managing workspaces, and the other for managing Groove contacts.
To switch the layout of the Launchbar between tabbed panels (the default layout) and stacked windows, select Options - Tabbed View.
The Launchbar includes a "Common Tasks" section, with options that change to correspond with your current activity or selection. For example, if you select a contact in the Contacts panel, you see options to send a message or invitation to that contact.
The Workspaces panel displays a list of your workspaces. You can start activities from the Workspaces panel as follows:
Double-click any workspace to open it. The workspace opens into a viewer that corresponds with its workspace type. For example, standard workspaces open in the Groove Workspace Explorer; file sharing workspaces open in a special layout in Windows Explorer.
Right-click any workspace to see menu options for managing the workspace. For example, you can open workspace properties, rename, pause, or delete the workspace, save a workspace as an archive or template, and invite people as new members.
Click New Workspace to create a new workspace.
There are several ways you can list your workspaces. Select Options - View Workspaces By, and an select an option.
The Contacts panel lists all people you've added to your personal list. These can include Groove, Jabber, and email contacts. You can start activities from the contacts panel as follows:
Double-click a Groove or Jabber contact to open
the Groove send message window and create a message.
Double-clicking an email contact opens a new message in your email
program.
Drag a contact to a workspace in your Workspaces
List to open a workspace
invitation addressed to that contact.
Tip: You can drag contacts to a workspace even if Workspaces
and Contacts are on separate tabs. Drag the contact to the Workspaces
tab to display that tab and then select the workspace.
Right-click any contact name to see a menu of activity options. For example, you can send an invitation to the contact; launch a Microsoft NetMeeting session with the contact; delete the contact; set alerts; export the contact; and email your Groove contact information to the contact.
Click Add Contact to search directories and add new contacts to your list.
Select File - New - Non-Groove Contact to create and add an email or Jabber contact to your list.
There are several ways to list contacts. Select Options - View Contacts By, and select from the following options:
Folders. Categorizes contacts by folder.
Alphabetical. Lists all contacts alphabetically.
Status. Categorizes contacts according to their current status. Status categories you may see include the following:
Active.
Lists contacts who are currently online and doing activities in a workspace
in which you share membership.
To immediately go to the workspace, right-click the contact and select
Go to Active Workspace. If the
selected member is active in several of your workspaces, a Select Workspace
window opens a list.
Online.
Lists contacts who are currently online.
An idle indicator is appended to contacts who are online but who have
not done activities at their computer for at least the past 15 minutes.
If you want, you can select an option in your preferences to segregate
idle contacts to the bottom of the Online list.
Offline. Lists contacts who are currently offline.
Email. Lists non-Groove contacts; that is, contacts with whom you can only communicate by email.
Authentication. Categorizes members according to their contact authentication status.
Organization. Categorizes contacts by the organization listed in their contact properties. If contacts have no organization included in contact properties, they are listed under "Unknown Organization."
Type. Categorizes contacts by contact type: Groove, Jabber, or Email.
The picture below shows the variety of contacts you might have in your contact list, viewed alphabetically, and their current awareness status:
You can organize your contacts in folders. You see categories by selecting the option to view folders.
Select Options - View Contacts By - Folders.
Click the location in the Contacts list where
you want to place a new folder.
Folders are created at the same level as the selected folder (if any).
For example, if you select a contact that's already in a folder, the new
folder will appear hierarchically within that folder.
Select File - New - Contacts Folder.
Replace the "New Folder" text with a name that makes sense for the contacts intended for that folder.
Drag and drop contacts into the new folder or
add new contacts.
Note: For Jabber contacts,
the folder organization you use in Groove has no bearing on the folder
organization you might be using in a Jabber client. For example, if you
move a Jabber contact into a folder in your Groove contact list, this
contact will not automatically move into the same folder (if it exists)
in your Jabber client.
Click in the status bar to pop up a list of your workspaces. Uncheck or check workspaces to pause or resume communication activities. Data counters report on the flow of incoming and outgoing data. To do more Communications Manager activities, click the Communications Manager link.
Click the envelope icon to open the Message History window.
The Common Tasks pane lists options that are intended to correspond with your current activity or selections. For example, if you select a workspace in the Workspaces pane, common task options pertain to workspaces, such as sending invitations or showing workspace properties.
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