5.14 Merging of Navigation Trees

Use

If a user has more than one role assigned, the entries in the navigation tree appear merged as in one role. If the same folders are used in several roles, the folder contents are merged. Two entries that are the same in two roles, appear only once.

The role order depends on the sort index defined for the role (in transaction Role Maintenance ( PFCG) under Menu Options in the Sort Index field). The sort index determines the relative sorting of different roles when multiple roles are assigned. The sort order is ascending. The home role means sort index 0.

The following rules apply:

If roles contain identical folders in equal hierarchies, their folder contents are merged and redundant folders are not visible. The folder contained in the role with the lower sort index is displayed.
Identical folder means that the following attributes are identical:
- Name of the entry ( Object field)
- Level of the entry in the tree
- Type of the entry (standard entry, side panel, or link collection)
- Referenced entry (for side panel and link collection)
The entries of the merged folder are sorted according to the sort index. That is, entries from role with the lower sort index come first.

The figure below illustrates the relevant settings in transaction PFCG:

Relevant PFCG settings

Example

Role 1 (sort index 1)

Folder A
- Folder A1
  - Entry A11
  - Entry A13
  - Entry A14
Folder B
- Entry B5
- Entry B2
- Entry B3
Folder C
- Entry C1

Role 2 (sort index 2)

Folder A
- Folder A1
  - Entry A10
  - Entry A15
  - Entry A13
Folder D
- Entry D1
Folder B
- Entry B5
- Entry B2

Result (merged role)

Folder A
- Folder A1
  - Entry A11
  - Entry A13
  - Entry A14
  - Entry A10
  - Entry A15
Folder B
- Entry B5
- Entry B2
- Entry B3
Folder C
- Entry C1
Folder D
- Entry D1

Link Collection and Side Panel

To enable entries specified as side panel or link collection to refer to normal entries, use an explicit assignment in the Application Alias field. In this case, the location in the tree for this entry is not considered for role merging.

Example

The following example is based on one role:

Role

Folder A
- Folder A1
  - Entry A11 (node ID 123)
  - Entry A13
  - Entry A14
  - Side panel A (refers to node 123)
Folder B
- Entry B5
- Entry B2
- Entry B3
- Side panel A (refers to node 123)
Folder C
- Entry C1
- Side panel A (refers to node 123)
Side panel A (refers to node 123)
Side panel B (refers to node 123)

Result (merged navigation tree)

Folder A
- Folder A1
  - Entry A11 (node ID 123)
  - Entry A13
  - Entry A14
  - Side panel A (refers to node 123)
Folder B
- Entry B5
- Entry B2
- Entry B3
Folder C
- Entry C1
Side panel B (refers to node 123)

If you use a container folder for the assignment, that is, you have assigned several side panel entries for all entries of the same folder and child folders, the name of the container folder is not considered for merging. That is, in this case, the names do not need to be the identical. The reason is that the folder name is not shown on the UI. All entries of the assigned container folders are merged. The same effect occurs for global references, that is, when side panel applications are assigned to all roles of a user.

Example

The following example is based on one role:

Role

Folder A
- Folder A1
  - Entry A11
  - Entry A13
  - Entry A14
- Side panel folder 1
  - Side panel A
  - Side panel B
  - Side panel C
- Side panel folder 2
  - Side panel A
  - Side panel E
  - Side panel C
- Side panel folder 3
  - Side panel A
  - Side panel D
  - Side panel C

Result on the UI

Entry A11 (and all other entries from folder A1) have the following side panel entries that appear when you choose the Side panel selector icon:

Side panel A
Side panel B
Side panel C
Side panel E
Side panel D

For more information about the assignment of side panel applications, see 5.10 Side Panel .