Alliance User's Guide

1. Using the Simple Search

The Alliance Simple Search UI application provides a low-bandwidth option for searching records in the local Catalog (provider) and federated sources. Results are returned in HTML format.

1.1. Search

The Input form allows the user to specify keyword, geospatial, temporal, and type query parameters. It also allows the user to select the sources to search and the number of results to return.

1.1.1. Search Criteria

Enter one or more of the available search criteria to execute a query:

Keyword Search: A text box allowing the user to enter a textual query. This supports the use of (*) wildcards. If blank, the query contains a contextual component.
Temporal Query: Select from any, relative, or absolute. Selecting Any results in no temporal restrictions on the query, selecting relative allows the user to query a period from some length of time in the past until now, and selecting absolute allows the user to specify a start and stop date range.
Spatial Search: Select from any, point-radius, and bounding box. Selecting Any results in no spatial restrictions on the query, selecting point-radius allows the user to specify a lat/lon and radius to search, and selecting a bounding box allows the user to specify an eastern, western, southern, and northern boundary to search within.
Type Search: Select from any, or a specific type. Selecting Any results in no type restrictions on the query, and Selecting Specific Types shows a list of known content types on the federation, and allows the user to select a specific type to search for.
Sources: Select from none, all sources, or specific sources. Selelcting None results in querying only the local provider, Selecting All Sources results in an enterprise search where all federations are queried, and selecting Specific Sources allows the user to select which sources are queried.
Results per Page: Select the number of results to be returned by a single query.

1.1.2. Results

The table of results shows the details of the results found, as well as a link to download the resource if applicable.

1.1.2.1. Results Summary

Total Results: Total Number of Results available for this query. If there are more results than the number displayed per page then a page navigation link appears to the right.
Pages: Provides page navigation, which generate queries for requesting additional pages of results.

1.1.2.2. Results Table

The Results table provides a preview of and links to the results. The table consists of these columns:

Title: Displays title of the metacard. This is a link which can clicked to view the metacard in the Metacard View.
Source: Displays where the metadata came from, which could be the local provider or a federated source.
Location: Displays the WKT Location of the metacard, if available.
Time: Shows the Received (Created) and Effective times of the metacard, if available.
Thumbnail: Shows the thumbnail of the metacard, if available.
Download: A download link to retrieve the resource associated with the metacard, when applicable, if available.

1.1.3. Result View

This view shows more detailed look at a result.

Back to Results Button: Returns the view back to the Results Table.
Previous & Next: Navigation to page through the results one by one.
Result Table: Provides the list of properties and associated values of a single search result.
Metadata: The metadata, when expanded, displays a tree structure representing the result’s custom metadata.

Intrigue represents the most advanced search interface available with Alliance. It provides metadata search and discovery, resource retrieval, and workspace management with a 3D or optional 2D map visualization.

Note	Contextual Help Feature For more detail on any feature or button within Intrigue, click the `?` icon in the upper right of the screen; then, hover over any item on the screen and a contextual tooltip will be displayed to define its purpose. To exit this mode, click the `?` again or press `escape`.

Glossary of Terms

Advanced Query Builder: Search tool for building complex queries beyond basic searches.
Associations: User-defined relationships between different data resources.
Attribute Editor: Tool used to edit metadata attributes on uploads.
Basic Search Tool: Search tool for building simple searches.
Inspector: Tool for viewing and editing metadata attributes.
Lists: User-defined collections of related results or products.
Map Tools Widget: Tool for customizing or navigating the map view.
Metadata Quality: A measure of the completeness or correctness of the metadata of a resource.
Result Forms: Customizable templates of the attributes shown when viewing searches.
Search Forms: Customizable templates of the attributes used in creating searches.
Sources View: View the health and status of all configured data sources
Temporal Search: Basic search using time-based search terms.
Spatial Search: Basic search using location-based search terms.
Text Search: Basic search using the text of documents and/or metadata.
Visuals: Tools to view search results or the information about them.
Workspaces: User-defined collections of searches and search settings.

2.1. Accessing Intrigue

The default URL for Intrigue is {secure_url}/search/catalog

Note	Catalog UI Guest Users If Guest access has been enabled, users not signed in to Alliance (i.e. guest users) will have access to search functions, but all workspace configuration and settings will only exist locally and will not be available for sharing.

Intrigue defaults to the Search view. For other views, select the Navigation menu navigator icon in the upper-left corner of Intrigue and select the desired view.

Navigation Menu

Workspaces
Upload
Sources
Search Forms
Result Forms

2.2. Searching Intrigue

The Search pane has two tabs: Search and Lists.

Figure 1. Search Pane Tabs

2.2.1. Creating a Search

Search queries are grouped together into Workspaces. These searches can be saved, edited, and duplicated as the basis of further searches.

Creating a New Search Within the Current Workspace

From the main Intrigue screen, select Search Intrigue.
1. From the dialog that opens, select the edit icon to name the search if it will be reused or shared.
2. Select the type of search to perform: Text, Basic, or Advanced.
Results will be displayed in the Search Tab.
If too many or too few results are returned, edit the search parameters by selecting the edit icon.
Once the search is correct, select the Save icon next to the workspace name in the top bar.

Creating a New Search Into a New Workspace

Select the navigation menu icon.
Select Workspaces.
Enter search terms into the Search box.
A new workspace, by default called New Workspace, will be created containing only the new search.
Rename the workspace, if desired.
Select the Save icon next to the workspace name.

Search Types

Text: Perform a minimal textual search that is treated identically to a Basic search with only Text specified.

Basic: Define a Text, Temporal, Spatial, or Type Search.

Text Search Details: Searches across all textual data of the targeted data source. Text search capabilities include:

Search for an exact word, such as Text = apple : Returns items containing the word "apple" but not "apples". Matching occurs on word boundaries.
Search for the existence of items containing multiple words, such as Text = apple orange : Returns items containing both "apple" and "orange" words. Words can occur anywhere in an item’s metadata.
Search using wildcards, such as Text = foo* : Returns items containing words like "food", "fool", etc..

Wildcards should only be used for single word searches, not for phrases.

Warning

When searching with wildcards, do not include the punctuation at the beginning or the end of a word. For example, search for Text = ca* instead of Text = -ca* when searching for words like "cat", "-cat", etc.. and search for Text = *og instead of Text = *og. when searching for words like "dog", "dog.", etc..

Text searches are by default case insensitive, but case sensitive searches are an option.

Temporal Search Details: Search based on absolute time of the created, modified, or effective date.
- Any: Search without any time restrictions (default).
- After: Search records after a specified time.
- Before: Search records before a specified time.
- Between: Set an exclusive beginning and an exclusive end time to search between.
- Relative: Search records relative to the current time.

Spatial Search Details

Search by latitude/longitude (decimal degrees or degrees minutes seconds), USNG/MGRS, or UTM
Search by entering a Keyword for a region, country, or city in the Location section of the query builder.

To search using a line, polygon, point-radius, or bounding box, select the shape to draw, then select Draw.

Note

Intersecting Polygon Searchs

If a self intersecting polygon is used to perform a geographic search, the polygon will be converted into a non-intersection one via a convex hull conversion. In the example below the blue line shows the original self intersecting search polygon and the red line shows the converted polygon that will be used for the search. The blue dot shows a search result that was not within the original polygon but was returned because it was within the converted polygon.

Figure 2. Self Intersecting Polygon Conversion Example

Type Search Details
- Search for specific content types.

Advanced: Advanced Query Builder can be used to create more specific searches than can be done through the other methods.
- Advanced Query Builder Details
  - Operator: If 'AND' is used, all the filters in the branch have to be true for this branch to be true. If 'OR' is used, only one of the filters in this branch has to be true for this branch to be true.
  - Property: Property to compare against.
  - Comparison: How to compare the value for this property against the provided value. Depending on the type of property selected, various comparison values will be available. See Types of Comparators
  - Search Terms: The value for the property to use during comparison.
  - Sorting: Sort results by relevance, distance, created time, modified time or effective time.
  - Sources: Perform an enterprise search (the local Catalog and all federated sources) or search specific sources.
- Advanced Query Builder Comparators
  - Textual:
    
    CONTAINS: Equivalent to Basic Text Search with Matchcase set to No.
    
    MATCHCASE: Equivalent to Basic Text Search with Matchcase set to Yes.
    
    =: Matches if an attribute is precisely equal to that search term.
    
    NEAR: Performs a fuzzy proximity-based textual search. A NEAR query of "car street" within 3 will match a sample text of the blue car drove down the street with the red building because performing three word deletions in that phrase (drove, down, the) causes car and street to become adjacent.
    
    EMPTY: Search records when the attribute itself does not exist or when the attribute value is null.
    
    More generally, a NEAR query of "A B" within N matches a text document if you can perform at most N insertions/deletions to your document and end up with A followed by B.
    
    It is worth noting that "street car" within 3 will not match the above sample text because it is not possible to match the phrase "street car" after only three insertions/deletions. "street car" within 5 will match, though, as you can perform three word deletions to get "car street", one deletion of one of the two words, and one insertion on the other side.
    
    If multiple terms are used in the phrase, then the within amount specifies the total number of edits that can be made to attempt to make the full phrase match. "car down street" within 2 will match the above text because it takes two word deletions (drove, the) to turn the phrase car drove down the street into car down street.
  - Temporal:
    
    BEFORE: Search records before a specified time.
    
    AFTER: Search records after a specified time.
    
    RELATIVE Search records relative to the current time.
    
    EMPTY: Search records when the attribute itself does not exist or when the attribute value is null.
  - Spatial:
    
    INTERSECTS: Gives a component with the same functionality as Basic Spatial Search.
    
    EMPTY: Search records when the attribute itself does not exist or when the attribute value is null.
  - Numeric:
    
    >: Search records with field entries greater than the specified value.
    
    >=: Search records with field entries greater than or equal to the specified value.
    
    =: Search records with field entries equal to the specified value.
    
    <=: Search records with field entries less than or equal to the specified value.
    
    RANGE: Search records between the two specified values (inclusive).
    
    <: Search records with field entries less than the specified value.
    
    EMPTY: Search records when the attribute itself does not exist or when the attribute value is null.

2.2.2. Editing Searches

View and edit searches from the Search tab.

The available searches for a workspace can be viewed by clicking on the drop-down on the Search tab.

Figure 3. Viewing available searches.

Search Menu Options

At the bottom of each search is a list of options for the search.

Run ▶: Trigger this search to begin immediately.
Edit ✐: Edit the search criteria.
Settings ⚙: Edit the search settings, such as sorting.
- Sort: Set the sorting criteria for this search.
- Sources: Limit the sources queried by this search.
- Result Form: Choose a format for search results. See Result Forms
Notifications 🔕: Allows setting up search notifications.
Additional Options
- Stop: Stop this search.
- Delete: Remove this search.
- Duplicate: Create a copy of this search as a starting point.
- Search Archived: Execute this search, but specifically for archived results.
- Search Historical: Execute this search, but specifically for historical results.
- View Notes: View or add annotations to the record.
- Export Selected: Select a record, or group of records, and download the metadata or resources for those records.
- Export Selected (Compressed): Export selected records into a zip file.

Viewing Search Status

An existing search’s status can be viewed by selecting the search in the Search tab of a workspace and by clicking the Status icon. The Status view for a search displays information about the sources searched.

Repeating a Search

Schedule a standing search.

Select the Notifications icon on the search.
Select the Frequency for the search to repeat.

Note	Notifications for the search will persist until the user logs out or refreshes the page.

2.2.3. Viewing Search Results

The Search tab displays a list of all of the search results for the selected search.

Returned search results can be refined further, bookmarked, and/or downloaded from the Search tab. Result sets are color-coded by source as a visual aid. There is no semantic meaning to the colors assigned.

Figure 4. Search Results Options

On the Search tab, select a search from the drop-down list.
Perform any of these actions on the results list of the selected search:
1. Filter the result set locally. This does not re-execute the search.
2. Sort (Customize results sorting). The default sort is by title in ascending order.
3. Toggle results view between List and Gallery(displays a thumbnail, if applicable).

2.2.3.1. Search Result Options

Options for each individual search result

Download: Downloads the result’s associated resource directly to the local machine. This option is only available for results that have resources.
Add to List +: Adds/removes the results to/from a list.
Hide from Future Searches: Adds to a list of results that will be hidden from future searches.
Expand Metacard View: Navigates to a view that only focuses on this particular result.
Export As: Export the metadata, associated resource, or both.

2.2.3.2. Adding Visuals

Visuals allow different views of search results.

Click the Add Visual () icon in the bottom right corner of Intrigue.
Select a visual to add.
1. 2D Map: A 2 dimensional map view.
2. 3D Map: A 3 dimensional map view.
3. Histogram: A configurable histogram view for the results of a search.
4. Table: A configurable table view for the results of a search.
5. Inspector: In depth details and actions for the results of a search.

Inspector View Available Options

Summary: A customizable subset of the attributes of the result.
- Filter: Search for specific attributes.
- Actions: Add, Remove, Show, or Rearrange the visible attributes for this result.
Details: A detailed view of all attributes available for the result.
History: View revision history of this record.
Associations: View or edit the relationship(s) between this record and others in the catalog.
Quality: View the completeness and accuracy of the metadata for this record.
Actions: Export the metadata/resource to a specific format.
Archive: Remove the selected result from standard search results.
Overwrite: Overwrite a resource.

2.2.3.2.1. Editing Records

Results can be edited from the Summary or Details tabs in the Inspector visual.

2.2.3.2.2. Viewing Text Previews

If a preview for a result is available, an extra tab will appear in the Inspector visual that allows you to see a preview of the resource.

Getting a preview using the metadata can be enabled through Admin Console → Catalog → Configuration → Catalog Preview → Preview From Metadata

2.2.3.2.3. Editing Associations on a Record

Update relationships between records through Associations.

Select the desired result from the Search tab.
Select the Inspector visual.
Select the Associations tab.
Select Edit.
For a new association, select Add Association. Only items in the current result set can be added as associations.
1. Select the related result from either the Parent or Child drop-down.
2. Select the type of relationship from the Relationship drop-down.
3. Select Save.
To edit an existing association, update the selections from the appropriate drop-downs and select Save.

View a graphical representation of the associations by selecting Graph icon from the Associations menu.

Figure 5. Associations menu.

2.2.3.2.4. Viewing Revision History

View the complete revision history of a record.

Select the desired result from the Search tab.
Select the Inspector visual.
Select the History tab.
1. Select a previous version from the list.
2. Select Revert to Selected Version to undo changes made after that revision.

2.2.3.2.5. Viewing Metadata Quality

View and fix issues with metadata quality in a record.

Note	Correcting metadata issues may require administrative permissions.

Select the desired result from the Search tab.
Select the Inspector visual.
Select the Quality tab.
A report is displayed showing any issues:
1. Metacard Validation Issues.
2. Attribute Validation Issues.

2.2.3.2.6. Exporting a Result

Export a result’s metadata and/or resource.

Select the desired result from the Search tab.
Select the Inspector visual.
Select Actions tab.
Select the desired export format.
Export opens in a new browser tab. Save, if desired.

2.2.3.2.7. Archiving a Result

To remove a result from the active search results, archive it.

Select the desired result from the Search tab.
Select the Inspector visual.
Select the Archive tab.
Select Archive item(s).
Select Archive.

2.2.3.2.8. Restoring Archived Results

Restore an archived result to return it to the active search results.

Select the Search Archived option from the Search Results Options menu.
Select the desired result from the Search tab.
Select the Inspector visual.
Select the Archive tab.
Select Restore item(s).
Select Restore.

Restore hidden results to the active search results.

Select the Settings () icon on navigation bar.
Select Hidden.
Click on the eye () icon next to each result to be unhidden.
1. Or select Unhide All to clear the list.

See Hiding a result.

2.2.3.2.9. Overwriting a Resource

Replace a resource.

Select the desired result from the Search tab.
Select the Inspector visual.
Select the Overwrite tab.
Select Overwrite content.
Select Overwrite
Navigate to the new content via the navigation window.

2.2.4. Hiding Results

Redundant, irrelevant, or previously reviewed search results can be hidden from future searches.

Perform a search.
Select the result to be hidden from view.
Select the Options menu for the result to hide.
Select Hide from Future Searches.
When you re-run the search, the selected result will not be in the result set.

2.2.4.1. Viewing and Restoring Hidden Results

Select the Settings (⚙) menu.
Select Hidden.
Unhide any or all of the hidden results.

2.2.5. Using Lists

Lists organize results and enable performing actions on those sets of results. The Lists tab can be found on the Search pane.

The Lists tab defaults to the most recent list viewed. Select the dropdown to see other lists available.

From the List tab, perform any of these actions on lists:
1. Filter the result set locally (does not re-execute the search),
2. Sort (Customize list sorting). (Default: Title in Ascending Order).
3. Toggle results view between List and Gallery.

Note	Lists are not available to guest users.

2.2.5.1. Creating a List

A new list can be created by selecting the Lists tab and selecting the new list text.

2.2.5.2. Adding/Removing Results to a List

Results can be added to a list by selecting the add (+) icon on a result.

sample result view

Results can be added or removed to/from a list through the result’s dropdown menu.

sample dropdown menu

Multiple results can be bulk-added by selecting the check box on all the desired results and selecting the add (+) icon.

2.3. Using Workspaces

Within Intrigue, Workspaces are collections of settings, searches, and lists that can be shared between users and stored for repeated access.

2.3.1. Creating a Workspace

Start new workspace

From the Workspaces view, enter search terms into the Start new workspace search field and click the magnifying glass () icon. This will create a new workspace and perform a search based on the entered search terms.

Figure 6. Start new workspace

2.3.2. Configuring a Workspace

Configure each workspace with searches and share options.

Adding searches

Each workspace can have up to ten searches saved. . From the default Workspaces view, select the workspace to add a search to. . Click Search Alliance Intrigue in the upper left corner, enter search terms, and click Search to add a search. This step can be repeated to add additional searches. Each workspace can have up to ten searches. .. Select Basic Search to select simple search criteria, such as text, time, and location. .. Select Advanced Search to access a query builder for more complex queries. . Click the save ( save icon ) icon next to the workspace title in the upper left corner.

Workspace Menu Options

To view a workspace’s options from the Workspaces view, press the Options button () for the workspace.
- Save Workspace: Save changes to the workspace.
- Run All Searches: Start all saved searches within this workspace.
- Cancel All Searches: Cancel all running searches.
- Open Workspace in New Tab: Opens this workspace in a separate tab.
- View Sharing: View and edit settings for sharing this workspace. Users must be signed in to share workspaces or view shared workspaces.
- View Details: View the current details for a cloud-based workspace. Users must be signed in to view workspace details.
- Duplicate Workspace: Create a copy of this workspace.
- Subscribe: Selecting Subscribe will enable email notifications for search results on this workspace. Selecting Unsubscribe will disable email notifications for search results on this workspace.
- Delete Workspace: Delete (archive) this workspace.

2.3.3. Sharing Workspaces

Workspaces can be shared between users at different levels of access as needed.

Share a Workspace

From the Workspaces view, select the Options menu () for the workspace in which sharing will be modified.
Select View Sharing.
1. To share by user role, set the drop-down menu to Read Only or Read and Write for each desired role. All users with that role will be able to view the workspace, but will be limited based on the permission assigned. No user will be granted the ability to share the workspace with additional users.
2. To share with an individual user, add his/her email to the email list and set the drop-down menu to Read Only, Read and Write, or Read, Write, and Share.
Click Apply.

Remove Sharing on a Workspace

From the Workspaces view, select the Options menu () for the workspace in which sharing will be modified.
Select View Sharing.
1. To remove the workspace from users with specific roles, set the drop-down menu to No Access for those roles.
2. To remove an individual user, remove the user’s email address from the email list.
Click Apply.

2.3.4. Filtering Workspaces

To help find the appropriate workspace, workspaces can be filtered from the main workspace view page.

Filter by workspace owner: Owned by Anyone, Owned by Me, Not Owned by Me.
Filter by Title.

2.4. Uploading

Data can be ingested via Intrigue.

Warning

The Intrigue uploader is intended for the upload of resources (such as images or documents), not metadata files (such as Metacard XML). A user will not be able to specify which input transformer is used to ingest the document.

Select the Menu icon () in the upper left corner.
Select Upload.
Drag and drop file(s) or click to open a navigation window.
After selecting the file(s) to be uploaded, select Start to begin uploading.

Files are processed individually with a visual status indication of each upload. If there are any failures, the user is notified with a message on that specific resource. More information about the uploads can be found in the ingest log. The default location of the log is /data/log/ingest_error.log.

Note	Uploaded resources may be marked with Validation Warnings or Errors. Additional configuration may be needed to view these resources in searches.

2.4.1. Using the Attribute Editor

Intrigue provides an Attribute Editor form which allows users to customize the metadata of their uploads. If enabled, it will appear alongside the upload dropzone and will display a list of attributes that may be set.

To set an attribute, simply provide a value in the corresponding form control. All custom values in the form will be applied on upload. If a field is left blank, the attribute will be ignored. To remove all custom values entered, simply click the "Reset Attributes" button at the bottom of the form.

Certain attributes within the form may be marked as required (indicated by an asterisk). These fields must be set before uploads will be permitted.

2.5. Sources View

Alliance can be configured to search multiple data sources simultaneously, or searches can be limited to specific sources as needed.

To view the status of all configured sources, select Sources from the Navigation Menu.

To limit the sources used for a Basic search, select the appropriate source(s) from the Sources menu while creating/editing the search.

Figure 7. Select Sources

2.6. Using Search Forms

Search Forms are customizable templates of the attributes used in creating searches. Search forms are reusable, for when certain search types are created repeatedly.

The Search Form screen has tabs to view Search Forms you created, Search Forms shared with you, and System Search Forms.

2.6.1. Creating Search Forms

The Search Form Editor is found on the Navigation Menu.

Select New Search Form.
Add, remove, or reorder the fields on the search form.
Name the new form and select Save.
Optionally, make the new form the Default Form from the options menu on the form.

2.6.2. Sharing Search Forms

Search forms are shareable between users, groups, and user roles.

Select the options menu on the Search Form to be shared.
Select the appropriate access levels for the desired user category.
Select Add User to share with a specific user or group of users.
Select Apply to save changes.

2.7. Using Result Forms

Result Forms are customizable templates of the attributes shown when viewing searches. Result forms are reusable, for when certain search types are created repeatedly.

The Result Form screen has tabs to view Result Forms you created, Result Forms shared with you, and System Result Forms.

2.7.1. Creating Result Forms

The Result Form Editor is found on the Navigation Menu.

Select New Result Form.
Add, remove, or reorder the fields on the result form.
Name the new form and select Save.
Optionally, make the new form the Default Form from the options menu on the form.

2.7.2. Sharing Result Forms

Result forms are shareable between users, groups, and user roles.

Select the options menu on the Result Form to be shared.
Select the appropriate access levels for the desired user category.
Select Add User to share with a specific user or group of users.
Select Apply to save changes.

2.8. Map Tools

Further customize the map view with the Map Tools Widget.

2.8.1. Pan to a Location

Use the Map Tools Widget "Pan to Region" box to search for a geographic location and move the map to that location.

2.8.2. Set a home location

Customize the default location the map loads by setting a home location.

On the Map Tools Widget, select the Dropdown of the Home button.
Select Set Home.

2.8.3. Cluster location results

Reduce visual clutter on the map when working with large data sets of geographic data by Clustering results.

Select Cluster on the Map Tools Widget.

Figure 8. Before Clustering

Figure 9. After Clustering

2.8.4. Map Layer Settings

Customize the opacity and ordering of map layers.

On the Map Layers Widget, select Layers.
Use the arrow icons to reorder map layers.
Set the opacity of a layer with the slider control.
Show/hide individual layers.

2.8.5. Set Coordinate Format

Set the format for displaying coordinates from the Map Layers Widget.

Select Settings on the Map Layers Widget.
Select from the available formats on the dropdown menu.

2.9. Notifications

Notifications can be checked/dismissed by clicking the Notifications icon ( notifications icon ) on the navigation bar.

2.10. Customizing Options

Customize the look and feel of Intrigue using the Settings () menu on the navigation bar.

Figure 10. Settings Menu Options

Theme: Visual options for page layout.
Notifications: Select if notifications persist across sessions.
Map: Select options for map layers.
Query: Customize the number of search results returned.
Time: Set the time format (ISO-8601, 24 Hour or 12 Hour), as well as the timezone (UTC-12:00 through UTC+12:00).
Hidden: View or edit a list of results that have been hidden from the current search results.

2.10.1. Intrigue Low Bandwidth Mode

Low bandwidth mode can be enabled by passing in a ?lowBandwidth parameter along with any URL targeting the Intrigue endpoint. Ex: https://{FQDN}:{PORT}/search/catalog/?lowBandwidth#workspaces. Currently, enabling this parameter causes the system to prompt the user for confirmation before loading potentially bandwidth-intensive components like the 2D or 3D Maps.

Alliance User’s Guide