Dashboard Manager

Interface Layout

The Dashboard Library is organized into three main sections for efficient dashboard management:

1. Header Section

The top section displays the library title, dashboard count, and primary controls.

• Library Title - Displays "Dashboard Library" with total dashboard count
• Sort Toggle - Switch between sorting by name (alphabetically) or date (most recent first)
• Refresh Button - Reloads the dashboard list from the server
• New Dashboard Button - Opens a blank dashboard editor to create a new dashboard

2. Search Bar

The search section allows you to quickly filter dashboards by name or description.

• Search Input - Type to filter dashboards by name or description in real-time
• Clear Button - Click the X icon to clear the search filter instantly

3. Dashboard List

The main area displays your dashboards organized in a folder tree structure with detailed information.

• Folder Structure - Organize dashboards in folders and subfolders for better organization
• Dashboard Cards - Each dashboard shows its icon, name, widget count, description, auto-refresh status, and last updated time
• Action Buttons - Quick access buttons appear on hover: View, Edit, Duplicate, and Delete
• Empty State - When no dashboards exist, displays a helpful message with a "Create Dashboard" button

Viewing and Opening Dashboards

There are several ways to open and interact with your saved dashboards:

Double-Click to View

The quickest way to open a dashboard is to double-click it. This opens the dashboard in view mode, where you can see all widgets and their data visualizations.

View Button

Hover over any dashboard to reveal the action buttons. Click the eye icon to open the dashboard in view-only mode.

Edit Button

Click the edit icon (pencil) to open the dashboard in edit mode, where you can add, remove, or modify widgets and dashboard settings.

Dashboard Information Display

Each dashboard in the list shows key information at a glance:

• Widget Count - Blue badge showing the number of widgets in the dashboard
• Description - Your custom description of what the dashboard visualizes
• Auto-Refresh Indicator - Green badge showing refresh interval if auto-refresh is enabled
• Last Updated - Relative timestamp (e.g., "2h ago", "3d ago") showing when the dashboard was last modified

Creating New Dashboards

Start building a new dashboard to visualize your MongoDB data in multiple ways:

Creating a Dashboard

1. Click the "New Dashboard" button in the header (or the "Create Dashboard" button if you have no dashboards yet)
2. A blank dashboard editor opens where you can configure settings and add widgets
3. Give your dashboard a name and description
4. Add widgets to visualize your data (charts, tables, metrics, etc.)
5. Save the dashboard - it will appear in your Dashboard Library

Managing Dashboards

The Dashboard Library provides several actions to manage your dashboards efficiently:

• Duplicate Dashboard - Create an exact copy of a dashboard including all its widgets and settings. This is useful when you want to create variations of an existing dashboard or use it as a template. The duplicate appears in the same folder with " (Copy)" appended to the name.
• Export Dashboard - Download the dashboard configuration as a JSON file. This allows you to back up dashboards, share them with team members, or migrate them between VisualLeaf installations. The exported file contains all dashboard settings and widget configurations.
• Delete Dashboard - Permanently remove a dashboard from your library. You'll be asked to confirm before deletion. This action cannot be undone, so use it carefully. You can also delete multiple dashboards at once using multi-select (Ctrl/Cmd+Click).
• Search and Filter - Use the search bar to quickly find dashboards by name or description. The search is instant and updates as you type. This is especially helpful when you have many dashboards organized across multiple folders.

Organizing with Folders

Keep your dashboards organized using the built-in folder system. This is especially useful when managing dashboards for different projects, teams, or purposes.

Creating Folders

• Root Folder - Right-click on "Dashboard Library" and select "Create Folder" to create a top-level folder
• Subfolders - Right-click on any folder and select "Create Subfolder" to organize hierarchically
• Quick Create - Hover over any folder to see the folder-plus icon for quick subfolder creation

Moving Dashboards Between Folders

You can reorganize dashboards by dragging and dropping them:

1. Click and hold on a dashboard (or select multiple dashboards)
2. Drag the dashboard(s) to the target folder
3. Drop when the folder is highlighted
4. The dashboard(s) will move to the new folder instantly

Managing Folders

• Expand/Collapse - Click on a folder name or the chevron icon to show or hide its contents
• Folder Count - Each folder shows the number of items it contains (dashboards + subfolders)
• Delete Folder - Right-click a folder and select "Delete Folder". This will delete the folder and all dashboards inside it

Folder State Persistence

VisualLeaf remembers which folders you have expanded or collapsed. When you reopen the Dashboard Library, your folder tree will be in the same state you left it.

Multi-Select Operations

Perform actions on multiple dashboards simultaneously using multi-select functionality:

Selection Methods

• Single Select - Click on a dashboard to select it (and deselect others)
• Multi-Select - Hold Ctrl (Windows/Linux) or Cmd (Mac) and click to select multiple individual dashboards
• Range Select - Click one dashboard, then hold Shift and click another to select all dashboards in between
• Clear Selection - Click in an empty area to deselect all dashboards

Bulk Actions

Once you have multiple dashboards selected, you can:

• Drag and Drop - Move all selected dashboards to a different folder at once
• Delete Multiple - Right-click any selected dashboard and choose "Delete". The count of selected dashboards will be shown

Context Menu

Right-click on dashboards, folders, or the root library to access context-specific actions:

Dashboard Context Menu

Right-click on any dashboard to access these options:

• View - Open the dashboard in view-only mode
• Edit - Open the dashboard in edit mode
• Duplicate - Create a copy of the dashboard
• Export - Download the dashboard as a JSON file
• Delete - Remove the dashboard(s). Shows count if multiple are selected

Folder Context Menu

Right-click on a folder to access these options:

• Create Subfolder - Create a new folder inside the current folder
• Expand/Collapse - Toggle the folder open or closed
• Delete Folder - Remove the folder and all its contents

Root Library Context Menu

Right-click on the "Dashboard Library" header to access:

• Create Folder - Create a new top-level folder

Keyboard Navigation

Navigate and interact with your dashboards using keyboard shortcuts for faster workflow:

Note: On macOS, use Cmd instead of Ctrl

Sorting Options

Control how your dashboards are displayed within folders using the sort toggle in the header:

Sort by Name

Dashboards are sorted alphabetically by name (A to Z). This is the default sorting mode and helps you find dashboards when you know their names.

Sort by Date

Dashboards are sorted by their last update time, with the most recently modified dashboards appearing first. This is useful for finding dashboards you've been working on recently.

Empty States

The Dashboard Library displays helpful messages when there are no dashboards to show:

No Dashboards Created

When you haven't created any dashboards yet, you'll see a message encouraging you to create your first dashboard with a prominent "Create Dashboard" button.

No Search Results

When your search doesn't match any dashboards, you'll see a message suggesting you adjust your search terms.

Pro Tips

• Organize with folders - Use folders to organize dashboards by project, team, environment, or purpose for easier management.
• Double-click to view - Double-click any dashboard to quickly view it. This is faster than clicking the View button.
• Export for backups - Export dashboards regularly to create backups or share them with teammates working on similar data.
• Use descriptive names - Use descriptive names and descriptions for your dashboards to make searching easier as your library grows.
• Multi-select for bulk moves - Multi-select dashboards with Ctrl+Click to move several dashboards to a new folder at once.
• Real-time search - The search bar filters in real-time, so you can type a few characters to quickly narrow down a large list.
• Rename duplicates immediately - When duplicating a dashboard to create variations, edit the copy's name immediately to avoid confusion.
• Sort by date - Sort by Date to quickly find and continue working on dashboards you recently modified.
• Create folders quickly - Right-click on the Dashboard Library header to quickly create a new top-level folder.
• Use keyboard navigation - Keyboard navigation is efficient: use arrow keys to browse, Enter to open, and Page Up/Down for quick scrolling.

Related Features

• Dashboard Builder - Learn how to create and configure dashboards with widgets and visualizations
• Dashboard Viewer - Understand how to view and interact with dashboards in view mode
• Chart Builder - Learn about creating charts that can be added as dashboard widgets
• Connection Manager - Manage the database connections used by your dashboards
• Layout System - Understand tabs and workspace management in VisualLeaf