# Navigating the Cacti User Interface

The Cacti User Interface is visually broken into multiple sections.  Each major section is navigated to by clicking on a **Top Tab**.  By default, Cacti has four major sections called *Console*, *Graphs*, *Reporting* and *Logs*, though Administrators can add additional **Top Tab** sections through both installing and enabling **Plugins** or by adding **External Links** to Cacti.

Inside each of these sections, the page is broken into sub-sections.  These Subsections include the *Navigation Area* and the *Content Area*.

All pages include a *Breadcrumb* area a *User Profile and Menu* area, and in some themes a *Footer* area is also included.  Additionally, in some *Themes* the *Breadcrumb* area is hidden.

To use Cacti properly, you should first understand these sections.  We will start by describing the Cacti *Console*.

## The Cacti Console Top Tab

The image below is of the Cacti *Console*.  From the Cacti Console, we can see many of Cacti's User Interface areas.

- **Top Tabs** - Cacti **Top Tabs** provide Cacti with multiple **Navigation Areas**.  By default, Cacti includes four **Top Tabs**.  They are *Console*, *Graphs*, *Log* and *Reports*.
- **Breadcrumbs** - **Breadcrumbs** appear directly below the **Top Tabs**.  Note that some Cacti *Themes* disable the **Breadcrumbs**.  You can click on a **Breadcrumb** area to navigate to that area if desired.
- **Cacti Content Area** - This is where the main page content will be displayed.  It is directly below the **Breadcrumbs** or the **Top Tabs** with some Cacti *Themes*.  They can include any HTML that the **Plugin Author** or Cacti Administrator desires in the case of **External Links**.
- **Navigation Menu** - If you click on the Cacti *Console*, you will see an example **Navigation Menu**.  These menus can appear on any Plugin based **Top Tab** page in addition to the Cacti *Console*.
- **Cacti Tables** - These tables are where table based data is rendered in Cacti.  **Cacti Tables** are presented using an arcane, though easy to use API.
- **Table Filters** - Any **Cacti Table** can include a **Table Filters**.  These filters can be used to limit the data returned to a **Cacti Table**.
- **Actions Dropdown** - Any page that includes a **Cacti Table** will generally include an **Actions Dropdown**.  These **Actions Dropdown** menus allow you to take action on a table row or rows.
- **User Profile and Menu** - This is where a **Cacti User** can edit their profile, change their password, logout, or find links to other Cacti information and support.

![Example Cacti Page](images/cacti-page-layout.png)

Normal users, such as the Cacti Guest account should not have access to the Cacti *Console*.

## The Cacti Graphs Top Tab

The Cacti Graphs **Top Tab** is where most Cacti **Graphs** are viewed.  By default, the Cacti Graphs **Top Tab** includes three distinct views.  They include:

- **Tree View** - Allows Cacti Users to view **Graphs** in the form of hierarchical **Trees**.  These **Trees** are generally constructed by the Cacti Administrator and are controlled either at the **User** or **User Group** level.
- **Preview View** - The **Preview View** provides a view of all **Graphs** that a Cacti User has access to.  **Table Filters** are provided to constrain the list of **Graphs** returned to the page.
- **List View** - The **List View** allows the Cacti user to Create their own **Preview Page** by allowing them to select graphs from various pages, and then finally view those pages from the **Preview View**.

In the example **Tree View** page below, you can see the **Tree Navigation Area** to the left, and in the **Cacti Content Area**, you can see the **Graphs** and a **Table Filter** area for constraining the list of **Graphs** returned.  You can *Search* the Tree View from the *Search* area above the **Tree Navigation Area**.

![Cacti Tree View Page](images/cacti-tree-view-page.png)

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