AppSuite:ISV Mockups Wireframes

Create Open-Xchange AppSuite Mockups / Wireframes

Why build mockups?

Many people don´t understand why they should use a mockup tool.

Here is a list of some reasons, why YOU should think about using the power of mockups:

• It reproduces the experience of sketching on a whiteboard, but using a computer.
• It dramatically helps to visually any kind of ideas, features of a web application. Mockups are very useful, for example in contracts, proposals, user stories or software change request forms.
• Enhance the visibiliy of your upcoming features inside a product.
• Iterare easily over ideas + get feedback from potential users and customers until they are ready to get implemented via the development department.

This page contains needed informations, to easily build wireframes/mockups for the Open-Xchange AppSuite application.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To build/use the mockups, which get described in this article, you need to install a 3rd party software (Balsamiq) on your local PC/Laptop. Balsamiq can be used in a trial period. Once you decide to constantly use it, you must purchase a license from their [1] website.

What´s needed to build beautiful AppSuite mockups ?

Following Steps are required, to get started to build nice mockups for AppSuite.

• You need to install the application called Balsamiq. You can download it from: http://balsamiq.com

• Download the Open-Xchange Balsamiq Assets/Library/Samples from @FP: Describe steps for GIT download <GIT_URL>_OR_DOWNLOAD_OF_ZIP_FILE>.

• Import the downloaded AppSuite assets/library into the Balsamiq application and use the included examples:

On MAC OS X / Linux / Windows

1. Checkout from GIT or download ZIP file.

2. Unzip & navigate to the created directory "visuals/assets" . Remember/Copy complete local path to this directory. Example: "/Users/<myuser>/Downloads/visuals/assets"

3. Open Balsamiq Application and > open menu "Balsamiq Application" > Click "About Balsamiq Application"

4. "About Dialog" opens with a link to "Open Local Store Folder". Click on that link, which opens your explorer/finder application. 

5. Now create the required file called "BalsamiqMockups.cfg" inside that directory ("Local Store" folder) with following content. NOTE: Please change the assets path attribute to YOUR path structure on YOUR local system.

 <config>
   <fontFace>Helvetica Neue</fontFace>
   <rememberWindowSize>true</rememberWindowSize>
   <useCookies>true</useCookies>
   <assetsPath>/Users/<myuser>/Downloads/visuals/assets</assetsPath>
 </config>

6. Now user your explorer/finder/shell and copy all ".bmml" files from within the "visuals/assets" directory to your work/dev directory. 

7. Close the Balsamiq application and reopen it. You now should see a new tab called "Account Assets" in the UI components library. All OX related components are prefixed with "ox-" for easy find as you type usage. 

8. Go to your work/dev directory which contains the copied ".bmml" files. Click on one of the .bmml files. You are DONE!

• Let the fun begin! Mockup as your like and save the newly created file to your work/dev directory!

General basics of Balsamiq

• Working with Symbols - http://support.balsamiq.com/customer/portal/articles/110439

• How to Use an Existing File as a Symbol in Mockups - http://support.balsamiq.com/customer/portal/articles/110439

• Working with Text - http://support.balsamiq.com/customer/portal/articles/110121

• Tutorials - http://support.balsamiq.com/customer/portal/topics/49503-tutorials/articles