The Configuration Item (CI) Explorer component displays a list of CIs based on their CI type. This component is used for browsing CIs and is especially useful when browsing through CIs that belong to different views. It enables you to search directly for the CIs without switching between these views. By default, CI Explorer lists all CIs related to the Node CI type, but you can select any other CI type for the search to be performed.
The interaction between the CI Explorer and the information presented in other components on a page varies according to the context. For example, when you select one or more CIs from the list, a filter is automatically applied to other components which display the specific data related only to the selected CIs. You can then use this data to compare multiple CIs.
To access
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Workspaces > Operations Console > <select a perspective>
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You can also create your own pages and include this component. For details, see Set up My Workspace.
Learn More
Multiple selection
You can select multiple CIs, which is useful, for example, for comparing CIs. You can do this by clicking 
Multiple selection, which divides the pane into SELECTED CIS and AVAILABLE CIS parts. When you select a CI from the AVAILABLE CIS list, it is automatically displayed in the SELECTED CIS part. Meanwhile, you can change the CI type in the Options panel and continue with adding new selected CIs from this type to the already existing selected CIs. To deselect a CI, just click it in any of the lists.
Permissions
To browse through CIs by using CI Explorer, the user must have the appropriate permissions. To set permissions:
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Navigate to:
Administration > Users > Users, Groups, and Roles
Alternatively, click Users, Groups, and Roles.
- Select Manage Roles in the Roles frame.
- Open the Role Editor for the desired role, and then expand the RTSM>RTSM CIs permissions.
- Select the Browse CIs check box to set the permissions for this role.
Tasks
How to Search for CIs
You can search for CIs in one of the following ways:
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By listing the CIs of a CI type that is selected in the Options panel (or the Node CI type, by default)
The displayed list shows 100 CIs, and there is a link to the next 100 CIs that belong to the selected type at the bottom of the page.
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By typing in the Search field a desired CI or any keyword that occurs in the CI name for which you are searching for.
All of the CIs that match or contain the typed text pattern are displayed.
How to Select a CI Type
You can search for CIs from any of the CI types in the CI type tree. To select a CI type, click 
Options to open the Options panel and then perform one of the following:
- Select the desired CI type from the CI type tree in the Options panel.
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In the Search field, type a CI type name. You can type any keyword that occurs in the CI type name and then select the desired CI type from the list of all matching CI types that is displayed. The CIs of the selected type and its descendants are listed in the CI Explorer.
To close the Options panel, click outside it in the CI Explorer area or click 
Close button.
How to Enable the Dark Theme
To change the appearance of the CI Explorer component and use the dark theme, follow these steps:
- From the
Component Menu drop-down list, select Preferences. The CI Explorer Preferences window opens. - Select the Use Dark Theme check box, and then click OK.
UI Reference
Keyboard shortcuts
You can use the following keyboard shortcuts in CI Explorer:
| Keyboard shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Up Arrow | Moves the focus to the previous CI that is visible in the list. |
| Down Arrow | Moves the focus to the next CI that is visible in the list. |
| Home | Moves the focus to the first CI that is visible in the list. |
| End | Moves the focus to the last CI that is visible in the list. |
| Spacebar | Toggles the selection of the focused CI. |
|
Enter |
Selects only the focused CI and leaves all other CIs unselected. |
You can use the following keyboard shortcuts in the CI type tree that is available in the Options panel :
| Keyboard shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Up Arrow | Moves the focus to the previous CI type that is visible in the CI type tree. |
| Down Arrow | Moves the focus to the next CI type that is visible in the CI type tree. |
| Left Arrow | Collapses the focused CI type if it is expanded. Otherwise, moves the focus to the parent CI type. |
|
Right Arrow |
Expands the focused CI type if it is collapsed. Otherwise, moves the focus to the first child CI type. |
|
Page Up |
Moves the focus to the nth previous CI type that is visible in the CI type tree. In this instance, n is the number of CI types that are visible on the screen. |
| Page Down | Moves the focus to the nth next CI type that is visible in the CI type tree. In this instance, n is the number of CI types that are visible on the screen. |
| Home | Moves the focus to the first CI type that is visible in the CI type tree. |
| End | Moves the focus to the last CI type that is visible in the CI type tree. |
|
* (asterisk) |
Expands all CI types that are under the focused CI type. |
|
/ (slash mark) |
Collapses all CI types that are under the focused CI type. |
|
+ (plus sign) |
Expands the focused CI type. |
| – (minus sign) | Collapses the focused CI type. |
| Spacebar | Toggles the selection of the focused CI type. |
|
Enter |
Selects only the focused CI type and leaves all other CI types unselected. |
| Ctrl | Preserves the selection made. This means that by holding down this key and using the arrow keys at the same time, the original selection does not change even though the focused CI type changes. To change the selection, Spacebar or Enter must be used. |
|
Shift |
Selects a range of CI types. This means that by holding down this key and using the arrow keys at the same time, the range of CI types can be selected from the CI type that is selected first. |