The Oda mark

The DataMind Oda mark, the Network D, is also how the app shows you what Oda is doing: while Oda works, the mark changes its look, and it names every look for screen readers. This page explains where you meet the animated mark, what each look means, and which look wins when more than one mark is on screen. For what Oda is and what it does, see DataMind Oda overview.

Where you meet the mark

In the sidebar, beside the name: it draws itself in, then rests with an occasional glint. It changes its look for two things only: it syncs while a scheduled task is waiting to run or is running, and it goes offline while the connection to your company's DataMind OS is down. The sidebar maps the rest of the column.
On a blank chat, above the greeting: it draws itself in, glints at rest, listens while you type, and settles back about a second and a half after your last keystroke. The chat screen covers the blank chat.
On a running turn's work control, the row that heads its steps: one look per step, and an ending when the turn finishes. Work details and process folding takes the control apart.
In the side panel, at the Activity header: it reports the chat's background work, something that waits for you, a row's real progress, or work in motion. When a row fails, it flashes its error once. Activity at a glance covers the signals around it.
In the welcome window, while you sign in.

What each look means

Each look carries a short name, announced to screen readers. The table pairs each name with what it tells you:

The mark announces	What it tells you	Where you meet it
Oda is starting	The mark is drawing itself in.	A blank chat opens, and the sidebar mark's first appearance.
Oda is ready	At rest; a glint passes over the mark now and then.	A blank chat and the sidebar.
Oda is listening	You are typing; the mark pulls small rings towards its end node as you go.	The blank chat's mark.
Oda is thinking	Oda is reasoning about the task, or waiting for the first words of its answer.	A running turn's work control.
Oda is responding	Oda's answer text is streaming in.	A running turn's work control.
Oda is working	Oda is reading or editing files, or running commands or code on your computer.	A running turn's work control.
Oda is searching	Oda is looking something up: in your files, in earlier chats, or on the web.	A running turn's work control.
Oda is syncing	Oda is reaching a service beyond this computer: your company's DataMind OS, a connected tool, or a web page it reads.	A running turn's work control; also the sidebar while a scheduled task runs.
Oda is making progress	Work is running and reports a real total to count against.	The Activity mark.
Oda needs your attention	Something in the chat waits for you.	The Activity mark, with the amber triangle badge.
Oda is waiting for you	A question from Oda waits for your answer.	A running turn's work control, with the navy dot badge.
Oda finished	The turn completed.	A running turn's work control, with the white check badge, once.
Oda ran into an error	The turn failed.	A running turn's work control, with the red cross badge, once.
Oda is offline	The connection to your company's DataMind OS is down.	The sidebar mark: grey, with a slow pulse along its links.
Oda is here	The mark is tilting towards your pointer.	Any resting mark, while you hover it or focus it from the keyboard.

The badges

A badge is the small symbol at the mark's top right. Four badges exist, and only one shows at a time:

A white check appears once when a turn finishes, then fades away.
A red cross appears once when a turn fails, or when a row in Activity fails, with a short shake.
An amber triangle breathes gently while something in the chat waits for you.
A navy dot breathes while a question from Oda waits for your answer.

One mark at a time

Only one mark moves at a time, and the most important one wins, in this order:

The sidebar's offline look.
A running turn's mark.
The Activity mark.
A blank chat's mark.
A resting sidebar mark.

Among marks of the same rank, the newest one is the one that moves; every other mark holds a still frame, keeping its badge. Three more rules keep marks calm:

A mark moves only while it is on screen and the window is in view. Scrolled away or hidden in the background, it pauses where it stopped and picks up when it returns.
When your computer asks for reduced motion, every mark stays still in every state, and its badges still appear, without animation.
A resting mark still tilts towards you while you hover it or focus it, even when it is not the one moving.

Questions, answered

Why is the mark in the sidebar grey with a slow pulse?

That is its offline look: the connection to your company's DataMind OS is down, and the mark keeps the look while the link is down. The connection control shows the same state and can retry the link; Statuses and progress covers it, and Updates and troubleshooting helps when it stays down.

How long does the mark listen after I stop typing?

About a second and a half. The blank chat's mark listens while you type and returns to its resting look shortly after your last keystroke.

What do the badges on the mark mean?

A white check means a turn finished; a red cross means a turn failed; an amber triangle means something in the chat waits for you; a navy dot means a question from Oda waits for your answer. One badge shows at a time.

Why does the mark vanish when a reply finishes?

When a turn ends, the mark plays its ending once, a check or a cross, and fades away. After that the turn keeps no mark; older turns in the chat show none.

A step failed, but there is no red cross. Why?

The cross is for the turn itself failing, with a model, connection or stream failure. A step that fails inside a turn does not turn the mark red: the turn keeps going and can still finish with the check.

Why does only one mark move at a time?

The screen keeps one mark moving at a time, and the most important one wins: the sidebar's offline look first, then a running turn's mark, then the Activity mark, then a blank chat's mark, then a resting sidebar mark. The others hold a still frame, with their badge.

Can I turn the movement off?

The mark follows your computer's reduced-motion setting. When your computer asks for reduced motion, every mark stays still in every state, and its badges still appear, without animation.

Does the mark keep moving when the window is in the background?

No. A mark moves only while it is on screen and the window is in view. Scrolled away or hidden, it pauses where it stopped and continues when it is back.

Does the sidebar mark show everything Oda is doing?

No. In the sidebar it reports two things only: a scheduled task that is waiting to run or is running, and the connection. Work inside a chat shows at the Activity mark instead; Activity at a glance covers it.

Why does the mark tilt towards my pointer?

That tilt is the mark paying attention: a resting mark tilts towards your pointer while you hover it or focus it from the keyboard, and settles back when you move away. It does this even when another mark is the one moving.