\help Ht.help
\title Commands for Linking Text
\fgcolor 3
\bgcolor 1
\center
\bold LINK COMMANDS \bold
(the fun part)

\format
    This part is where the real capability of HT lies.	(I'm telling the
truth though :).  When you embed a link in a document, you are connecting
the 'linked' text with another object.  As mentioned before, there are
seven (7) types of links in HT.  These links cover everything from simply
linking other text to linking animations or music, to words and phrases in
the current text file.

    The link commands are based on a two part sequence.  You put the
initial '\\' keyword to start defining a link.  You end the link with an
\\EndLink keyword.  The text that falls between these two keywords is
the linked text.  The linked text will be displayed in inverse video.  This
is the only way linked text can be displayed, so whenever a user sees text
in inverse video they \ital KNOW \ital it is a link.  You can embed style
changes inside of a link command, but remember that the text is in inverse
video, so things like \\bold may not work that great.

\center
\underline The Seven Link Topics Are: \underline

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\indent 25
\link { LinkCommands \LINK } Linking to other text.\endlink
\link { LinkCommands \SHOW } IFF Picture Links. \endlink
\link { LinkCommands \ANIM } Links to Animations. \endlink
\link { LinkCommands \PLAY } Linking text to Music. \endlink
\link { LinkCommands \SOUND } Sound sample links. \endlink
\link { LinkCommands \AREXX } Arexx Links. \endlink
\link { LinkCommands \REXX } Rexx Links. \endlink
\format

   Just click on any of the above topics to find out more about it.


\center
\ul \bol Some General Information about Links:\ul \bold

    Link commands in \it HT \it are similar to other '\\' sequences.  They
must be followed by a space, but can begin anywhere.  The link keywords
also have a section enclosed by curly braces ({}'s) that denote information
which is relevant to the keyword.  The text in the {}'s is \ital not \ital
displayed.  The link ends when a \\Endlink command is encountered.  If you
happen to use one of the ARexx compatible editors, you probably won't even
have to type these commands by hand (see the file \link { editors.txt }
editors.txt)\endlink  as there are several macros to make this process much
easier.



\underline Other Questions about links:\underline

    When you specify you want a "link" between the current text and the
link you have defined, what are you \ital really \ital doing?

    A link is a connection that you are setting up between text following
the link keyword and the object specified in the link.	Lets explain more.
When you embed a \\sound keyword in your document (followed shortly after
by a \\endlink keyword), you are saying in effect : "Take the text between
these two keywords and associate it with this sound".

    More than anything else, "links" in hyper-text/media are associations
between different types of objects.  For example if you read a book and it
says - \ital Refer to Figure 23.a \ital - it is really asking you to
associate the text you are reading with Figure 23.a.  What you gain with
hyper-text/media is access to several more types of objects and media.



\center
\bold Linking to other programs: TECHIE INFO \bold

    Just quickly, you should know that any program run by HT will have a
CON: device for both \ital input \ital and output.  The console device is
opened for the program, and all standard I/O is through it.  This allows
easy use of existing programs without worrying about how I/O will be done.
However, programs that open their own windows will also have this extra
window sitting around.	Eventually there will probably be an option to
specify default I/O handles, but for now, you should be able to run just
about any program with \\RUN keyword.



\UNDERLINE Other things to know about LINK keywords: \UNDERLINE

    Link keywords in HT (\\Link, \\Show, \\Rexx, etc.) are not case
sensitive.  That is to say that \\Link, \\LINK, and \\liNK are all the
same keyword to HT.

    The keywords that activate external programs to do their work (\\Show,
\\Anim, \\Sound, and \\Play), require certain programs to exist somewhere
on your system.  If you have not installed these files when you
first installed HT, you can specify where they exist using the
\link { HTConfig.doc } HTConfig\endlink  program.


\UNDERLINE The keywords and the programs they require are:\UNDERLINE

\freeformat
\\Anim		:   ShowAnim
\\Show		:   Show
\\Sound 	:   Ssp
\\Play		:   Play

\format
    Since all of these programs are public domain/shareware, they are
included here.	Of course if you have substitutes that you prefer to use,
HT accomodates.  Simply use the HTConfig program to specify the name and
location of the replacement program.  The HTConfig program writes a small
(ASCII) text file that describes where the individual programs are located.
HT will pick up the changes as soon as the configuration file has been
written.

    If while using HT, you realize that it cannot find a file, run HTConfig
and change the appropriate value to what is correct.  After you have saved
the configuration, HT will notice the changes.	NOTE: If you have installed
HT from the distribution disk, there should be no problem finding any
files.	If you have a non-standard setup, then you may have to fiddle with
the settings.


\underline Finishing words. \underline

    That pretty much covers an overview of what goes on with links in your
documents.  For more detailed information of each of the keywords, see the
\link { LinkCommands } LinkCommands \endlink file.  Inside there you will
find complete information on each command and working examples of how to
create links of any type.


