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QuintinSeegers
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May 11, 2021
Answered

Hypertext element

  • May 11, 2021
  • 1 reply
  • 793 views

I need to insert a URL to an external website into a document. What is the best way to configure a Hypertext element for this purpose? I can create a Marker element, but I can't quite figure out how to use it.

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    Correct answer Lynne A. Price

    Quintin,

       Use the marker just as you would in an unstructured document:

    1) Enter the text you want to make clickable.

    2) Insert a hypertext marker in the text or next to it.

    3) Apply a character format to the text and marker.

       To duplicate these steps in a structured document, first define the necessary elements in your EDD:

    1) Define a marker element called something like HypertextMarker. Include an InitialObjectFormat in the element definition that specifies use of Hypertext markers in all contexts.

    2) Define a container called something like Hypertext (or HotText or ActiveText) . Give it a general rule such as:

              HypertextMarker, <TEXT>

        Follow the general rule with an AutoInsertions element containing an InsertChild element. Type the name of your marker element in the InsertChild.

        Use text format rules to specify that Hypertext should be either a  paragraph element if you want entire paragraphs to be active or a text range. If it's a paragraph, specify the paragraph format or paragraph properties to use. if it's a text range, specify the character format or character properties.

    3) Define the contexts in which Hypertext can occur by including Hypertext in the general rules for one or more other elements.

     

    With the above definitions, when you insert a Hypertext element, FrameMaker will prompt for the marker text. After you insert the marker, you can type the text you want.

     

    --Lynne

     

    1 reply

    Lynne A. PriceCorrect answer
    Inspiring
    May 12, 2021

    Quintin,

       Use the marker just as you would in an unstructured document:

    1) Enter the text you want to make clickable.

    2) Insert a hypertext marker in the text or next to it.

    3) Apply a character format to the text and marker.

       To duplicate these steps in a structured document, first define the necessary elements in your EDD:

    1) Define a marker element called something like HypertextMarker. Include an InitialObjectFormat in the element definition that specifies use of Hypertext markers in all contexts.

    2) Define a container called something like Hypertext (or HotText or ActiveText) . Give it a general rule such as:

              HypertextMarker, <TEXT>

        Follow the general rule with an AutoInsertions element containing an InsertChild element. Type the name of your marker element in the InsertChild.

        Use text format rules to specify that Hypertext should be either a  paragraph element if you want entire paragraphs to be active or a text range. If it's a paragraph, specify the paragraph format or paragraph properties to use. if it's a text range, specify the character format or character properties.

    3) Define the contexts in which Hypertext can occur by including Hypertext in the general rules for one or more other elements.

     

    With the above definitions, when you insert a Hypertext element, FrameMaker will prompt for the marker text. After you insert the marker, you can type the text you want.

     

    --Lynne

     

    QuintinSeegers
    Legend
    May 12, 2021

    @Lynne A. Price 

    When I add Hypertext into an unstructured document, I would choose 'Go to URL' from the Command dropdown. This would pre-populate the syntax with 'message URL'. I would add the URL after, e.g. message URL https://adobe.com.

    When I add the Hypertext marker element, I get a prompt to enter the Marker Text. I assume the 'message URL' part is not required in a structured document.

    Inspiring
    May 12, 2021

    Quintin,

       The marker text still needs to start with "message URL". You can type it yourself. If you prefer to use Insert > Hypertext so you can get the Command menu, omit the AutoInsertions element in the EDD. Use Insert > Hypertext to insert the marker, just as you would in an unstructured document. At the top of the Hypertext dialog box, select Hypertext from the Element Tag drop-down menu.

       Another possibility is to remove the marker element from the EDD and just enter an unstructured marker. I prefer the marker element for two reasons:

    1. Marker elements are treated like any other element. When they are required the document is invalid without it. And they appear in the Structure View.

    2. If you ever want to save documents to XML, marker elements have a better representation than unstructrued markers.

         --Lynne