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Help Document |
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About links
There are several ways to navigate directly to a FirstClass object. You can use:
• Desktop links that provide shortcuts from your Desktop
• URL links, which may be located in messages or documents, and display the addresses to which the links connect
• links and markers embedded in messages or documents using the Edit menu commands, for which you can specify your own link text or graphic
• link objects, including bookmarks, that provide shortcuts from any container (for example, a conference).
Message recipients must also be running FirstClass for URL links and embedded links and markers to work.
Desktop links
Creating Desktop links
If you monitor a conference, folder, or calendar frequently, you may want to create a link to this object on your Desktop.
To create a link on your Desktop:
1 Select the object to which you want to link.
2 Choose Conferencing > Add to Desktop.
Shortcut
Press Shift and drag the object to your Desktop. You can also create links in folders using this method.
Working with Desktop links
To locate a Desktop link's original
To find out where a Desktop link's original object is located, select the link, then choose File > Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac OS). The path to the original is displayed at "Where".
Renaming or deleting Desktop links
You can rename or delete a Desktop link, and this will have no effect on the original object.
URL links
Creating links to web pages
To include a URL link to a web page in a message or document, type the URL in the appropriate format.
For example, to link to Centrinity's web page, type
Creating links to servers
To include a URL link to a FirstClass object, such as a conference, in a message or document, type the link in the following format:
fcp://server name/object name
For example, to link to a Budgets conference on the Avalon server, you would type
How URL links behave in messages
In a message, a URL link is formatted according to the recipient's preferences for how links appear in messages. Formatting does not take place until the message is sent.
The following is an example of a formatted URL link:
To activate a link before a message is sent, click the link, then choose File > Open > Open Link.
To activate a link in a sent message, click the link.
Exception
If you are in a conference where you have permission to edit sent messages, the link will look and behave just as it does in an unsent message.
If you are linking to another server, the Login screen for that server opens.
Changing how URL links appear in messages
To change the way URL links appear in sent messages:
1 Choose Edit > Preferences.
2 Choose the font attributes you want at "Link text" on the Content - Display tab.
3 Click OK.
How URL links behave in documents
In a document, the cursor changes to a hand when it is over a URL link.
To activate a link while the document is editable, click the link, then choose File > Open > Open Link.
To activate a link in a document that you cannot edit, click the link.
If you are linking to another server, the Login screen for that server opens.
Embedded links and markers
About links and markers
You can embed links and markers into editable message (or document) content to provide jumps from one place to another within a message, or to open another message.
A link is a block of selected text or an embedded picture that readers can click to jump to the link target. Link text is formatted according to your preferences. When you embed a link, you as author also see a link icon. This icon is not visible to message readers.
A marker identifies a link target that is located at a particular place in a message. Without a marker, a link to another message opens that message at the top. With a marker, the target message opens with the line containing the marker at the top. You can also use markers to jump from one place to another within the same message. Markers appear as icons that only you as author see.
Embedding markers
To embed a marker to act as a target for a link:
1 Click where you want to embed the marker.
This can be anywhere on a line.
2 Choose Edit > Insert > Insert Marker.
3 Type an identifying name for this marker at "Name".
4 Click OK.
Embedding links
To embed a link, use one of the following methods:
• drag a FirstClass object into the content of your message
• drag a marker into the content of your message
• drag a web site address into the content of your message
• create a link directly in the content of your message.
Dragging FirstClass objects into messages
To embed a link to another FirstClass object:
1 Display the object to which you want to link (the target), unopened.
2 Drag the target to the desired location in your message.
A link icon is displayed, with the name of the target inserted as the link text.
3 Replace the link text with text of your choice, if desired.
Dragging markers into messages
To embed a link that leads to a marker:
1 Shift-drag the marker to the desired location in your message.
You can drag markers from other messages, or from within the message you are working on.
A link icon is displayed, with placeholder link text.
2 Replace the link text with text of your choice.
Dragging web site addresses into messages
To embed a link to a web site:
1 Display the web page to which you want to link (the target).
2 Drag the URL icon from the address bar in your web browser to the desired location in your message.
A link icon is displayed, with the name of the target inserted as the link text.
3 Replace the link text with text of your choice, if desired.
Creating links directly
To create a link:
1 Select the text or embedded picture that you want to use as a link.
2 Choose Edit > Make Link.
3 Fill in the Format Link form.
4 Click OK.
Testing links
To test a link, use one of the following methods:
• select the link icon, or click the link text or picture, then choose File > Open > Open Link
• double-click the link icon, then click Test.
Working with links
You can do the following with links:
• change their properties, including what they link to
• list all links that are in a message, and work with the links from this list
• delete them.
To delete a link, select the link icon, then choose Edit > Clear. Special formatting is removed from the link text.
Changing link properties
You can change the following properties for a link:
• the target to which the link connects
• the link text
• the window in which the link opens.
To change properties for a link:
1 Select the link icon, then choose Format > Format Link.
Shortcut
Double-click the link icon.
2 Make the changes required to the Format Link form.
3 Click OK.
Listing links
To list all links in your message, choose Edit > List Links. The list shows the link text for all your links.
From the Link List form, you can select a link, then:
• select the link in your message - click Show
• open the target - click Open
• change link properties - click Edit.
When you are finished with this list, click Close.
Working with markers
You can do the following with markers:
• rename them
• list all markers that are in a message, and work with the markers from this list
• move them
To move a marker to another location, including a different message, drag it.
• delete them.
To delete a marker, select it, then choose Edit > Clear.
Renaming markers
To rename a marker:
1 Select the marker, then choose Format > Format Marker.
Shortcut
Double-click the marker.
2 Type the new name.
3 Click OK.
Listing markers
To list all markers in your message, choose Edit > List Markers. The list shows the names of your markers.
From the Marker List, you can select a marker, then:
• select the marker in your message - click Show
• rename the marker - click Rename.
When you are finished with this list, click Close.
Link objects
Creating link objects to web pages
To add a link object to a web page in a conference or folder:
1 Open the conference or folder where you want to save the link object.
2 Go to a location that contains the URL link you want to store in the link object.
You must go to a location with a link to the web page; you cannot go directly to the web page to save a link to it.
3 Drag the link to the lower pane of the conference or folder window.
The link object will look something like this:
Changing information about link objects to web pages
To change information about a web page link object:
1 Select the link object.
2 Choose File > Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac OS).
3 Change or add information on the Info tab as desired.
To change the address of the URL link, fill in the input area on the Advanced tab.
"Internet URL" is automatically selected for you at "Type of URL" on the Advanced tab.
4 Click OK.
Creating link objects to servers
To add a link object that points to another server to a conference or folder:
1 Open the conference or folder where you want to save the link object.
2 Log into the server that contains the object to which you want to link (the link target).
3 Drag the target object to the lower pane of the window where you want to save the link object.
The link object will look something like this:
Creating bookmarks
To create a bookmark:
1 Select the object you want to bookmark.
2 Choose Conferencing > Add to Bookmarks.
The Info window opens with a description of the bookmark. You can change information, such as the default bookmark name, or add information if desired.
3 Click OK.
The bookmark is added to your Bookmarks folder.
Note
If this is the first bookmark you have created, and a Bookmarks folder is not already on your Desktop, the folder is placed there. You can also add this folder to your Desktop by choosing File > Open > Bookmarks.
Using bookmarks
To use a bookmark:
1 Choose File > Open > Bookmarks or double-click the Bookmarks folder.
2 Double-click the bookmark for the object you want to open.
Changing information about link objects to servers
To change information about a link object to a server:
1 Select the link object.
2 Choose File > Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac OS).
3 Change or add information on the Info tab as desired.
To change the address of the URL link, fill in the input area on the Advanced tab.
"FirstClass private URL" is automatically selected for you at "Type of URL" on the Advanced tab. This means that only you can use this link object. If you want this link object to be usable by others, select "FirstClass public URL". If you do this, the "User ID" and "Password" fields are removed.
3 Click OK.