hypertext link

[danzac]

We can let others weigh in and I leave it to your discretion. The live link is obviously ideal, but having a 'copy URL' menu item like what I am describing makes this new linking function work with any program that can hold plain text — not just Mellel (so its not too narrow). The plain text URL is what is used for linking certain productivity apps to Mail items, for example.

In my case, I will be using these plain text URL's in Accordance, my bible study software. It has a user notes feature, but it is plain text. Right now, I'm having to copy the hyperlink, paste it in DT, copy the link, and then paste the plain text URL in Accordance — obviously not ideal.

The plain text URL will have a number of other benefits as well: If I have a massive database it can act as a type of cross-reference in my Bookends database. By pasting the plain text URL for a citation in the note field of another citation, I can quickly highlight it and use quicksilver or the services menu to go to that citation.

there are other benefits even in those programs that accept the hyperlink. In Word I would be able to highlight any portion of text and create a hyperlink by pasting in the plain text URL of a bookends citation.

Overall, adding this would not limit the hyperlinking ability to the text that is output by Bookends or only to apps that can accept the live link.


p.s. I'm tickled pink about the latest release so don't take this as complaining - you've done a great job. I'm just trying to foresee the ways this new BE feature could be utilized across my system for maximum impact.

Danny

[Jon]

Overall, adding this would not limit the hyperlinking ability to the text that is output by Bookends or only to apps that can accept the live link.

Let's see what others think. Remember, you can of course type the link yourself, too, now that you know what the structure is (the last number is the unique id). Maybe QS would let you store the preceding as a template?

p.s. I'm tickled pink about the latest release so don't take this as complaining - you've done a great job. I'm just trying to foresee the ways this new BE feature could be utilized across my system for maximum impact.

Thanks.

Jon
Sonny Software

[thecritic]

The arrow keys are being filtered out by mistake. I'll fix that, thanks.

When you make interim changes to Bookends, could you indicate it somehow in the version number, by adding a letter or something? I appreciate that you often make small changes between official releases, but it would be helpful to know when the program has been updated

[danzac]

Remember, you can of course type the link yourself, too, now that you know what the structure is (the last number is the unique id). Maybe QS would let you store the preceding as a template?

Theoretically I could, but I'm trying to think beyond myself too not everyone uses QS (I'm not sure why though). But the first part of the URL could be stored on a clipboard somewhere.

The problem is the unique ID obviously. And what you are suggesting would entail having to open the main window to get the unique ID and most of us live in the List view for the most part.

We'll see if other weigh in on this thread. later in the week I'll put a poll up for it if no one else weighs in here.

[thecritic]

In my case, I will be using these plain text URL's in Accordance, my bible study software. It has a user notes feature, but it is plain text. Right now, I'm having to copy the hyperlink, paste it in DT, copy the link, and then paste the plain text URL in Accordance — obviously not ideal.

You will be using these plain text URLs or you would be using them? I.e. are you using them already?

In any case, I think that this is a great idea. And thanks again to Jon for implementing this feature.

[joewiz]

Danzac - Having requested the same feature, let me share a workaround of sorts from Jon:

There is nothing stopping you from rolling your own, though, by typing the

bookends://sonnysoftware.com/

and then adding the unique id after it.

I made my left-most column Unique ID and keep it narrow unless I need to create a URL like this.

[danzac]

critic,
I started using them today already in an app that is plain text only (Accordance) and will do so on a semi-daily basis now.

There are two workarounds- mine (copy hypertext link, paste it somewhere, then copy its URL) or Jon and joewiz's of writing the url manually.

Obviously a menu item would be ideal. I imagine joewiz wouldn't object either.

[thecritic]

Obviously a menu item would be ideal. I imagine joewiz wouldn't object either.

A menu item that would copy to the clipboard, much as "copy formatted"?

[danzac]

Obviously a menu item would be ideal. I imagine joewiz wouldn't object either.

A menu item that would copy to the clipboard, much as "copy formatted"?

yep, "Copy URL" command-shift-U or something like that.

[joewiz]

"Copy URL" could be a bit confusing, since refs have a URL field, and since the Bookends server also involves making 'hypertext links' to Bookends references. I think, were this feature to be implemented as a menu item, it would be more accurately called "Copy Local Link to Reference". It would have to be designed so as not to be misunderstood.

[tom]

As you have mentioned, not all programs will accept the hyperlink (like Mellel). Can you create a menu item to copy the URL of the citation? That way the URL can be copied into programs that don't support the hyperlinks.

Danny,
if I drag and drop a reference with control-option into a word document, I have the URL as plain text some like

bookends://sonnysoftware.com/IDnummer

however,

For those odd ducks who don't use Quicksilver, well just highlight the text and go to the Services menu and choose "Open URL" (and people can customize a shortcut key for the service menu item with Service Scrubber if they wish).

I'm an odd duck and I'm not able to open the URL via the Services menu ("Open URL" is in grey). For now, I'm not sure, whether I will use the hyperlink feature a lot; something very useful (for me) would be, if I can cite and scan references in a (word-) document and the citations would be hyperlinks...

Jon, thank you a lot, too

[Jon]

Hi tom,

You can create a format that creates hypertext links in a scanned document. This is documented in the User Guide section on Bookends Server.

Jon
Sonny Software

[danzac]

I'm an odd duck and I'm not able to open the URL via the Services menu ("Open URL" is in grey). For now, I'm not sure, whether I will use the hyperlink feature a lot; something very useful (for me) would be, if I can cite and scan references in a (word-) document and the citations would be hyperlinks...

Tom, this should not be the behavior, but you are right that it doesn't open in Word (another to add to my list of why I don't use it). The Quicksilver way doesn't even work! I just tried this in several programs. I pasted
bookends://sonnysoftware.com/12901

into Accordance, textedit, DT, bookends, mellel, Mail, Safari, and Pages and all of them worked when highlighting the URL and using the Services menu 'Open URL'. I emailed a friend to ask why this is and if there is a workaround.[/quote]

[danzac]

Tom,
You said when you drag and drop to Word you said you get
bookends://sonnysoftware.com/IDnummer

I get this
file://localhost/bookends/::sonnysoftware.com:5733


Not that it matters much. Word doesn't understand these local URL's, I have just learned, either as live links from Bookends, live links you create, or plain texts URL's trying to be launched with the Services menu.

However, there is a workaround for you if you want to wise up and start using Quicksilver

Make sure QS is cataloguing your scripts folder, and place this script into your applescripts folder then relaunch Quicksilver.

Then in Word, highlight the text
bookends://sonnysoftware.com/IDnummer
then invoke quicksilver and type stuburl, the script linked above will appear. Hit enter, and the Bookends citation (or any other local URL for that matter) will come to the front.

Hope this may be of some use.

[tom]

Thanks Danny,

I will give QS and your script a try...

tom