One of the components of your project is a Web link. A web link is an object that contains a valid URL, such as a web page, email address, or FTP server (basically anything that can be typed into a browser's Location box). A web link can also be an HTML file.
You create and use a web link as an event handler in your application. For example, in the event handler editor, you might create a web link that maps to a web page, assigning it to an event that occurs when a user clicks a button. During run time, clicking this button opens the web page you defined in your Web link.
You can also use a web link HTML file as a help file using the Help property. For more information, see Assigning Help to Your Forms and Controls.
You can also launch a web link into a frame using the frame control. For more information, see Using Frames.
Here are some ways you might use web links:
When you define a link, you give it a name. Because you refer to a link by its name, not its URL, it is easy to maintain. For example, if you refer to the same web link from several places in your project and you need to update the URL, you do so only once in the Link Editor, and the change will be reflected wherever you use that web link in the project.
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Select an HTML file in the list of HTML file resources in your project. (If the one you want to select is not there, click New to open the Resource Wizard.)
For more information on defining Web links, see How to Use the URL Wizard to Define an HTTP Web Link, How to Use the URL Wizard to Define an FTP Web Link, How to Use the URL Wizard to Define a WebFOCUS Report as a Web Link, and How to Use the URL Wizard to Define an Email Web Link.
Suppose you decide to include a button in a user application that links to the Information Builders home page: www.informationbuilders.com.
WebFOCUS Maintain opens the Web Link dialog box.
Click Next.
Note: The URL Wizard does not parse the initial amper variable in a -SET statement. Only if the -SET statement contains amper variables to the right of the equal sign will that parameter appear in the URL Wizard dialog box.
WebFOCUS Maintain opens the Resource Wizard, a series of windows that guide you through adding an HTML file to your project.
The Resource Wizard will automatically display the HTML file. Click Refresh to update the display.
Then click Next.
Then click Finish.
When the event occurs (for example, a button being clicked), the browser will open the web link.
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Press the Delete key.
or
Click the Delete button on the General toolbar.
When you indicate that you want to use a web link as an event handler in the Event Handler editor, WebFOCUS Maintain displays the Web Link dialog box.
This dialog box has the following fields:
Select the name of an existing web link in the list.
Opens the Link Editor, where you can define a new web link.
Specifies the name of a target you can launch your web link in. You can type a name here, or select one of the following:
_self launches the web link in the current frame.
_parent launches the web link in the frame containing the current frame.
_top launches the web link in the highest frame.
Select New window to open your web link in a new window. Select Frame to open your web link in a frame on the current form.
If you open your web link in a new window, click this button to open the Window Options dialog box, where you can customize the appearance of this window.
The New Window Options dialog box determines the appearance of the new browser window that your web link appears in. You will only see this dialog box if you select a web link as an event handler, you select the Opens new window option, and you click the Options button.
This dialog box has the following fields:
Determines if you can see the Links toolbar on the browser window.
Determines if the browser window displays a Location box where the end user can type new URLs.
Determines if the browser window displays a menu bar.
Determines if the end user can resize the browser window.
Determines if the browser window has scroll bars.
Determines if the browser window displays a status bar.
Determines if the browser window displays a toolbar.
Determines the height of the browser window.
Determines the width of the browser window.
Specifies other HTML options for the appearance of your new browser window. WebFOCUS Maintain will append this code to the end of its generated code.
When you create or edit a web link, WebFOCUS Maintain opens the Link Editor.
This dialog box has the following fields:
Type the name that you want to refer to this link by.
Type the web address for the web link.
Opens the URL Wizard, which guides you through the process of defining a web link.
Select the name of an HTML file from the list.
Opens the Resource Wizard, where you can define a new HTML file to your project.
When you click the Description tab in the Link Editor, WebFOCUS Maintain opens a dialog box where you can enter a description for your web link.
When you open the URL Wizard from the Link Editor, you first see a window where you specify what kind of web link you want to create. WebFOCUS Maintain enables you to create four types of web links easily from here.
You use this window to specify the name of the WebFOCUS report that you want to execute from your application.
Enter the name of a WebFOCUS report here. This report must be on the execution path of the WebFOCUS Server to which you are connecting.
If you are defining a web link to a WebFOCUS report, you may need to specify values for parameters at run time. In WebFOCUS reports, these parameters are called amper variables. If you are defining a report that contains parameters, the URL Wizard will parse the report, and parameter names will appear in the Parameters column of this dialog box in the URL Wizard.
Lists the parameters in the report. To edit the name or value for a parameter, double-click it here.
Lists the values that you have supplied for the parameters.
Opens the Enter a Parameter dialog box, where you can create a new parameter and supply a value.
Deletes the selected parameter.
Moves the selected parameter up in the list.
Moves the selected parameter down in the list.
The Enter a Parameter dialog box provides the following options when the From a control radio button is selected:
When selected, enables you to supply a parameter value from a control.
Displays the name of the parameter. If you are adding a parameter, you can name the new parameter here.
Enables you to specify the name of the form you wish to use to bind your parameter.
Enables you to specify the control you wish to use as the value for your parameter.
The Enter a Parameter dialog box provides the following options when the From Value radio box is selected:
When selected, enables you to manually specify a value for a parameter.
Displays the name of the parameter. If you are adding a parameter, you can name the new parameter here.
Enables you to specify the value you wish to bind to the parameter.
If you are defining an email web link, you use this window to define the recipients and CC recipients of your email message.
Lists the email addresses to which this message will be sent. To edit an address, double-click it here.
Opens the Email Address dialog box, where you can enter a new address.
Deletes the selected address.
Moves the selected address up in the list.
Moves the selected address down in the list.
You use the Email Address dialog box to enter a new address.
Enter the user name of your email recipient here.
Enter the domain of your email recipient here, or select a domain you have already used in this project from the list.
WebFOCUS Maintain creates the email address by concatenating the user name of the recipient to the domain name, separated by the at (@) symbol.
You use this window to enter an optional subject and body for your email message. The end user has the option of changing these fields at run time.
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