Link Wizard

The Link wizard is used to add a hyperlink to text or other page element in page templates, region templates, or subtemplates. You can link to a variety of targets, including Web site sections, contributor data files, native documents, and URLs. You can link to items on the current Web site, but also to items on other Site Studio sites on the content server, or to external Web sites. Contributors use this same wizard to create hyperlinks in the Contributor application. You, as the site designer, control the options available to them when you set up an element definition (under 'Link Settings'). For example, you decide what kinds of content can be linked to: a new contributor data file or native document, an existing file on the content server, and/or an existing file on your local computer. You may also limit the file formats of native documents that can be linked to (for example, only Microsoft Word documents).

In Designer, with a template open in design view and some text or other page element selected, you open the wizard by clicking the Create Hyperlink icon on the formatting toolbar (Figure).

Create Hyperlink Icon

Link Wizard

Description of Link Wizard

The Link wizard consists of multiple steps, depending on the choices you make during the process.

Note: You can step through the wizard faster by clicking the blue arrow to the left of the option you want to use. This automatically selects the option and moves the wizard to the next step.

The first step is to specify the type of hyperlink to create:

• Link to a Section

• Link to a File

• Link to a URL

You can click Options to specify whether the link target should open in a new browser window. After you select the desired link type, the wizard proceeds and presents some additional screens depending on the choices you make.

Link to a Section

If you choose to link to a section, you are asked to specify the site section that the hyperlink points to. You can link to a section on the current Web site or a different Site Studio site on the content server. You select the target section from the site hierarchy.

In addition, you may be asked to select the URL format (path-based or ID-based), depending on whether this was enabled in the wizard (see Choosing a Default Link Format). See URL Formats for more information.

The final step is to confirm the link before it is actually created (or modified).

Link to a File

If you choose to link to a file, you are first asked to select the type of file that the hyperlink points to. The site designer decides which file type(s) you can link to:

• New contributor data file: If you choose to link to a new contributor data file, you are prompted to check the new data file into the content server (using the standard content check-in form). Enter the appropriate content information (metadata) to check the item into the content server. Much of the information is automatically provided. If a field name is marked red, then the field is required (that is, the item cannot be checked in if the field is empty). Please note that the new contributor data file is empty until a site contributor edits it in the Contributor editor.

  You are also prompted to specify the Web site section in which you want the hyperlinked data file to appear. See Target Sections for more information.

  In addition, you may be asked to select the URL format (path-based or ID-based), depending on whether this was enabled in the wizard (see Choosing a Default Link Format). See URL Formats for more information.

  The final step is to confirm the link before it is actually created (or modified).

• New native file: If you choose to link to a new native document, you first must select the file format (for example, Microsoft Word). You, as the site designer, decide what file formats are allowed for new native documents.

  Next, you are prompted to check the new native document into the content server (using the standard content check-in form). Enter the appropriate content information (metadata) to check the item into the content server. Much of the information is automatically provided. If a field name is marked red, then the field is required (that is, the item cannot be checked in if the field is empty). Please note that the new native document is empty until a site contributor edits it in its associated third-party application.

  You are also prompted to specify the Web site section in which you want the hyperlinked native document to appear. See Target Sections for more information.

  In addition, you may be asked to select the URL format (path-based or ID-based), depending on whether this was enabled in the wizard (see Choosing a Default Link Format). See URL Formats for more information.

  The final step is to confirm the link before it is actually created (or modified).

• Existing file from server: If you choose to link to an existing file on the content server, you are taken to the standard search results page on the content server, showing all content files that are available for you to choose. You, as the site designer, decide what criteria are used for the search query. Click the Select button next to the content item you want to link to.

  You are also prompted to specify the Web site section in which you want the hyperlinked file to appear. See Target Sections for more information.

  In addition, you may be asked to select the URL format (path-based or ID-based), depending on whether this was enabled in the wizard (see Choosing a Default Link Format). See URL Formats for more information.

  The final step is to confirm the link before it is actually created (or modified).

• Existing local file: If you choose to link to an existing local file (that is, on your own computer), you are prompted to check the file into the content server (using the standard content check-in form). Much of the information is automatically provided. If a field name is marked red, then the field is required (that is, the item cannot be checked in if the field is empty). Use the Browse button next to the Primary File field to navigate to the file on your computer and select it. Also, make sure to specify a title.

  You are also prompted to specify the Web site section in which you want the hyperlinked file to appear. See Target Sections for more information.

  In addition, you may be asked to select the URL format (path-based or ID-based), depending on whether this was enabled in the wizard (see Choosing a Default Link Format). See URL Formats for more information.

  The final step is to confirm the link before it is actually created (or modified).

• Current item: Choose this option if you want to continue to link to the selected content file, but you want to change the hyperlink properties (for example, its target section on the site).

Link to a URL

If you choose to link to a URL (web address), you can specify that URL in the field next to this option. You cannot proceed in the wizard until you provide a URL. This is often an external URL, such as a Web site on the Internet, but may also useful to link to a file on the content server that is not used for contribution, such as a PDF file, media file, or zip file.

The final step is to confirm the link before it is actually created (or modified).

Target Sections

One of the wizard steps enables you to specify the Web site section in which you want the selected data file to appear (the "target section"). This enables you to control where a particular file appears on the Web site regardless of where it is actually stored on the site. For example, if you have a product description stored in the "Products" section of the site, you can create a link to it from the "Support" section and then specify that the document actually appears in the "Support" section when the hyperlink is clicked. You can choose from the following options:

• Use default Web site section metadata: If you choose this option, the hyperlinked content file displays in the Web site section as currently specified in the Web Site Section metadata field for the content file. If contributors are allowed to select the URL format of links, they must use an ID-based URL format.

• Choose a Web site section: If you choose this option, the hyperlinked content file displays in the Web site section of your choice (in effect overriding the default target section of the content file). The section may be in the current Web site or another Site Studio site on the content server.

• Link to the Content Item's URL: If you choose this option, the file displays exactly as it is stored on the content server rather than within the framework of the Web site. This is useful for linking to native documents such as PDF files.

URL Formats

You may be prompted to choose the URL format of the link, depending on whether contributors are allowed to make this decision. (You can set this option in Designer by selecting File, then Site, then Advanced, and then Set Default Link Format.) The following URL formats are available:

• Path Based URL: The link contains a path to the target location. You have two choices for this type of link:

  • Absolute Path: Generates a full path; for example <!--$ssServerRelativeSiteRoot-->products/index.htm (where <!--$ssServerRelativeSiteRoot-->" gets replaced with the path to the root of the Web site).

  • Relative Path: Generates a relative path instead of a full path; for example ../products/index.htm.

  Please note that this option is not available if you chose to use the default Web site section for the content file as the target section.

• ID Based URL: The link contains the coded identity of the target location rather than the path-based name. You have three choices for this type of link:

  • Client Side Script Format: Uses client-side JavaScript to construct a link to the target location; for example, javascript:nodelink('10024');.

  • Server Side Script Format: Uses server-side Idoc Script to construct a link to the target location; for example, [!--$wcmUrl('nodelink','10024')--].

  • URL Token Format: Uses a redirect on the server to construct a link to the target location; for example, ssNODELINK/10024.