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Welcome to the HyperCard FAQ - Part 2 of 4 - The Basics
=======================================================
FAQ Version 1.2.2 Tue, Nov 18, 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS
-----------------
FAQ Version History
Foreward for Version 1.2
Introduction
-------------
Add your $.02
Copyright Info
Easy View and Setext
New in HyperCard FAQ 1.2.1
New in HyperCard FAQ 1.2
New in HyperCard FAQ 1.1
The Basics
-----------
Where Can I purchase HyperCard?
HyperCard Info Resources
Where can I find HyperCard stacks? (ftp info)
Books on HyperCard
Book Reviews
Hypercard Products and Related Applications
Addresses for HC Products
What is HyperCard?
What is HyperTalk?
What is Home?
What is the HyperCard Player?
What is a standalone?
What is AppleScript?
What is the user level?
What's the background domain? What's the card domain?
What does the Compact Stack do?
How can I make my menubar appear (or disappear)?
How do I record my own sounds?
Can I add color to my stacks?
How many stacks can I have open at once?
Version Misc.
--------------
Version History
What's new in version 2.0?
What's new in version 2.1?
What's new in version 2.2?
Version 2.2 Review
Will Version 1.2.5 work with System 7?
Will HyperCard 2.x work with System 6?
Will my HC 2.2 stack work with earlier versions of HC?
How do I convert a 1.x version stack to 2.x?
Problems & Bugs
----------------
Miscellaneous HyperCard Problems and Memory
I only have two (or three) user level choices available.
Why do my buttons disappear when I go to another card?
The "Fonts not installed" Message
Command-space doesn't toggle the menubar.
The Protect Stack command disappeared.
Help! I lost my password.
My color standalone has no color!
My visual effect commands don't work.
HC 2.1 Bugs and the Mac AVs
HyperCard doesn't work on my PowerMac.
What is the merryxmas virus?
What is the HC virus?
General
--------
Reporting bugs and suggesting improvements.
How do I make pictures of card images?
Hidden printing features.
Admin
------
Acknowledgments
Who's Peter Fleck?
FAQ Versions
------------
Interim Organic FAQ v.0.0.2 by Dave Lorand released in October, 1993
Version .04 released in November, 1993
Version 1.0 released in 1994
Version 1.1 released in 1995
Slight modifications 7/20/96
AND NOW version 1.2, released on Monday, December 9, 1996
It's been a long, strange trip.
Version 1.2.1 released Monday, December 23, 1996
Have a happy HyperCard holiday and script safely.
Version 1.2.2 released Monday, November 18, 1997
--------------------
SEE THE FAQ ON THE WEB!
<http://www.glasscat.com/hypercard>
[Please be patient for the current version.]
--------------------
Foreward for Version 1.2
------------------------
Apple is still alive and kicking and HyperCard seems to be making a
comeback. Me, I've delved into Macromedia Director and learned some
things about the DOS/WINDOWS world and my own conclusion is that
there's still nothing in the scripting/authoring world like
HyperCard.
Long live Bill Atkinson.
This may be the last version of the FAQ for HC 2.x. Rumors of HC 3.0
are hot and heavy with folks seeing it more often than Elvis and it
hasn't been released yet (as of this writing). My guess is Q2 of '97.
The FAQ addendum contains what's known in the civilized world about
3.0. Join the mailing list or news group to keep up with the latest
rumors or go to MacWorld or the WWDC for a preview.
Mine was not the only FAQ in HC history -- several of us got the FAQ
idea about the same time and Dave Lorand got tired of waiting for my
FAQ and released the Interim Organic FAQ. (Dave continued to help
with the FAQ thru 1996.) I *think* Bruce Carter was also preparing a
FAQ and kindly sent me his archive. Seeing I didn't really understand
the amount of work involved, everyone deferred to me. I thought it
would be easy. It's not which is why this is the first big update in
quite a while.
I want to thank hypercarders everywhere for all of the support and
help I've received in the process of putting this document together.
Peter Fleck, Keeper of the HyperCard FAQ
December 9, 1996
Introduction
============
A Listing of Frequently Asked Questions and Information about the
HyperCard Programming Environment
Part 1 is general information and a full table of contents. Part 2 is
meant as an introduction to the HyperCard environment. Part 3 covers
scripting. Part 4 is an addendum that covers multiple topics of more
recent interest than the previous FAQ files. I'm hoping to do more
frequent updatings within the addendum.
Current versions of the FAQ are available for anonymous ftp from
ftp://members.aol.com/petefleck/hcfaq.sit.hqx
[You'll also find links to downloading at:
<http://www.pfhyper.com/>]
The purpose of The HyperCard FAQ is to provide information and answer
basic questions about HyperCard; its scripting language, HyperTalk;
and various resources and products relating to HyperCard.
When I first released the FAQ, Apple was still bundling the "real"
HyperCard application with new Macs, sans documentation. One of my
goals with the FAQ was to provide some very basic documentation for
those curious about following the HyperCard path.
Today, Apple only includes the HyperCard Player; to script and author,
you have to buy HyperCard and you get all the manuals. You should
also consider some third-party books -- check the Books section of
this FAQ for more info.
The HyperCard FAQ is not meant to replace the Apple manuals, or the
excellent third party books available.
Editorial comments are in brackets ([]). Script commands and internet
addresses in text appear between <> (except where I forgot to use
these conventions).
Add your $.02
-------------
Comments, suggestions, ideas, typo lists, are welcome
and appreciated. [I know I didn't proof this version as well as
I should have.]
I can be reached via the internet at:
pfhyper@aol.com
or
pf@pfhyper.com
Copyright Info
--------------
This document may be copied and redistributed on the
understanding that NO resale of this information is undertaken
by any recipient. This means non-profit, non-commercial
publications (user group newsletters, for example) can reprint
the FAQ but that it cannot be used in a book or commercial
magazine. Individual authors who contributed to the FAQ still
own the copyright on their material.
Any reproduction of the information should be complete and
entire and provide reference to the original source (i.e. the
HYPERCARD FAQ) and the editor (Peter Fleck), and individual
authors where directly mentioned in the text. The editor would
like to be informed of any reprints and would very much
appreciate a copy of the publication.
The editor takes no responsibility for any errors, omissions or
misunderstandings, however induced!
Easy View and Setext
--------------------
[I have a 7500 with System 7.5.5 and Easy View still works with
no problems. 12/9/96]
This document is formatted as setext. You can use the Easy View
structured text reader to browse the FAQ. Easy View divides the FAQ
into chapters and heads and has search capabilities.
Easy View is available for anonymous ftp
from <mac.archive.umich.edu> in directory /mac/util/text.
[Info from the Easy View Read Me]
Easy View is an application for intelligent browsing of collections
of structured text files, large or small. It allows very fast access
by recognizing the internal structure. All of the following text
formats can be viewed using Easy View:
- setext, including TidBITS and similar publications
- Info-Mac, c.s.m.p, or similar digests
- Mail collections: Internet, Navigator, Notebook, etc.
- Text with "simple" format
- Dictionaries
- Plain text
Written by M. Akif Eyler, Bilkent University, 06533 Ankara, Turkey.
e-mail: eyler@trbilun.bitnet eyler@bcc.bilkent.edu.tr
Setext
More information can be obtained from the designer Ian Feldman
<setext-list@random.se>, or by sending "setext" alone
on the subject line, no quotes, to <fileserver@tidbits.com>
New in HyperCard FAQ 1.2.2
--------------------------
Updated "HyperCard Info Resources" (Part 2) to reflect the new
mailing list. Also some other minor updating of that section.
Added some new info from Paul Foraker about the resizing windows.
(Part 4).
Corrected some errors.
New in HyperCard FAQ 1.2.1
--------------------------
Jacque Gay reported some 8-bit characters in the text which caused
her problems when uploading the FAQ files to AOL. I think I've
removed them via the Convert to ASCII... extension in BBEdit.
Added "Where did the Button Tasks button go?" in part 4, Bugs
section.
Added "How do I extract my original stack from a stand-alone?" in
part 4, Misc. section.
Added "How can I get my HyperCard stack on the web?" in part 4,
Misc. section.
Added Mark Gregory's HyperCard tutorial site:
<http://www.chepd.mq.edu.au/boomerang/teachhc/> in part 2, The
Basics, "HyperCard Info Resources".
Added short blurb about my home page in the Introduction section.
Added Jacque Gay's name to the people I thank in Acknowledgements.
Added Peter Brigham's name to the people I thank in Acknowledgements
for his "FAQ to stack" work.
Updated info on Michael Swaine's HyperPub publication in part 2, The
Basics, "HyperCard Info Resources". There is a web site:
http://gate.cruzio.com/~mswaine/HyperPub/HyperPubHome.html
New in HyperCard FAQ 1.2
------------------------
Added a new Part 1 which contains a full table of contents and general
info.
Part 4, The Addendum is all new.
Updated URLs and put them in standard format.
Added some URLs for downloading x-things.
Updated titles and ISBNs for Winkler's, Kamins's, & DeVoto's _The
Book_ and Goodman's Complete Handbook.
New introductory section.
Updated "Are there programs like HyperCard for ...?" with new information
about Oracle Media Objects, MetaCard, and HyperCard IIGS
Added info about TrueColor and OpenStack.
Did some other stuff I can't remember.
New in HyperCard FAQ 1.1 (1995)
------------------------
What's the background domain? What's the card domain?
How many stacks can I have open at once?
Will my HC 2.2 stack work with earlier versions of HC?
My color standalone has no color!
Can I add color to my stacks? [Moved from HC Scripting FAQ]
My visual effect commands don't work. [Moved from HC Scripting FAQ]
HyperCard doesn't work on my PowerMac.
What is the merryxmas virus?
What is the HC virus?
Reporting bugs and suggesting improvements.
Minor changes, additions, or updates were made to the
following FAQs
-----------------------------------------------------------
Where Can I purchase HyperCard?
HyperCard Info Resources
Where can I find HyperCard stacks? (ftp info)
What is the HyperCard Player?
What is AppleScript?
What is Home?
Books on HyperCard
Book Reviews
HyperCard Products and Related Applications
The Basics
==========
Where Can I purchase HyperCard?
-------------------------------
Purchase is a key word here. If you want the scriptable HyperCard
application (instead of the HyperCard Player which, at this
writing, is still bundled with new Macs), you have to pay for it.
It's no longer bundled with every Mac.
HyperCard is available wherever quality software is sold meaning
via mail order from the major Mac sources or at local software
distributors. An educational discount is also offered for educators
and students.
You can also purchase HyperCard from APDA, Apple's source for
developer tools. They had a $99 special on the product in early
1994. (According to net rumor, the APDA also sells the current
version of the HC Player for about $25 plus shipping.)
Registered users of previous HyperCard versions (and you're
only registered if you paid for the product), are eligible for an
upgrade. For details, users should contact the Apple
Software Programs Customer Service at (800) 769-2775, ext. 7810.
(If that number is no longer valid, try (800) SOS-APPL.)
HyperCard Info Resources
------------------------
Most of the resources listed here are online and available through
the Internet or commercial BBS services. Many local BBS's also have
HyperCard discussion areas or link to one of the major ones.
The World Wide Web:
<http://www.glasscat.com/hypercard.html> The HyperCard Resource
Page.
<http://members.aol.com/hcheaven/> HyperCard Heaven
<http://www.chepd.mq.edu.au/boomerang/teachhc/> A HyperCard tutorial
site by Mark Gregory. Very extensive. Lots of tidbits and examples.
<http://www.hypercard.apple.com/> Apple's official site! [Still
under construction as of 7/20/96.]
<ftp://ftp.cts.com/pub/agh/SuperCard/Documentation
/SuperCard_FAQ_02.text> The SuperCard FAQ.
<http://www.allegiant.com/> Allegiant makes SuperCard so this it the
SuperCard home page.
comp.sys.mac.hypercard: Usenet. One of the best sources
for HyperCard information and frequented by some of the developers
of HyperCard itself.
HyperCard Mailing List: An e-mail discussion of HyperCard,
currently (11/97) moderated by Simon Hayes.
[Simon is webmaster for the HyperCard Resource Page
<http://www.glasscat.com/hypercard.html>]
Sign up online at:
http://www.glasscat.com/list/HCML.cgi
Or subscribe via email:
To subscribe to individual messages, send email to:
hypercard-request@lists.best.com
with the word "subsingle" as the message body [sans quotes].
To subscribe to the daily digest, send email to:
hypercard-request@lists.best.com
with the word "subscribe" as the message body [sans quotes].
Messages for posting to the entire list go to:
hypercard@lists.best.com
Administrative messages (problems with subscribing, etc.) go to:
hypercard-owner@lists.best.com
[The previous incarnation of the list was moderated by Ro Nagey
of Royal Software <http://www.royalsoftware.com/>.
Many thanks to Ro for keeping the list alive.]
[Before that, George Allen managed the original list, known as
the HYPERCRD mailing list. George did a wonderful job
and the HyperCard community thanks him.]
<http://www.hypercard.apple.com/> HyperCard's home at Apple.
There is a discussion forum online.
America Online: MacHyperCard forum (keyword MHC) Strong
community feeling. Very active with discussions on all
levels. CompileIt! Special Interest Group including both
Message boards and file library. SuperCard Special Interest
Group [most active Supercard discussions I've seen] Large
file library with decent (i.e. fairly complete)
descriptions. Scheduled online conference every Friday at 9
p.m. EST. The conference has featured Danny Goodman and Kevin
Calhoun (and me).
Macintosh User Groups: User groups often have special
interest groups that focus on various software such as HyperCard.
Check with an Apple Authorized dealer for the names of user groups
in your area.
[Most of the following resources probably don't exist any longer
but I decided to keep them here for historical accuracy.]
MACHYPE Echo: Fidonet. VERY Low traffic and few regulars. Available
on many local BBS's.
Compuserve: MacHyper forum (also call HyperText forum).
Strong community feeling and very active. Discussions on all levels
- beginners welcome. Good file library.
AppleLink: Feels more corporate, less community. The
HyperCard Discussion has mild activity with items that don't
seem to show up elsewhere. Software Sampler area has demos. XCMD
source code and other items can be found if persistent.
NIFTY-Serve: Japanese Sister service to Compuserve. Has very
active HyperCard community. [Hiroyasu Oyama, sysop of
Macintosh HyperMedia Forum on NIFTY-Serve contacted sent me a note
thanking me for mentioning the service.]
BMUG: Has boards for HyperCard, internet
comp.sys.mac.hypercard, AppleScript, etc. Does not yet have
a "community" feel but traffic seems to be picking
up.
Michael Swaine's HyperPub: Journal of hypermedia products,
markets, techniques, and technology. HyperPub is no longer
published and back issues are not available. (Michael hopes
to make them available in the near future.) HyperPub does
have a web existence at:
http://gate.cruzio.com/~mswaine/HyperPub/HyperPubHome.html
Inside HyperCard: This is monthly (hard copy, newsletter
format) for scripting tips and techniques put out by the Cobb Group.
$59.00 year domestic, 79.00 year outside U.S.A. It is aimed at the
novice HyperTalk programmer. For subscription information write
to: Customer Relations 9420 Bunsen Parkway Suite 300 Louisville KY
40220 1-800-223-8720
Where can I find HyperCard stacks? (ftp info)
---------------------------------------------
There are thousands of share/freeware stacks. Both CompuServe
and America Online have libraries. Check user groups in your area;
they often distribute disks of stacks. Check local Mac BBS's for
stack libraries.
Internet Sites with lots of stacks
----------------------------------------
InfoMac
http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/HyperArchive/Abstracts/dev/card/HyperArchive.html
HyperCard toolschests at Apple
ftp://ftpdev.info.apple.com/Developer_Services/Tool_Chest/
Development_Platforms/HyperCard_Related/
The World of X-Things
---------------------
HyperCard is blessed with some fine developers who can extend the
capabilities of the scripting environment. Many of these are
free for non-commercial use.
So as not to play favorites, I've listed the sites in alpha order.
Dartmouth Collection
http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/HyperArchive/Archive/
dev/card/dartmouth-403-updt.hqx
Jeff Iverson's x-things
http://prairie.lakes.com/~j5rson/business/externals.html
Lawrence D'Oliveiro collection of x-things
http://www2.waikato.ac.nz/ldo/sw/
Jon Pugh's x-things
http://www.infoworkshop.com/~jonpugh/
Frederic Rinaldi's collection of x-things
ftp://ftp.supelec.fr/pub/machines/macintosh/Rinaldi_Collection
Core Collection by John Sudderth
http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/HyperArchive/Archive/
dev/card/core-collection-22-xcmd.hqx
Popular Stacks
------------------
The following popular stacks and external collections are
available via anonymous ftp from mac.archive.umich.edu:
Colorizing HC XCMD [not upgraded since '93]
http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/HyperArchive/Archive/dev/
card/colorizing-hc-115.hqx
Deprotect Stack
http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/HyperArchive/Archive/
dev/card/deprotect.hqx
Unprotect
http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/HyperArchive/Archive/
dev/card/unprotect.hqx
Developer's Stack [1991]
http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/HyperArchive/Archive/
dev/card/developer-stack.hqx
merryxmasWatcher
http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/HyperArchive/Archive/
vir/merry-xmas-watcher-20.hqx
Books on HyperCard
------------------
[The book list is still in a bit of disarray. I haven't had time to
standardize the format or get copyright info on every listing. Some
of these books are old and would not be of much help with version
2.x.]
Ambron, Sueann, & Hooper, Kristina (Eds.) Learning with
interactive multimedia: Developing and using multimedia tools
in education. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Press, 1990.
Anzovin, Steven. Compute!'s quick & easy guide to HyperCard.
Apple Computer, Inc. HyperCard script language guide. Bundled
with HyperCard.
Apple Computer, Inc. HyperCard stack design guidelines. 0-
201- 51784-1 $18.95
Apple CD-ROM Handbook: A guide to planning, creating, and producing
a CD-ROM. Addison-Wesley, 1992. $14.95.
Beekman, George. HyperCard 2 in a hurry. Wadsworth.
Bull, Glen, & Harris, Judi. HyperCard for educators:
An introduction. International Society for Technology in
Education. ISBN 0-924667-92-3 $12.95 paperback.
Coulouris, George and Thimbleby, Harold. HyperProgramming:
Building Interactive Programs with HyperCard.
Addison-Wessley, 1993. I'm really enjoying this text. It
contains very readable prose, examples, information about
turtle graphics, and hypertext, and a disk. Mark G. Gillingham
<Gillingh@Vancouver.wsu.edu>
Culp, George, H. & Watkins, G. Morgan. The educator's guide to
HyperCard and HyperTalk. Allyn & Bacon, 1993. ISBN 0-205-
13921-3
Fraase, Michael. Rapid reference guide to HyperCard for
the Macintosh. Business One Irwin, 1992. ISBN 1-55623-902-5 $9.95
Gluck, Myke. HyperCard, hypertext, and hypermedia for libraries
and media centers Imprint: Englewd, Co: Libraries Unlimited,1989.
Gold, Rebecca. HyperCard 2 quickstart. Que Publ, 1993.
Goodman, Danny. The Complete HyperCard 2.2 Handbook 4th edition.
Random House Electronic Publishing ISBN 0-679-79122-1. 1993. $35 US.
Goodman, Danny. Danny Goodman's HyperCard developer's guide.
New York: Bantam Books, 1988.
Harvey, Greg. Understanding HyperCard. Sybex, 1989. $24.95
Hofmeister, Joseph F. & Rudowski, Joyce B. Learning with HyperCard.
Cincinnati, OH: South-Western Pub, 1992.
Kaehler, Carol. HyperCard power: techniques and scripts.
ISBN 0201-06701-3 $17.95.
Lamb, Annette, & Myers, Dennis. HyperCard Creativity tool.
Career Publ. Co., 1990. ISBN 0-89262-362-4 $39.95
Lamb, Annette, & Myers, Dennis. HyperCard authoring tool.
Career Publ. Co., 1990. ISBN 0-89262-362-4 $39.95.
Michel, Stephen L. Hypercard: The complete reference.
Shafer, Dan. The complete book of HyperTalk2. New
York: AddisonWesley, 1991. ISBN 0-201-57082-3 $26.95
Shell, Barry. Running HyperCard with HyperTalk
Vaughan, Tay. Multimedia: Making it work. Berkeley,
CA: Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 1993. ISBN 0-07-881869-9 $24.95
Vaughan, Tay. Using HyperCard: from home to HyperTalk. Que, 1988.
$24.95
Venezky, Richard, & Osin, Luis. The intelligent design
of computer-assisted instruction. New York: Longman
(Addison- Wesley), 1991. ISBN 0-8013-0390-7 $24.95
Ventura, Fred. HyperCard Projects for Kids. Ventura Ed.
Systems.
Wilson, Stephen. MultiMedia design with HyperCard. Prentice
Hall, 1991. ISBN 0-13-488891-x $24.95
Winkler, Dan, & Knaster, Scott. Cooking with HyperTalk 2.0. Bantam.
ISBN 0553-34738-1 $39.95.
Winkler, Dan, Kamins, Scot, & DeVoto, Jeanne. HyperTalk 2.2: The Book.
2nd Edition. Random House Electronic Publishing, 1994. ISBN
0-679-79171-X $35.
Book Reviews
------------
Bill Brown-Stone <brownw@msu.bitnet> or <brownw@ibm.cl.msu.edu>
My personal favorite is _The Complete HyperCard 2.2 Handbook, 4th
Ed._ by Danny Goodman. It covers the basics of HyperCard, the
HyperCard programming environment, and HyperTalk scripting in
a range from the most basic to very sophisticated. This is the first
book I stumbled across and I have never felt the need to buy
anything else.
If you have Goodman's previous edition for HyperCard 2.0, the 2.2
version does not add that much. If you want an additional 2.2
reference book and are thinking about buying the new Goodman, you
might consider investing in a different book. If the new edition is
your first HyperCard book, I still think it is an excellent choice.
Den Draphaely <draphaely@clarku.bitnet>
If you can't find the Goodman, and/or you think you really might
spend some time scripting, I suggest Winkler &
Kamins "HyperTalk 2.0: The Book".
"Cooking with HyperTalk" by Winkler & Knaster is a book of canned
scripts for doing all kinds of deft (not daft) things. For instance,
the handler selectParts allows you to select all kinds of objects by
clicking on them (thus forming a group "copy"), and then to paste
(by means of pasteParts) or delete (by way of deleteParts), and so
on. Or by way of rectSelectParts, everything within a given
rectangle defined either by drag-click or by definition can be
transferred into selectParts. There are numerous other
wonderful tools - do something to each card / to each card in a
background / to each bg / to selected bgs... number lines, indent
fields, compare two texts (fields) for differences... -
I'm reeling-off from memory since the book is at home, but you get
the picture that I think its worth your hard-earned
$$.
George Allen <alleng@msu.edu>
"HyperCard Authoring Tool" is by Dennis Myers and Annette
Lamb, both of U. Toledo. Career Publ. Co., 1990. It's a not-quite-
beginning level text with the following chapter titles:
1. Developing simple linear presentations with limited graphics.
2. Developing presentations with graphics.
3. Developing presentations involving interactive video.
4. Developing linear tutorials.
5. Developing criterion-referenced tests.
6. Developing complex tutorials: the instructional system.
7. Developing complex tutorials: lesson development.
8. Developing simple information exploration materials.
9. Developing stacks incorporating advanced technologies.
10. HyperUtilities.
Aimed at teachers and trainers who are interested in creating their
own computer-based instructional materials. (iii) 729 pages,
quite thorough, and clearly written.
They also wrote _HyperCard Creativity Tool_, Lamb & Myers, Career,
1990.
Mark G. Gillingham <Gillingh@Vancouver.wsu.edu>
Coulouris, George and Thimbleby, Harold. HyperProgramming:
Building Interactive Programs with HyperCard. I'm really
enjoying this text. It contains very readable prose,
examples, information about turtle graphics, and hypertext, and
a disk.
Joe Dulak <jdulak@REX.MNSMC.EDU>
I recommend a text called "Learning with HyperCard", by Joseph F.
Hofmeister and Joyce B. Rudowski, from South-Western
Pub., Cincinnati, OH. I had the opportunity to sit through two
training sessions done by the authors. The book is for teaching high
school students HyperCard. It starts from the ground floor. I'm not
thrilled with the organization, but it should give you some ideas
and may remind you of exactly how simple you may need to go for some
people to catch on.
Russell Cotton <rcotton@tenet.edu>
I have a book that I bought at "WaldenBooks" called
"HyperCard Power". It has helped me greatly. It goes step by step
teaching you HyperCard.
Don E. Descy <descy@vax1.mankato.msus.edu>
Two other great HyperCard books are (in order of preference)
"HyperCard 2 in a Hurry" by George Beekman (Wadsworth)
and "HyperCard 2 Quickstart" by Rebecca Gold (Que). Students
also like these.
Terrie Lynn Gray <tgray@eis.calstate.edu>:
Two titles of books I've found helpful with my junior high
students: HyperCard Projects for Kids by Fred Ventura (Ventura ed.
systems)is very programming-like with sketchy explanations, but
still usable. HyperCard Creativity Tool by Annette Lamb and Dennis
Myers(distributed by Career pub.) is a text + projects. The
explanations are complete. Sometimes the projects are a little
tedious, but the scope is great; it covers the basic paint and
animation uses as well as kinetic text, calculations, and peripheral
driving.
Hypercard Products and Related Applications
-------------------------------------------
HyperGasp, Caliban Software
---------------------------------
HyperGASP 3.0 is an authoring tool for multimedia presentations,
hypertextual courseware, and web pages. It is available both as an
extension to Apple's HyperCard authoring environment and as a
stand-alone application.
As an "auto-scripting" interface for HyperCard, HyperGASP
automatically generates the HyperTalk scripts needed to produce
sophisticated, interactive presentations and applications. As a web
authoring tool, HyperGASP allows you to automatically export the
multimedia contents of stacks as HTML web pages.
Intended to be powerful enough to act as the right-hand scripting
wizard for expert developers, yet easy enough to allow novice users
to create sophisticated, interactive multimedia presentations,
HyperGASP includes integrated auto-scripting tools and developer
utilities, along with extensive libraries of ready-made objects,
sounds, textures, animations, and XCMDs.
Requirements: System 6.0.7; for use in conjunction with HyperCard,
HyperCard version 2.1 or later is required.
A functional preview version, "HyperGASP Light", is available for
download from the Caliban Mindwear web site:
http://www.CalibanMW.com.
For more information, including pricing for individual and lab
licenses, please contact:
Caliban Mindwear
Web: http://www.CalibanMW.com
Orders & info: 800-269-0660
Fax: 805-684-7765
eMail: Info@CalibanMW.com
OpenStack by Harry Alloul
-------------------------
I'm looking for a review of this. Fairly new as of late 1996.
Very nice web site (if a bit slow).
Web: http://www.netinfo.fr/objectivesw/
email: objectivesw@dial.oleane.com
Shareware: $20
HC/HT Help by Matt Neuberg
-----------------------------
Matt Neuberg has put together a DocMaker standalone reference for
HyperCard that includes everything you're likely to forget and
have to look up in the manuals including keyboard shortcuts;
functions; a list of HyperCard's globals; how to refer to custom
menus; info on me, the target, the result; info on Apple Events
and AppleScript. It's an excellent companion to the FAQ files.
http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/HyperArchive/Archive/
dev/card/hypercard-hypertalk-help-dm.hqx
Addresses for HC Products
-------------------------
APDA
US (800) 282-2732; Canada (800) 637-0039; International
(716) 871-6555.
Royal Software (formerly Heizer Software)
300 Cedar Lane
Largo, FL 34640 USA
800.888.7667 US
813.581.6422 Int'l
813.559.0614 Fax
email: ronagey@royalsoftware.com
WWW: http://www.royalsoftware.com
Caliban Mindwear
WWW: http://www.CalibanMW.com
Orders & info: 800-269-0660
Fax: 805-684-7765
eMail: Info@CalibanMW.com
MacroMedia, Inc.
600 Townsend St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-442-0200
Internet: <76074.1756@compuserve.com> <MACROMIND.aol.com>
What is HyperCard?
------------------
The human mind... operates by association. With one
item in its grasp it snaps instantly to the next
that is suggested by the association of thoughts
in accordance with some intricate web of trails
carried by the cells of the brain.
-- Vannevar Bush, "As we may Think"
Atlantic Monthly, 1945
HyperCard is a Macintosh application that allows you to create and
use HyperCard documents known as stacks. A stack has a minimum of
one card (and one background) but could have several thousand cards
(and, I suppose, several thousand backgrounds). Each card
usually has some sort of unique information on it and can share
elements with other cards via the background.
Looking at HyperCard in terms of database terminology, a stack would
be a database file, a card would be a single record, and each card
can have fields to store individual pieces of information. The
Address stack, included with every release of HyperCard, is a good
example of this concept.
But HyperCard is much more than just another database. Think of it
as a way to present information in a custom designed format that
allows users to easily retrieve the information they want. In this
sense, and because it includes a programming language, it's a
complete development package.
There are trade offs. HyperCard stacks are slow as far as
applications go, and the program doesn't support color easily (and
if you use color, it slows down even more).
HyperCard is purposefully designed to present itself to the user in
small steps. You can start by just looking around and clicking some
buttons (level 1 or browsing), progress to typing information in
fields (level 2 or typing), move on to creating paint graphics
(level 3 or painting), learn how to create your own buttons and
fields (level 4 or authoring), and finally learn how to program your
stacks (level 5 or scripting). (To attain levels 4 and 5, you must
have HyperCard and not the HyperCard Player. They are two different
applications.)
What is HyperTalk?
------------------
HyperTalk is the scripting (or programming) language that
controls HyperCard. In terms of programming languages,
HyperTalk's syntax is very English-like and very forgiving,
making it relatively easy to learn.
Part 2 of the FAQ covers HyperTalk and scripting.
What is Home?
-------------
The Home Stack has special scripts that configure your HyperCard
environment and allow you to adjust HyperCard's defaults (such as
changing the user level). The Home Stack also has buttons that you
click to get to other stacks.
HyperCard (both the application and the player) looks for the Home
stack when it opens. If it can't find it, it will put up a dialog
asking you to locate it. At this point, any stack can be designated
as Home and HyperCard will open but HyperCard will ask again next
time you open it if the stack you choose is not named Home.
It's a good idea to keep the Home stack at the same directory level
as HyperCard on your Mac.
There is no one look to a Home stack. Apple and Claris released
several variations and users can customize their Home
stacks easily.
Any stack (even a completely empty, one card stack) can function as Home
simply by naming it "Home." But you will lose much of HyperCard's
functionality without a "real" Home Stack.
The stack script of the Home stack contains useful utility handlers
and is worth exploring. (see Home Stack Specials in Part 2 of the
FAQ.)
What is the HyperCard Player?
-----------------------------
The HyperCard Player appeared in 1992. The Player cannot be
scripted; it can only run HyperCard stacks -- sort of a Teach Text
app for stacks. With the release of the Player, HyperCard became a
retail product only.
Version 2.2 of the Player was released shortly after the release of
HyperCard 2.2. It should be bundled with current Macs or it can be
purchased from APDA.
What is a standalone?
---------------------
HyperCard 2.2 has the ability to save a stack as an application. You
access this feature with the Save a Copy command under the File
menu. The resulting application can be run without HyperCard or the
HyperCard Player.
Saving your stack as an application adds about 800K to it. The
reason is that the HyperCard application and related resources are
being embedded in your stack.
Before the release of HyperCard 2.2, Claris sold the Developer's
Licensing Kit that added this ability to HyperCard 2.0 and 2.1.
What is AppleScript?
--------------------
AppleScript is a system-wide scripting environment for the
Mac. Scriptable applications are able to send messages and commands
to other scriptable applications. Even non-scriptable
applications can at least receive some messages if they're Apple
Event aware.
AppleScript makes it easy to refer to data in applications. You can
get a cell from a spreadsheet application, or a paragraph from a
word processor. Once you get the data, you can process it in some
way and send it along to another application.
Current Mac system software now has all AppleScripting extensions
included. Apple has AppleScript documentation and files available for
downloading at
<ftp://ftpdev.info.apple.com/Developer_Services/Development_Kits/
AppleScript/>
HyperCard is very scriptable although it is not recordable (meaning you
can't have AppleScript "watch" as you perform something in HyperCard
and then automatically turn it into an AppleScript script). But you
can make a button in HyperCard that really has an AppleScript attached
to it (instead of a HyperTalk script). Or, you can tell HyperCard to
do someVar as AppleScript
and have the variable loaded with AppleScript commands.
In relation to HyperCard, AppleScript can trigger
HyperCard scripts. For example, in preparing this FAQ, I used
AppleScript to send data from a text editor to HyperCard. HyperCard
then created a new card, titled it with the first line of text in
the data, and stripped out extra returns and spaces. While this was
going on, I continued to work in the text editor. [I also had to
invoke QuicKeys in this process.]
AppleScript also allows you to control applications over a network.
Apple says AppleScript and HyperTalk are fairly similar. My own
experience is that the AppleScript language is much pickier about
how you refer to objects. You also have to deal with how an
application returns the info you're requesting and coerce it into
the form you need.
The HyperCard 2.3 package includes an excellent introduction
to AppleScript and everything you need to get
started AppleScripting.
There is an AppleScript FAQ and a mail list (MACSCRPT). The FAQ (and
other AS-related files) is available at:
<ftp://gaea.scriptweb.com/pfterry/>
[this URL worked on 7/20/96 but may change]
To subscribe to the mailing list, send your request to
<LISTSERV@dartmouth.edu> with the following in the message area:
subscribe macscrpt [your full name here]
The MACSCRPT list also covers UserLand Frontier scripting.
On the WWW, there's a major scripting site at:
<http://www.scriptweb.com>
What is the user level?
-----------------------
HyperCard has five user levels which are adjusted by going to the
last card of the Home Stack. (Choose Last from the Go menu while in
the Home Stack.) The higher the user level, the more you can do with
HyperCard. Higher level numbers include all the features
of previous levels.
Menubar commands change depending on the user level you've chosen.
The user level can also be set with scripting. In the message box
type <set the userLevel to |1-5|> and press return.
The levels and what you can do at each level are:
Browsing or Level 1
Open, close, and browse stacks, search for text, click buttons, move
between stacks, print, and save copies of stacks.
Typing or Level 2
Type, edit, style text, add and delete cards, compact stacks, set
Arrow Keys in Text option.
Painting or Level 3
Create and edit graphics with the paint tools, set stack protection,
edit icons, delete stacks, move between background and card layers,
use the Power Keys.
Authoring or Level 4
Create, modify, and delete buttons, links, fields,
cards, backgrounds, and stacks.
Scripting or Level 5
Write, edit, and debug scripts, set the Blind Typing option.
What's the background domain? What's the card domain?
-----------------------------------------------------
[Thanks to Bill Brown <brownw@ibm.cl.msu.edu> for the following]
While there can be many layers in HyperCard, there are really only
two domains: background and card. When you choose Background from
the Edit menu (or Cmd-B from the keyboard) you are in background
mode and any objects, including graphics, you place in the stack at
that time go into the background domain. When you are not in
background mode you are by default in card mode and any objects,
including graphics, you add during that time go into the card
domain.
The background graphics layer is at the very back (farthest from
you) of the background domain and anything else you place on the
card in either domain is in front of the background graphics layer.
The card graphics layer is at the very back of the card domain;
anything you place in the background domain is behind the card
graphics layer and anything you place in the card domain, except
card graphics, are in front of the card graphics layer. Each of the
two graphics layers are single-level layers; that is, you can have
no more than one graphic layer in either the background or card
domains. You can place more than one seemingly separate graphic
elements in, say, the card domain by having them located in
different areas of the screen, but if you overlay them, the pixels
will combine in that layer and you cannot separate them; this is
the essence of bit-mapped graphics as opposed to draw graphics
(which HyperCard does not support) -- any graphics you import to
HyperCard, whether or not they are PICT graphics, must be bit-maps.
[Using the Picture external, you can show PICT graphics in a
separate window in HC. PF]
Any buttons or fields you place in one of the two domains is in a
layer of its own. If, for example, you put two buttons in the
background domain, each button has its own layer and the layer for
the first button you add is behind the layer for the second button
you add. This becomes apparent when you position both of the
buttons in the same area of the card. It's like each button and
field is on its own sheet of transparent plastic. You can change
the front-to-back layering of buttons and fields within a domain by
choosing the button or field tool, then selecting the button or
field, then using the Send Farther or Bring Closer menu items from
the Objects menu. No button or field in the card domain can be sent
farther back than the card graphics layer; no button or field in
the background domain can be brought closer than card graphics
layer.
What does the Compact Stack do?
-------------------------------
[Some info from the HyperCard Help stacks]
The Compact Stack command is under the File Menu.
Each time you delete a card, background, field, or button, the space
it occupied stays in the stack as unusable space called free space.
As you work on a stack, it can accumulate a substantial amount of
free space -- and the more free space a stack has, the slower it
runs and the larger it is. There's also a better chance that your
stack will become corrupted (meaning unusable) if you let the free
space get out of hand.
To check the amount of free space in a stack, choose Stack Info from
the Objects menu.
To reclaim the free space:
1. Make a backup copy of your stack using the Save a Copy command
(just as a precaution).
2. Choose Compact Stack from the File menu.
Note: If the stack has a custom palette, and the stack won't
compact, close all the palettes and then compact the
stack.
You can add a handler to your Home stack script to perform auto
compacting when the free space reaches a certain percentage. The
HyperCard Scripting FAQ has examples in "Auto-Compacting Handlers".
How can I make my menubar appear (or disappear)?
------------------------------------------------
Command-space toggles the visibility of the menubar.
[Some extensions and control panels to the Macintosh system use the
command-space combination. See the Problems & Bugs section of the
FAQ.]
Menubar visibility can also be set with scripting. In the message
box type <show menubar> or <hide menubar> and press
return.
How do I record my own sounds?
------------------------------
[Read the documentation that came with your Mac on how to record
sounds. This FAQ deals with recording in HyperCard.]
Several versions of HyperCard 2.x came bundled with the Audio Stack.
Check the Edit menu for the Audio Help command. If the command is
not there, check the HyperCard disks that should have come with your
Mac and see if the Audio Help Stack is there (or check on your hard
disk for the stack). Placing the Audio Help Stack in the same folder
as HyperCard (and at the same level) and opening HyperCard should
get the command to appear.
To record, choose Audio Help from the Edit menu and read the
documentation.
The built-in audio recording features of HyperCard (those
described in Audio Help) assume that your Mac has a built-in
microphone for use in recording sounds. If you have an older Mac
that doesn't have a built-in microphone, you will need to acquire
some third-party microphone device such as MacRecorder
from MacroMedia. A third-party microphone may or may not work
directly with the built-in audio features of HyperCard; if is does
not, it should come with software (probably HyperCard stacks) that
assist you in recording and editing sounds.
If you don't have the Audio Help Stack, you'll have to purchase
something like MacRecorder which comes with software
called SoundEdit Pro. SoundEdit Pro will allow you to record the
sounds and a resource mover will allow you to get them into your
HyperCard stacks. [The HC Scripting FAQ covers moving resources.]
Can I add color to my stacks?
-----------------------------
You can add color PICT images to HyperCard using the picture XCMD
that comes with HyperCard. [See the 'What are the correct
parameters for the picture command?'] A borderless picture can be
added that looks like it is part of the card. Clicking on the
picture sends the <mouseDownInPicture> and <mouseUpInPicture>
messages.
Using the QuickTime XCMD that is part of the QuickTime Tools stack
is another method. A movie can be borderless and does send messages
when clicked (<mouseDownInMovie> and <mouseUpInMovie>).
If you have HyperCard 2.2, you have the Color Tools stack which
allows colored buttons, colored fields (but not text), colored
backgrounds and importing colored pictures that can be on
either the card or background layer. It is slow and there are
limitations such as colored pictures having to use the system
palette. But it's very easy to use and great for basic color work.
This stack uses the AddColor XCMD. Beyond basic use, it's fully
scriptable and Color Tools includes documentation.
AddMotion II, which came with early releases of HyperCard 2.2 (and
may still be shipping with it), gives HyperCard color capability in
the form of color animations. [I don't have any experience here so
I'm not sure of its full capabilities.]
The Colorizing HC XCMD is an alternative to Apple's AddColor XCMD.
It's available via ftp. [See Part 1 of the FAQ for info on where
it's available.]
HyperGasp from Caliban Software is a commercial product used for
multimedia creation in HyperCard including color. [See "Hypercard
Products and Related Applications" in this FAQ for more info.]
Also available for adding color to HyperCard (and I'm afraid I
don't have more info):
HyperTint
HyperCard Color
Dr Nigel Perry <N.Perry@massey.ac.nz> has developed the
following externals for color buttons and color text (these are
Dr. Perry's descriptions):
Pictoids Package - Any-shape you like colour buttons
based on pictures (PICT's) or movies (QuickTime)
i.e. a button with a movie "label" is entirely possible...
Colour Text Package - colour text in fields
Available: most archive sites (Pictoids is now v1.2)
and<smis-asterix.massey.ac.nz>
Cost: postcard for personal & educational use to non-shareware
authors add a shareware fee waiver for me if you're a
shareware author commercial use etc. can be licensed.
My son gets postcards :-)
How many stacks can I have open at once?
----------------------------------------
[From Kevin Calhoun]
The number of stacks that can be "open" at one time is exactly one.
In HyperCard 1.x, you can have only one stack open and only one
card window open. In HyperCard 2.x, you can have only one stack
open but many card windows open -- the stacks in inactive windows
are actually closed, i.e. the files on disk are closed. As I've
explained elsewhere, an inactive card window is nothing more than a
big button whose "script" tells HC to "go to the card whose image
is in this window". When you click on such a window, HyperCard
activates it, closes the current stack, and opens the stack in the
newly active window.
The total number of windows that HyperCard 2.x can open is 25.
This includes card windows, built-in floating windows such as the
message box, and external windows. HyperCard opens seven windows
by itself that aren't card windows -- Message, Scroll, FatBits,
Patterns, Tools, Message Watcher, and Variable Watcher. Therefore
you can have as many as 18 card windows. However, Picture windows,
Palette windows, and other external windows reduce the number of
card windows you can open.
Version Misc.
=============
Version History
---------------
The information in this FAQ assumes you are using a 2.x version of
HyperCard (the application, not the Player). However, users
of earlier versions (hopefully no earlier than 1.2.5) can still
benefit from much of what is discussed. An excellent reference on
which version supports which commands, properties,
functions, messages, etc., is Winkler & Kamins (and Devoto's in the
second edition) HyperTalk 2.0: The Book. See the Book List section
of the FAQ for more info.
What follows is a very brief history of HyperCard.
HyperCard version 1.0 was released August, 1987. It had a _very_
limited distribution. Version 1.0.1 released later the same
year, was the first large distribution and was bundled with Macs.
User Groups were also able to distribute HyperCard.
HyperCard moved through several 1.x versions, adding features
and correcting bugs, until the release of 1.2.5 in 1988 (maybe '89).
Many users and developers are still using this version. Version
1.2.5 requires system software 6.0.5 or later. At this time, no one
should be using an earlier version than this.
Version 2.0 came out in 1990. It was the last unmodified full
version bundled with Macs. It lacked the Script Language Guide, but
did include stack based documentation that introduced
scripting. The Debugger was introduced with this version. This was a
very buggy release with really nasty problems related to managing
resource forks and had a very short life-span. This was the last
version that user groups were able to distribute for
free.
The plot thickens here as Apple gives HyperCard to Claris. Claris
responded with the first "clean" release of version 2: 2.0v2. It was
bundled with Macs but with obscured functionality. (The
<magic> command was introduced with this version.) Only a few sample
stacks were included.
Version 2.1 was the second release from Claris, and introduced
AppleEvent support. This was the last bundled version.
In 1992, the HyperCard Player appeared. The Player cannot be
scripted; it can only run HyperCard stacks -- sort of a Teach Text
app for stacks. With the release of the Player, HyperCard became a
retail product only.
Version 2.2 was released in December, 1993. A separate section of
the FAQ covers 2.2's new features.
What's new in version 2.0?
--------------------------
This is a very brief list of new features introduced with version
2.0. Taken from the Claris HyperCard Script Language Guide.
[Warning! The straight 2.0 is buggy. You should be using at least
2.0v2.]
Variable card sizes
Multiple stack windows open at the same time
Multiple fonts, font styles, and font sizes within fields
Group text for identifying hypertext links
Navigation palette
Support for user-defined palettes
Support for PICT files and resources in a floating window
Improved printing
Script editor enhancements including option of leaving an
editor window open and returning to the stack
Built-in script debugging tools
User-definable menus
Extensions to the XCMD interface
Enhanced support for MultiFinder
Stacks as shared code libraries
Enhanced HyperTalk: new commands, functions, and properties
to handle new features and enhancement of the old
ones.
What's new in version 2.1?
--------------------------
[To find out more about these features, check your documentation or
the New Features stack that came with version 2.1.]
- Two new Power keys for paint and field text: Command-Shift-[ for
previous font and Command-Shift-] for next font.
- New option for pasted text: Hold the shiftkey down during the
paste to have the text take on the default attributes of the field.
- New properties for windows: ID and number.
- Error dialogs: lock out the Error dialogs to run in "quiet" mode
(without any user interaction).
- Determining system software version: the systemVersion function.
- New "dialingTime" property: Determines how long HyperCard
waits before closing the serial connection to a modem after sending
the dial string.
- Print dialog with "Print Field...": Hold the shift key down when
you choose "Print Field..." to get the standard Macintosh print
dialog.
- Extensions to read/write commands.
- Addition to the Picture XCMD: "floating layer" parameter.
- HyperCard support for System 7.0: Alias files, Balloon and
Application menus.
- Apple event support in HyperTalk.
- "System 7 Friendly" running programs: <answer program> command.
- item delimiter can be set with the itemDelimiter property
What's new in version 2.2?
--------------------------
Better color implementation: 2.2 comes with the Color Tools Stack
which provides external commands and functions to attach color to
buttons, fields, and card and background layers. You can also import
color images and attach them to the card or
background.
Integrated Stand-Alone Application Builder: A choice in the Save a
Copy dialog. [The Application Builder does not work on a Mac Plus
and possibly other 68000-based Macs.]
Open Scripting Architecture (OSA): Allows you to write
AppleScript scripts (or scripts of any OSA compliant
scripting language) from within HyperCard.
Script Attachability: Scripts can be written in HyperTalk or in any
attachable language (like AppleScript).
Message Box: Select All now works in the message box. Set Text size,
font, style of message box.
Movable Modals: Many dialog boxes (including all the Info dialogs)
are now movable modals.
PowerBook choice for sizes when resizing card windows.
Oval button style choice but transparent only.
Default and standard button styles: these look like your standard
"OK" and "Cancel" buttons.
Pop-up menu button style.
The Button Info and Field Info dialogs now have a preview area.
Buttons and fields have a part number that places them among all the
other buttons and fields in the card or background domain. This
number can be set from a script.
Buttons have enabled property allowing them to be grayed out. When
disabled, they don't pass messages.
New family property for buttons. Only one button in a family can
have its hilite set to true. Useful when dealing with radio buttons.
Buttons are now containers and can hold text like fields. The text
is only visible from within the Button Info dialog, but is available
for use in scripts.
The Button Info dialog now has a Text Style button.
List fields can be created that hilite the entire line when clicked
by using the autoSelect property. By using the selectedText and
selectedLine functions, you can script an action based on the user's
choice.
Enhanced HyperTalk
[This list does not include all new features and enhancements of the
language -- just some highlights.]
Commands
- disable/enable <button>
- do <expression> as <scriptingLanguage>
- find international (recognizes international characters)
- put <text> into <button>
- select line <number> to <number> of <field | button>
- sort (allows sorting by an arbitrary sort key such as word 2 of a
series of lines)
- visual effect push
Functions
- destination (returns full pathname of destination stack when HC is
in process of going to another stack)
- diskspace (returns amount of free space on any mounted volume)
- selectedButton (returns name of the button that is highlighted in
a family)
- sum (returns the sum of a list of comma-delimited numbers)
Properties
- autoSelect (defines a list field if lockText is true) [There's a
typo in the Script Language Guide regarding this. The Guide states
that fields have an autoHilite property. Not true, as far as I can
tell. It means autoSelect.]
- bottom (determines bottom of menubar) [Why?]
- bottomRight (again, for the menubar) [again, why?]
- dialingVolume (sets volume of touch tones generated through the
Mac speaker)
- environment (returns <development> if running the HC ap, or
<player> if running HC Player)
- scriptingLanguage (returns current scripting system for
scripts of objects)
- visible (now applies to menubar)
Messages
mouseDoubleClick
Version 2.2 Review
------------------
[I pulled the following from the Net. I'm using it with the author's
permission. Paul Foraker, a member of the HyperCard 2.2 team, wrote
report.]
Color Tools
The integration of color into HyperCard 2.2 is accomplished by an
XCMD called AddColor, and an interface provided by a Color Tools
stack. You install the color capability by clicking a button in the
Color Tools stack. The installer puts a button on your Home card, a
small script in your Home stack script, and a Color menu in your
menubar. There are two menu items: Open Color Tools and Redraw
Screen. When you want color in a stack, you select Open Color Tools.
This menu installs the XCMD and a couple of scripts in your stack,
opens a 256 color palette, and puts you in a modal environment.
The Color Tools palette has four tools: button, field, picture, and
rectangle. (There are no color paint tools.) To color a button or
field, you click the appropriate tool, select the object and select
a color from the palette. The XCMD writes a record to a small
database in the resource fork of your stack, identifying the card
and object colored and draws the color on the card window. The
picture button allows you to link a PICT file, or import a PICT
resource, or place an existing PICT resource on the card or
background layer, updating the database. When you "place" a PICT, it
locates with its top left corner centered on the card. You drag it
where you want it, and resize it (scaling the picture automatically)
if you want. To get a colored rectangle, you double click the
rectangle tool and get a small square on the card (or background)
which you can resize and recolor. Layering is fully supported
(within the domains of background and card). All the colored objects
can have various width bevels (except, I think, the transparent
field). Colored objects can be opaque or transparent (white is the
key color). When you move a colored object (button or field), the
database gets updated when you redraw the card, either with the XCMD
directly, or through the Redraw Screen menu item. Everything the
interface provides can also be done directly by scripting the XCMD.
As part of Color Tools, about 20 new visual effects are available.
Using the Color Tools interface is as easy as using the HyperCard
Tool palette to make buttons and fields. Scripting the XCMD is
remarkably straightforward.
OSA-Compliant Scripting Languages
We tend to think of HyperTalk and HyperCard as being inseparable.
For this version, Kevin [Kevin Calhoun of the HyperCard Development
Team] separated them, in that it is no longer necessary to use
HyperTalk in the scripts of HyperCard objects. Any
OSA-compliant language you have installed in your system can be
selected in a new popup menu in the script editor window. HyperCard
2.2 ships with AppleScript 1.1, Apple's first
OSA-compliant language. Other possibilities are UserTalk
from Frontier (though its implementation is not quite
complete), and CE Software has one which will be available soon.
There's a new property (all objects): the scriptingLanguage.
So, you can have, for example, a HyperTalk button on a card that
calls an AppleScript function in the background, that in turn
depends on the result of a HyperTalk function in the stack script.
Further integration is possible through the use of the (expanded) do
command. For example,
do theCmd as "AppleScript"
-- where theCmd is a valid AS statement
Although AppleScript is based on HyperTalk, it has a slightly
different orientation and hence some additional capabilities.
With AppleScript, for example, any scriptable application
becomes, in Kevin's words, an XCMD for HyperCard.
Furthermore, HyperCard is now scriptable. That is,
using AppleScript, you can control it from other applications.
Built-In Stand-Alones
The Save A Copy menu has been modified to include a popup menu with
which you select Stack, Application, or Custom File Format (or any
third party components you have installed). The Application
choice yields a standalone application (the Player embedded in your
stack). You can specify the signature (type and creator) of the
application and then use the Custom File Type choice to save other
stacks as documents linked to that application).
New Button Types
There are four new button types: Popup, Default (double bordered),
Standard (round rect with no drop shadow), and Oval. Buttons are now
containers, just like fields. The button info dialog contains a
"Contents" button that brings up a window for you to enter text. In
the case of a popup button, this text becomes the menu items.
on mouseUp -- script in a standard button, for example
answer me -- displays the contents of the button
end mouseUp
New Button Property
Buttons can belong to families (1 thru 15 for either card or bkgnd).
So, to make radio buttons without scripting, you identify (with the
button info dialog or in a script) which family the buttons belong
to, and they will automatically function as linked radio
buttons.
New Field Behavior
List Fields are now available by simply locking a field, settings
its dontWrap to true, and its (new property) autoSelect to true.
There is also an optional (new property) multipleLines. So a script
that gets you to a card by the name of the item clicked in the field
would look like:
on mouseUp
go card (the selectedText of me)
end mouseUp
The multipleLines property allows continuous selection (but
not, alas, discontiguous).
Bundling
At this point, it appears that every Macintosh will have the Player
bundled with it. The Player is a fully functional HyperCard, without
a scripting environment. The Player's About Box will tell you how to
get the full featured version.
In the Box
In its 16-lb box, HyperCard 2.2 comes bundled with ADDMotion II,
from MotionWorks. AppleScript 1.1 (runtime), Scriptable
Text Editor, and Script Editor. There's a complete set of new
manuals, written by Scot Kamins and Alan Spragens (two of the best
in the business). There's a catalog of HyperCard add-ons (including
an ad for a book I'm co-author of: Advanced HyperCard Solutions).
Total of 11 800K diskettes.
Do I like it?
Yes. This is, to me, a much more significant upgrade than the ".2"
would indicate. While we all lament the absence of integrated color
and paint tools, the AddColor solution is elegant and powerful. The
AppleScript-ability leaves HyperCard fairly dripping
with functionality. The new button and field features make it quite
easy to construct an application that doesn't look at all like
HyperCard. I'm looking forward to upgrading and implementing
new solutions for my clients.
Will Version 1.2.5 work with System 7?
--------------------------------------
There are some problems related to sound. If you turn the sound off,
1.2.5 tends to work fairly well.
Will HyperCard 2.x work with System 6?
--------------------------------------
HyperCard 2.0 and later requires system software version 6.0.5 or
later.
If you want to take advantage of WorldScript, open scripting
(including AppleScript), and stand-alone application building
of HyperCard 2.2, you have to use System 7.1.
Will my HC 2.2 stack work with earlier versions of HC?
------------------------------------------------------
You can run a version 2.2 stack on earlier versions of HyperCard
2.x as long as the stack you are running doesn't use any HyperCard
2.2 specific features that aren't present in earlier versions. For
example, new button and field features and AppleScript scripts
aren't going to work in pre-2.2 stacks.
Even HC 2.2 colorized stacks will work on any 2.x versions with
some precautions.
How do I convert a 1.x version stack to 2.x?
--------------------------------------------
First, save a copy of your stack as a precaution. Then open the
stack in HC 2.x. You should see a padlock in the menubar. Choose
Convert Stack from the File menu. If the command is not there or the
Compact Stack command is there, you are not working with a 1.x
stack.
Problems & Bugs
===============
Miscellaneous HyperCard Problems and Memory
-------------------------------------------
MANY basic HyperCard problems can be traced not allotting enough
memory for the HyperCard application. The default allotment
is usually too small.
Some of the problems you may encounter are the inability to use the
Paint tools, card windows that can't be resized, and system freezes
while using HyperCard. If you're using the Coloring Tools Stack
(version 2.2), you may find colors or pictures disappearing.
To change the allotment, select the HyperCard icon in the finder and
choose Get Info from the File menu. (Make sure you've quit HyperCard
before you do this.) Type a new (and higher) number in the Preferred
Size box. How high the number is depends on how much memory you have
installed. Setting it to 2500 usually solves most problems that are
memory related.
Increasing the memory allocation for HyperCard is
especially important if you're developing.
I only have two (or three) user level choices available.
--------------------------------------------------------
You can set your user level from the Preferences card (last card) of
the Home Stack.
If there are only two levels available (Browsing and Typing), you
have the "disabled" version of HyperCard. An opaque button is hiding
the other three levels. To see all the levels, choose Message from
the Go menu, type "magic" (no quotes) in the Message Box, and press
return. Levels 3 to 5 will appear.
If you have three level choices (Browsing Typing, and Painting), you
probably have the HyperCard Player. You cannot author or script with
the Player.
Why do my buttons disappear when I go to another card?
------------------------------------------------------
Each card has 2 layers. The background layer can be shared by many
cards. The card layer is card specific. Objects created on the card
layer will not appear on other cards. If you want a button, field,
or graphic to appear on every card, put it in the background.
To move objects from the card layer to the background, select the
object, choose the cut command, go to the background (Edit menu or
command-b) and paste. The object will be pasted in the same position
it was on the card layer.
When the background layer is active, the menu bar is cross-hatched.
The "Fonts not installed" Message
---------------------------------
HyperCard uses an external function (XFCN) to check to ensure you
have the fonts necessary to use the stacks that come with HyperCard.
Unfortunately, the XFCN doesn't understand TrueType fonts and
looks for the exact bitmap in your system.
Fortunately, you can turn the font checking off. Open the stack
script in the Home stack by choosing "Stack Info" from the Objects
menu and clicking the Script button. Find the words <on startUp>.
Find the line <checkForMissingFonts>. This is the command
that triggers the font checking. Type two hyphens (--) at the
beginning of this line. This tells HyperCard to ignore the command.
Command-space doesn't toggle the menubar.
-----------------------------------------
Some extensions and control panels to the Macintosh system use the
command-space combination and override its use in HyperCard.
Try restarting your Mac with the shiftkey down to disable extensions
and see if the command works in HyperCard to hide/show the menubar.
A common culprit is SCSI Probe which uses command-space as a short
cut. You can change the command in SCSI Probe so HyperCard is able
to use command-space for the menubar.
The Protect Stack command disappeared.
--------------------------------------
The Protect Stack command (File menu) will disappear if the user
level (for the stack) is set below Painting (level 3). You can get
it back if you hold down the command key while pulling down the file
menu.
Help! I lost my password.
-------------------------
Try the DeProtect Stack by Ned Horvath and Allan Foster. (Not
guaranteed, but it usually works.) It should be available in the mac
archives at umich.
[Check "Where can I find HyperCard stacks? (ftp info)" in
this FAQ.]
My color standalone has no color!
---------------------------------
First check how much memory you have allocated to your standalone
(see below for instructions on how to do this). You should allocate
at least 2000 KB and you may need more.
If you up the memory and still can't get color, it may be a
resource problem. According to a HyperCard 2.2 ReadMe:
When Color is first applied to a HyperCard stack using
Color Tools, a set of resources are copied into the stack.
The copying of resources is not actually complete until
the stack is closed. If a standalone application is built
from the colored stack before the resources have been
copied, the standalone application will not work correctly.
To avoid this problem, be sure that you have closed and
reopened your colored stack at least once before turning
it into a standalone application.
Checking Memory Allocation
------------------------------
1. Quit the standalone and go to the Finder.
2. Select the standalone icon.
3. Go to the File menu and choose Get Info.
4. Adjust the figure in the "Preferred Size" text box, lower right
corner.
5. If you can't adjust the number, you haven't quit the standalone.
My visual effect commands don't work.
-------------------------------------
Possible Causes
-------------------
[Thanks to Neil Clennan <nclennan@umich.edu> for the Color Tool
info.]
Your using HC 2.1 or an earlier version and your monitor is set for
thousands or millions of colors. Visual effects work only at 256
colors (8 bit) or less. With HyperCard 2.2, visual effects work at
all bit depths.
A <lock screen> command is in effect. If you've added color to a
stack using HyperCard's Color Tools stack, a "closeCard" handler
has been added which contains the <lock screen> command. This is
because the color externals have their own visual effects. You can
remove the <lock screen> line from the "closeCard" handler, which
could make your color transitions sloppy or you could rewrite your
scripts to use the color visual effects, but depending on your
stack, that may be a lot of scripts.
The card picture crosses more than one monitor.
The obscure debugging command "debug pureQuickdraw true"
is active.
Going between two stacks with different card sizes (or any 2 stacks
prior to HyperCard 2.1).
HC 2.1 Bugs and the Mac AVs
---------------------------
There are reports of a bug when using the Audio Palette on a Centris
660AV. The bug causes the Mac to hang when it's finished recording a
sound. HyperCard 2.2 is supposed to fix this.
There's also a problem with 2.1 with editing/modifying
scripts Don't use the Enter key to exit the script editor or you
risk a system freeze. This is also fixed in
2.2.
HyperCard doesn't work on my PowerMac.
--------------------------------------
[From Kevin Calhoun]
There is a known incompatibility between HyperCard and the version
of the Modern Memory Manager that shipped with System 7.1.2. You
can eliminate the problems you're having by turning off the Modern
Memory Manager in the Memory Control Panel.
System Update 3.0 fixes the problem. Once you've installed System
Update 3.0, go ahead and turn the Modern Memory Manager back on if
you like.
What is the merryxmas virus?
----------------------------
[This information is from Ken Dunham's <kdunham@ednet1.osl.or.gov>
merryxmasWatcher1.0 stack. This stack (and the others mentioned
below) are available online at major archives. I got mine from
umich.]
The infamous merryxmas virus was discovered by Ken Dunham, in April
of 1993. The name "merryxmas" was given to the virus since the
word appears in the beginning handlers of the virus script.
The merryxmas virus is very quiet about its presence and spreads
easily through the computers of novice and intermediate Hypercard
users.
The merrxymas virus only infects HyperCard stacks on the Macintosh.
It can result in bombs, unexpected errors, and interference with
digital sound output (macinTalk).
CHECKING FOR THE VIRUS
To check for the virus manually you can check script of your home
stack by selecting "Stack Info..." from the Object menu and then
clicking on "Script..." Look for the words "merryxmas" near the
bottom of the script or use the Find function in the script editor.
If you find the word merryxmas you either have:
a) the virus
b) the inoculation scripts
c) a coincidental situation where merryxmas means nothing
MERRYXMAS STRUCTURE DEFINED
The virus begins with the line "on openBackground --merrxymas" and
usually contains 36 lines of script. Several mutations have
occurred due to people not realizing they have the virus and then
typing in their own scripts following the virus. The virus
responds by added the new script to the original virus and then
re-infecting. This means that there are countless mutations of the
merryxmas virus floating around(Bill Swagerty)."
INNOCULATION SCRIPT
The inoculation script contains the following three lines:
--on openBackground --merryxmas
--on closeBackground --merryxmas
--on idle --merryxmas
If you have an inoculated stack you are NOT infected. Sadly,
companies like SAM don't discriminate between the actual virus and
the inoculation. Even if you are just protected against the
virus, SAM will kick your disk out with the message that you are
infected and need to take your disk to the disk doctor. Hopefully
this will change as more people become aware of the merryxmas virus
and how to fight it.
SOFTWARE SUPPORT
Several stacks, available at sumex-aim and other on-line resources,
have been developed to eradicate the merryxmas virus from your
computer. I have been involved with the following:
a) merryxmas vaccine
b) scrooge
c) merryxmasWatcher
Merrxymas vaccine was created by Bill Swagerty. His stack will
scan your entire hard drive and eradicate the virus for you. A
nice information file on the virus is also included.
Scrooge was created by Colleen Dick of Platypus Software. Her
stack will scan individual disks and insert an inoculation script
at your request.
MERRYXMASWATCHER1.0 by Ken Dunham
MerryxmasWatcher1.0, does three things:
a) Kills off any merryxmas virus that might be in your Home stack
b) Inoculates your Home stack from further infection.
c) Installs a watcher script that scans all used stacks for the
virus. It notifies you and eradicates any existing virus, at
your command, when you close stacks.
What is the HC virus?
---------------------
[I found this info in the Virus Reference 2.1.3 stack by Kevin
Harris (c)1994 Software Perspectives. I've never heard of anyone
getting infected with it and I don't know what protects against it.]
HC Virus
-----------
Infects HyperCard stacks only.
Causes Mac to hum strangely.
HC painting tool symbols appear at random parts of the screen.
General
=======
Reporting bugs and suggesting improvements.
-------------------------------------------
[This information is about a year old and may have changed.
Originally posted by Kevin Calhoun.]
Send ideas for improvements and new features to:
HC.REQUESTS@applelink.apple.com.
To report bugs, write:
HYPERBUG$@applelink.apple.com.
How do I make pictures of card images?
--------------------------------------
Go to the card, press the option key down, and choose Copy Card from
the Edit menu. This will place a full size PICT of the card on the
clipboard for you to paste into another application. You can also
get only an image of the background if you open the background
(choose Background, Edit menu) before issuing the
copy-with-option command.
If you forget to use the option key you will get a miniature image
of the card for pasting in another application. This is useful for
making index cards and the like.
HyperCard also has an Export Paint command that creates an image of
the card or background in a MacPaint file. Choose any Paint tool and
then choose Export Paint from the File menu.
Hidden printing features.
-------------------------
[Following applies to version 2.1. With 2.2, Apple "unhid" the
features.]
If you hold down the option key while choosing the Print Report menu
item, several hidden features will appear in the Print Report Dialog
including a "Precision Adjustments" option, a Save button, and
the ability to put lines and boxes around print
items.
Admin
=====
Acknowledgments
---------------
Many are they who have contributed to this FAQ and I thank you all.
A few are mentioned in the articles. Special thanks to the
following:
Dave Lorand <davel@earlham.edu>,ex FAQ Archivist. Dave posted the
FAQ to comp.sys.mac.hypercard and archived it at ftp.earlham.edu.
Dave has the distinction of posting the first HC FAQ. He beat
me by a few days.
Bruce Carter and John Pinto for some of the early data collection
that got the FAQ going. John has a text version of the FAQ on the web.
Brian Molyneux for version data and info on Royal Software products.
Editing and proofing: Bill Brown, Bruce Carter, Bill Karle
Book List: Originally compiled by Asif Taiyabi
HyperCard 2.2 Review: Paul Foraker
Peter Brigham for taking the FAQ and making it a stack and getting it
done really fast after a text release. The stack is available on
my AOL ftp site (or will be RSN).
ftp://members.aol.com/petefleck/
The following list submitted answers or suggestions that
were helpful in the FAQ preparation.
Jay Cross
Dave Blackburn
Cory Doctorow
Geoff Duncan
Jacque Gay
Mark G. Gillingham
Christopher J. Henrich
Scott Raney
Jeffrey D. Wurtz
Who's Peter Fleck?
------------------
He is president of PF Hyper, a Mac consulting company
that uses HyperCard (and Director and SuperCard) for
making training programs and interactive multimedia for
both the Mac and Windows. Check out his web page at
<http://members.aol.com/pfhyper/>.