Enhance Content with URLs

In addition to package files and web pages, you can also enhance your content by linking it to URLs. This allows you to link to information that is created and maintained outside the Library and is accessed directly on the Internet or a local intranet. You can use this option for any valid URL, including mailto and ftp links. For example, you can use a URL attachment to link from the Introduction frame of a topic to your corporate web site. Alternatively, you can use a mailto URL link to your help desk to allow users to easily submit questions or comments while they are viewing your content in the Player.

Note: Clicking a mailto link in the Developer or Player launches the default e-mail program specified on the user's computer and opens a new mail message with the mailto address included in the To field. You can also include a default subject and/or message text by using the "subject" and/or "body" attributes of the mailto tag.

When you use links to URL attachments, you must take three issues into consideration:

• First, your users must be online when viewing content in the Player to access URL links. In addition, you should take into account the speed of their Internet connection, especially if the target sites contain many graphics and/or multimedia components.
• Second, you must ensure that the path to the target of the link always remains valid; that is, you must not move the target of the link from its current location on the Internet or intranet. If the path to the target does change, you must update the link in the Developer and republish your content. Otherwise, your users will encounter a "page not available" browser error when they try to access the URL by clicking the link.
• Third, you must ensure that your users have appropriate access and an appropriate setup to view the target of the link. For example, if the target of the link is located on a secure server, your users must be authorized to access the server. Likewise, if the target of the link employs plug-ins, you should ensure that your users have the appropriate plug-ins installed before they attempt to view the linked content.

When you link to a URL as the concept of a module, section, or topic, users can access the target Internet or intranet site from the Concept pane in the Player window. When you link to a URL from a frame in a topic, an icon representing the link appears in the bubble in Try It! mode or in the bubble or window in Do It! mode for that frame. If the URL is linked to the Introduction frame of a topic, its icon appears in the Introduction pane of the Player window. In each case, a user can click the icon to view the contents of the target Internet or intranet site.

In addition, you can link to URLs from bubble text in a topic frame or from text or an image in a web page. Users can view the target Internet or intranet site by clicking the hyperlinked text or graphic appearing when they view your content in the Player window.

URLs linked at the concept and frame levels and in web pages are also included in selected document outputs, namely, the Business Process Document, Training Guide, and Instructor Manual. See URL Behavior in Publishing for more detail.

Note: URL attachments that are linked to frames or bubble text are not available in See It! or Know It? playback modes in the Player.