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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!
[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 [Parts 1-4]
ftp://members.aol.com/petefleck/hcfaq1of4.txt
ftp://members.aol.com/petefleck/hcfaq2of4.txt
ftp://members.aol.com/petefleck/hcfaq3of4.txt
ftp://members.aol.com/petefleck/hcfaq4of4.txt
(You'll also find the ftp links at my current web page:
http://members.aol.com/pfhyper
and you can take a look at my home page in the process.)
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 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
, or by sending "setext" alone
on the subject line, no quotes, to
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:
The HyperCard Resource
Page.
The SuperCard FAQ.
]
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
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 or
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
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
"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
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
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
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
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 :
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>
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
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:
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 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 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 or 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 and
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 ( and ).
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 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
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 (& 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
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: 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