HyperInternet® - creating MediaLinks to use with HyperStudio
"links" to the files contained on those servers. These links can be saved as "reference" files and shared more easily since they don't contain the actual file data. These "link files" are used as "pointers" to reference the information on the server whenever you add graphics, sounds or text to your HyperStudio stack as long as you have an active TCP connection available. If you've used the Anarchie program to access FTP sites on the Internet, you'll recognize the interface of MediaLinker immediately.
You begin the MediaLink process by using a bookmark list (click to download a sample set of bookmarks) which contains the Internet addresses of FTP servers that contain data files you'd like to access. You can add to this list directly in the MediaLinker application or create/use bookmarks created in Anarchie. Once you've connected to your selected server (simply double-click on the server name in the bookmark list), a listing of all of the directories and files contained on that server is displayed (in the example to the right, the Smithsonian Image library is displayed). You can open directories or continue the MediaLink process by double-clicking on the name of the folder or file you wish to work with. 
MediaLinker then downloads the selected file to your hard drive via an FTP transfer process as the "link" is created. Once the link is finished, MediaLinker displays the URL information, a preview of the file and allows you to annotate the link itself (Clay Pottery example on the right). You can save the link for future reference with the standard Macintosh file dialog and then delete the actual downloaded file to save space on your computer. Keep in mind that the reason MediaLinker exists is to allow you direct access to FTP server files that you specify without having to store them physically on a local computer. The process does require an active TCP connection both when creating the link and when using the links as references from within HyperStudio. These "links" (click to download a set of pre-made medialinks) can be grouped appropriately and then shared with any other person who has TCP access and uses HyperStudio. To use a graphic link, simply start a new stack, choose Add Clip Art from a disk file and select the name of your medialink rather than a local-based file. HyperStudio will go out on the Internet and retrieve the referenced file and open it in the standard Add Clip Art window.
and publish student projects in their original format! MediaLinker lets you visually see what type of file it's referencing by the following icons:| Click here to return to the HyperInternet® Menu |