=============================================================================== TagLink - a MicroStation BASIC macro for hyperlinking design file elements. TagLink is similar to MicroStation's Engineering Links, but was designed without consideration of an Inter/intra/extra-net environment. What this means is that ANY key-in command(s), links to other design files and/or saved views can be attached to element(s) and then activated by selecting the element(s). There are two primary operations: "Attach TagLink," and "Follow TagLink." Both operations are available through a default dialog. Alternate dialogs include just the "Attach TagLink" portion of the default dialog, just the "Follow TagLink" portion of the default dialog, no dialog, and a streamlined dialog for experienced users. When using no dialog, the assumed operation is "Follow TagLink," and the user is prompted to select an element. The "Attach TagLink" dialog, or "Attach TagLink" portion of the default dialog, is used to attach links (a specially designed tag set) to elements. Three types of links exist: - A command link - used to store and execute a key-in command or series of commands, including calls to macros or mdls for greater flexibility. - A change design file link - used to switch the active design file to the one specified in this link. - A display saved view link - used to display the saved view specified in this link in the view number of the user's choice. For each link type, there is a key-in field in the dialog for entry of the link value. The change design file link defaults to the current design file. Default values for all three links can be defined by the user. Alternately, the TagLink tag set can be defined and/or attached manually. The tag set definition is as follows: Tag set name taglink Tag names command - the command link string design - the design file name to which to link savedView - the saved view name to display All tag definitions must be set as follows: Prompt - "" (null string) Type - character Variable - yes Default - no Default Value - "" (null string) Display - no Altering any of these settings may cause Attach or Update (edit) Link operations to fail. The tag set name and tag names are not case sensitive. One, two or all three link types can be contained in the tagset, and one, two or all three link types can contain values when the tag set is attached to an element. Obviously, if all three are not attached or do not have values set, the TagLink functionality will be limited to what is attached and has a value. The "Follow TagLink" dialog, or the "Follow TagLink" portion of the default dialog, is used to activate links attached to elements. Toggle buttons allow each type of link to be enabled or disabled when following links, so that each link type can be activated independently or in combination. If a link type does not have a value, no operation of that type is performed. By default the order of processing links is: command, change design, and then display saved view. Optionally, the command link can include a command separator that allows a portion of the command to be executed before a change design as a "precommand," and the remaining portion to be executed after the change design is completed as a "postcommand." The default command separator is a pair of semicolons ";;". Placing the separator at the beginning of the command link implies there is no precommand, and only a postcommand. Postcommands will not execute if there is a change design does not take place. When using the Display Saved View Link, the view to which to attach the saved view is user selectable. The Display Saved View Link can be used in combination with the Change Design File Link to display a saved view from a different file. If the Change Design File Link is null, the current active design file is assumed to contain the saved view. If the view selected by the user for display of the saved view is not open, the user will be prompted to select an open view. There is also a Match Values from Element operation which can be used to retrieve and/or update (edit) TagLinks. Once the link values have been retrieved, they can then be edited and attached to another element or reattached to the same element using the Attach TagLink operation. File Name Considerations MicroStation will search for design files in the following order: First by searching for the name exactly as it is found in the Change Design File link. Then by searching the directory containing the current design file, and then by searching the same location with the default extension added. However, when searching in the current directory, TagLink will not parse the link to extract a filename only (if a path is included in the name it will not be parsed out). If no file matching file is found, the user will be prompted to browse for a file. Configuration variables are supported in Change Design File names using the $(var) syntax. Defaults and Command Line Switches Most inputs can be specified as defaults by using configuration variables. Defaults can also be controlled by command line switches. Although defaults for link values are supported by configuration variables, they are not supported by command line switches. Information about the configuration variables and command line switches can be found in the About TagLink Dialog (Press the "?" button in one of the dialogs to open the About TagLink Dialog). All configuration variables start with "tl_". Configuration variables and command line switches are not case sensitive. Command line switches take precedence over configuration variables. Reset aborts operation and returns to the dialog except in Silent mode. Or simply choose another command to exit TagLink. Examples: To link an element to a movie, attach the following command: mdl silentload movies To link an element to an image, attach the following command: mdl silentload imagevue To edit a Taglink, first, use TagLink's Match Values for the element, then modify the values in the dialog, and finally, use TagLink's Attach Link on the same element. MicroStation's Tag commands can be used on TagLinks.