A link hotspot links to another document, view, folder, application, or URL. You must be in a rich-text field (a field that allows text, objects, file attachments, and pictures) to create a link hotspot. A link hotspot has blue underlined text.

An action hotspot launches an action. It works like a button, but it looks like a link. For example, you can add an action hotspot in an e-mail message that will send an auto-reply back to you. You must be in a rich-text field (a field that allows text, objects, file attachments, and pictures) to create an action hotspot. An action hotspot has blue underlined text.

You must be in Read mode to test a hotspot.

Click any of the following:

• To create link hotspots
• To create action hotspots
• To format hotspots
• To remove hotspots

Creating a link hotspot is a two-step process:

1. Make the text a hotspot link.

2. Add the link to the hotspot properties.

To make text a link hotspot

1. Put the document in edit mode.

2. Select the text to act as a link.

3. Click Create > Hotspot > Link Hotspot.

4. Use one of the following procedures to create any of these types of links:

• URL link to a Web site
• Link to an anchor, document, view, or application
• Named element link

1. In the “Hotspot Resource Link” dialog box, for Type select URL from the list.

2. Enter the full URL address in the Value field, for example http://www.ibm.com.

3. If the link has to point to a certain frame, specify it in Frame (for example, Right, Left, Center).

4. Close the “Hotspot Resource Link” dialog box, and then save and close the document that includes the hotspot.

Notes

• If you don't want specific text to act as a link, enter the URL right in your document. By default, IBM® Lotus® Notes® turns URLs into hotspots on your machine. To turn off this feature, click File > Preferences > User Preferences > Basics > Additional Options (Macintosh OS X users: Lotus Notes > Preferences > User Preferences) and remove the check from .Make Internet URLs (http://...) into hotspots
• You can specify a formula to control the action of the hotspot by clicking the formula (@) button or paste a named element from your clipboard by clicking the paste button. For more information, see Formula Language if you have installed Lotus Domino™ Designer 8 Help. Or, go to Lotus Documentation on the Web to download or view Lotus Domino Designer 8 Help.

1. Open the item to link to and click Edit > Copy As > <type> Link. Choose from these types of links:

• Anchor
• Document
• View
• Application

3. In the “Hotspot Resource Link” dialog box, for Type select Link from the list, and then click the paste button (this pastes the link you copied in step 1).

4. If the link has to point to a certain frame, specify it in Frame (for example, Right, Left, Center). Note that you cannot specify a frame for an application link hotspot.

5. Close the “Hotspot Resource Link” dialog box, and then save and close the document that includes the hotspot.

To create a named element link

A named element link jumps to a specific design element in an application (for example, a view or folder).

1. In the “Hotspot Resource Link” dialog box, for Type select Named Element from the list, and then select the type of named element (for example, View).

2. Click the folder button.

3. In the “Locate Object” dialog box, select the application.

4. The name of the final field is based on the named element you chose in step 1. For example, if you chose View, the field would be called View. So you would choose which view the link would point to, for example ($Calendar).

5. Click OK.

6. If the link has to point to a certain frame, specify it in Frame (for example, Right, Left, Center).

7. Close the “Hotspot Resource Link” dialog box, and then save and close the document that includes the hotspot.

Note You can specify a formula to control the action of the hotspot. For more information see the Notes about using formulas earlier in this topic.

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To create action hotspots

1. Put the document in edit mode.

2. Select the text to act as an action hotspot.

3. Click Create > Hotspot > Action Hotspot. When you do this, a programmer's pane opens at the bottom of the window.

4. Click the Hotspot Info tab in the "Action Hotspot" properties box.

5. If the link has to point to a certain frame, specify it in Frame (for example, Right, Left, Center).

6. In the Programmer's pane, select Simple action(s) from the second list, and then click Add Action and choose an action the hotspot should perform. Click Add. For more information, see Table of simple agent actions.

7. Close the “Action Hotspot” dialog box.

8. Click File > Save to save the hotspot's properties.

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To format hotspots

1. Put the document in edit mode.

2. Click the hotspot.

3. Follow the procedures in this table to format the hotspot.

Task	Procedure
Show a hotspot's border	Click Hotspot > Hotspot Properties. Click the Hotspot Info tab. Select Show border around hotspot.
Change a hotspot's action	Click Hotspot > Edit Hotspot. Go through same steps as creating action hotspots.
Change text color of hotspot	Click Hotspot > Hotspot Properties. Click the Font tab. Select a color from the Color field. Note You can customize colors by using the color wheel button in the top right corner of the Color box.
Move a hotspot	Select the hotspot. Click Edit > Cut. Click where you want to place the hotspot. Click Edit > Paste.
Change type or destination of link hotspot	Click Hotspot > Hotspot Properties. Click the Hotspot Info tab. Adjust type or destination to your preference.

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To remove hotspots

Do one of the following:

• To delete the action of a hotspot but keep the text of the hotspot, click the hotspot, and click from the menu Hotspot > Remove Hotspot.
• To delete the action of a hotspot and the text of the hotspot, select the hotspot, and click from the menu Edit > Delete.

See Also

Editing documents
Opening links, buttons, hotspots, and sections
Linking to data
Adding graphics to a document
To turn URLs into hotspots

Glossary