OVERVIEW
========
HyperCard 2.0 is the most-significant, major enhancement to HyperCard since the
first version, which was introduced to the public in 1987. There are more than
40 new features in HyperCard 2.0. It runs on all Macintosh computers with
the 128K or later ROM and 1MB of memory. Displaying multiple stacks and large
cards in their entirety, and using the paint tools will require more memory.
Here are a few of the main changes:
- Variable card sizes
- Multiple stacks open at same time
- Styled text in fields
- Runs existing HyperCard stacks with one-way conversion to 2.0 format
- Printing improvements
- Extended XCMD interface
- Enhancements to HyperTalk
- Modal script editor
- Debugging
- User-definable menus
PRODUCT FEATURES
================
Variable Card Size
--------------------
Previously, HyperCard supported only one card size (512 x 342). HyperCard 2.0
allows card windows from 64 x 64 to 1280 x 1280 pixels.
On the right side of the dialog, you can select one of seven possible standard
window sizes from the Card size pop-up menu. You can change the card size any
time, but all cards in a given stack are one size. If you reduce the size of a
card, none of the fields or buttons that fall outside the new boundaries are
lost, just hidden from view. The graphics will stay until they are edited by
the paint tools or the stack is compacted, then they are clipped to the new
size. You can select a number of default settings for the screen size. These
include:
- Small: 416 x 240
- Standard 9" 512 x 342
- Mac II 12" 640 x 480
- MacPaint 575 x 719
- Window 512 x 342
- Screen depends on monitor
- Custom 64x64 to 1024x1024
Multiple Stacks Open Simultaneously
-----------------------------------
Multiple Windows allow a user to have several stacks open at one time. There
will be one window for each stack that is open. Users can have as many stacks
open as available RAM space will allow. Only one window is allowed per stack
and only one card from a given stack may be displays at the same time.
Text Enhancements
-----------------
- Styled Text in Fields: HyperCard 2.0 lets a text field contain multiple
fonts, styles, and sizes. The text can be changed by selecting the text and
then choosing "Text Style..." from the Edit menu or selecting an item from
the Font or Style menu. You can also find or set the attributes of any range
of characters using HyperTalk.
- Word Wrap: Word wrap has been changed so only a space character will break
up a word at the end of a line. In past versions, HyperCard would break
any string with punctuation at the end of a line.
- HotText means that any text within a locked text field can be accessed by a
number of new HyperTalk commands. This lets a HyperCard developer create
stacks that respond to user mouse clicks in a text field. The commands are:
ClickText
ClickChunk
ClickLine
ClickText returns the text characters that were clicked. ClickChunk returns
the range of characters. ClickLine returns the line that was clicked (e.g.,
Line 5 of card field 2).
You can use a "Group" style to override the standard grouping of text. This
lets the stack creator join two or more words together and have them act as
one word. When text is joined using Group style, the ClickText and ClickChunk
change to return the combined words.
Not Grouped Grouped
----------- -------
ClickText FINDER FINDER 5.3
ClickChunk char 1 to 6 of cd field 3 char 1 to 10 of cd field 3
- Shared Background Text: lets designers enter text in a background field and
have the text appear on every card of that background. In the past, text had
to be "painted" on or entered in every card that used that background.
Printing Enhancements
---------------------
HyperCard 2.0 has improved printing abilities:
- Design custom reports for a single stack
- Create and save multiple reports for a stack (up to 7)
- Print fields
- Print the entire contents of a scrolling text field
- Print portions of a card
- Print the value of any HyperTalk expression using HyperTalk
- Print text field in same font as they appear on the screen
- Prints to non LaserWriter devices (fax modem)
When you print a report, you must specify the items to print in by using the
menu items that come up when you select Print Report. These items are no longer
in the Print Reports dialog box.