Every link has 'link type' property. The link type fulfils two tasks:
- The link's purpose (semantics). It is possible to link the same notes with multiple links, each with differing link types. The latter allows for encoding semantics into the hypertext and which internal actions or export code can then interpret.
- Visual labelling. For major views supporting link lines (Map, Timeline), the link's link type is used as the visible label for a given link.
Link types are managed by the Document Inspector's Links tab. Tinderbox supplies a default list of built-in link types but the user can delete these and/or add their own link types as desired. The revised link type list is then stored in the current document (only) as part of its list on 'known' link types.
The colour and visibility of a link can be set through the Document Inspector Links tab. In addition to the link type default labels created Tinderbox, the user may add their own via the Links tab, or on the fly when creating links or reviewing them.
The link type is applied when first creating a link or may be altered later in the Browse Links pop-over.
The default is for new links to have no link type. Whilst there is no visibly label, such a link is actually—for computing purposes—of link type "*untitled" ("untitled" in some lists/dialogs).
The default link types are:
- *untitled (default value). The default value of '*untitled' results in no visible label and no type being set. N.B. the asterisk prefix to the name.
- agree
- clarify
- disagree
- example
- exception
- note
- note+. (used for reverse links to 'note' links in a pre-v6 Tinderbox feature).
- prototype (prototype links are generally hidden and uncounted)
- response
- update
Although the above are the defaults, the values used in the pop-up lists in Create Link and Browse Links can be edited via the Document Inspector Links tab. All built-in values except 'prototype' and '*untitled' may be deleted.
User supplied values are allowed and can be entered at the Link Types pane or simply added by typing in the 'type' box when creating/editing links.
Link Types are applied manually when creating Links or may be inherited if set in prototypes. Using a prototype note for a new note does not automatically create a 'prototype' link though this might intuitively seem the case.
During a session for any given TBX, when links are manually created, Tinderbox will initially leave the link type box blank in the Create Link dialog. Once a listed link type is chosen, or a new type added manually, the dialog will remember the last used value to make it easy to build link chains of a given type. The last-used type resets to nothing for each new session (i.e. it is not stored when the TBX is closed).
Action operators supporting link type filters.
Export codes supporting link type filters.