Anchor Links - Authoring Lengthy Documents Part 2
August 28 2006 10:30:00 PM
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In the blog entry "Sections - Authoring Lengthy Documents Part 1" I explained one of the techniques that you can use to make lengthy electronic documents easier to read on screen. Today I'll cover another that helps users navigate a lengthy document on screen, Anchor Links.
Anchor links allow you to define specific points in a document that people can "jump to" by clicking on a link icon. As an example, say you are creating a document that has many pages, or chapters. You could create a Table Of Contents at the top of the document with links to each chapter below. This would enable the reader to quickly and easily jump to specific places in the document without having to scroll down.
With the document in edit mode, place your cursor where you want the "anchor" to go.
From the menus choose Edit - Copy as Link - Anchor Link
Lotus Notes will insert an icon representing the anchor as shown below. This link is only visible when you are in edit mode, users reading the document will not see these icons.
Now place your cursor in the spot where you want the link to be created and Paste. (CTRL+V, or Edit - Paste, or right click - Paste)
It is here that the reader will click to be taken to the anchor spot you created above. Lotus Notes will insert the link icon as shown below.
Repeat this process for all the anchor links you wish to create in the document. I also like to create links back to the top of the document as shown below. By doing this you end up with links from the top of the document down to specific areas (red, blue, and green lines) as well as links back to the top of the document (orange line)
In my experience Anchor Links seem to be very under-used, or often not known at all. I hope this tip helps explain them to you, and that you can start using them effectively.
Anchor links allow you to define specific points in a document that people can "jump to" by clicking on a link icon. As an example, say you are creating a document that has many pages, or chapters. You could create a Table Of Contents at the top of the document with links to each chapter below. This would enable the reader to quickly and easily jump to specific places in the document without having to scroll down.
With the document in edit mode, place your cursor where you want the "anchor" to go.
From the menus choose Edit - Copy as Link - Anchor Link
Lotus Notes will insert an icon representing the anchor as shown below. This link is only visible when you are in edit mode, users reading the document will not see these icons.
Now place your cursor in the spot where you want the link to be created and Paste. (CTRL+V, or Edit - Paste, or right click - Paste)
It is here that the reader will click to be taken to the anchor spot you created above. Lotus Notes will insert the link icon as shown below.
Repeat this process for all the anchor links you wish to create in the document. I also like to create links back to the top of the document as shown below. By doing this you end up with links from the top of the document down to specific areas (red, blue, and green lines) as well as links back to the top of the document (orange line)
In my experience Anchor Links seem to be very under-used, or often not known at all. I hope this tip helps explain them to you, and that you can start using them effectively.
