theLinker

Quick Start

Taking a Quick Tour

1. Make sure you agree to the license terms (if it damages your files, I am not responsible).
2. Locate the folder named "0.Sample Project" in the download files.
3. Duplicate it (so you can start over if you want).
4. Open the folder and drag the "default.html" file onto your favorite browser. It should open, allowing you to examine the HTML page.
5. Drop the 0.Sample Project folder onto theLinker. Let it run until it's done (a dialog box will announce this).
6. Reload the HTML page in the browser. Observe the navigation links. Try them out.
7. Rename one or more of the folders or files within the sample project.
8. Drag&drop the 0.Sample Project folder onto TheLinker again. Reload the web page in the browser again.
9. Experiment some more, duplicating folders, rearranging folders, etc. Each time, you may relink the files by dropping the altered folder onto theLinker. It'll work even if the altered folder is deep in the hierarchy (try it!).
10. Now, maybe, you want to read the instructions.

The basic rules

I recommend that you BACKUP your folder before running it through TheLinker. Once you've gained confidence and experience this won't be necessary, but it's a good precaution in the beginning.

You use TheLinker by dragging and dropping a folder onto it, as you would drop a file or folder in the Trash. If you double-click it you gain access to certain configuration options.

TheLinker uses the file system hierarchy of the folder you drop on it to establish what links to insert into the files within that structure. Then it inserts the appropriate HTML into the files in order to provide those links.

The file and folder names become the link text, except for the first two letters (see below) and file extensions. Spaces are OK in file and folder names, but they are the only "special" characters which undergo HTML encoding.

The first two letters of the file name are NOT included in the link text. Use them to control the order in which the files are listed in the links (and folder). My practice is to use a numeral and a period, as in 0.default.html, but this is arbitrary. The first two letters need not be unique, so long as the Finder listing presents the desired link sequence.