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    PREFACE


    ABOUT THE PADTALK REFERENCE GUIDE

    This manual is a complete reference to the PADtalk scripting language,
    as well as a technical guide to the HyperPAD authoring environment.

    The first three chapters are for the beginning PADtalk programmer. They
    explain how to script using the Script Editor, how scripts receive
    messages via handlers and functions, how to write PADtalk statements,
    and how messages are passed between objects.

    The next six chapters present advanced topics for the intermediate
    PADtalk programmer including containers, flow control structures,
    chunking expressions, numeric operators, and colors.

    The last four chapters contain full descriptions of each PADtalk
    message, command, property, and function.


    CHAPTER SUMMARIES


    CHAPTER ONE: WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING?

    A look behind the scenes in HyperPAD, including the different components
    of the HyperPAD authoring environment and an introduction to the PADtalk
    scripting language.

    CHAPTER TWO: PADTALK SCRIPTS

    How to use the Script Editor to write scripts and PADtalk statements.

    CHAPTER THREE: THE OBJECT HIERARCHY

    A look at HyperPAD's object hierarchy, the path along which messages are
    passed.

    CHAPTER FOUR: CONTAINERS

    The places in HyperPAD where values can be stored.

    CHAPTER FIVE: THE CURRENT OBJECT

    Detailed discussion of HyperPAD facilities for referencing special
    objects like the object with the focus, the object that initially
    receives a message, and the object whose script is executing.



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    CHAPTER SIX: CONTROL STRUCTURES

    How to control the flow of execution of the statements within a script
    through the use of control structures.

    CHAPTER SEVEN: CHUNK EXPRESSIONS

    How to work with chunk expressions, special PADtalk constructs that
    allow you to specify any piece of information in a container.

    CHAPTER EIGHT: NUMERIC OPERATORS

    How to add complex expressions to your scripts.

    CHAPTER NINE: COLORS

    How colors are referred to in HyperPAD and displayed on the screen by
    your computer.

    CHAPTER TEN: MESSAGES

    A complete reference to the messages generated by HyperPAD, including a
    detailed description of each message.

    CHAPTER ELEVEN: COMMANDS

    An alphabetical listing of every built-in command available in PADtalk.
    Each command's description includes its syntax and examples.

    CHAPTER TWELVE: PROPERTIES

    The full list of HyperPAD properties, are used to control the appearance
    and behavior of objects. The properties of buttons, fields, pages,
    backgrounds, pads, the message box, the menu bar, the status bar, and
    the tool box are described.

    CHAPTER THIRTEEN: FUNCTIONS

    A complete list and discussion of HyperPAD's built-in functions.



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    NOTATION CONVENTIONS

    As you read this manual, keep in mind the following notational
    conventions.

    All PADtalk words are displayed in courier type, like: openPage,
    graphicsCard(), and sort.

    Words that appear within angle brackets (<  >) are required to complete
    the PADtalk statement. For example, <filename> indicates that you must
    supply a filename.

    Words that appear within square brackets ([  ]) are optional parameters
    which may be included if you need them.

    PADtalk is not case sensitive. For example OpenPage, openPage, and
    openPage refer to the same word. In this manual, however, all PADtalk
    language elements begin with a lowercase character. Any elements
    consisting of more than one word also begin with a lowercase character;
    any word within a language element, however, is capitalized. Examples:
    openPage, graphicsCard, insertPoint.