4.3. area

Alias: href

Expands to the URL for an Interchange page or action, including the Interchange session ID and supplied arguments. This is very similar to the page tag -- these are equivalent:

    [page href=dir/page arg=mv_arg]TargetName</A>
    <A HREF="[area href=dir/page arg=mv_arg]">TargetName</A>

4.3.1. Summary

    [area href arg]
    [area href=dir/page arg=page_arguments other_named_attributes]
Parameters Description Default
href Path to Interchange page or action
    Special arguments
    • 'scan' links to a search (using search arguments in arg)
    • 'http://...' external link (requires form attribute)
process
arg Interchange arguments to page or action none
Attributes Default
form none
search No
secure No
interpolate (reparse) No
Other_Characteristics  
Invalidates cache No
Macro No
Has end tag No

Tag expansion example:

    [area href=dir/page.html arg="arg1=AA/arg2=BB"]

    www.here.com/cgi-bin/mycatalog/page.html?mv_session_id=6CZ2whqo&\
    mv_pc=1&mv_arg=arg1%3dAA/arg2%3dBB

ASP-like Perl call:

    $Tag->area(  { href => "dir/page",
                   arg  => "arguments", }  );

or similarly with positional parameters,

    $Tag->area($href, $arg, $attribute_hash_reference);

4.3.1.1. See Also

page

4.3.2. Description

The area tag is very similar to the [page] tag. It produces the URL to call an Interchange page, but it differs from page in that it does not supply the surrounding <A HREF ...> notation. This can be used to get control of your HREF items, perhaps to place an ALT string or a Javascript construct.

It was originally named area because it also can be used in a client-side image map.

The area tag has an alias of href. The two links below are identical in operation:

   <A HREF="[area href=catalog]" ALT="Main catalog page">Catalog Home</A>
   <A HREF="[href href=catalog]" ALT="Main catalog page">Catalog Home</A>

The optional arg is used just as in the page tag.

4.3.2.1. form

The optional form argument allows you to encode a form in the link.

   <A HREF="[area form="mv_order_item=os28044
                        mv_order_size=15oz
                        mv_order_quantity=1
                        mv_separate_items=1
                        mv_todo=refresh"]"> Order 15oz Framing Hammer</A>

See the description of the [page] tag for more detail.

4.3.2.2. search

Interchange allows you to pass a search in a URL. There are two ways to do this:

  1. Place the search specification in the named search attribute.
    • Interchange will ignore the href parameter (the link will be set to 'scan'.
    • If you give the arg parameter a value, that value will be available as [value mv_arg] within the search display page.
  2. Set the href parameter to 'scan' and set arg to the search specification.
    • Note that you can use this form positionally -- the values go into href and arg, so you do not have to name parameters.

These are identical:

   <A HREF="[area scan
                  se=Impressionists
                  sf=category]">Impressionist Paintings</A>

   <A HREF="[area href=scan
                   arg="se=Impressionists
                        sf=category"]">Impressionist Paintings</A>

   <A HREF="[area search="se=Impressionists
                          sf=category"]">Impressionist Paintings</A>

See the description of the page tag for more detail.

4.3.2.3. secure

4.3.2.4. Examples

Tag expansion example:

    [area href=dir/page.html arg="arg1=AA/arg2=BB"]

    www.here.com/cgi-bin/mycatalog/page.html?mv_session_id=6CZ2whqo&\
    mv_pc=1&mv_arg=arg1%3dAA/arg2%3dBB

Positional call example:

    <A HREF="[area ord/basket]">Check basket</A>

Named call example:

    <A HREF="[area ord/basket]">Check basket</A>