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[/page]
    <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. 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>