Questions and Answers

How can I change the Smart Mouse Key bindings?

Since the Smart Mouse Keys are set up for use under five different Emacs configurations, there is no easy way to provide user level customization. Therefore, to change the bindings you must edit the hmouse-setup and hmouse-get-bindings functions in the `hmouse-key.el' file. The hkey-alist and hmouse-alist variable settings in `hui-mouse.el' and `hui-window.el' must be altered if you want to change what the Smart Keys do in particular contexts. You should then update the Smart Key summary documentation in the file, `hypb-mouse.txt', and potentially the same summary in this manual.

Missing Action Types

What if someone sends a mail message with a button for which I do not have the action type? Or a button whose link referent I can't access? You receive an error that an action type is not defined or a link referent is not accessible/readable if you try to use the button. This is hardly different than trying to get through a locked door without a key; you try the doorknob, find that it is locked, and then realize that you need to take a different approach or else give up. Like all communication, people need to coordinate, which usually requires an iterative process. If you get a mail message with a button for which you don't have the action type, you mail the sender and request it.

How can I modify a number of global buttons in succession?

Rather than typing the name for each, it is quicker to jump to the global button file and edit the buttons there as you would any explicit buttons. By default, the ButFile/PersonalFile menu item takes you to the file where global buttons are saved.

Why is all the button data scattered across directories?

When you think of a hyper-space that you depend on every day, you don't want to have a single point of failure make you incapable of doing work. With Hyperbole, if some directories become unavailable for a particular time (e.g. the filesystems on which they reside are dismounted) you can still work elsewhere with minimal effect. We believe this to be a compelling factor to leave the design with external button data storage. This design also permits the potential addition of buttons to read-only media.

Why are action types defined separately from their implicit button types?

Any category of button can make use of an action type. Some action types are useful as behavior definitions for a variety of button categories, so all action types are defined separately to give them independence from those types which apply them. For implicit button types that require a lot of code, it is useful to add a module that includes the implicit button type definition, its action type definition and supporting code.