HyperTA^TM
A HyperCard^® Authoring Extension

Thomas G. Field, Jr.

HyperTA. This set of stacks were designed to simplify preparing HyperCard-based computer assisted instruction. I wrote them to speed up preparation of my own tutorials -- now about 60. I was happily surprised that HyperTA won the first prize in a contest sponsored by the Apple Programmers and Developers Association.

HyperCard. One of the greatest things Apple ever did, Hypercard has since become something of an orphan, apparently because unaffiliated software firms complained about its power and ease of use. Nevertheless, if you can only know one general purpose application really well, that's the one to choose (as long as it remains compatible with newer machines).

HyperCard Player won't work! HyperTA is essentially useless with this severly restricted version of HyperCard that until recently was distributed with new Macintosh computers. Anyone who wants to "author" HyperCard stacks, with or without the aid of HyperTA, must purchase HyperCard from Apple or Claris. (This unfortunately varies from time to time).

Freeware notice. Anyone may distribute these stacks if they are are not changed in any way and are not sold except under license.

Clicking on HyperTA (about 164K) should automatically download and unstuff a self-extracting "StuffIt" .hqx file. However, it may be saved as a SimpleText file. If so, you must use StuffItExpander to unstuff it.

You should have the following stacks.

• HelpTA
  On line help; explains what HyperTA will do and how to use it.

• HomeTA^TM
  The main working stack. It assumes that there is another "Home" stack.

• Sample
  A simple example of what can be done. A stack about fossils that my son wrote (using HyperTA of course) when he was a junior in High School -- won him the first prize in the Science Fair that year.

• ExTractorTA^TM
  A utility stack that is helpful but not required to use HyperTA.

• Further Examples
  Contact Tom Field.

Modified 6/18/2006 tgf
URL: www.piercelaw.edu/tfield/hyperta.htm
© 1998 Franklin Pierce Law Center. All rights reserved.