Replacement Strings

Replacement Strings may be used to define a string that is inserted into a Hyperlink address when the URL is resolved.

The ability to define part of a URL once in the database, and then reference it in records makes it much easier to maintain hyperlink data and to repair broken links, for example, after a site move or a domain name change. Replacement Strings may include:

• Text, for example, a protocol, domain name, hostname, and/or path.
• Placeholders that allow data from Short Text Attributes in the same record to be dynamically inserted into the address when a user clicks the hyperlink in a datasheet and the URL is resolved.

Replacement Strings are database-level objects defined in MI Admin, and are referenced in the Address field of Hyperlink Attributes using the syntax: {s:replacement_string_name}

Example: in the More Information Hyperlink Attribute shown here, the web server address part of the Address field is specified using the Replacement String called webURL, which is defined in MI Admin as http://acme.com. When the link in the datasheet is clicked, the URL is resolved as shown:

In the example below, the webURL Replacement String includes a placeholder for the Short Text Attribute Composition, as well as a protocol, domain, and path: