HyperNote Overview,
Stack Formats

Overview: HyperNote is a remarkable notetaking environment...

What is HyperNote? What can it do for me?

• HyperNote is a completely new kind of writing tool, combining the features of...
  • word processor,
  • outliner, and
  • database.
• It is much like the methods you've already used (far more tediously) on paper notecards.
• HyperNote provides a seamless transition between notetaking and actual writing, integrating all stages with full bibliographic control.
• HyperNote is excellent for long writing projects such as theses and dissertations.

What does HyperNote require? How may I get a copy?

• HyperNote requires HyperCard 2.4 or later, and a Power Macintosh.
• HyperNote is open-script freeware
  developed under the oversight of Kerry Magruder and Aaron Poffenberger.
  Help us make it better!
• Download HyperNote free!
  • Want to try it? Download HyperNote now (2.5 MB).
  • Not sure yet? Download the HyperNote Intro stack (240 K)
    • An overview of what HyperNote can do.
    • Download it separately--or it's automatically included if you download the whole thing.
    • When you look at it, you'll see full explanations of some of the pictures displayed below--along with a treasure-trove of book lovers' quotes!
  • Need a quick overview? HyperNote Read Me

Brief explanation of some HyperNote terms

1. HyperCard and HyperCard Home:
   what you need to run HyperCard stacks.
   (HyperNote will not work with HyperCard Player.)
   
2. Stack
   • A HyperCard file or document is called a "stack."
   • Cards
     • Each HyperCard stack contains many "cards."
     • Cards in a stack are viewed one at a time.
     • Each card contains
       • fields that hold text, and
       • buttons that do neat things when clicked.

        

3. HyperNote Stack
   • Opening a HyperNote stack is like pulling out a drawer of a card catalog file.
   • Each HyperNote stack contains two types of cards:
     When you open the file, the first card is an index to the entire drawer, and all subsequent cards contain the notes you keep there.
     1. Index
        • The Index card serves as an electronic table of contents, and is packed full of nifty functions (see picture below).
     2. Notecards
        • Record notes in cards of various background formats, one format per stack. HyperNote supplies three standard notecard formats: Chronicon, Bios, and Bibliofile (descriptions and pictures below). Their functions complement one another, and during research they become interrelated in a myriad of ways.
          
4. Cluster
   • A cluster of related HyperNote stacks (combining different formats) can be exported to create a website.
     • Sample page
     • Sample website: http://www.earthvisions.net.
   • The index cards become index web pages with links to various web pages created from the notecards.
   • You may have come to this web page from a HyperNote-exported website.

A picture of the index card at the beginning of the "Project B" practice/tutorial HyperNote stack:

Chronicon notecards: biographical format

• Track biographical information in a convenient database-like format for historical research.
  • Also use Chronicon stacks for organizing course-work, lectures, family histories, etc.
• A Chronicon stack name usually ends with a "C".
• The HyperNote symbol for Chronicon notecards is an hourglass. When Chronicon stacks are exported to web pages, the icon is a Hubble Space Telescope picture of the Hourglass Nebula in Sagittarius. For more info. on nebulas, the HST, and all things astronomical, I especially recommend the following two sites, which serve as excellent jumping off points to others:
  • Basic Celestial Phenomena
  • SEDS

Bios notecards: general notetaking format

• The Bios format mimics the standard 3x5 index card in layout (though added functions make it an index card cubed!).
• Bios stacks hold general notes destined, after sufficient juggling, reshuffling, and reorganization, for eventual exporting and final polishing in a word processor document.
• A Bios stack name usually ends with a "B".
• The online symbol of Bios notecards is an inkwell. Whenever you see this icon, the contents of the web page have been exported from a Bios format stack.
  • I have not been able to determine whether this image is copyrighted. If anyone can tell me where this image comes from, please do so, and I will gladly request permission from the artist.

Bibliofile notecards: Bibliographic records format

• Are you a "book lover" (bibliophile)? "Bibliofile" stacks "file" a book lover's bibliographical records.
  • A Bibliofile stack for primary sources is called a "B1" stack.
  • A Bibliofile stack for secondary references is called a "B2" stack.
• Export Bibliofile stacks painlessly to create bibliographies.
• Use with Bios stacks and word processor macros to compile footnotes.
• A cluster of four HyperNote stacks includes inter-related C, B, B1 and B2 stacks.
• The icon for web pages exported from Bibliofile stacks is the books.gif shown above right.

• Home Page: http://www.earthvisions.net/kerry.htm
• Email: KVMagruder@mac.com
• Page updated 6/30/99
  • Page made with HyperNote
  • Some icons on this page were obtained from www.elated.com.

   

Basic Celestial Phenomena	Constellations	Not a Medieval Woodcut	Planetarium pages
EarthVisions.net	Geology	History of Science