Branching and Linking

This article describes Branching and Linking in Runthru Instruction after November 2025.

You can find the quick visual overview here Branching and Linking Basics

Key concepts

• Links are created using a button in each text editor (not right clicking on text).

• External Links (outside of the current document) and Internal Links (targetting another part of the same document) are both available but are treated differently.

• External Links can be any value URL.

  • Both a URL and a Display name must be entered.

• Internal Links

  • Can target Frames or individual Steps.
  • Only the target item (Frame or Step) is entered. A Display name is not entered as it is calculated for you.
  • The links automatically update if the name of the target frame, or the number of the target step changes. (if you target Step 7, and it becomes Step 8, the link will adjust automatically).

Link Management

All links in your document can be managed in a management window. Here you can see and repair link issues, or change links individually, or select multiple links to change simultaneously. The management window is available in the Advanced tab. See Link Management

Different Outputs

Runthru Instruction publishes to many different output types. Links that you create will be adjusted to suit the different outputs.

The application uses a smart text substitution system to change the link content for each output.

By way of example, a link targetting Step 7 could be automatically delivered:

• In the application the link is shown as 'Step 7'
• In Word, is is shown as a hyperlink with the text 'Go to Step 7'
• In PowerPoint, as a hyperlink with text 'Go to Step 7 on the Slide titled Finalise Accounts'
• In Video, as subtitles and voice 'Go to the Chapter called Finalise accounts in this video'.

A set of defaults is provided for you, but these can be updated and distributed as part of a corporate theme.

See [Managing String Substitution](managing_string_substitution.html

Warnings and Fixing Broken Links

When you attempt to delete an item or frame in the application which is the target of a link, you will receive a warning. Proceeding with the deletion will create a broken link which you'll need to fix. Links can be repaired in the management window or in the source text editor.

If a link is found to be broken at the time of publishing, another warning will be given. Ignoring this warning will create a published file with a broken link.

Selective Publishing and Missing Links

Runthru Instruction allows for publishing a subset of your Frames using Checkboxes or Tags.

In the case of Selective Publishing, link targets may be in the file but not in the subset of Frames chosen for Publishing. You will receive a warning for this problem. Ignoring this warning will result in a published output with broken links.

Copy and Paste of Items and Frames containing links

Every link is unique and is managed separately. Duplicating a link will create a new link object, cloned from the original, that can be managed separately in the management window.

Upgrading Files and Links

When opening an existing Runthru Instruction file, it will automatically be upgraded. This will make all the links editable in the link management window.

If there are issues with any link, a warning box will be shown and an opportunity to fix broken links will be provided. A broken link could be an internal links with a missing target, or a badly formed URL.

A visual guide is available here Upgrading the file.

Duplicating Frames using Multi Frame Actions

Advanced > Multi Frame Actions is a function that allows mass changes to the file including duplication of all Frames for purposes such as creation of a second set of Frames in another language.

In this special case, the link duplication is different to normal copy and paste. In this scenario of duplicating all the frames in the document to another language set, the new internal links in the new frames will be retargetted to the matching new frames and items. In other words, a link from Frame 1 (English) to Step 7 (English) is copied to Frame 20 (French) to Step 32 (French).