System Messages

Reference Index

Messages sent to a button:

• deleteButton -- sent just before it disappears

• mouseDoubleClick -- sent after the second mouse click

• mouseDown -- sent when the mouse button is down while the pointer is inside its rect.

• mouseEnter --sent as soon as the pointer is moved within its rect

• mouseLeave --sent as soon as the pointer is moved outside its rect

• mouseStillDown --sent repeatedly while mouse button is held down with pointer inside its rect

• mouseUp --sent when button is released while pointer is inside rect

• mouseWithin --sent repeatedly while pointer is within its rect

• newButton -- sent as soon as it is created

• closeField --sent to an UNLOCKED field when it is closed after text editing.

• deleteField --sent just before it disappears

• enterInField --sent if the enter key is pressed in a field

• mouseDoubleClick -- sent after the second mouse click in LOCKED field

• mouseDown --sent to a LOCKED field when the mouse button is pressed down while the mouse pointer is inside it.

• mouseEnter --sent as soon as the pointer is moved inside it.

• mouseLeave --sent as soon as the pointer is moved outside of it.

• mouseStillDown --sent to a LOCKED field repeatedly while the mouse button is pressed down while the pointer is inside it.

• mouseUp --sent to a LOCKED field when the mouse pointer is released while the pointer is released within it.

• mouseWithin --sent repeatedly while the pointer is inside it.

• newField --sent as soon as it has been created

• openField --sent to an UNLOCKED field when it is opened for text editing, by clicking the field or moving the text insertion point from the previous field with Tab.

• returnInField --sent if the return key is pressed in a field

• tabKey --sent when Tab key pressed while text insertion point is in field.

Messages sent to a card:

• appleEvent <class>,<id>,<sender> -- sent to card when Apple event is received.

• arrowKey <var> --sent when an arrow key is pressed. The var can be left, right, up, down.

• closeBackground --sent when Edit Background is unchecked on the Edit menu or when Command-B is pressed.

• closePalette --sent when Palette is closed.

• closePicture --sent when Picture is closed.

• closeCard --sent when it is closed, or by quitting Hypercard.

• closeStack --sent when a stack is closed by opening another stack.

• controlKey <var> --sent when a combination of the command key and another key

• deleteBackground --sent when a background is deleted, just before it disappears.

• deleteCard --sent to a card that is being deleted, just before it disappears.

• deleteStack --sent to a card when stack is being deleted, just before it disappears.

• doMenu <var1>,<var2> -- sent to card when menu item selected.

• enterKey --sent when the Enter key is pressed.

• functionKey <var> --sent when a function key on Apple Extended Keyboard is pressed. The var can contain 1 to 15.

• help --sent when Help is chosen from the Go menu, or Command-? is typed.

• idle --sent repeatedly when nothing else is happening.

• keyDown <var> --sent when key pressed. The var can contain 1 to 255.

• mouseDoubleClick --sent when the second mouse click is released.

• mouseDown --sent when the mouse button is pressed down.

• mouseDownInPicture --sent when the mouse button is held down within Picture.

• mouseStillDown --sent repeatedly while the mouse button is held down.

• mouseUp --sent when the mouse button is released

• mouseUpInPicture --sent when mouse button released after being down in Picture.

• moveWindow --sent when you cahange window location property, or drag window.

• newBackground --sent as soon as a new background has been created.

• newCard --sent as soon as it has been created.

• newStack --sent when a stack is created.

• openBackground --sent when Edit Background is checked on the Edit Menu, or

• command-B is selected to toggle it on.

• openCard --sent when it is opened by going to that card.

• openPalette -- sent when palette is opened

• openPicture -- sent when picture is opened

• openStack --sent when a stack is opened.

• quit --sent when you choose Quit Hypercard from the File menu, or type Command-Q.

• resume --sent when Hypercard resumes running.

• resumeStack --sent when you return to already open stack.

• returnKey --sent when the Return key is pressed.

• show menubar -- sent if menubar is hidden and you press command-spacebar.

• sizeWindow -- sent if card window is resized.

• startUp --sent to the first card when Hypercard is first started.

• suspend --sent when Hypercard is suspended.

• suspendStack --sent just before switching to another stack.

• TabKey --sent when the Tab key is pressed.