Got HyperCard?
Use your stacks again… on a modern Mac.
As a HyperCard User, you've relied on a tool that can be whatever you need. Simple, powerful, and robust. But let's face it, if you wish to continue to rely on it, you are stuck with a very old Macintosh.
What if there was a way to migrate your existing HyperCard stacks to run on Apple's latest and greatest Macs, all in an environment just as simple and robust, yet with even more power. The fact is that there is simply no better alternative than SuperCard.
Converting HyperCard stacks to SuperCard
As a HyperCard user, you'll feel right at home in SuperCard. Cards and Backgrounds just as in HyperCard. Buttons and Fields as well. Its scripting language (SuperTalk) is over 80% compatible with your existing HyperTalk scripts. In fact, SuperTalk is essentially a super-set of HyperTalk, expanded with hundreds of new words for added functionality and power.
SuperCard also expands on the graphic nature of HyperCard. Color paint and draw tools, the ability to import color graphics from a wide variety of formats (including PNG, JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and native PhotoShop files), and to script their size, location, and behavior just like buttons.
You'll also find a ton of interface enhancements including support for multiple windows (including floating palettes and modal dialogs), each with their own backgrounds and cards; Mac OS X themed buttons, controls, and indicators; and object based menus and menu items. Your stacks can now escape the dated look and feel of HyperCard and become a thing of beauty.
But even with its additional features, SuperCard remains HyperCard's closest cousin. Most experienced HyperCard users can migrate their stacks to SuperCard in a matter of minutes.
So, if the thought of bringing your old stacks up to date appeals to you, please take a few moments to investigate the topics below. We think you'll agree your stacks can be better than ever in SuperCard.
Differences in SuperCard’s Scripting Language
SuperTalk (SuperCard's scripting language) is over 80% compatible with HyperTalk. In fact, many terms exist in SuperTalk only for HyperCard compatibility. However there are differences you will need to account for after converting your stacks to SuperCard projects.
All but the simplest stacks will need some changes to be made to various scripts in order to run without error. In most cases these are minor and SuperCard's script error dialog allows you to go to the specific line containing the error any time one is encountered.
SuperCard's Help System is extensible, so we have created a Help Addition that puts this information at your finger tips; hyperlinked, searchable, and book-markable, as with the rest of the SuperCard Help Library.
The Help Addition will allow you to easily discover the SuperTalk equivalents to HyperTalk words that may be throwing a script error or result in other unexpected behavior in your converted project.
What SuperCard Does Not Support
Shared Text - This HyperCard property allows background fields across multiple cards to contain the same text, while SuperCard's background fields will always contain unique data. One method to share text across all cards of a background is to create a draw text object. This can also be worked around by using a user defined property of the field and a simple script putting the text into the field via an openCard handler.
Reports - HyperCard's report printing mechanism is not supported in SuperCard, but complex layouts with graphics and text are possible using another window as the report layout.
Marked Cards - Marking cards essentially sets a boolean flag on cards so that they may be referred to as a subset of the cards in a stack. SuperCard does not support this property. Depending on what you are using marked cards for, one of several techniques may be used, the simplest being simply setting up a simple 'marked' custom defined property that you can set and get to determine if a card is marked.
Old XMCD's and XFCN's - External commands and functions designed for use with HyperCard will not be executable in OS X. Many externals, such as those designed for color, QuickTime, palettes, etc., are unneeded in SuperCard because of native support. In addition, there are many externals that ship with SuperCard that may offer the functionality you require.
Getting Help
If you are an experienced HyperCard scripter, you should be able to make the necessary changes in your converted stacks to get them to run in SuperCard without errors in a minimum of time.
If you get stuck on something, consider posting a question to the SuperCard Forums There are a number of users there that have made the switch from HyperCard to SuperCard, any number of which should be able to point you in the right direction.
And while the changes that need to be made will usually be a simple matter for the stack's author, we understand that many folks need to convert stacks they are using that have been created by others. We can provide that service at a reasonable hourly rate.
Special Offer
If you still have any of your original HyperCard materials you can save up to $80.00 on your SuperCard purchase. Qualifying materials include either a box, install disk, printed documentation, or proof of purchase.
SuperCard: Essentials…$129.00 - Save $50.00!
Includes the SuperCard runtime and runtime editing environment, HyperCard Converter, and the SuperCard Player.
SuperCard: Suite…$199.00 - Save $80.00!
Includes the SuperCard runtime and runtime editing environment, Standalone Maker, SuperEdit, HyperCard Converter, TransMaker, the Internals Toolbox, and the SuperCard Player.
To apply for this offer you must email a scan or photo of any of the above described qualifying HyperCard Materials to us. We will email you a link to complete your order after we have received your submission.