In printed documents cross-references are shown through a numerical or symbolic indirection e.g. ``see Figure 1'' (numeric indirection), or ``see section ``Changes'' (symbolic indirection). LaTeX2HTML can mirror this mechanism using the same numeric or symbolic references, or when these are not appropriate by using iconic references.
In a hypertext document however, cross-references can be shown without any indirection just by highlighting a relevant piece of text. This can make a document more readable as it removes unnecessary information.
A single new LaTeX command hyperref can be used for specifying how a cross-reference should appear both in the printed document and in the hypertext version.
Assuming that the label sec:cond is defined somewhere
in a document the command hyperref which takes 4 arguments
can be used in the same document as follows:
{\em Is the concept of
\hyperref
% This will be highlighted in the hypertext version
{conditional text} % argument #1
% This will be shown in the printed version
% followed by a numeric reference ...
{conditional text (see Section } % argument #2
% ... followed by this text
{ for more information)} % argument #3
% This the common label
{sec:cond} % argument #4
a good idea? }
Here is how it will be shown:
Is the concept of
conditional text
a good idea?
In the printed version what would appear is:
Is the concept of conditional text (see Section XXX for more information) a good idea?
Another command also defined in html.sty is htmlref which has the same effect as hyperref during the conversion to HTML. It takes two arguments, some text and a label. In the HTML version the text will be ``hyperized'' pointing to the label. In the paper version the text will be shown as it is and the label will be ignored eg
With {\tt htmlref} \htmlref{it's easy to make links}{fig:example}.
In the HTML version it will be shown as:
With htmlref it's easy to make links.