References

A Reference is a small colored link to one real thing in your Workspace — a piece of content, or a location on the Board. Choose one to see what it points at and what you can do with it, such as opening the item or jumping to the spot it marks.

Try it. Tap the Reference.

Content and locations

A Reference can point to these six things in your Workspace.

Topic
One place on the Map, with its own Hub page and path.
Library file
A PDF, Markdown or text file, or saved web page.
Note
A written page you or Mesh can edit.
Image
A saved picture, including uploads, Board captures, and generated Images.
Video
A saved YouTube video.
Board flag
A named location on the Board.

Look-alikes that are not References

Four more chips borrow the same style. They all live in chat, and none of them points at saved content.

Try it. Tap each one.

Quote — Put it in your message to point back at an earlier one, so Mesh knows exactly which words you mean.

Command — Runs a saved instruction you created on the message you are about to send.

Board attachment — A full Board view or a cropped snip, sent with one message. Type /board or /snip to attach one.

Created
Edited

Mesh outcome — Whenever Mesh creates or edits content, an outcome chip lands under its reply. Open it to go to that item, or to the spot on the Board.

Where you will find them

Almost everywhere, it is the same move. Type @ where you are writing, type a name, and choose the item — that works in a Note, on a Topic Hub, on the Board, and in chat. Filing is the one exception: it starts from a Topic's own Add control.

NotesWrite a Reference into the page as you type.
Topic HubsThe same writing surface, on a Topic's own page.
BoardPlace a Reference card beside the work it supports.
Mesh FocusTell Mesh which saved item matters for a message or chat.
Topic filingAdd an item to the Topic where it belongs.
QuotesPoint back to an earlier message in the same chat.
CommandsCall a saved instruction by name.
Mesh outcomesOpen what Mesh created or edited from its response.

On the Board, a Reference is a card

Everywhere else a Reference is a small chip inside a line of text. On the Board it becomes an object you place: the same colored icon, the item's name, and its kind or location underneath, with a Go to button on the right.

en.wikipedia.orgLibraryMy Notes on the Essence of CalculusNote
  • Add one with Add reference in the Board toolbar, or type @ on the Board and it lands at your cursor.
  • Drag it anywhere. Drag a corner to scale the whole card, from half size up to double.
  • The name and location stay live: rename or move the item and the card updates itself.
  • It points one way. The item does not know the card exists, and deleting the item removes the card.

References stay attached to the item

  • Rename or move the target and References on the Board and in writing live-update. Topic References in writing and pickers follow the current Active Topic. A chat message keeps the Topic name and Active state from when it was sent — opening it still takes you to the Topic as it is now.
  • If the target is deleted, chat history, Notes, and Topic pages keep the saved label and show No longer available. Board chips and Topic filing are removed automatically.

Note:  A Reference is especially useful for telling Mesh where to look. Reference an item in chat and Mesh can get there directly instead of searching the Workspace first.