The links windows are normally located at the bottom section of a workbench, but they can be repositioned to the sides of the workbench frame, or even detached from the frame. The links windows show what is linked to whichever nodes are currently selected in the hierarchy windows.
If you don't see the links windows, then click the View menu on VISION's main menu bar, go to the sub-menu "Links Windows", and choose which links windows to show. (You can also right-click in a hierarchy window and use the "View Links Windows" sub-menu.)
Types of Links Windows
You can choose which links windows to show using the View and then Links Windows in the Main Menu. Alternatively, you can right-mouse click the top of any Links window to access the View Links Windows menu. The View Links Windows menu contains six check boxes: Analysis, Question, Objective, Program, Cross Reference, and Program Prerequisites. You can view as many of these as you like, or none at all.
•Analysis links window: Shows all analysis components that are linked to the objective currently selected in the Objectives Hierarchy or to the program training unit selected in the program hierarchy. The list will change when you select a different objective or program.
•Question links window: Shows all questions that are linked to the node currently selected in the active hierarchy window. To create questions, select an objective, right-click in the question links window, and select a question type from the New sub-menu. You can also link existing questions to an objective by simply dragging them into this window – or onto a node in the hierarchy.
•Objective links window: Shows all objectives that are sequenced into the selected training unit (if the Program Hierarchy window is active) or linked to the selected analysis item (if the Analysis Hierarchy window is active).
•Program links window: Shows all program units that are linked to the active objective or analysis node.
•Cross Reference links window: Shows all cross reference units that are sequenced into the active hierarchy node.
•Program Prerequisites links window: Shows which programs are prerequisites for the currently selected program, and which programs the selected program is a prerequisite for.
The Links Windows in Detail
The above Analysis links window shows several columns that comprise each Links window. There are several more columns that are not visible in the picture above. You can select a Links window and scroll to the right to see all of the Links columns.
•Operations: Click the right mouse button in the Links window for a menu of operations pertaining to it. Also, note the small buttons in the window title bar, for menu and auto-hide.
•Columns: Click the right mouse button on any column header to choose which columns to show. VISION remembers your choices.
Most of the columns give you a quick way to view information from the nodes themselves, but some have addition information that could be very useful to you. Here are some columns that you might find particularly useful.
•All links windows now include a date and time stamp in the Date Modified column and a Modified By column so you can quickly see who has been making changes.
•In addition to information displayed on the node's properties, the Analysis Links window will sort the nodes that have been directly linked, those that have been consolidated, and those that are associated with objectives.
•The Questions links window will show the number of objectives the question is used in, as well as the number of tests it is in as well. Both of these can be jumped to by clicking on the blue number in the links window column.
•Objective and Program links windows display whether or not Word or PowerPoint, or web content has been added to the node.
•If you see a version versioning icon 
in a links window, it means that the item it is next to has been updated since the item you have selected in the hierarchy was last approved.
Links Window Filter
Links windows have a filter that can be used to sort the items in the links window by a variety of criteria. To access the filter, you may first wish to maximize the links window by clicking on the Maximize button in the top right corner of the window.
once this is done, the filter buttons become much more visible. Each column has a filter button on the top right side of that column's header row. Click it to see a drop-down Filter menu.
The filter that you select or enter will be displayed on the bottom of the window, and it will persist if you click on another node in the same hierarchy. To remove the filter, click on the red X next to its name at the bottom of the window.
Docking
This window, like the other links windows, can be "docked" and "undocked" by double-clicking the window title bar. "Docked" means the window is attached to the workbench frame; undocked means it is free-floating.
Temporarily Enlarging
To see more columns at one time, try maximizing this links window (if docked). Maximizing will conveniently expand it within the links windows area only, temporarily covering the other links windows, but not obscuring the hierarchy windows. Un-maximize (restore) it to uncover the other links windows.
Right-Click Menu
Click the right mouse button in this window for a menu of operations pertaining to it. Also, note the small buttons in the window title bar, for menu and auto-hide.
Drag-Drop
You can drag cross reference items from this window and drop them onto data objects in other windows—including other links windows—to link those items to other data objects.
