OSLC Links can be created by selecting (or creating) the remote resources to link with the ${local-app} ${term-artifact-singular}. For some remote applications, it is also possible to drag and drop the remote artifact, from its own application, into the linking wizard to complete the linking process. Since each remote application may have its own dragging areas, this functionality and all details have been split out into the ${anchor-title-dnd-links} topic.

The linking wizard consists of three steps: the Link Initiation step, where the ${artifact-linking-type-singular} and the remote application are chosen; the Artifact Selection step, where the remote resource is either selected or created (or dropped); and finally, the Link Creation step, where the actual linking occurs and results are displayed. Users can go forth and back, from the Link Initiation to the Artifact Selection step, in case they changed their minds about the resource selection criteria (selection/creation vs drag and drop). Once the wizard is open, it starts in the Link Initiation step.

Creating an OSLC Link

1. To select the ${artifact-linking-type-singular} and the remote application, decide first whether you want to link against an existing resource (first button top-down) or against a new resource (second button top-down) and click in the corresponding three dots button-extension. A default link type (and remote artifact container) is displayed in the first part of these buttons, this selection corresponds to the last created link (or the first available option if no link has been created before) unless a default link type had been configured by an administrator. You can click on the first part of the button to use the default provided option and if you do, skip the next step. Alternatively to these actions, you can start dropping existing resources in the dropping area or, press Ctrl + V to try to link against a resource URL copied into the clipboard, please refer to the ${anchor-title-dnd-links} topic for details.
2. On the opened dropdown list, locate the kind of link to create and, underneath it, select the target application. Refer to the Understanding available OSLC Link types section below for details on this list content.
3. Complete the remote application authentication if required. This is needed only the first time during a working session. A pop-up window will request the credentials of a remote application user before continuing. The available remote artifacts to link with, after this step, or the permission to create a new one, if it is the case, depends on the privileges of the user used to login. Be aware that browsers can block, by default, these pop-up windows; if you don't see it, look for a warning or a blocking icon near the addresses bar of the browser and click on it in order to allow them for this application.
4. Complete the remote application authorization if required. This is needed only if the consumer in the remote application was registered as untrusted; if so, a second pop-up window will ask you to confirm whether you allow the access to the remote application on behalf of the user you used to login. Otherwise, this second pop-up window will be closed immediately. If this latter is not done automatically, you will be instructed to do so manually.
5. At this point, the wizard moves forward to the Artifact Selection step to display the content of the remote application (you can go back by clicking on the Link Initiation breadcrumb at the top-left corner). Use this content to select/create the resource to link depending on your previous choice. If you need to change the linking type or the target application, you can do it by clicking in the three dots button in the top section. Two radio buttons will allow you to change the selection/creation form, in case you changed your mind or, in case the chosen form is not available. This latter occurs either because the form was not provided by the remote application or it was disabled by the ${local-app} administrator. Below these radio buttons, a combo will allow you to change the default resource type to select/create. These options depend on the linking type and whether the remote application provides extra compatible types. Note: if the remote content form does not fit or looks heaped in the window, you can maximize it by pressing the square icon in the top-right corner.
6. Submit the form by clicking into the button provided by the remote application (named typically OK). This will move the wizard to the Link Creation step where linking results are provided. If an error occurred, the remote resource is displayed along with the following options/buttons: Retry for trying the linking again in case the problem was caused by a temporary glitch, like network connectivity; Discard for removing this link from the results table and forget about it and Save Locally for creating the link only in ${local-app} but without creating the backlink in the remote application. This latter button is visible only if the error occurred while trying to create the backlink and saving locally is meaningful (links are saved in the local or remote or both applications depending on its type nature). Another Retry all failed artifacts button will be visible, below the results table, if the linking was done with multiple artifacts at the same time and more than one failed.