SugarCRM Email Link Generation, mailto or Sugar Email Client popup (JavaScript)

sugarcrm_gen_email_link.php

// need to know which user we are because the User Preference drive the type of link
global $current_user;

$field = 'email1' // alternative is email2

// form the link, i.e. mailto: or javascript for the popup. $focus could be Lead, Contact, Target, etc...
// @see User::getEmailLink
$email_link = $current_user->getEmailLink($field,$focus,null,
$_REQUEST['module'],$_REQUEST['action'],$_REQUEST['record']);

// we have the link opener, but we need the anchor text and to close the element
$email_link .= $lead->$focus . "</a>";

// if we are spitting this out into a view, assign it to a smarty variable
$this->ev->ss->assign('email_link',$email_link);