This template is a wrapper around ((cite encyclopedia)). It is intended to format a link to the online edition to the Handbook of Texas Online so that it appears as a standard citation, while filling in common cite parameters and the url based on the fixed identification number.
For example (from the Citation section at the bottom of each page):
authorlink=title of Wikipedia article about the author (or authorlink1, authorlink2, ...)
origyear=origyear
An example of a entry:
((Cite HOT |id=fau14 |last=Barker |first=Eugene C. |author-link=Eugene C. Barker |title=Austin, Stephen Fuller |date=May 10, 2016 |orig-year=June 9, 2010))