Jump to content

HTTP (BB) code for links used in the Forum


dbiel

Recommended Posts

These forums use BB code for formatting text and inserting of links. It is similar to html code but is much more limited in terms of what types of formatting are available for use. BB code may be use in all posts and in all of the forums.

HTML code is also available for use in a limited number of the forums, but its use has been restricted to the development of the FAQ's and its use is further limited to those who are actively involved in FAQ development.

HTML links can be inserted into any post by anyone using the BB code format and the following is an attempt at explaining how to do it, and to try to make it easier to create those links that result in the desired results.

Addresses displayed in the browser's Address bar can be very confusing and vary greatly based on the method used to obtain them, and most of them can be used as links within forum pages.

Note: this post is still under construction and is far from being complete

Please note that this topic is primarily written for those who are involved in creating, expanding and improving the FAQ's found in these forums, though most of the information is actually usable by anyone and it maybe helpful when creating posts to include links to other referenced posts or FAQ's needing more interpretation or explanation.

The easiest way to create an link is to click on the icon in the tool bar above the edit window hyperlink.gif. Then using a copy and paste method you can copy the complete URL for the hyperlink into the first window and click on "OK" and then enter the title for the link that you want to have displayed in your post. Note: the title can be the complete URL or any other text that would better explain the link.

The following will discuss the format of the URL used for displaying various portions of the forum and the differences in the displayed results. The title will be ignore at this time as it can be anything you want, and the format is unimportant.

The basic code looks as follows: It is the link to the second post in the Forum FAQ

[url=http://forum.spamcop.net/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=4351&view=findpost&p=28980]SECTION 2 - Registration[/url]

The following is the way the hyperlink would appear in a post:

SECTION 2 - Registration

If the displayed URL was created using a search function, it will probably contain lot of extra embedded information that is not required to retrieve the displayed page. It is recommended that this additional information be stripped from the URL before posting it, as it may include information that is account based, making it unusable by other members or guests. The URL may also include additional display options.

Using the previous example again, the URL to display the topic starting at its beginning would be: http://forum.spamcop.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=4351

The code used to display the above link was greatly simplified as the displayed link and actual link used were the same. In fact the code used only consisted of the link itself

http://forum.spamcop.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=4351

Each additional command and varriable is separated in the URL by the & character.

To display a topic beginning at a specific post contained in that topic you would add the view command. Using the original example again, the expanded URL added the following command: &view=findpost&p=28980

Sometimes the displayed URL will have been shorted by your browser to a form that is not possible for other browers (including your own) to redisplay if clicked on. See the following example which was obtained use the "Back" button on my browser.

http://forum.spamcop.net/forums/index.php?...1&pid=28980

The most recent example is the result of the forum software automatiicly converting the entered html link to BB code and displaying a shortened version of the link using three periods (...) to indicate the section of the link that had been stripped from the displayed code. This is done anytime a long link is entered without using BB code that also contained a discriptive title following the complete html link itself. This is commonly seen when inserting Tracking URL's

If the post includes html anchors and you want to display the text beginning with the anchor name, the URL should look like "http://forum.spamcop.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=4473&view=#bounce" the glossary entry for bounce And as a link it is: Bounce

And now for the unanswered question, why does the previous entry work sometimes and fails other times?

For additional BB code information see BB Code Help

Link to comment
Share on other sites

... This is an attempt to simplify the links and to make it easier to create links that result in the desired results.
Looking good (not feeble at all), enough of the self-deprecation already. Saves wading through the BB Code:

http://forum.spamcop.net/forums/index.php?...E=bbcode&s=

(Which none the less should probably should be cited somewhere for access/reference outside of edit mode - or is it already?).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...