How to link to a comment

October 31, 2005 7:29 AM

I've noticed that some people have a way to link not just to another MeFi page, but to call up a specific comment within the page, which will then appear at the top of the window. I've been unable to discover how this is done. Can anyone help?
posted by Miko to MetaFilter-related at 7:29 AM (22 comments total)

Use the link found in the time-stamp of the comment.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 7:30 AM on October 31, 2005

ah-HA!

Thanks.
posted by Miko at 7:32 AM on October 31, 2005

Half the time, those links don't work for me. Someone will link to JoeSchmoe's comment, and clicking it will bring me to the middle of four comments by unrelated folks. The relevant comment will be a ways up or down the page.
posted by cribcage at 7:50 AM on October 31, 2005

cribcage, when that happens hitting reload will usually take you where you want to go. most often this happens when there are inline images without width and height attributes loading from other servers more slowly than the html of the page, your browser goes where it is supposed to momentarily but then a late loading image somewhere above causes a repaint and pushes the page to the middle of unrelated comments.
posted by quonsar at 8:00 AM on October 31, 2005

I've only gotten these links to take me to the right spot in threads that are both relatively short, and text-only. I've tried the reload technique, but with little luck.

Consequently, I hate these links - especially when they reference a comment that otherwise can't be determined by context. i.e., "this is fantastic!!!" versus "quonsar's tip in this thread is fantastic!!!"

At least with the latter, I can mostly figure it out on my own.
posted by odinsdream at 8:15 AM on October 31, 2005

Shutup, you.
posted by Plutor at 8:21 AM on October 31, 2005

So tempting.
posted by If I Had An Anus at 8:23 AM on October 31, 2005

it effs up for me mostly because people clutter up threads with inline images without specifying the dimensions of their stupid, pointless pictures.
posted by crunchland at 8:48 AM on October 31, 2005

I don't know enough HTML to determine whether that's the cause or not, but I agree with the sentiment. "Stupid, pointless pictures," indeed. (Cue irony: "MetaFilter: Stupid, pointless pictures.")
posted by cribcage at 8:51 AM on October 31, 2005

Of course, you can always search out the referenced comment manually if the pageload doesn't take you to it as expected. A little more work, but that makes it all the more satisfying. Except when the comment sucks.
posted by cortex at 8:54 AM on October 31, 2005

Often, references to individual comments are used in order to call them out. Therefore, when that particular comment is deleted, the #whatever anchor doesn't have anywhere to go and so just leaves you at the top of the page.

This is why a [comment deleted] marker would be useful.
posted by blag at 8:59 AM on October 31, 2005

You could also try the MetaFilthy extension for FireFox. It does a lot of that stuff for you (plus a lot of other nice features).

Now only if it would be updated for FireFox 1.5! ;)
posted by purephase at 9:00 AM on October 31, 2005

posted by johnny novak at 9:13 AM on October 31, 2005

If reloading the page doesn't work, select the URL in the address bar and hit enter. This always works for me (on firefox).
posted by gleuschk at 9:33 AM on October 31, 2005

[MetaFilthy] does a lot of that stuff for you (plus a lot of other nice features).

Like trashing all your cookies and cookie preferences! At least, that's what happened to me when I tried using it. I just do it manually now and don't have to worry about that. I guess it's just me, though.
posted by Godbert at 1:31 PM on October 31, 2005

posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 3:11 PM on October 31, 2005

Even without scrolling down I knew that some comedy genius would be rushing with glee to post inline images as soon as possible after someone else had complained about them. That comedy genius #1 was in so much of a rush that he decided hotlinking was the way to go, and so was denied the fruits of his (well, someone else's, not to put too fine a point on it) labour -- the backslapping bohomie and congratulations he so richly deserved -- makes it even more delicious. That was soured somewhat by comedy genius #2 doing the same, and getting away with it, though.

Ah, internet, I hate you so.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:44 PM on October 31, 2005

So, should I be ashamed that I thought of posting an in-line image containing nothing but the words "stupid pointless picture"?

Yeah, I thought so.
posted by dg at 4:03 PM on October 31, 2005

and you can always guarantee stavros will wade in late and appear above it all.
posted by johnny novak at 12:42 AM on November 1, 2005

Silly johnny! Chickens can't fly!

And then there's that whole timezone thing. Bane of my internet existence.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:52 AM on November 1, 2005

sorry Stav,

my last comment was a little uncalled for, and my original one was, as you correctly pointed out, a little on the lame side.

I've been here four years and that's the second time I've posted an inline image - I don't know what came over me.

sorry again
posted by johnny novak at 2:34 AM on November 1, 2005

Oh hell, mate, don't apologize! I was just being my ranty, cantankerous self, as usual, lately.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:10 AM on November 1, 2005