I still can't figure out how to put a link in a response; can someone help me?

January 25, 2002 4:12 AM

I feel dumb for asking, but... after being here for a few months I still can't figure out how to put a link in a response. Can someone tell me? Or is there a "How To" page here that I haven't found? Thanks in Advance.
posted by sadie01221975 to MetaFilter-Related at 4:12 AM (18 comments total)

Option #1 - Matt has shortcuts at the bottom right of the comment box. You simply click on the work 'link' and a script box pops up pre-filled with the http:// part. Just add in the rest of the URL after that.

Option #2 - You can write the HTML code yourself. Check out Webmonkey for a cheatsheet on HTML.

Just be sure that when you hit preview that you click on your links to ensure they work properly.

Hope that helps!
posted by cyniczny at 4:58 AM on January 25, 2002

You type in the HTML explicitly: <a href="http://foo.com">...<a>
posted by andrew cooke at 5:00 AM on January 25, 2002

bugger. see other answer or use ...</a> not <a> to close the link.
posted by andrew cooke at 5:01 AM on January 25, 2002

i think you need to point out that once you have written your comment, you need to highlight the word(s), then click the link button and input your address.
posted by Frasermoo at 5:12 AM on January 25, 2002

Yep, Frasermoo, left that bit out. Sadie, when you hover over the 'link' shortcut, you see the instructions on how to use it. But, to clarify, the way I linked Webmonkey was by typing the sentence, then going back, highlighting the word 'Webmonkey', then clicking the 'link' shortcut and adding the URL.

(also, just realised I wrote work instead of word ... oops)
posted by cyniczny at 5:21 AM on January 25, 2002

But if you have a Mac, the shortcut doesn't work. Which only makes Mac users stronger, and builds character. Or at least a few additional ones.
posted by ParisParamus at 5:33 AM on January 25, 2002

ahhhh... I didn't know about the highlight part.
let's see if i can do it.... design a saturn



YAHOO!!!! i'm the coolest girl in the whole wide world!
thank you all so much! i'm extremely happy right now!! :)
Thanks again!
posted by sadie01221975 at 6:09 AM on January 25, 2002

Is the raw innocence on display here getting anyone else a wee bit excited? Woof.
posted by dong_resin at 8:28 AM on January 25, 2002

Okay, since we're talking about it, why is it that the shortcuts at the bottom of the posting window only appear sometimes? I usually get them in MeTa (although I didn't this time), but I never get them in MeFi.
posted by biscotti at 8:59 AM on January 25, 2002

I don't get them on my Netscape Communicator 4.7 at work, but I do on MS IE 5 at home.
posted by msacheson at 9:13 AM on January 25, 2002

msacheson: ahhhh...thank you. That must be it. I use Netscape at work and IE at home too, I just hadn't noticed what happened when. The shortcuts must not be Netscape compatible.
posted by biscotti at 9:23 AM on January 25, 2002

The browser shortcuts only work for IE4+ on Windows.
Meg's written an article about it called Using JavaScript to Create a Powerful GUI
at O'Reilly.
posted by riffola at 9:59 AM on January 25, 2002

Someone should make a dockling or service for OSX that does simple HTML formatting.
posted by machaus at 10:27 AM on January 25, 2002

I always just use ctrl+shift+a to link to cool things like The Karate Chimp.
posted by Hildago at 11:49 AM on January 25, 2002

that was so cute :)
posted by anildash at 12:17 PM on January 25, 2002

Sadie, I also couldn't figure out how to make links, and as a Netscape user, I don't see the helpful things that Matt has put in the comment box for IE users. Try not to laugh too much, but I went to my tool bar, opened View and then Page Source and by looking at the source code, I finally figured out how to put in the html commands to make links. I too was a happy girl when I got that one down!
posted by Lynsey at 2:40 PM on January 25, 2002

Is the raw innocence on display here getting anyone else a wee bit excited? Woof.
ROFL!
posted by quonsar at 3:51 PM on January 25, 2002

Woof? Try "moof!" Mac 4ever. Machaus: I'm working on the HTML service hook.
posted by bloggboy at 9:39 PM on January 25, 2002