How do I make a multi-link post?

August 22, 2006 12:13 AM

I find the posting interface *completely* baffling despite trying for quite a while on a few occasions. I can only figure out how to post one link, whereas most posts are multi-link. How do I learn how to do a complete post with more than one link?
posted by ClaudiaCenter to Etiquette/Policy at 12:13 AM (29 comments total)

In the description field, type in your HTML code, e.g.:

This is my <a href="http://...">first link</a> and <a href="http://...">here's another</a>.

Leave the title field blank. That's all there is to it!
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:17 AM on August 22, 2006

Thanks, I'll try it!
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 12:24 AM on August 22, 2006

New rule: You have to know basic HTML before you can join MeFi.
posted by IndigoRain at 12:37 AM on August 22, 2006

Alternatively, there's that handy 'link' button in your toolbar.

It's easy to use: highlight the word(s) that you wish to become linked, then click the link button. In the box that pops up, type out (or paste) your address. For example, to make this link, I typed out the words "this link" in the comment box, highlighted them, and then clicked the link button. When the box poped up, I pasted in the address for this page. Easy as pie. You use the Bold and Italic buttons in similar fashion. Highlight your text first, and then click the button to apply the effect.

This should really be an askme
posted by Drunken_munky at 12:54 AM on August 22, 2006

Actually, since it pertains to metafilter it SHOULD be here, right? Part of the purpose of metatalk. Well, when it's not busy padding people's egos or starting flamewars. This is far less entertaining but probably more useful.
posted by Stunt at 12:58 AM on August 22, 2006

IndigoRain: The only reason I know basic html is because I joined MeFi. Can I stay?

(I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said "&lt/bush&gt" and I understood what it meant, thanks to this place)
posted by kechi at 1:18 AM on August 22, 2006

so much for that basic html.
it looked ok on preview.
posted by kechi at 1:19 AM on August 22, 2006

Well, it is confusing to see "URL" "link title" and "description" fields when nearly every description field contains additional links. I wasn't sure what was meant to go where the first time I posted. It's especially confusing when one link posts are disliked so much since the post form implies that links should only have one link.
posted by null terminated at 1:19 AM on August 22, 2006

As with kechi, joining MeFi was what forced me to learn html. One of many things I have reaped from my five dollars.
posted by greycap at 1:47 AM on August 22, 2006

kechi: you were fine, just need to put semicolons after the lt and gt:

&lt;/bush&gt; becomes </bush>
posted by Ryvar at 1:48 AM on August 22, 2006

Or a poster could use that handy little button at the bottom of the description text entry box called "link".

But I find that it takes just about as long as it does to just start typing <a href="*paste url here">link text</a>.


Now I threadjack. The forced title annoys me. I understand it's used for the RSS feeds, but, meh, it's lost all subtlety and art since it's no longer the actual "title" and no longer shows up only on the browser's titlebar. I wish I could have the option to turn off the in-page "title" that appears before the actual link/thread header and description. Y'know, for those days when you don't have anything clever to say and the title is made redundant by the link/description.

Anyway, I appear to be having difficulty making sense. That can only mean one thing. Bedtime!
posted by loquacious at 1:56 AM on August 22, 2006

Titles are fun, loquacious!
posted by brundlefly at 2:15 AM on August 22, 2006

Oh, I've had plenty of fun with titles. I just wish I could chose the option of displaying it on the thread-display pageview rather than having be a mandatory thing.

as you can see, going to bed failed and making sense did as well. locnar!
posted by loquacious at 2:38 AM on August 22, 2006

As an RSS reader, I'm happy that it's mandatory.

Er, perhaps I should say "as an RSS reader reader".
posted by Bugbread at 3:14 AM on August 22, 2006

As a person that doesn't use a retarded RSS reader that chokes on the dick of the email metaphor, but rather one that actually displays the content of the feed inline (what a concept!), I for one welcome jokey titles that do not aim to reveal the content.
posted by blasdelf at 4:30 AM on August 22, 2006

It's especially confusing when one link posts are disliked so much since the post form implies that links should only have one link.

I rather like that the posting form gives some small indication that one link posts are perfectly acceptable.
posted by jack_mo at 4:37 AM on August 22, 2006

I wish I had a canned reply to the suggestion that single links are somehow universally condemned (or even inherently frowned upon) on MetaFilter, so I could copy-and-paste it into threads like this. Maybe something like:

     One link posts are just fine!

I'm debating whether it should have "you nincompoop" on the end. What do you think?
posted by Plutor at 4:55 AM on August 22, 2006

Maybe ", cunt" would be more cogent?
posted by signal at 5:44 AM on August 22, 2006

I've always been partial to "churl".
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:31 AM on August 22, 2006

Is the googley-eyed cock picture still in the "self link" thread one up the page? I wanted to check what was going on there, but I'm at work.
posted by marxchivist at 6:34 AM on August 22, 2006

ClaudiaCenter - it's not that hard, it's very basic html.
If I can't work out what's going on I use 'View Source' - from the View menu in Safari - it may be different for your browser.
I make sure that my 'Title' entries are more descriptive and have dropped being "cute" because members have complained about it.
posted by tellurian at 7:03 AM on August 22, 2006

Marx, Jessamyn turned it into a link. Safer now.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:22 AM on August 22, 2006

Alternatively, there's that handy 'link' button in your toolbar.

That can depend on your browser. When I use Safari, the link button (as well as the bold, ital, and spellcheck) doesn't show up. It's fine in Netscape or IE.
posted by scody at 8:48 AM on August 22, 2006

Thanks, everyone.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 9:06 AM on August 22, 2006

Drunken_munky writes "Alternatively, there's that handy 'link' button in your toolbar."

Not always there.

null terminated writes "It's especially confusing when one link posts are disliked so much since the post form implies that links should only have one link."

One link posts are fine and are often the best posts on any given day.

Ryvar writes "kechi: you were fine, just need to put semicolons after the lt and gt:"

Easy mistake to make kechi, I did the same thing in the last month.
posted by Mitheral at 9:10 AM on August 22, 2006

Looks like you're not alone, ClaudiaCenter.

Maybe something should be added to the FAQ? Though I'm kind of suprised by the unwillingness to take a second to Google "make a link"...
posted by jack_mo at 1:55 PM on August 22, 2006

To the right of the two lines that say URL: and Link Title: on the posting page, it should maybe say something like "(Skip these two lines if you want to start your post with something other than a linked word or phrase.)"

That may help a bit with the kind of confusion ClaudiaCenter had.
posted by mediareport at 9:56 PM on August 22, 2006

jack_mo : "Though I'm kind of suprised by the unwillingness to take a second to Google 'make a link'..."

I knew HTML before posting here, but it still took me a while to realize that html was allowed in the first place. Most forums I've been on use some sort of bbcode or otherwise customized linking procedure, so it never occurred to me that MeFi allowed plain ole html.
posted by Bugbread at 2:57 AM on August 23, 2006

Good point bugbread. It probably wouldn't hurt to have a link to basic formatting on the posting page, or at least an indication of which HTML tags are allowed...
posted by jack_mo at 5:55 AM on August 23, 2006