<a> Tag Tip and ProBoards

[wildgoosespeeder]

I see this all the time. People tend to put a full link to somewhere else on their forum. If a forum has multiple domains (a domain is "www.google.com" excluding the protocol "http://"), this can make a member think they have logged out but really they didn't.

To avoid this, first I'll show you improper linking with the <a> tag (even though this works):

<a href="http://support.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=viewprofile&user=wildgoosespeeder">wildgoosespeeder</a>

Now improved:

<a href="index.cgi?action=viewprofile&user=wildgoosespeeder">wildgoosespeeder</a>

Both will take you to the same place.

How does this work you ask? Well your browser automatically inserts the protocol ("http://"), domain ("support.proboards.com"), and path (none in this case).

Note: Does not work with [a href=""][/a] or [a href=""][/a] tags.

[Charles Stover]

Yes, that's the HTML standard for handling the <a> tag.

No domain (due to SEO purposes) should work both with and without WWW. mod_rewrite should be used to 301 redirect one to the other.

[Jordan]

Most people in here already know this, but I see it done a lot too. I always include the "/" at the beginning of the URL so it looks like "/index.cgi?...".

[Chris]

And I always just start with the ? and then the query string. You don't even need index.cgi.

It's worth mentioning using gotothread over requiring a board for a thread URL as well... much quicker and easier on the user.

[Charles Stover]

Dec 2, 2010 18:37:33 GMT -8 Jordan said:

Most people in here already know this, but I see it done a lot too. I always include the "/" at the beginning of the URL so it looks like "/index.cgi?...".

I do that as well, unless I'm in a directory. While it's possible there, I try to make sure my codes will still work even if I choose to rename the directory in the future.

Dec 2, 2010 18:51:58 GMT -8 Chris said:

And I always just start with the ? and then the query string. You don't even need index.cgi.

Bah, that's always been a pet peeve of mine. I don't know why. It just never looks appropriate to me.

Is it a standard to accept that, or do browsers just accept it anyway?

[Chris]

Dec 4, 2010 11:44:30 GMT -8 Charles Stover said:

Dec 2, 2010 18:51:58 GMT -8 Chris said:

And I always just start with the ? and then the query string. You don't even need index.cgi.

Bah, that's always been a pet peeve of mine. I don't know why. It just never looks appropriate to me.

Is it a standard to accept that, or do browsers just accept it anyway?

I have no idea if it's a standard actually. Running a validation on a website that uses it produces no errors, so I see no reason it causes an issue. The only browser I haven't tested in (recently) is Chrome, so I'm pretty sure all major browsers support it. (Should any recent browser not support it though, I have no qualms switching styles. )

[Charles Stover]

I'd like to know if it's standard. It would certainly make forms easier. I'm tired of using $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']. >_<

[missy72]

Dec 2, 2010 13:10:17 GMT -8 wildgoosespeeder said:

<a href="index.cgi?action=viewprofile&user=wildgoosespeeder">wildgoosespeeder</a>

Hiya I was wondering if you can use this method to link to a board and if so what would I put and where - thanks in advance for any help


edited to add feeling very clever this morning figured it out

[Former Member]

Dec 4, 2010 13:39:34 GMT -8 Chris said:

Dec 4, 2010 11:44:30 GMT -8 Charles Stover said:

Bah, that's always been a pet peeve of mine. I don't know why. It just never looks appropriate to me.

Is it a standard to accept that, or do browsers just accept it anyway?

I have no idea if it's a standard actually. Running a validation on a website that uses it produces no errors, so I see no reason it causes an issue. The only browser I haven't tested in (recently) is Chrome, so I'm pretty sure all major browsers support it. (Should any recent browser not support it though, I have no qualms switching styles. )

It works in Chrome as well.