Tutorial - Posting Links In Your Posts

Vic Romano

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It has come to my attention that many people have trouble posting URL's or web links in their posts, some have even asked me to show them how to do it; so here it is!

Step One - Using Photobucket To Host Your Picture
Sometimes you wanna' post a link to a picture in your post for someone to see. First you need to host that picture somewhere so that you're able to post a link to it! The most popular (and easiest I've found) is: www.photobucket.com
It's free, and all you need is a valid e-mail address; it's a little like joining Muppet Central. Once you've signed up and confirmed your e-mail address, you can now upload pictures from your hard drive to Photobucket's website. That's pretty standard, so we'll move on to the bigger stuff. :smile:

Step Two - Identifying The "Hyperlink" Button
Now after you've put yer' pics up (or you've already found a picture or web page already on-line that you'd like to use), you might be thinkin' "I'll just copy and paste the web link into my post!" but believe it or not; that doesn't always work for some reason or another :confused: and it looks sloppy, so that's where the "Hyperlink" button comes in; take a look at our first figure:
Figure 1
Erm... very funny, Beau; but a good example. What you just clicked on is the product of a "Hyperlink". It's a lot easier and cleaner looking (even if the image isn't!) and it was made with the simple tools available here at MC whilst, and at the same time, you post! Here's the real figure:
Figure 1a
That simple button is going to allow you to a. - post a link that is more reliable then just posting a random link; and b. - post a link that is a lot more condensed and spiffy lookin' rather then some long drawn out web address that looks more like your keyboard just threw up; that bytes... Bytes! Get it? Ha ha! It's a gag where I used, oh just forget it.

Step Three -Using The "Hyperlink" Button
Okie-dokie-artichokie; now let's get into makin' this magic happen. First yer' gonna' need that web link we've been talkin' about. Now if it's a page from another website, a picture from Photobucket, a thread from here at MC or where ever, you can easily just highlight the web address from the desired page and copy it (Windows users hit "Ctrl" and "C", Mac users hit "Apple Key" and "C") and you're already half way there. Photobucket users have the URL location/web link right on the album page to save you the time from clickin' the individual picture. Check out the next figure:
Figure 2
Now it's time to actually use the "Hyperlink" button. Now when you click it; a dialogue box will appear on your screen that will read:
Enter the text to be displayed for the link (optional):
This is where you might type something like: "Click me", or "My Fan Art", or "Why Bacon Makes Me Sweat". Really anything that fits the context of your post. After you've typed your message to the world, click the "OK" button. Now another text box will appear that will say:
Please enter the URL of your link:
This is where you paste that link you copied (to paste: Windows users hit "Ctrl" and "V", Mac users hit "Apple Key" and "V"). Now notice how the field where you'll paste the link already has "http://" in it. Make sure that when you copy the link in the beginning, to copy from after http:// in the address bar. If you copy the whole URL, just make sure that "http://" doesn't repeat itself after you've pasted it. Now hit the "OK" button again. If you messed up or changed your mind and you don't want a Hyperlink, hit the "Cancel" button.

Step Four -A Quick Crash Course In HTML
After you've hit "OK", you'll see that your current post looks a little weird; something like this:
URL=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v695/user-name/my_funny_picture.jpg]Click meh[/URL
There should be a "[ & ]" around that whole thing, but I left that off so it wouldn't turn to a Hyperlink. But as far as it looking like that in your current writing; that's okay, because you're currently typing a language the computer understands how to make certain things happen, like bold text, or a quote or a Hyperlink! Once you hit "Submit" it'll look swell to the rest of us here on the boards. Check out this last figure:
Figure 3
Once yer' ready to submit yer' new post, it'd be smart to hit the "Preview Post" button. Then you can click your Hyperlinks and make sure they bring you where you wanna' go. If it doesn't work; double check the URL to make sure everything's spelled correctly and has all and any brackets, slashes and/or dots it's supposed to. 9 out of 10 times, if the link doesn't work; that's the problem. If youse' guys have any questions or comments; lemme know. Enjoy, and happy posting! :sing:
 

TogetherAgain

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ooh, this is happy!
Thanks Vic!
Nice a detailed, and funny, and... and, um, a whole bunch of other stuff that's really good!
 

Erine81981

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I did it! Your one awsome member on here.

Thanks Vic! *thumbs up and smiles*
 

Vic Romano

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Good work, Kyle... on the link and that fun pic!
 

Fozzie Bear

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BUMP!

Just posted this in another thread:
Well, to post a link:

You see in the "address" bar atop your internet screen?
Put your cursor over that and double click on that. It should highlight the web address blue.
Then, hit CTRL and "C" at the same time (control/"c" COPIES the information which is highlighted).
Click back into your message board post, and then hit CTRL and "V" (control/"v" PASTES the information which was highlighted in blue into your post).

Now you know how to copy and paste links into your forum posts!
 

Beauregard

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Vic Romano said:
Lol! You just noticed that? :wink:
Indeed. Don't think I will forget it!

Bea:zany:{It's pretty good though...}regard
 
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