How a link affects the screen width

[Cadman-iac]

Moderators and administrators, a question.

 I know that in the past under the old system, anytime someone posted a link that was extremely long, it had the effect of expanding the screen to accommodate said link.
 If memory serves, this issue was corrected, although I don't know any details  since I'm not privy to such internal workings of the forum.
 I have noticed recently that this issue has raised it's head once more.

 Is this something that you would be able to fix, or something that those of us who use a phone for everything just have to deal with?

 Sincerely,
 Rick Cook

[Clewisiii]

As an education to people. If you you search for a site. Never click on the site link under Sponsored. This link funnels through tracking sites so that they can get credit and evidence for the content. This makes the links very long.



You want to scroll down and link directly to the site outside the sponsored link area. This will be a much shorter address.

[Cadman-iac]

  That's definitely a very helpful hint.
 I knew about the https part, but I never knew about the "sponsored" thing.

 Thanks, Rick

 The issue with the website still needs to be addressed though.

[Lexi]

Excellent question Rick. Always wondered about that as well. Right now I am on a thread here about Sabre rim issues and the width of the dialogue reply box is crazy. It stretches so far "East" that part of it must be lodged in another time zone.    Quite irritating. I agree, that one of the tech moderators should address this so it can either be eliminated or that we can all avoid triggering it. Never knew about the sponsored link stuff. A good start. Clay/Lexi

[Daryl Chesterman]

I had this same question, and Sue Pashukewich, alias Carfreak, was most helpful in explaining how to prevent this from happening.

Where to find the link button:
On the line of options above the text box that starts  B I U S x x - keep looking to the right.

When you see the Youtube box you are almost there - move 2 more to the right and hover over the tiny blob that looks like 3 linked circles and you will see it says Insert Link.

To insert a link:
Click your cursor in the location on the text box where you want the link.

Use the copy feature for the information from the taskbar.

Left click the Insert Link button and a box will open.

Right click to paste the link info into the top section of the box

Then click Insert and the link should be inserted into your text.

Regards
Sue

Daryl Chesterman

[Cadman-iac]

Excellent question Rick. Always wondered about that as well. Right now I am on a thread here about Sabre rim issues and the width of the dialogue reply box is crazy. It stretches so far "East" that part of it must be lodged in another time zone.    Quite irritating. Clay/Lexi

 Funny!!! Maybe if you could use multiple screens to extend it so you can see it all....

[Cadman-iac]

I had this same question, and Sue Pashukewich, alias Carfreak, was most helpful in explaining how to prevent this from happening.

Daryl Chesterman

 Thanks for the tips, all things I wasn't aware of. I don't use farcebook or tweeter or any of those other places people like to "communicate" on. But definitely something that might be helpful as a sticky or post-it or whatever you call it as helpful guides to the site maybe?
 I don't know how this was fixed on the old site, but I don't remember anyone posting this as a prevention for the screen width issue.
 If the same fix can't be done here, a permanent post on this would definitely be helpful.

 Thank you Carfreak and Daryl.

[TJ Hopland]

It used to happen a lot more often from oversize photos than links.   It does seem odd that the forum software doesn't catch it. 

Anyone know why sometimes just the text shows up and other times you get a whole mini preview of the linked site?  Some forums it seems like the liker can name the link so its not the big long string.

[Cadman-iac]

It used to happen a lot more often from oversize photos than links.   It does seem odd that the forum software doesn't catch it. 

Anyone know why sometimes just the text shows up and other times you get a whole mini preview of the linked site?  Some forums it seems like the liker can name the link so its not the big long string.

 I'm not positive now what the cause is. The link in question was removed yet the screen width is still out of whack.
 I had thought it was link related, but now not sure. There were no pictures in the suspected post, so who knows.

 Rick

[Jason Edge]

When you use the link icon to insert a link there are a couple of ways to embed a link behind the text.  You either drag the cursor highlight the text  you want to create a link with, or  you can just put your curser in the text where you want the link, click the "insert link" icon, and paste the URL in the URL, but then add the text like Click Here.  Either way works.
Here an example screen shot with red arrow pointing the optional Description field that it will create a link around, and a preview of the result pointed to by purple arrows, and then the actual result at bottom.  I always use the short description text when there is a very long URL name.



***************************************************************************************************

Here is a test link: Click Here

[TJ Hopland]

Let me try this.

Description(optional) text

If you hover your mouse pointer over it most browsers will show you the link usually at the bottom of your screen so you can see where you may be taken if you dare to click.

Yep that's what I see on other sites where you get to name it. 

And the little link button is in that section with the youtube button right above where it says URL in Jason's screen shots.

If one post screws up the width is it possible that later ones stay screwed up because the issue was there when it was created?

[Jason Edge]

If one post screws up the width is it possible that later ones stay screwed up because the issue was there when it was created?

I think that is the original question:
We have a forum thread where screen width is normal, then someone inserts a super long URL name and and the dialog box is now super long to the right and you have to keep scrolling to the right.

I am not an SMF (forum hosting company) expert (I'm in fact a big SMF dummy) but my guess is there may be some sort of setting in SMF that can be turned on or set to force a carriage return (or maybe we should call it a line wrap).  Maybe there is something Stefan can set to force that line wrap after say 60, 70 or 80 Characters.) I just don't know. If an updated to the software was made and this setting was undid or changed back to an open default perhaps therein lies the problem.

What I was responding to was the fact you can substitute the URL with short text in at least a couple of ways. 

I do know that if the offending post with the URL is deleted or the long URL is shortened to normal width the screens go back to normal.

[Lexi]

Funny!!! Maybe if you could use multiple screens to extend it so you can see it all....

It is nuts. Sometimes it extends so far off to the right, that we would have to do warp speed Mr. Spock to reach the far end in a timely manner! Clay/Lexi

[59-in-pieces]

Clay,

Mr. Spock says - Scottie cana-do-it Captain.
Why, he has his foot on the brake.

I have also seen the normal responses truncated into shorter lines, and resulting in a skinnier paragraph, filling maybe a quarter of the page width.

I agree, it's a pain with bifocals to read that far right, scrolling back to the left to find that you don't remember which is the next lower line should start.

Have fun,
Steve B.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I have asked the same question to various Webmasters if the attachments can be automatically set, so it doesn't happen here, but never got a satisfactory answer.

Hopefully, one day, it will get sorted out.   Heck, I have a 42" Monitor, and it still isn't wide enough.

Bruce.

[Cadman-iac]

Clay,

Mr. Spock says - Scottie cana-do-it Captain.
Why, he has his foot on the brake.

I have also seen the normal responses truncated into shorter lines, and resulting in a skinnier paragraph, filling maybe a quarter of the page width.

I agree, it's a pain with bifocals to read that far right, scrolling back to the left to find that you don't remember which is the next lower line should start.

Have fun,
Steve B.

 That's my problem, I'm looking through trifocals, and half the time I'm cross-eyed after a couple hours of looking at my phone, and that's with things in a somewhat normal screen.

 Rick

[TJ Hopland]

I just tried using the link tool with a really long URL and not entering anything in the description box.  It still screws up the width so you really want to enter something if its long.

CLC Home Page

CLC Store

[Lexi]

Clay,

Mr. Spock says - Scottie cana-do-it Captain.
Why, he has his foot on the brake.
Have fun,
Steve B.

It's all in the "Dilithium Crystals", in the engine room! Clay/Lexi

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

It's happening on this thread. I give up on threads when this happens.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

It's happening on this thread. I give up on threads when this happens.

It is okay down here, and when I narrow the page, it narrows as well.

Bruce.