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put a link in board description? (newbie)

Started by brynn, April 26, 2013, 12:24:34 AM

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brynn

Hi Friends,
Another newbie Q  :)

I've searched Online Manual, FAQs, and the forum, but haven't found anything.  I wonder if it's possible to put a text link in the board description?  Let's say for example, a board titled "Support for whatever" with a description "Post here if you need support with whatever.  Please read this before posting".  Is it possible to make a text link on the word "this"  (or any text in the description)?

If so, how?

Thanks for your help  :)


Colin

Nah, you can just used HTML in the board description.

Here is how to make a link

<a href="mywebsiteiamlinkingtohere.com">The text I want displayed here</a>
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking." - Gen. George S. Patton Jr.

Colin

brynn

Oh ok!  Thanks guys  :)

I know basic HTML, but hardly understand PHP at all.  I thought since the forum code was in PHP, I might have to use PHP.  But I can do HTML.

The mod looks interesting as well.  I'm still plowing through the Mod Site, but I'll definitely put that on my list.

Thanks again  :D

lurkalot

Quote from: brynn on April 26, 2013, 12:24:34 AM
Hi Friends,
Another newbie Q  :)

I've searched Online Manual, FAQs, and the forum, but haven't found anything.  I wonder if it's possible to put a text link in the board description?  Let's say for example, a board titled "Support for whatever" with a description "Post here if you need support with whatever.  Please read this before posting".  Is it possible to make a text link on the word "this"  (or any text in the description)?

If so, how?

Thanks for your help  :)

Wouldn't it be easier to just write a post "Please read this before posting" and sticky it to the top of that support board.  Like they do on here. ;)

Colin

Just FYI,

PHP is a server-side language so any output is in HTML or another client-side language. :).
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking." - Gen. George S. Patton Jr.

Colin

brynn

Quote from: Colin on April 26, 2013, 03:05:26 AM
Just FYI,

PHP is a server-side language so any output is in HTML or another client-side language. :).
Oooohh!  Yeah, this is me dipping my toe into the "back end" for the first time.  I've been learning so much, and still have so very much more to learn.  But that little nugget will probably prove very helpful through my learning process  ;)

Could I ask a follow up question to that?  What circumstance creates the need for a server-side language, that is different from the html client side language.  I know there are many code languages, for many different purposes.  But why can't it all be html?  Or if it could just as well be html, why does SMF choose to use PHP?

Thank you very much  :)

Hi lurkalot.  Yes, that's exactly what the link will go to.  I just want to make it as easy to find as possible.  Thanks again  :D

Kays

Hi, unlike a html page which is static and could only be one file. Message boards are dynamic with multiple pages each of which could change from view to view. So a sever side language is used to grab the data from the database and load the appropriate files to put the page together and then serve that as an html page.

So unless you need to be going into a file to edit it. Most of what you see and get to play with as an admin is the html part of it.

If at first you don't succeed, use a bigger hammer. If that fails, read the manual.
My Mods

Colin

Another easy way to conceptualize it is, how do you process data from a form with HTML. Well, you can't, that is where a server side language comes into play.

Why PHP?
It is open source, widely used and supported.
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking." - Gen. George S. Patton Jr.

Colin

brynn

Thank you Kays.  I understand and that makes sense enough, for me, at this time.

Colin, I thought the browser's job is to translate the HTML, to show me the page.  Does the browser use PHP to make the translation?


Arantor

The server uses PHP to generate the HTML which gets sent to the browser.

brynn

Ooohh, I see, Arantor.  So the HTML can either come from the PHP, or I can add it in here and there, myself, sometimes?

Ok, well thanks everyone.  I certainly have my answer, plus another little tidbit or 2 of info, that I can use as I continue to learn.

Thank you all so much!

Solved  :)

Arantor

QuoteSo the HTML can either come from the PHP, or I can add it in here and there, myself, sometimes?

Depends what you mean. PHP will process the instructions it's given. Some of those include outputting HTML stored in the database.

HTML is just a language for taking ordinary text and adding instructions for display into it, nothing more. You can't make a form work in just HTML, you have to do something with it, and in SMF terms, that HTML will pass the data to PHP to do something with it and usually spit an answer back in HTML - it'll combine all the instructions it's given, all the details of a theme and its templates and figure out what HTML to return in response.

brynn

Ok, thanks Arantor.  I still have much to learn, so let's leave it at that.  And topic solved  :)

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