1

Is there a quick and dirty way of providing hyperlinks consisting of a word or two, rather than by copying and pasting an entire web address? I'm feeling really inferior for not knowing how to do this. I've clicked on the MS question mark to get help, but I find MS's explanations to be unclear and confusing. I envy how more-experienced contributors simply insert the word here, allowing readers to click on that word and be magically transported to the website to which the word provides a link.

I'm by no means computer savvy, as you can tell, but I'm not a complete doofus, either. Any takers out there who deign to help an old geezer? I promise to "pay it forward!"

3
  • Are you referring to the special shortcuts SE has created for linking to its own sites? (If not, what do you mean by "hyperlinks consisting of a word or two"?)
    – WendiKidd
    Oct 4, 2013 at 2:44
  • See the question "How do you refer to a hyponym that is the same word as the hypernym?" in the main site. Within the question are the words "But in parts of the US (mainly in the South)" which are a hyperlink to another site where a reader can go for the proof of what has been asserted in the hyperlink. If I were to provide such a link I would need to copy and then paste the complete web address in my question in order to provide a link to the site for those who are reading my question. Moreover, as I've said, many such links are a word or two (and not 10 words in the example I cite).
    – rhetorician
    Oct 4, 2013 at 3:10
  • 1
    rhetorician Ohhhh I misunderstood your request! I thought you already knew how to make a hyperlink that says something different than the web address, and were asking something else. Just a moment and I'll post an answer :)
    – WendiKidd
    Oct 4, 2013 at 3:16

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

So basically what you're wanting to do is post a hyperlink which displays a description of the link (any words you like) rather than the web address string. To do this we have some nifty code:

[Click on this link and it will go to google](http://www.google.com)

You put the text you want to display in the [] square brackets, and in the () parens immediately following you paste the web address.

It'll look like this:

Click on this link and it will go to google

Don't forget the http:// at the start, or the link won't work!

5
  • You can also type Control+L, enter the hyperlink in the dialog box, and then enter the “pretty” text in the brackets it puts into the answer box. (Command+L on Mac.)
    – Bradd Szonye
    Oct 4, 2013 at 6:55
  • @WendiKidd: Thank you very much. I can't wait to try your method! Don
    – rhetorician
    Oct 4, 2013 at 13:25
  • @BraddSzonye: Thanks, Bradd. I appreciate it. It's always good to have a "plan B"! Don
    – rhetorician
    Oct 4, 2013 at 13:28
  • There is also the link button (looks like three links of a chain) above the box where you are typing your answer. That's handy, too.
    – J.R.
    Oct 4, 2013 at 13:51
  • 1
    BTW, it's different in comments; not all the clever hacks work here, but the one @WendiKidd mentioned in the answer still works here.
    – John Lawler
    Oct 7, 2013 at 18:22

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .