Getting link to open in new window

1. 82

   WriteAngledposted 13 years ago

   Before, when I placed a link within a text capsule, I had an option of specifying whether the link would open in the same window causing the reader to leave the hub, or in a new window.
   
   This possibility seems to have vanished. What is more, the default is for the link to open in the same window, driving the reader away from my hub.
   
   The only things I see when I edit a link in a text box now is the possibility to search, presumably for another hub, and something called tool tips.
   
   I have no clue what tool tips are. Is this where I am supposed to now do something to make sure the link opens in a new window?

   replyreport
   1. 73

      sofsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I don't remember ever having this option on HP though on other sites you do have the option of having your link open in a new tab. This is one problem HP has not addressed as yet.  I hope my memory is good.

      replyreport
      1. 82

         WriteAngledposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         No, there definitely was such an option before, because I always used it. In fact, the only reason the question came up is because I had to change a link. There are two links in the same capsule. The other, untouched link opens in a new window, the one I had to change now opens in the same window!

         replyreport
2. 0

   Website Examinerposted 13 years ago

   There was another thread on the same issue:
   
   http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/74674
   
   And a hub, although not new:
   
   http://hubpages.com/hub/create_links_th … new_window

   replyreport
   1. 82

      WriteAngledposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Believe it or not, I did search the forum to see if there was anything on this, but did not find the thread.
      
      I disagree with its conclusions. When I read through something with embedded links, I check the links as I go along, to see if there is something in those links I should follow up after I finish reading.
      
      I do right click and select to open in new tab. However, not everyone is aware of this possibility. Also, on occasions, I forget to do this and just click. Personally, I find it really frustrating that I then have to backtrack to the original article and start all over!
      
      The hub link you gave did provide a solution. Thank you! I find it a crying shame though that HP has removed the simple option of doing this from the linking button and is forcing people to open up the HTML editor. One of the selling points of HP for me used to be the fact that HTML was not needed in order to produce a hub to my specifications.

      replyreport
3. 0

   Website Examinerposted 13 years ago

   WriteAngled, although I've never used the previous option to customize how links open, I agree with you. Yes, I posted the link to that hub because it does propose a solution, but that is too complicated for many users - if they are even aware of its existence. The lobbying to get the feature back can begin.

   replyreport
4. 70

   Bill Manningposted 13 years ago

   I make all my external links in my websites open a new window, always. There is no good reason not to.

   replyreport
   1. 59

      recommend1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I disagree, it can irritate the crap out of people if it is overused.  I definately agree if it is a link to something new that might be of passing interest but if it is time for your visitor to leave to go 'onward' then I think they should be let go.  Some Chinese websites can open dozens of new tabs/pages for the most trivial of reasons and it makes them confusing to use and irritates the crap out of me. 
      
      On this point, I want to be able to open pages 'within' my page, in the way a photo opens on a black back-screen, with the click putting them back on the page they came from - ie  if I want to put up a relevant extended explanation of something then clicking the link word opens another page of my  (or other) site within the smaller black box window with a full text explanation in it.  When finished clicking it just removes the black box window.  I know it can be done because this is how images are displayed - unfortunately these things take me weeks to fathom out if I am not led by the hand

      replyreport
      1. 70

         Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Well then we will agree to disagree then.
         
         As for your other point, there is a great flash gallery plugin for wordpress I use, NextGEN Gallery it's called. You click a thumbnail pic and a screen pops up showing all pics in a set on your same window.

         replyreport
5. 76

   wheelinalloverposted 13 years ago

   Thank you for bringing this problem and a solution to my attention. I was not aware either of these things was possible.
   For this reason my writing here has linked only to other hubs. I don't know when I will write a hub which should be linked to somewhere outside hub pages but its good to know it can be done.

   replyreport
6. 71

   Howard S.posted 13 years ago

   I always used that option and thought I was the only one advocating it! There are pros and cons either way, which are irrelevant here. The Advanced option is missed. The HTML option works, but is clunky.
   
   The OP mentioned Tool Tips. Those are the little bubbles of text that may appear when your cursor hovers over text. I use that when the highlighted text doesn't adequately convey what the redirect will show the reader. (I might be able to model one here, but I'd have to use HTML to do that. It's easier for you to just type something in the box and see what it does.)

   replyreport
   1. 82

      WriteAngledposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Ah thank you for clarifying! I can't say I've ever noticed a hub with tool tips on it. I don't think I'll need to use them given there is no limit on the length of anchor text.

      replyreport
      1. 71

         Howard S.posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         It's not self-promotional if I'm being asked:
         http://hubpages.com/hub/1981-Celica-Convertible
         
         There's one about half-way down, but the last paragraph contains an excellent example. Most people don't know what autocrossing is, or even whether they want to know what it is. The tool tip says it's "weekend racing on a budget." If that's all you need to know, then you don't need to follow the link. Many of my hubs have tool tips--I refuse to rewrite the text to clarify the link. I also don't like to see long links.

         replyreport
7. 82

   WriteAngledposted 13 years ago

   I see, thank you, Howard S.
   
   Otherwise, I just looked again and the Advanced option was available. Must have been a glitch or the Hubgods playing games...

   replyreport
   1. 71

      Howard S.posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not seeing the Advanced option. Maybe you turned off the new text editor option in your profile settings. I believe it would have that effect.

      replyreport
8. 0

   Website Examinerposted 13 years ago

   Recommend1, I had been speculating if the change to the new editor was made deliberately, as a way to enhance link quality from the search engines' perspective.

   replyreport
   1. 59

      recommend1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Many of the changes seem to be about setting up the linking correctly, as in meaningfully.  As HP seems to have been set up in a manner that ITSELF used the 'loads of any kind of link' SEO that was the main target of the Panda thingy, this kind of change is inevitable - late but . . .

      replyreport
9. 85

   rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago

   I checked some of my hubs with external links, and they open in a new window. Are you saying this change now happens with newly published hubs?
   
   nice, thank you for explaining.

   replyreport