Can't insert a link - something's broken

1. 39

   Writer Foxposted 13 years ago

   I'm trying to insert a link on my profile page to my Google+ page.  The link insertion feature in the "edit" mode now has a list of HubPages to link to, that wasn't there a few days ago.  When I insert the link I want, save, and view, the link goes to a weird message that says "no Amazon, did you mean Amazon.com."  Can anyone explain this and tell me what to do about it?  Google+ doesn't have anything to do with Amazon.

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      Robinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      You beat me to it, Cags.   I just added a link to my profile and it worked fine.  We provide you with suggested links, but if none of them apply then you have the option of inserting your own link into the box.

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   2. 0

      SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I just added a RedGage link on my profile using Google Chrome.  It worked with no problem at all.
      
      Came back to edit.  I tried to re-add my Google+ and though it seems to work, once you save it and view the profile it changes to amazon. Not amazon.com, just plain amazon.

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   3. 0

      SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Here is what I ended up doing.  The link I used is https://plus.google.com/?rel=author
      
      You should be able to use that link also.

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2. 70

   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   Hey Writer Fox,
   
   You should be able to insert your Google+ link as an embedded link.
   
   Put the words "Google+" into your profile, then "highlight" them and click on the "chain-link" icon to the left of the "broken-chain link" icon. When the window pops up in front of you, use the top white box to insert the URL.
   
   Then save it.

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3. 39

   Writer Foxposted 13 years ago

   I just tried it again and it is still not working.  I do it the same way I have always linked to something – the same way Cagsil explained.
   
   This is what I get when I post and click on the link:
   
   Oops!  Google Chrome could not find amazon.  Did you mean: amazon.com
   So, of course, I go in again, edit, and remove the link.
   
   HELP!
   
   Has anyone actually tried to post in link in the past 24 hours?

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      Robinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I just inserted a link right before I responded.  What browser are you using and I'll try in that browser.

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         Writer Foxposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         The browser I am using is Chrome.

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            IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Aaaah you were too quick for me, Writer Fox! We cross-posted

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         IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Pssst..Robin, I think it might be Chrome?
         
         Hint: "Oops!  Google Chrome could not find amazon."

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      3. 0

         SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I put RedGage on my profile and it worked great.  Google+ does not work.  You add it in and save it but then it shows as http://AMAZON  Nothing to do with Google+.  I also tried 4 different browsers and they all did the same.

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4. 39

   Writer Foxposted 13 years ago

   Izzy - you really are a night owl.  I just checked the time of day in Spain!
   
   I also tried Firefox, and HubPages wouldn't except my sign in from that brower.  Yes, I signed out first, changed browsers and couldn't get anywhere.

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   1. 82

      IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Try re-booting your computer.
      Just power down as normal, wait about 3 minutes for the computer memory to clear itself, and then start again.
      Sometimes computers get a little confused (just like us!)
      
      Oh and its only 20 past midnight, but I have seen me still online at 9am from an all-nighter. I like the quiet of the night - that plus my internet access is always faster at night when everyone else has logged off and gone to sleep!

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5. 39

   Writer Foxposted 13 years ago

   Here's the latest:  I can post a link for anything, except my Google+ page.  Does it have something to do with the fact that the URL has too many numbers?  Could someone else try to link to this URL with this anchor text: Google+:
   https://plus.google.com/112916843659539634920
   
   If you could try this, it would really help.  Of course, you can remove the link immediately after the test. 
   
   I sent an e-mail to HubPages contact. . . no reply yet.

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   1. 82

      IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Try putting in ?rel=author at the end of that line.

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         Writer Foxposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Just tried that, IzzyM, didn't work.  This is what I got when I posted the link and then clicked on it:
         
         Oops! Google Chrome could not find amazon
         Did you mean: amazon.­com
         
         Could you, PLEASE, try posting on one of your pages just to see if it works?  Edit, save, then click and see what you get.  Then, of course, go back in and remove it from your page.

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            IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I'm now glad I didn't after seeing what happened to SirDent.
            
            There does seem to be an issue here and hopefully hubstaff will look at it and find a fix if the link SirDent posted doesn't work.

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            1. 0

               SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               The link I used only takes me to my google+ page.  If you go to my profile and click the same link it will take you to yours I think.  Someone could try it and find out and let us know.

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6. 0

   SirDentposted 13 years ago

   Tried it in 3 different browsers and none work.  Always end up with the same thing.

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7. 0

   SirDentposted 13 years ago

   Now I tried it in Firefox.  Same thing.

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8. 70

   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   Got it!
   
   https://plus.google.com/?hl=en-US/rel=a … +Choiniere
   
   Enter it just like this, but with your Google+ name.

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      SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Clicking this link takes me to my own feed page.  Is it possible that it is messed up on Google's end?

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9. 70

   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   Just played around with it and figured out how to hyperlink to my own Google+ account.
   
   The link I provide brings you directly to my stream. I have left it on my profile.
   
   
   Edit: I am using Google Chrome.

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   1. 77

      Rising Carenposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'm sorry to disappoint you. I clicked on the link and it didn't take me to your google plus stream. It took me to mine. I think it just defaults to your own login.

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         Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Okay

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            Rising Carenposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I think the only way you can link to your own page is by using the ugly link: https://plus.google.com/103818955901651134745/

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               Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               And, the profile changes that link.

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10. 82

    Pcunixposted 13 years ago

    I don't know why you are having a problem.  I have it on my profile and had no issue.
    
    Has HP changed something?

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       Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Hey PC, instead of asking why people are having problems, maybe you could assist.

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          Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          I'm sorry - I was wondering if something had changed.  I see now that you were doing it wrong and realize that now.
          
          As I have annoyed you yet again by asking a simple question, I will try harder in the future never to do that.  These text bits are so expensive, I can see why you are so touchy.

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             Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             Hey PC, it has nothing to do with being touchy. It has to do with you asking foolish questions instead of helping out. I went to your profile and clicked on your link and it brought me to you on Google, however, when putting in the same link, but with MY Google+ numbers and putting ?rel=author at the end, it doesn't work.

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             1. 82

                Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                Which doesn't make sense.  Did you "View Source" on mine to see if you really did do it the right way?
                
                I asked if anything changed because I know you are not clueless and I assume you did just what I did,  it worked when I did it.
                
                I can't look at your source from here with my iPad but you can see mine.

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                1. 70

                   Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                   Google Chrome right click is "inspect element"? is it the same as view source? I assume it is because it brings me to the code underlying your link.
                   
                   I mean, if that entire line needs to be as it appears in your "source", then yes there would be a huge difference compared to what has been tried. But, that's what I thought "chain" link icon did? It inserted the remaining part of the source, as the highlighted "words" being used.
                   
                   So, it doesn't make any sense why yours is still working, but whenever anyone else puts in their code, as your is only "https://plus.google.com/####################?rel=author" it switches it over to "http://AMAZON" for some odd reason.

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                   1. 82

                      Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                      No, inspect element is not view source, but if you can see that the link is wrong, you have the problem.
                      
                      But you are putting it in correctly so again, I wonder .
                      
                      Do you have any Chrome extensions that could be munging this?
                      
                      I HATE extensions!

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                Rising Carenposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                To be fair, you didn't have your google plus numbers when I clicked on your link in your profile page.
                
                https://plus.google.com/103818955901651 … rel=author
                
                ^ works fine

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11. 82

    IzzyMposted 13 years ago

    Don't you still have to enable something over at Google+ too? It's been a while since I set it up..

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       Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       For authorship, yes, but not for the link to work.

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12. 0

    SirDentposted 13 years ago

    Mine was working until I tried to figure out why it wouldn't work for Writer Fox.  I tried it in Chrome, IE, Safari and Firefox.  I just tried again in Chrome and it didn't work.

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13. 77

    Rising Carenposted 13 years ago

    Worst comes to worst, that's what url shorteners are for.
    
    There's already one just for that, call "gplus.to"

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14. 84

    ezhangposted 13 years ago

    I'm confirming that this is a bug. We'll look into it.

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    1. 0

       SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Thank you very much. 

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       Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Ahh. So it is HP.

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15. 82

    Pcunixposted 13 years ago

    Just wondering out loud.. as Cags kept seeing messages about "Amazon", could this have something to do with the program changes supposed to be happening real soon now?
    
    A little coding gone awry?

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16. 39

    Writer Foxposted 13 years ago

    Problem Solved
    Yes, the problem is with HubPages, but I found a way to circumvent that might help other uses until HubPages solves the problem.
    
    What I did was go into TinyUrl.com, create a new Url for my Google+ page, insert that link on my HubPages profile with 'Google+' as the anchor test, and it's working!
    
    Thank you to everyone who contributed their help for this problem.  I have yet to hear from HubPages support.  I'm new here:  Is that normal for HubPages!

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       Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Maybe.  Like most organizations today, they seem to be lean on staff.  Somebody is looking at the problem might be all you ever get.  I think something as important as that will get escalated, but lesser things might end up on the bottom of a long, long list.
       
       Clever circumvention, btw!

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       SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Awesome!!!   Thanks and good job figuring it out. 

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17. 82

    IzzyMposted 13 years ago

    I love people that think laterally and find solutions.
    
    Emm...that's it.
    
    I was going to ask you how to fix a problem with my grass box cutter (lawn-mower grass box to those of us from the UK) but decided not to ask.
    
    Stupid questions deserve stupid answers, so I'm going back to my corner now
    
    Well done on thinking a solution all the same. Better than I could have done

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       SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       What is your grass box cutter not doing?

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          IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Ha! You took the bait!
          
          Actually it's only the box, which is detachable from the machine.
          
          By some stupid design, it attaches to the machine through plastic moulds cut out to leave small strips of plastic that hook onto the mower.
          
          Three of them now have broken, all this year. Rats, wear and tear, dogs, cats, who knows, but I am looking, and thinking, when the 4th one goes, I can't use this machine.
          
          Have checked on the company's website and no they don't sell the grass boxes on their own.
          
          You have to buy a new mower.
          
          Which s stupid but then again, what can I do about it?
          
          I'm thinking there must be some way I can weld a metal strip or some kind of reinforcement.
          
          I've never been one to think this hard, but I'm trying...
          
          Anyway you don't have to answer, it's just another of the daft things that have driven me mental in life.

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             SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             Is the box you speak of for catching grass clippings?

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                IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                The exact same one. Just a square plastic box that probably doesn't cost any more than a couple of dollars, if you could buy it separately.

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                   SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                   Can't you mow grass without it?  If not, could you possibly go to a machine shop and have them fabricate you some new brackets?

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                      IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                      Yes I can mow lawn without it, but it kinda defeats the whole purpose, as I only grew a lawn for the grass clippings (compost).
                      
                      I'm sure there must be some bright spark around can fix it, so yes there probably is a shop I can take it to, who will relieve me of a month's HP earning for the privilege.
                      
                      I did say I was on a plunged account, didn't I?
                      
                      No, I reckon I can fix this.
                      
                      I had a similar problem recently with another garden 'part' and a brainwave hit me one night on how to solve that particular problem.
                      
                      I was out there with my tape measure and about to take measurements when I realised it was fixed already.
                      
                      My lodger had just stolen the needed part from one of the many houses round here that have repossessed by the bank and which are destined now to lie empty forever anyway.
                      
                      Unfortunately, none of them have a lawn area to help me this time.

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                         SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                         Yes, I know you are in the plunge still.  I feel bad about that for you too and wish there was something I could do to help with that. 
                         
                         Well, I tried to help with your mower.  I could probably fix it if you ship it to me.   

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                         1. 82

                            IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                            What a lovely thing to say!
                            
                            Of course I'm not going to ship it your way, but I deeply appreciate the offer

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18. 39

    Writer Foxposted 13 years ago

    Here's an update.  I received this e-mail from HubPages support:
    
    
    Hello,
    
    Thanks for letting us know about this bug. Our engineers spent the weekend trying to resolve this issue, and believe they have figured it out. The fix should go out by the end of the day. I apologize for the confusion this error may have caused. Please let us know if you have any questions.

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       SirDentposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       I got a similar email yesterday.  I just tried to add my Gooogle+ profile link and it still doesn't work.

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          Writer Foxposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Wow!  I guess the weekend just wasn't long enough to fix the problem.  Thanks for letting everyone know.  I'm sticking with the 'tinyurl.com' solution because that link is working.

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