HTML Links
Links, otherwise known as hyperlinks, are defined using the <*a> tag - otherwise known as the anchor element.
To create a hyperlink, you use the a tag in conjunction with the href attribute (*href stands for Hypertext Reference). The value of the href attribute is the URL, or, location of where the link is pointing to.
Example HTML Code:
This results in:
Visit the DK Dashing Blog
Hypertext references can use absolute URLS, relative URLs, or root relative URLs.
absolute This refers to a URL where the full path is provided. For example, http://dkdashinghtml1.blogspot.com/ relative This refers to a URL where only the path, relative to the current location, is provided. For example, if we want to reference the http://dkdashinghtml1.blogspot.com/ URL, and our current location is http://dkdashinghtml1.blogspot.com/, we would use tutorial/index.cfm
root relative.
This refers to a URL where only the path, relative to the domain's root, is provided. For example, if we want to reference the http://dkdashinghtml1.blogspot.com/ URL, and the current location is http://dkdashinghtml1.blogspot.com/, we would use /html/tutorial/index.cfm. The forward slash indicates the domain's root. This way, no matter where your file is located, you can always use this method to determine the path, even if you don't know what the domain name will eventually be.
A hyperlink (or link) is a word, group of words, or image that you can click on to jump to a new document or a new section within the current document.
When you move the cursor over a link in a Web page, the arrow will turn into a little hand.
Links are specified in HTML using the <*a> tag.
The <*a> tag can be used in two ways:
1. To create a link to another document, by using the href attribute
2. To create a bookmark inside a document, by using the name attribute
Link Targets
You can nominate whether to open the URL in a new window or the current window. You do this with the target attribute. For example, target="_blank" opens the URL in a new window.
The target attribute can have the following possible values:
| _blank | Opens the URL in a new browser window. |
| _self | Loads the URL in the current browser window. |
| _parent | Loads the URL into the parent frame (still within the current browser window). This is only applicable when using frames. |
| _top | Loads the URL in the current browser window, but cancelling out any frames. Therefore, if frames were being used, they aren't any longer. |
Named Anchors
You can make your links "jump" to other sections within the same page. You do this with named anchors.
To use named anchors, you need to create two pieces of code - one for the hyperlink (this is what the user will click on), and one for the named anchor (this is where they will end up).
This page uses a named anchor. I did this by performing the steps below:
1. I created the named anchor first (where the user will end up)
Example HTML Code:
2. I then created the hyperlink (what the user will click on). This is done by linking to the name of the named anchor. You need to preceed the name with a hash (#) symbol.
Example HTML Code:
Results
When you click on the above link, this page should jump up to the "Link Targets" section (above). You can either use your back button, or scroll down the page to get back here.
You're back? Good, now lets move on to email links.
Email Links
You can create a hyperlink to an email address. To do this, use the mailto attribute in your anchor tag.
Example HTML Code:
Results
Clicking on this link should result in your default email client opening up with the email address already filled out.
You can go a step further than this. You can auto-complete the subject line for your users, and even the body of the email. You do this appending subject and body parameters to the email address.
Example HTML Code:
Results
Base href
You can specify a default URL for all links on the page to start with. You do this by placing the base tag (in conjunction with the href attribute) in the document's head.
Example HTML Code:
Links are found in nearly all Web pages. Links allow users to click their way from page to page.
A hyperlink (or link) is a word, group of words, or image that you can click on to jump to a new document or a new section within the current document.
When you move the cursor over a link in a Web page, the arrow will turn into a little hand.
Links are specified in HTML using the <*a> tag.
The <*a> tag can be used in two ways:
1. To create a link to another document, by using the href attribute
2. To create a bookmark inside a document, by using the name attribute
Basic Notes - Useful Tips
Note: Always add a trailing slash to subfolder references. If you link like this: href="http://dkdashinghtml1.blogspot.com/", you will generate two requests to the server, the server will first add a slash to the address, and then create a new request like this: href="http://dkdashinghtml1.blogspot.com/".
Tip: Named anchors are often used to create "table of contents" at the beginning of a large document. Each chapter within the document is given a named anchor, and links to each of these anchors are put at the top of the document.
Tip: If a browser does not find the named anchor specified, it goes to the top of the document. No error occurs.
