Author Topic: Shrinking Very Long Website Links  (Read 52895 times)

Offline trystan

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Shrinking Very Long Website Links
« on: Tuesday 28 February 06 22:24 GMT (UK) »
Shrinking Very Long Website Links

We've put together a little tool to shrink down very long website links. You can use the tool at:

www.rootschat.com/links

Example
For example the rather long cryptic link:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=635500&Y=260500&A=Y&Z=3

Can be shrunken down to:
www.rootschat.com/links/02n/

Why bother?
You may wonder why bother shrinking down links? An advantage is that sometimes a very long link will make topics on RootsChat go very "wide". By shrinking it, the link will fit in your postings.
You can also use this utility for posting links to others in emails. Sometimes some email programs can break a very long website link in two.

Some people may have other sites/utilites that shrink links in a similar way. The difficulty is though is that when the links "break" we have no means of correcting them. We also don't know how long these site/utilities will work for. With the RootsChat Links tool, when a link does break, we can go in and try and fix them or work out why they no longer work.

Where can I use them?
You can use the RootsChat Links tool not just for links to post on RootsChat, but on other sites, in your emails, personal messages, or even in writing.

How do I use it?
To shrink a long link, go to:
www.rootschat.com/links

Put the long website link in the box and click "Shrink Link" - that's it.
A page will appear and tell you the shrunken link for the long one you put in.


Shrink Button: You can also add a handy button to your "Links Toolbar" to automatically shrink links down whenever you are on a site. Details on how to set this up are on the www.rootschat.com/links page. Once you have set this up, just click the "RootsChat.com Links" button on your browser, and it will shrink it for you.

www.rootschat.com/links



Hope you find it useful. :)
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Offline MarieC

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Re: Shrinking Very Long Website Links
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 01 March 06 04:59 GMT (UK) »
That's great Trystan - it will be really useful!!  ;D  ;D

Could you sticky it in the Common Room - please, pretty please??  Then we can all get to it if we need it, and newbies will see it too. 

Hopefully

MarieC
Census information is Crown copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Martins in London and Wales, Lockwoods in Yorkshire, Hartleys in London, Lichfield and Brighton, Hubands and Smiths in Ireland, Bentleys in London and Yorkshire, Denhams in Somerset, Scoles in London, Meyers in London, Cooks in Northumberland

Offline liverpool annie

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Re: Shrinking Very Long Website Links
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 01 March 06 05:53 GMT (UK) »


Thanks Trystan!

I got rid of "Tiny" and changed to "Small" already!!  :P :P

Annie  :) :)
Cooper : Muels : Howarth : Every : Price : King

http://web.archive.org/web/20130407030702/http://www.freewebs.com/liverpoolannie

http://web.archive.org/web/20130407191115/http://manchestersoldiers.webs.com

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Offline Arranroots

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Re: Shrinking Very Long Website Links
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 01 March 06 08:08 GMT (UK) »
This is a great idea!

I can't get the button onto my toolbar however - HELP!!

Using IE v6

Get stuck at the bit where it says "hit OK" - does this mean ENTER or ??  Nothing happens.  Can't have Tiny on toolbar either.

The weakest link is the operator!!

Arranroots  ;)
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOM: BIRD, BURT aka BROWN - HEF: BAUGH, LATHAM, CARTER, PRITCHARD - GLS: WEBB, WORKMAN, LATHAM, MALPUS - WIL: WEBB, SALTER - RAD: PRITCHARD, WILLIAMS - GLA: RYAN, KEARNEY, JONES, HARRY - MON: WEBB, MORGAN, WILLIAMS, JONES, BIRD - SCOTLAND: HASTINGS, CAMERON, KELSO, BUCHANAN, BETHUNE/ BEATON - IRELAND: RYAN (WATERFORD), KEARNEY (DUBLIN), BOYLE(DUNDALK)


Offline trystan

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Re: Shrinking Very Long Website Links
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 01 March 06 18:35 GMT (UK) »
Arranroots,

I think it's "Yes" you need to press, not "OK" that it says in the instructions. What step have you got up to?

Trystan  ;)

Internet Explorer: Users who use Internet Explorer may find that, clicking and dragging of the 'javascript' link above does not work. Adding a button to Internet Explorer can be done by:
1) Right-Click the link (with your right mouse button) and select "Add to Favorites..." from the menu.
2) Click "OK" if a security warning appears (this shows up because the link uses javscript).
3) Now select the folder called "Links" and then click OK. You should now see the "RootsChat Links" on your links toolbar as a buttton, if not, see the last paragraph above.
PS If he folder called "Links" is not there, then click the "Create in >>>" button) and create one called "Links"
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Offline Arranroots

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Re: Shrinking Very Long Website Links
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 01 March 06 18:39 GMT (UK) »
Hi Trystan

Step (3)  - I highlight the folder to select it and then...

sorry to be dense, but couldn't get it to work!!  ::) :P

p.s. have just been using it successfully though!

Arranroots  ;)
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOM: BIRD, BURT aka BROWN - HEF: BAUGH, LATHAM, CARTER, PRITCHARD - GLS: WEBB, WORKMAN, LATHAM, MALPUS - WIL: WEBB, SALTER - RAD: PRITCHARD, WILLIAMS - GLA: RYAN, KEARNEY, JONES, HARRY - MON: WEBB, MORGAN, WILLIAMS, JONES, BIRD - SCOTLAND: HASTINGS, CAMERON, KELSO, BUCHANAN, BETHUNE/ BEATON - IRELAND: RYAN (WATERFORD), KEARNEY (DUBLIN), BOYLE(DUNDALK)

Offline trystan

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Re: Shrinking Very Long Website Links
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 01 March 06 18:48 GMT (UK) »
Do you see something like below at all?

A "Links" thing to the right hand side of Internet Explorer?  You should be able to drag or move it it to reveal the buttons.

Send RootsChat a postcard:
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Admin Tip: Forgotten your Username or Password and would like to reply to one of these messages?  CLICK HERE to get a reminder.
AOL Users: You may need to 'cut and paste' any links you get in emails for them to work.

Offline Lloydy

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Re: Shrinking Very Long Website Links
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 01 March 06 18:50 GMT (UK) »
Very useful Trystan, thanks very much ;).....and I have successfully added it to my toolbar (amazing really ;D).

Jan
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Bennett, Owen, Owens, Hudson, Crisp, Challinor/Challoner/Chaloner, Lewis, James, Richards, Simon, Mills, Evans, Trow, Davies, Turner, Beaton/Betton, Lloyd, Jenkins, Evans.....and a ton of JONES!!!!

TROW From Wales to New Zealand

Offline Arranroots

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Re: Shrinking Very Long Website Links
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 01 March 06 19:34 GMT (UK) »
Hurray!

After a bit of jiggling I got the LINKS toolbar to appear as shown above.

I could then drag the icon to that Toolbar as suggested.

Thanks for making it simple for me!!

;)
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOM: BIRD, BURT aka BROWN - HEF: BAUGH, LATHAM, CARTER, PRITCHARD - GLS: WEBB, WORKMAN, LATHAM, MALPUS - WIL: WEBB, SALTER - RAD: PRITCHARD, WILLIAMS - GLA: RYAN, KEARNEY, JONES, HARRY - MON: WEBB, MORGAN, WILLIAMS, JONES, BIRD - SCOTLAND: HASTINGS, CAMERON, KELSO, BUCHANAN, BETHUNE/ BEATON - IRELAND: RYAN (WATERFORD), KEARNEY (DUBLIN), BOYLE(DUNDALK)