Why does the hyperlink button create a hyperlink in that format?

[Pmalek]

There is probably a logical reason, but my brain is in sleep mode, so I have to ask... When we click on the hyperlink button, why is it inserted as

Code:

[url][/url]

To create a proper hyperlink, we need to change the above code and place a = in the url brackets to get

Code:

[url=link]

For example:

Code:

[url=https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=24.0]

The 2nd step is to add the anchor text between the brackets.

Code:

[url=https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=24.0]anchor text here[/url]

It is probably something that can't be changed and is a functionality of SMF, but why was it created that way?

Posting a link like this, https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=24.0 or inserting a hyperlink does the exact same thing.

Code:

[url]https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=24.0[/url]

Can this be changed so that when clicking on the hyperlink button we get this instead?

Code:

[url=][/url]

Someone who comes to the forum for the first time and hasn't used a similar forum in the past, doesn't know how to use the hyperlink option properly.

 

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[mk4]

I agree that adding the '=' might help the BBCode beginners understand things easier, but I don't see this as something major. But if it isn't difficult to change, then why not?

Posting a link like this, https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=24.0 or inserting a hyperlink does the exact same thing.

Code:

[url]https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=24.0[/url]

Because the URL BBCode is made to be used with an anchor text.

[jackg]

Do newbies not just copy and paste links themselves on their own and rely on the post interpreter to manage it?

I don't think anyone's actively looked for an insert link button without already being familiar with bbcode.

It might be an idea to get an anchor button though...?

[Pmalek]

Because the URL BBCode is made to be used with an anchor text.

That is true, but clicking on the hyperlink button doesn't bring clarity where the link or anchor text is supposed to go.

All we get is this:

Code:

[url][/url]

We need to edit the result in the way I explained in OP to post a hyperlink with anchor text properly.

Other buttons, like the insert image or insert quote don't require any editing. You just place what you need in between the brackets.

Code:

[img][/img]
or
[quote][/quote]

Why should there be a need to edit the hyperlink code?

This would be clearer and quicker to edit:

Code:

[url=link here]anchor text here[/url]

It might be an idea to get an anchor button though...?

What would the anchor button do?

[actmyname]

It might be an idea to get an anchor button though...?

What would the anchor button do?

This.

Click here

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⚓They can be used to create table of contents and indexes in posts. Example thread: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=990345.0

[Lucius]

But if it isn't difficult to change, then why not?

If there is no technical limitation regarding the version of the forum we use, then it would be very easy to change - but maybe there is a reason why it is exactly as it is. If we look from a security perspective, it's good to know how to set up a hyperlink correctly, because some bad users would like to hide their bad links that way - but they don't know how.

If you want to find out how someone did something in their post - just click on quote and you get the post the way the poster itself saw it before posting.

[tbct_mt2]

That is true, but clicking on the hyperlink button doesn't bring clarity where the link or anchor text is supposed to go.

I did not know how to quote, how to add anchor to hyperlink but it is not an impossible discovery task. I did not notice and care about how to do that, it is a shameful acknowledgement.

When merit system was on, I paid more attention on posts of others and look at text inside quotes when I quote. Finally, I know how to do that and I made the topic Guideline on posting images (with size adjustments), hyperlinks. It was made on May 2018, 4 months after merit system was on.

Anchors help to help readers guess on what hyperlink presents. If I leave hyperlink to your topic as https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5275075.0, no one can guess what your topic is about.

[Peanutswar]

On using the format of

Code:

[url][/url]

You will directly send the user into the specific link which doesn't need any alternate text
e.g
google.com

With the use of

Code:

[url=][/url]

You are using the same as

Code:

[url][/url]

but with the use of the attribute which is "="/"url=" it will set as the anchor and you will need to include the alternate text.

e.g
Click here to direct on google.

[Pmalek]

some bad users would like to hide their bad links that way - but they don't know how.

They can find out how after a 10 seconds search on a search engine. I don't think that is the reason the code is the way it is.
@Peanutswar
You seem to have missed my point. I know how to place a hyperlink. This is not about that. I am asking why the hyperlink code is inserted in a format that requires editing when all other buttons have the correct format?

[actmyname]

I am asking why the hyperlink code is inserted in a format that requires editing when all other buttons have the correct format?

Because you can do things like google.com whereas plaintext google.com doesn't give you a link.

Or, alternatively, you could wrap the url around a javascript injection... would be a transparent way of letting people see it.

[Pmalek]

I am asking why the hyperlink code is inserted in a format that requires editing when all other buttons have the correct format?

Because you can do things like google.com whereas plaintext google.com doesn't give you a link.

I wanted to bump this thread and saw your post.

How did you get the hyperlink google.com? You had to click the insert hyperlink button that gave you this:

Code:

[url][/url]

After that you had to add the = sign followed by the link to get this:

Code:

[url=][/url]

Why can't the equal sign be there from the start, that's all I am asking?

[actmyname]

Why can't the equal sign be there from the start, that's all I am asking?

Defaulting to show the link as-is vs. being able to redirect any text via the = affix. Better for transparency to default without any text transformation.

Example: I want to show someone a website. I link [url]google.com[/url].
Example: I want to show someone a thread on BCT, but the URL is very long. [url=https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5275075.0]Thread Title[/url](I note that the bbcode automatically changes the [url=http://<regularLink>]<regularLink>[/url] into [url=http://regularLink]<regularLink>[/url] once you have it in the right format.)