Add Trip Reports as Signature

[RB]

I notice that quite a few people have links to their trip reports as their signature. I have tried several times to create something similar with no success. Can someone supply an idiot proof guide?
I tried to follow this but it the way I did it did not seem to work (seemed to become confused that there were multiple items) How to add a description to a URL in your posts?

 

[samh004]

First of all, you need to be at least a Silver member of AFF (yearly fee).

Next, to add a URL with a custom name you need to alter the URL BBCode tags slightly. Usually you would simply paste your URL into a post and it would become clickable: [noparse]http://www.samheathfield.com/[/noparse] becomes Sam Heathfield – dot com. What has happened in this instance is that the forum software has added BBCode tags around my link.

To make the website say whatever we want it to say, we need to alter those BBCode tags somewhat: [noparse]I can add whatever text I want here[/noparse] becomes I can add whatever text I want here.

 

[JohnM]

You do need to be aware that the signature field is limited to (IIRC) 1000 characters, including BB codes. AFF thread links are usually a lot of characters, so you won't be able to fit too many thread links into that 1000 character limit.

The way around that is to use TinyURL, or a similar app, to 'shrink' the URL to about 20-30 characters. Pop that onto your desktop, then just drag and drop it into your signature, edit it into English (either before or after that), and you're done.

 

[RB]

Just checking if I have followed JohnM correctly. Used Google URL shortner

 

[JohnM]

Just checking if I have followed JohnM correctly. Used Google URL shortner

Looks like it - but why not change the displayed name of the shortened URL shortcut with the actual title? Do it under the 'General' tab of the URL's 'Properties'.

 

[RB]

Looks like it - but why not change the displayed name of the shortened URL shortcut with the actual title? Do it under the 'General' tab of the URL's 'Properties'.

From what I can read & with my limited understanding I don't see how I can rename the shortened URL that Google has created-I can't see a general tab?

 

[JohnM]

From what I can read & with my limited understanding I don't see how I can rename the shortened URL that Google has created-I can't see a general tab?

I just put the URL on my desktop as a shortcut. Then you can go to its properties and fiddle away. After that, drag it in its new shortened, descriptive form to the signature field.

eg. take your first link: Put the http://goo/gl/zxedzf on the desktop as a shortcut, then edit the 'General' field under 'Properties' to be '2012 Sri Lanka'. The underlying URL is unchanged and the description itself is now the link - so what you now have as two elements becomes encapsulated in one.

 

[RB]

I just put the URL on my desktop as a shortcut. Then you can go to its properties and fiddle away. After that, drag it in its new shortened, descriptive form to the signature field.

eg. take your first link: Put the http://goo/gl/zxedzf on the desktop as a shortcut, then edit the 'General' field under 'Properties' to be '2012 Sri Lanka'. The underlying URL is unchanged and the description itself is now the link - so what you now have as two elements becomes encapsulated in one.

I will persist & I appreciate your help. Just as a note when I click on your links in your signature they don't take me to the named trip report-that was a problem I was having when I followed the process I linked to in post 1 of this thread

 

[Mattg]

Once you're in "edit signature" mode, simply write the text that you want included in the signature. Then, highlight the bits of text you want to link to each trip report and click on the "link" icon (as shown below). Add the URL, then save. Repeat for each trip report you want linked.

 

[JohnM]

I will persist & I appreciate your help. Just as a note when I click on your links in your signature they don't take me to the named trip report-that was a problem I was having when I followed the process I linked to in post 1 of this thread

Hmmnnn, that's strange. I tested my links (from within any thread, like here) and they all go to the right thread. What happens when you click on them? Maybe I need to get a third party to click on them to check. I'm just in contact with Rooflyer right at the moment so I'll ask him.

 

[Mattg]

Hmmnnn, that's strange. I tested my links (from within any thread, like here) and they all go to the right thread. What happens when you click on them? Maybe I need to get a third party to click on them to check. I'm just in contact with Rooflyer right at the moment so I'll ask him.

Your links all work fine for me.

 

[blackcat20]

Hmmnnn, that's strange. I tested my links (from within any thread, like here) and they all go to the right thread. What happens when you click on them? Maybe I need to get a third party to click on them to check. I'm just in contact with Rooflyer right at the moment so I'll ask him.

They also work fine for me.

 

[RB]

Not sure what is happening (to state the obvious)! :evil: When I click on the reports of blackcat & mattg they work fine but as posted above I see the wrong reports for JohnM.
Thanks MattG, I believe I tried what I think you are suggesting but my trip reports ended up mixed up (perhaps due to spacing or something). Maybe I will just content myself with the half-baked solution I now have after using the Google shortener.
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions

 

[RooFlyer]

Your (JohnM's) links all work fine for me.

For me too.

 

[samh004]

Post this (or you can alter it as you see fit) in your signature box:

[noparse]

Trip Reports: 2015 Europe (Bavaria & Spain) | 2014 Europe (Portugal, Spain, Dolomites) | 2013 Europe (Italian Lakes, Black Forest & Dolomites) | India | 2012 Central Australia | Sri Lanka | 2011 Europe (Holland, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland) | 2010 Alaska & USA

[/noparse]

It will end up looking like this (a bit easier on the eyes):

Trip Reports: 2015 Europe (Bavaria & Spain) | 2014 Europe (Portugal, Spain, Dolomites) | 2013 Europe (Italian Lakes, Black Forest & Dolomites) | India | 2012 Central Australia | Sri Lanka | 2011 Europe (Holland, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland) | 2010 Alaska & USA

 

[RB]

See how we go now. Thank you in anticipation Sam.
Seems to have worked. . Also I have rebooted and the reports of JohnM are now also showing correctly for me! Unfortunately I am a self taught mug with computers but enjoy the general learning that comes with being a member of the forum.

 

[JohnM]

See how we go now. Thank you in anticipation Sam.
Seems to have worked. . Also I have rebooted and the reports of JohnM are now also showing correctly for me! Unfortunately I am a self taught mug with computers but enjoy the general learning that comes with being a member of the forum.

What has impressed me is you seem to have a lot of characters in your signature. Given that BB codes are embedded behind that, you've done well. I had to keep abbreviating my abbreviations and then eventually remove some links to older reports to get it to fit. Somehow I feel I'm being unnecessarily restricted by the 1000 character limit.

It would be good to see the full text and coding for signatures but darned if I can work out how to. Sam, Matt: any suggestions?

 

[amaroo]

What has impressed me is you seem to have a lot of characters in your signature. Given that BB codes are embedded behind that, you've done well. I had to keep abbreviating my abbreviations and then eventually remove some links to older reports to get it to fit. Somehow I feel I'm being unnecessarily restricted by the 1000 character limit.

It would be good to see the full text and coding for signatures but darned if I can work out how to. Sam, Matt: any suggestions?

+ 1 I've had to ditch three TRs because I just can't get them to stick ... just assumed the limit of TRs in the signature was 6.

I haven't used the shrink method ... might have to give that a go. I'm assuming the links I've got down there actually work

 

[RooFlyer]

+ 1 I've had to ditch three TRs because I just can't get them to stick ... just assumed the limit of TRs in the signature was 6.

I haven't used the shrink method ... might have to give that a go. I'm assuming the links I've got down there actual work

+1 +1

Samh004 ..are you offering a contract service for the TR obsessed amongst us :mrgreen:

 

[JohnM]

+ 1 I've had to ditch three TRs because I just can't get them to stick ... just assumed the limit of TRs in the signature was 6.

I haven't used the shrink method ... might have to give that a go. I'm assuming the links I've got down there actually work

I think you'll find it's the 1000 character limit. Look closely when it won't 'stick' and you'll see a fairly cryptic message in tiny font flash up saying the character limit has been exceeded. It took me a while to figure out what was going on.