Easier Way to Perma-link To a Post (Jump to the post)

[eyeRmonkey]

It would be awesome if there was an easier way to get the URL to a thread that directly jumps to a post. I'm not referring to the link in the top left of every post (where the post # is). That link opens the post in a new window. I am talking about the URL that jumps you directly to the post BUT shows the whole thread still. Like right after you reply to a thread, you jump down to the anchor of the reply you just made.

Sometimes when I want to do a URL like that I have to make a post (so I can remember the format of the URL) then I have to figure out the post # of the post I want and then I have to plug in all the right #s where they belong.

The URL format looks like this:

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?p=2208351#post2208351post2208351

Where as if I just clicked the link in the top left of a post the format looks like this:

http://www.vbforums.com/showpost.php?p=2208351&postcount=1

[si_the_geek]

Unfortunately the showpost page cannot show the thread, so you need to use the thread address, combined with the post anchor (#post2208351), eg:

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=366148#post2208351

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure there's no other way to do it.

[eyeRmonkey]

I'm not sure what you meant SI. Are you saying that the link in the top left (EDIT: er... right that is) of posts can't be changed or that the links I posted don't work? The first link I posted and the one you posted do the same thing.

Is there any way to add a link that does that to some part of each reply?

[si_the_geek]

The link in the top right of posts uses the ShowPost page, whereas the links we wrote use ShowThread, along with the name of a hidden anchor (#postXXXXXX).

Unfortuantely this is the way that vBulletin works, it would be nice if the anchor names were the same as the post number (such as #3), but for some reason they use the post numbers instead.

I do no back-end work on the forums, but I don't think that the link can be changed as you would like - you just have to do what you did before.

[eyeRmonkey]

Instead of changing the link that is already there could there be a link added to some other part of the post?

[si_the_geek]

I don't think so, not without modifying the vBulletin software (which we wouldn't do!).

It might be worth asking at vBulletin.com, as they are the ones who would modify this kind of thing.

[eyeRmonkey]

Okay. Thanks for the info SI. Just thought it might be a nice feature.

[RobDog888]

Lets see, like Si posted you can link to a specific post and still display the thread. I know you can not link to a specif portion of a long post but guess this has to do...

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.p...48#post2208369

[eyeRmonkey]

Thats not what I meant RD.

I meant is there an easy way to get that link you just posted. Instead of finding the post number and crafting the URL yourself (with the #anchor part and stuff). An example of finding that link easily would be changing the #PostNumber in the top of of each post to THAT link instead of a open-the-post-in-a-new-window link.

I like that way of linking it but there is no easy way to get that link w/o making it yourself.

[RobDog888]

Well without having the post id generated until AFTER you post there is no way to know what it is or would be until after you submit. I have a textfile that contains the attachments link so all I have to do is change the id number of the afttachment file. You could do the same with links to posts.

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=xxxxxxxx

Now save it to a file and when you want to post a link just use the template link and after its posted get the thread or post id and populate your xxxxxxxx's

[eyeRmonkey]

I'm not reffering to a post's ID AS you are making it.

For example, if wanted to link someone to a post a few pages back in the LightFusion thread, then I would have to go find that post (a hard task already) then I have to find that post # (not to hard) then I have to craft the URL (using the format that I could save in a .txt) which is also not too hard, but all that work could be saved if there was a link I could click on to jump me to that post and then I could copy past the the URL I am brought to. But SI has already said that that isn't really an option so its no biggy.

[RobDog888]

I think your dilemma is that your thread has so many posts and pages that its very difficult to find what you want to reference. Not too much you can do about that other then perform an advanced search thats filtered to just the Projects forum.