File Links & Photos: Posting in Topics & Sending in PMs

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Joe Ross
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File Links & Photos: Posting in Topics & Sending in PMs

#1

Post by Joe Ross »

There has been recent interest in the ability to send photos in Private Messages. Although Brian Mac, our tireless site administrator, has allowed all permissions, it doesn't seem that the standard way to share photos, via uploaded Attachments, works in PMs. Here are ways to do so, as well as techniques to post links & show photos in Topics. They both work the same way, whether in Topics or PMs..

Inserting File Links (including picture files)
  • You'll need a URL address for the file.
    • In cloud drives (MS OneDrive, Google's Drive, DropBox, Box, etc.) you have the ability to share files, which will give you a URL address.
    • Follow your cloud drive's instructions to share & retrieve its URL.
  • The FIRST of two ways to post links to Topics or to include in PMs:
    • Copy & paste the URL of the file to the Topic or PM.
    • Highlight the URL within the Topic or PM.
    • Click on the hyperlink icon (3 chain links) 3rd from the right end of the row of icons above the Post or PM box.
    • The code for the link will look like this (ignore "CODE: SELECT ALL"):

      Code: Select all

      [url]https://NameOfFileNameBeingShared.gif[/url]
  • The SECOND of two ways to post links to Topics or to include in PMs:
    • Copy & paste the URL of the file to the Topic or PM.
    • Enter the text within the editing box which you want others to click on for the hyperlinked file, say, "CLICK HERE."
    • Highlight CLICK HERE within the Topic or PM.
    • Click on the hyperlink icon (3 chain links) 3rd from the right end of the row of icons above the Post or PM box.
    • Between the "l" of "url" in the brackets to left of CLICK HERE & the right bracket, enter an equal sign, "=".
    • The code for the link will look like this (ignore "CODE: SELECT ALL"):

      Code: Select all

      [url=https://NameOfFileNameBeingShared.gif]CLICK HERE[/url]
    • The link will show in the Topic or PM as: CLICK HERE (this link also does not work).
Sharing photos, other than as Attachments
  • You'll need a URL address for the file.
    • In cloud drives (MS OneDrive, Google's Drive, DropBox, Box, etc.) you have the ability to share files, which will give you a URL address.
    • Follow your cloud drive's instructions to share & retrieve its URL.
    • What you have is a link that takes you to the cloud drive, but not necessarily the URL if the file, itself.
    • In OneDrive, create a link for the photo file, then paste the link into a browser. Click on "Open File" in the window, then copy that following URL, which is the URL of the photo, itself.
    • You can also use any URL for images on the internet.
    • Paste the image's URL within the Editor window of a post or PM, then highlight it. Click on the Photo icon above the editing box (4th from the right).
    • The code (for an image found on the internet) will look like this (ignore "CODE: SELECT ALL"):
    • Code: Select all

      [img]https://www.xword-muggles.com/forums/right_header_image/beach_smaller.png[/img]
    • This is the image: Image
    • I am not familiar with getting image file URLs for Drive, DropBox, nor Box.
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Joe Ross
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Posts: 4996
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:46 am
Location: Cincinnati

#2

Post by Joe Ross »

To detail the above in regard to posting files from Google Photos, as requested by a muggle:

Follow these step-by-step. It can get confusing since terms are repeated often, with differing meanings, and may make little sense at first reading.
  • open the image in Google Photos
  • click on the Share icon
  • click on 'Create link'
  • click on (different & next) 'Create link'
Important: When you share a link to your album, anyone with the link can view and add to the album or photos. Learn how shared album controls give your photos more privacy.
  • click on 'Copy'
  • paste copied link into new browser window or tab & open
  • right-click on image, 'Open in new tab (or window)'
  • right-click on image, again, 'Copy image address'
  • paste image address into any xword-muggles post or PM
(Yes, you can send images via PM this way.)
  • click & drag to highlight the text of the image address within the xword-muggles post/PM
  • click on the 'Insert image' icon (sun over mountains) above the message box
Image
  • to be sure it works before sending, Preview
Whole blood, platelets, or plasma: Donate 4 in 2024

PLATELET ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ.
๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ถ๐˜€ ENORMOUS ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ:
๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฌ% ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ต, ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ,
๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ & ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฎ. ๐—ฃ๐—Ÿ๐—˜๐—”๐—ฆ๐—˜ ๐—ฆ๐—›๐—”๐—ฅ๐—˜!
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