For answers to niggly "links" stuff... click on the questions below!

Internal links aren't working... what can I do?

Why does the link work on my computer and not when it's online?

I'm sure that web site was there earlier, what happened?

I typed in the web address I'm linking to - now it won't work

1. Internal links that don't work... aaaaaargh!

So... how many of you clicked on the link on the Web Design Tips page... and then wondered why you got a navigation error? Point 3 on that page said...

I hadn't checked my link... you... the reader... got a dead link! Ooops!

Things to check if an internal site link isn't working...

a) Did you upload it to the server?
b) Did you upload it to the correct place on the server?
c) Did you type in the name correctly?
d) Are you sure?
e) Did you move the page within the site and not update the link?
f) Is your link relative or absolute? See point 2 for more details...

Always use relative links for your web pages - NOT absolute... but, what do I mean by relative and absolute?

An absolute link ties a page into a specific place, whereas a relative link doesn't.

Here's an example... I have a web page set up linking to a file called "c:\sarah\page.htm" this link is ABSOLUTE - it will send your browser trundling off to find that file in that particular place on your hard disk! If you use a RELATIVE link... for example "page.htm"... then the browser'll look for it in relation to the other web pages on your site... no matter whether you're looking at it online or locally on your hard drive. Definitely the best bet!

No matter whether you're linking to a particular article on a large site... or a specific page on a teeny tiny site... always double-check the web addresses (URLs) you're using! It is very frustrating for your reader if you send them on a wild goose chase looking for a link that was killed off months ago!!

Always give your site a final run though before launching it, and check all external links... maybe making a note of when you last accessed them in case they've been moved at a later date! At least then the person looking at your site will know that you have been a bit careful with your links!

Remember - you cannot control the content or hosting of external sites, so don't panic if the page or site vanishes. Either track it down, or find another link!

CHECK YOUR TYPING!!!

It is horribly easy to break links just by mistyping them. After all, if you've just spent the the last few hours typing up your site... how easy is it to keep up the quality of your work? DOUBLE CHECK!! Here's a list of things to check for addresses that aren't working:

a) Did you type in a space by mistake? Spaces at the end of links are the worst!!
b) Are all your underscores really underscores - or should they be hyphens?
c) Is that URL case sensitive? Have you put in a capital letter where the shouldn't be one?
d) Does the address need ".htm", ".html", a forward slash etc to complete it?
e) Have you missed any symbols or letters out?

Click here for an URL checking exercise!