setting target of links

No. And there wont be any.
Reason can be read under chapter "9. Opening New Browser Windows on "http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9605.html

That's too bad.

I will have to wait until you release the next version and add the option for the admin of the site to open offsite weblinks in new windows back into the module.

There are two problems I see with your refusal.

First, the version of weblink.module that all my clients are currently using gives them this option. They are not likely to accept that the new version does not. Pointing them to the page you link to will do no good. It is not like I have not had the debate with them already, but as a consultant all I can do is make suggestions. Once the organization I am helping out makes up their mind, I don't get to tell them what to do. I get to impliment a solution based in Free/Opensource software that does what they need, not what Jakob Nielson says is the way it must be done.

Also, I think that chapter 8 contradicts chapter 9. Many users of websites, for good or bad, do expect that offsite links will spawn a new window. The main reason clients force me to do it that way is that they have seen "everyone else" doing it that way and demand that they have the same "functionality" for their site.

And now that I am done with this rant, I see this is a feature request on the 4.3 version, and I am ranting based on it being about 4.6 or cvs. But I think I'll post it anyway and make some morning coffee.

I must agree with Bèr's refusal of this feature. I absolutely despise sites that use target="_blank". If I want a new window (or tab), I'll make it myself! I don't need some site admin or (even worse) poorly written CMS to make the new window for me.

That said, if your clients are demanding the feature, you're going to have a hard time convincing them otherwise. I think you're going to have to hack your local copy of weblink.module if they truly insist on having this (un)feature.

Indeed. But i see some more options. i am thinking of making the code that generates the URL (weblink_link) contain and be
* a hook calling mechanism. other modules can then hook into that, e.g. for permissions, advanced tracking of clicks etc. adding a target html element would be possible too, then.
* a themeable function. that way you can override the HTML generation in your theme, and you can add some stuff like icons or targets.

PLease send me code and patches if you have one of the abovementioned. but do so in a new issue/feature request. I will now close this one.

I am very disappointed to learn that the target=_blank code is not allowed in the banners. I do not want someone clicking on a banner out of curiosity and leaving my site behind. Is there any way around this?

doug

Yes, while this may be fine for hobyists and purists, blind adherance to Jacob Neilsens idealist philosophy does nothing to solve real-world problems for real-world customers paying real-world cash.

I am very disappointed to learn that the target=_blank code is not allowed in the banners. I do not want someone clicking on a banner out of curiosity and leaving my site behind. Is there any way around this?

They can hit the back button, can't they? I can.

Yes, while this may be fine for hobyists and purists, blind adherance to Jacob Neilsens idealist philosophy does nothing to solve real-world problems for real-world customers paying real-world cash.

Nothing holds YOU from adding this. you can do so in the theme, in the code, in a patch, in a new module etc. And no, that hardly requires coding skills, esp if you do it in the theme.

but this featuer is about *shipping* with such options. That is and remains a wont'fix

Bèr -goes back to workd for his real world customers- Kessels

I believe that anyone paying for clicks will be happy to support a reverse bounty to make weblink more
Marking friendly.

There are a few other improvements’ I can think of like masking the URL to allow transparent affiliate links.

Allowing an alias name for the link I.e. “for the best SEO software” instead of “abc company”.

The ability to look up the link and reuses it would save us all from typos. Allow the user to pick from all ready used alias or create yet another one.

Ber what is the procedure to communicate this need?

Would you be interested in this you self.

It is a serious problem. For instance if you pay $5.00 a click and your click through rate is 2% you are paying $250.00 a prospect. I for one do not want to loose her because she followed a bunch of links and got lost.

As I remember, the disappearing Links module has an admin setting that allows you to choose to redirect the link to a new page.
Regards
Ron
PS Rant on

again: link bundle allows all this. Exacly all these kind of features and niftynesses were kept in mind when that was designed and developed. weblinks will cease to exist after 4.47

NOW please: this issue is closed :)