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Adobe Dreamweaver CS3

Testing & Maintaining Links

Web pages may change over time; therefore, links on the page may need to be updated. For example, if a web page contains links to other pages, the locations of those pages may change or no longer be valid. This page will explain how to keep all links up to date easily and efficiently.

NOTE: If your page contains relative links to pages on the UW-Eau Claire server, you will want to establish an HTTP address to the live area; this will allow for link detection when defining a site. For more information refer to Defining a Site or Defining Local & Remote Sites.

return to topTesting Links with Link Checker

The Check Links option is used to make sure all links in a website are valid. This option will check links in a single web page, selected web pages within a site, or throughout an entire site. Broken links, which are displayed in the Link Checker report located in the Results pane, can be repaired from the Results pane or from the Properties pane.

It is recommended that links are tested before and after a page is live on the web server. If possible, have someone without the same drive mappings test them.

HINT: An easy way to test your links is to preview your page in an Internet browser. For information on additional preview options, see Previewing Pages in a Browser.

NOTE: Web users may or may not be viewing your web page with a browser that supports the ability to open a blank preaddressed email message when they click a Mailto link. For more information about email programs and browser compatibility, see the Mailto Bulletin in the WebDev collection.

Accessing the Link Checker

Using the Check Links option while working on a page makes checking links easy and convenient.

  1. From the Window menu, select Results
    OR
    Press [F7]
    The Results pane appears.
    Results pane: Link checker

  2. Select the Link Checker tab

Checking Links in the Current Web Page

  1. Access Link Checker

  2. Click CHECK LINKSCheck Links » select Check Links in Current Document

Checking Links in Selected Web Pages

  1. Access Link Checker

  2. In the Files pane, from the Current Site pull-down list, select the site to be checked

  3. From the View pull-down list, select Local View

  4. In the scroll box, select the file(s) and/or folder(s) you want to check

  5. Click CHECK LINKSCheck Links » select Check Links For Selected Files in Site
    The report appears in the Results pane, under the Link Checker tab.

Check Links Throughout Your Web Site

  1. Access Link Checker

  2. In the Files pane, from the Current Site pull-down list, select the site to be checked

  3. From the View pull-down list, select Local View

  4. Click CHECK LINKSCheck Links » select Check Links For Entire Current Local Site
    The report appears in the Results pane, under the Link Checker tab.

Stopping the Link Checker

If the site or web pages being checked have a lot of links, you may want to stop Link Checker either in the interest of time or because the results desired are displayed.

  1. While the Check Links option is running, in the Results pane, click STOPStop Link Checker
    The results of the search up to that point will appear in the Results pane.

Saving the Link Checker Results

Once you have the results of the link check, you may want to save them. The results are saved as a .txt file.

  1. Run a Link Check
    The report appears in the Results pane, under the Link Checker tab.
    Results pane: Link checker

  2. Click SAVE REPORTSave Report icon
    The Save As dialog box appears.

  3. Using the Save in pull-down list, select a location for the file

  4. In the File name text box, type a name for the file

  5. Click SAVE

return to topFixing Broken Links

If a link check identifies any broken links, they can be fixed from either the Results pane or from the Properties pane.

Fixing Broken Links: Results Pane

  1. Run a Link Check
    The report appears in the Results pane, under the Link Checker tab.
    Results pane: Link checker

  2. In the Broken Links column, click the broken link
    The destination of the broken link is highlighted and the Browse for File iconSelect Folder iconappears next to the broken link.
    Broken link pane with folder icon displayed

  3. Type the correct path and file name
    OR
    To browse and select the correct file, click BROWSE FOR FILESelect Folder icon
    The link is updated.

Fixing Broken Links: Properties Pane

  1. Run a Link Check
    The report appears in the Results pane, under the Link Checker tab.
    Results pane: Link checker

  2. In the Files column, double click the file
    The link is highlighted in the Design view and the link information appears in the Link text box of the Properties pane.

  3. In the Link text box, type the correct link information
    OR
    To browse to and select the correct file, click BROWSE FOR FILESelect Folder icon
    OR
    To point to the file, click POINT TO FILEPoint to File iconand drag to the correct file in the Files pane
    The link is updated.

return to topEditing Links

A link's text or destination may need to be changed. You can alter the displayed text and the destination of a link at any time.

Changing the Text of a Link

  1. Select the linked text you wish to edit

  2. Make the desired changes to the text

Changing the Destination of a Link to a Different Page

  1. Click within the existing link

  2. In the Properties pane, in the Link text box, type the correct link information
    OR
    To browse for and select the correct file, click BROWSE FOR FILESelect Folder icon
    OR
    To point to the file, click POINT TO FILEPoint to File iconand drag to the correct file in the Files pane
    The link is updated.

Changing the Destination of a Link to a Different Anchor

  1. Click within the existing link

  2. In the Properties pane, in the Link text box, type the correct anchor name
    OR
    To point to an anchor within the current web page, click POINT TO FILEPoint to File iconand drag to the correct anchor
    NOTE: For anchors in another web page, type the path and filename followed by #anchor_name.
    EXAMPLE: b-preview.htm#searching
    The link is updated.

Changing the Destination of a Link Sitewide

If the same link on several pages needs to be updated, that can be accomplished without opening and editing each page the link appears on.

  1. From the Site menu, select Change Link Sitewide...
    The Change Link Sitewide dialog box appears.
    Change Link Sitewide dialog box

  2. In the Change all links to text box, type the current destination of the link
    OR
    To select the current destination of the link, click BROWSE FOR FILEBrowse for File butotn

  3. In the Into links to text box, type the new destination of the link
    OR
    To select the new destination of the link, click BROWSE FOR FILEBrowse for File butotn

  4. Click OK
    All links will be updated.

return to topRemoving Links

A link can be removed from a web page using either the Modify menu or the Properties pane.

Removing Links: Modify Menu

  1. Click within the existing link

  2. From the Modify menu, select Remove Link
    OR
    Press [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [L]

Removing Links: Properties Pane

  1. Click within the existing link

  2. In the Properties pane, in the Link text box, select the text

  3. Press [Backspace] or [Delete]

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