I wanted a way to copy/paste URLs and Titles, such that Excel would generate the full HTML link code I needed. The page of links I'm creating is at 450 and climbing.
After doing a lot of web searching for free tools (not Excel-based), I discovered either one-at-a-time url generators, or, bulk URL generators that used the URL, not the article titles, as the clickable links.
I came up with the attached, but of course I wonder if anyone else has figured out a different or easier formula or method? Of course if you know of a free on-line tool that escaped my searching, please share too.
The method:
- I copy the URL from a browser window, into Col. K, and the article title (or any text I want) into Col L.
- Col. M generates the full code.
- I copy the cells from Col M into Notepad or another text-only program, and from there into the HTML document or web page of my choice.
- Col M formula: Combines Cols A-G, and of course K and L, into the full HTML link code needed.
Other bits:
- Col H, I, and J, allow me to sort the links by categories or order. Using filter I can order even further to sort the material alphabetically by URL or by description.
- The test on the 400 or so links that I tried seems to have worked perfectly for issues related to spaces (%), or links that are pdf, etc. Haven't found something broken yet but I realize this is not 100% tested.
- I do have to make sure dashes or quotes in the descriptions are coded as HTML, but that's okay, I'd have to do that anyway.
- I have another version that also adds code to insert a comment underneath the URL link. It adds <br>, and the text of the comment (also <i>).
It's SO NICE to be able to:
- Use minimal copy/pastes of URLs and titles along the way, A-Z.
- Have a "master" document reference that can be sorted by topics
- Be able to work with large numbers at the same time.
- Highlight 50 URLs and paste them straight where they need to be.
I would love to hear of anyone has an easier method as well.
After doing a lot of web searching for free tools (not Excel-based), I discovered either one-at-a-time url generators, or, bulk URL generators that used the URL, not the article titles, as the clickable links.
I came up with the attached, but of course I wonder if anyone else has figured out a different or easier formula or method? Of course if you know of a free on-line tool that escaped my searching, please share too.
The method:
- I copy the URL from a browser window, into Col. K, and the article title (or any text I want) into Col L.
- Col. M generates the full code.
- I copy the cells from Col M into Notepad or another text-only program, and from there into the HTML document or web page of my choice.
- Col M formula: Combines Cols A-G, and of course K and L, into the full HTML link code needed.
Other bits:
- Col H, I, and J, allow me to sort the links by categories or order. Using filter I can order even further to sort the material alphabetically by URL or by description.
- The test on the 400 or so links that I tried seems to have worked perfectly for issues related to spaces (%), or links that are pdf, etc. Haven't found something broken yet but I realize this is not 100% tested.
- I do have to make sure dashes or quotes in the descriptions are coded as HTML, but that's okay, I'd have to do that anyway.
- I have another version that also adds code to insert a comment underneath the URL link. It adds <br>, and the text of the comment (also <i>).
It's SO NICE to be able to:
- Use minimal copy/pastes of URLs and titles along the way, A-Z.
- Have a "master" document reference that can be sorted by topics
- Be able to work with large numbers at the same time.
- Highlight 50 URLs and paste them straight where they need to be.
I would love to hear of anyone has an easier method as well.