URL (External Links)

External links link to resources that exist outside of Heretto CCMS and are not part of the current document. They are most commonly used to link to websites or documents hosted on servers external to your CCMS. External links typically open in a separate window or tab to indicate that they are not part of the current documentation set.

Overview

Use Cases

Consider using external links in the following scenarios:

When you don't want to duplicate information from a website in your documentation.
Figure 2. External Link to a Website.
This example from the Heretto Portal shows an external link to https://www.dita-ot.org/dev/parameters/parameters_intro.html inserted in a note element.
When you want to link a document or a file hosted on a server external to the Content Library.
Figure 3. External Link to a File.
This example from the Heretto Portal shows an external link to a PDF available at https://docs.oasis-open.org/dita/dita/v1.3/dita-v1.3-part3-all-inclusive.pdf with the custom “DITA 1.3 Specification” link text.
When you want to link an e-mail address that opens an e-mail application.
Figure 4. External Link to an E-mail Address.
This example shows an external link added to an e-mail address. The link is clickable and opens an e-mail application.

Maintenance Guidelines

Depending on the link targets, external links may require a considerable level of maintenance. Keep the following guidelines in mind when using external links:

Link only to reliable external resources.
To reduce maintenance, if possible, insert a link to the home page of a website (for example, https://dita-ot.org) rather than a deep link (for example, https://www.dita-ot.org/dev/topics/pdf-customization-example.html).
If possible, link to external resources by using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) rather than the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

Publishing Guidelines

Keep these guidelines in mind when using external links:

If you insert a link to an external resource, consider adding custom link text.
Do not add custom link text if you plan to print hard copies of the document.

Insert External Links to Online Resources

You can create inline links that lead to supplementary information by using external links. For example, you can link to websites or external documents.

Open a topic and place your cursor where you want to insert a link.
In the Content Editor toolbar, click Insert Link .
In the Link dialog, from the Link To drop-down menu, select A URL (External link).
In the Link dialog, in the Link (href) field, enter the link address.
Enter https://www.heretto.com
Important: You need to include the protocol information in the external links that you insert. Include the https:// or http:// protocol name.
Click the Apply button or press Enter.
Optional: Change the link text by placing your cursor in the link and entering custom text.

Remember:
We don't recommend customizing the link text. You need to maintain and modify custom links each time the content changes and the link text is no longer relevant. You need to do that everywhere the link is used.

Insert External Links to an E-mail Address

You can create links to e-mail addresses that open an e-mail application.

Open a topic and place your cursor where you want to insert a link.
In the Content Editor toolbar, click Insert Link .
In the Link dialog, from the Link To drop-down menu, select A URL (External link).
In the Link dialog, in the Link (href) field, enter mailto:e-mail address.
Enter mailto:hello@support.com
Click the Apply button or press Enter.
Change the link text by placing your cursor in the link and entering custom text.
By default, mailto: is visible in the link text. We recommend adding custom text that is the email address.
Enter: hello@support.com

You added a link to an e-mail address. It is clickable in Content Editor and in published content.

Under maintenance

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