Autolinks

Introduction

This article explains what AutoLinks are, how they may be defined and managed.

What is an AutoLink?

An AutoLink is an easy way to insert common links into content item body without having to manually manage the same link across multiple content items.

AutoLinks are not limited to local (i.e. the same website) addresses. They may point to any other external Url.

How does it work?

AutoLinks work by inserting hyperlinks around defined keywords or phrases - known as Match Text - within a content item's body.

Camino will not insert a hyperlink if the match text is already within an existing hyperlink.

An Example

An AutoLink has been created with the match text of fishcakes pointing to the Url of http://ilovefishcakes.com.

Every time a Content Item is requested, Camino automatically scans the item's body for instances of fishcakes. If it finds any matches, then the match text is placed within a hyperlink pointing to http://ilovefishcakes.com

Managing AutoLinks

AutoLinks are typically managed through the CaminoPages module.

Creating an AutoLink

1. Log into Administrator
2. Go to Pages > AutoLinks
3. Click on Add Link
4. Complete the Add Link form and then click on Save
5. Your new AutoLink is ready for use.

Editing an AutoLink

1. Log into Administrator
2. Go to Pages > AutoLinks
3. Click on either the AutoLink's Match Text or select Edit in the contextual menu.
4. Complete the Add Link form and then click on Save
5. Your updated AutoLink is ready for use.

Deleting an AutoLink

1. Log into Administrator
2. Go to Pages > AutoLinks
3. Click on Delete in the contextual menu.
4. Confirm the deletion
5. The AutoLink is removed.

Performance Considerations

At present, Camino loads the full list of AutoLink upon every content item request. Therefore, the more AutoLinks you define, the larger the loaded dataset and consequently the slower a page will be displayed.