Alt tags for text

[altDev]

Has anyone figured out how to add "alt tags" to text links? I noticed that all pictures already have them but I can't seem to find it anywhere whithin this forum how to add them to links.

 

Thanks!

[Jack_mcs]

Alt tags aren't used in text links. You can use title though:

<a title="some text" href=...

 

Jack

[altDev]

Well, I have been doing some major research in SEO'ing and found that "alt tags" for text links are extremely helpful. I Know how to accomplish this with html but php is a different story. OSC already provides "alt tags" for images automaticly but not for text links.

[altDev]

I believe "alt tags" are also called "anchor text" for text links.

[Halfpint]

I believe "alt tags" are also called "anchor text" for text links.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Anchor text is the actual text of a hyperlink and lies between the <a> and </a> tags.

The format of your anchor tag that defines both the source and destination of a hyperlink should look like this:

<a "href=http://www.domain-name.com/descripitive-title.html">descriptive text including keyword or phrase</a>

[altDev]

I got it! thanks guys.. my code looks like this..

 

<a href="' . tep_href_link(FILENAME_ORDER) . '"TITLE="How to Order">' . BOX_INFORMATION_ORDER . '</a><br>' .

 

I am still working on the catagories.. but I think I got it.

 

Thanks again! :lol:

[altDev]

OK, so maybe I dont got it.. ugh..

 

So, if you have a visible <a href...> link, its easy to add the alt tag but now comes the tricky PHP stuff. I am stuck on catagories.php to add a alt tag or title tag to each catagory name. Can a PHP'r check this out and see if it can be done? Thanks a million in advance!

 

Jaymz

[Jack_mcs]

Again, alt tags are not allowed on text links. However, for your categories problem, find this code in includes/boxes/categories.php

$categories_string .= '::<a href="';

and change it to

$categories_string .= '::<a title='.$tree[$counter]['name'].'href="';

 

Jack

[altDev]

I tryed the above code and it just froze the links. (I couldn't click em) take a look at our site and hold your mouse over the links within the info box, thats what I am after but dynamicly within the catagories box.

 

Well, maybe its not possible but it would be alot cooler if it was :)

 

Our Site

 

Jaymz

[Jack_mcs]

The code should work. But if you have a contribution installed that changes the categories box, I suppose it could fail.

 

Jack

[altDev]

Hmm.. I will play with it some more. I don't see any contribution that deal with the catagories at all but who knows.. thanks for your help, I do appreciate it.

 

 

:D

[altDev]

Here is my code with new href tag:

 

<?php
/*
 $Id: categories.php,v 1.25 2003/07/09 01:13:58 hpdl Exp $

 osCommerce, Open Source E-Commerce Solutions
 http://www.oscommerce.com

 Copyright (c) 2003 osCommerce

 Released under the GNU General Public License
*/

 function tep_show_category($counter) {
   global $tree, $categories_string, $cPath_array;

   for ($i=0; $i<$tree[$counter]['level']; $i++) {
     $categories_string .= "  ";
   }

   $categories_string .= '::<a title='.$tree[$counter]['name'].'href="';

   if ($tree[$counter]['parent'] == 0) {
     $cPath_new = 'cPath=' . $counter;
   } else {
     $cPath_new = 'cPath=' . $tree[$counter]['path'];
   }

   $categories_string .= tep_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, $cPath_new) . '">';

   if (isset($cPath_array) && in_array($counter, $cPath_array)) {
     $categories_string .= '<b>';
   }

// display category name
   $categories_string .= $tree[$counter]['name'];

   if (isset($cPath_array) && in_array($counter, $cPath_array)) {
     $categories_string .= '</b>';
   }

   if (tep_has_category_subcategories($counter)) {
     $categories_string .= '->';
   }

   $categories_string .= '</a>';

   if (SHOW_COUNTS == 'true') {
     $products_in_category = tep_count_products_in_category($counter);
     if ($products_in_category > 0) {
       $categories_string .= ' (' . $products_in_category . ')';
     }
   }

   $categories_string .= '<br>';

   if ($tree[$counter]['next_id'] != false) {
     tep_show_category($tree[$counter]['next_id']);
   }
 }
?>
<!-- categories //-->
          <tr>
            <td>
<?php
 $info_box_contents = array();
 $info_box_contents[] = array('text' => BOX_HEADING_CATEGORIES);

 new infoBoxHeading($info_box_contents, true, false);

 $categories_string = '';
 $tree = array();

 $categories_query = tep_db_query("select c.categories_id, cd.categories_name, c.parent_id from " . TABLE_CATEGORIES . " c, " . TABLE_CATEGORIES_DESCRIPTION . " cd where c.parent_id = '0' and c.categories_id = cd.categories_id and cd.language_id='" . (int)$languages_id ."' order by sort_order, cd.categories_name");
 while ($categories = tep_db_fetch_array($categories_query))  {
   $tree[$categories['categories_id']] = array('name' => $categories['categories_name'],
                                               'parent' => $categories['parent_id'],
                                               'level' => 0,
                                               'path' => $categories['categories_id'],
                                               'next_id' => false);

   if (isset($parent_id)) {
     $tree[$parent_id]['next_id'] = $categories['categories_id'];
   }

   $parent_id = $categories['categories_id'];

   if (!isset($first_element)) {
     $first_element = $categories['categories_id'];
   }
 }

 //------------------------
 if (tep_not_null($cPath)) {
   $new_path = '';
   reset($cPath_array);
   while (list($key, $value) = each($cPath_array)) {
     unset($parent_id);
     unset($first_id);
     $categories_query = tep_db_query("select c.categories_id, cd.categories_name, c.parent_id from " . TABLE_CATEGORIES . " c, " . TABLE_CATEGORIES_DESCRIPTION . " cd where c.parent_id = '" . (int)$value . "' and c.categories_id = cd.categories_id and cd.language_id='" . (int)$languages_id ."' order by sort_order, cd.categories_name");
     if (tep_db_num_rows($categories_query)) {
       $new_path .= $value;
       while ($row = tep_db_fetch_array($categories_query)) {
         $tree[$row['categories_id']] = array('name' => $row['categories_name'],
                                              'parent' => $row['parent_id'],
                                              'level' => $key+1,
                                              'path' => $new_path . '_' . $row['categories_id'],
                                              'next_id' => false);

         if (isset($parent_id)) {
           $tree[$parent_id]['next_id'] = $row['categories_id'];
         }

         $parent_id = $row['categories_id'];

         if (!isset($first_id)) {
           $first_id = $row['categories_id'];
         }

         $last_id = $row['categories_id'];
       }
       $tree[$last_id]['next_id'] = $tree[$value]['next_id'];
       $tree[$value]['next_id'] = $first_id;
       $new_path .= '_';
     } else {
       break;
     }
   }
 }
 tep_show_category($first_element); 

 $info_box_contents = array();
 $info_box_contents[] = array('text' => $categories_string);

 new infoBox($info_box_contents);
?>
           </td>
         </tr>
<!-- categories_eof //-->

 

Here is my test site whre you can see what its doin. Test Site

 

Jaymz

[MarcoZorro]

Remove

 

$categories_string .= '::<a title='.$tree[$counter]['name'].'href="';

 

and replace it with the default code.

 

$categories_string .= '<a href="';

 

Then change

 

$categories_string .= tep_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, $cPath_new) . '">';

 

To be

 

$categories_string .= tep_href_link(FILENAME_DEFAULT, $cPath_new) . '" title="' . $tree[$counter]['name'] . '">';

[altDev]

OK, first off.. thank you so much, that is exactly what I was after but.. I know, I know, but what? Well, if its possible and not a big deal, how can that same thing apply to the sub-catagories? If you have time to see, that would be great, if not dont fret it, I am so excited it works! Thanks Again!!

 

Jaymz

[altDev]

Sorry, one more thing.. again not a big deal.. but it only hovers the alt text on the initial load of the page. After I click any link it no longer is available..

 

Strange stuff... but again, not a big deal since I am just after SEO results.