E-mail Links Fail
When I use the hyperlink button while composing a message in Hotmail, it produces what looks like a good link. When the recipient clicks on the link he gets: The address isn't valid
The URL is not valid and cannot be loaded.
Web addresses are usually written like http://www.example.com/ Make sure that you're using forward slashes (i.e. /).
They used to work but have been failing for several releases now. I can send a message to my own address and observe the problem. I'm using Firefox 15.0.
If the recipient copies the link and pastes it into the browser address line it works. The url is ok but the link fails.
If I create the same message with IE or Chrome the link works.
Please let me know when you get this fixed. I'll be using another browser in the mean time.
All Replies (7)
When you say the recipient can copy and paste the link, do you mean select the visible text of the link and Copy, or right-click and Copy Link Location?
It sounds as though the "link location" does not match the visible text. If you try both of the above methods and compare, what differences do you see?
Copy and paste works. Selecting the text and right-clicking does not. (Actually, you don't need to select the text. Just right-clicking on the link will display the menu. Either way produces the error.) Chrome and IE compose working links, Firefox doesn't. I have looked at the source of the three different messages and can't see the difference. I would have to print them out and compare them manually, character-by-character. I can forward the three messages to you if you like.
I tried disabling all the add-ons as one article suggested; it didn't help.
"Copy the Link Location" and pasting it also does not work.
With Chrome and IE you don't even need the hyperlink button. When you paste the url it generates a link directly.
For example, the url is http://www.qrz.com/ The "copied link location" is http:///??WLXID=06a32592-022c-4124-9455-111d27916146&RID=0312bf5e784&TID=1343429493294&lid=
With Chrome and IE you don't even need the hyperlink button. When you paste the url it generates a link directly.
Hotmail's "rich text" editor behaves differently in different browsers for some reason.
For example, the url is http://www.qrz.com/ The "copied link location" is http:///??WLXID=06a32592-022c-4124-9455-111d27916146&RID=0312bf5e784&TID=1343429493294&lid=
Well, that's annoying. I don't know how that happened. I'm not seeing that problem sending test messages to myself.
This is from Hotmail to Hotmail, or Hotmail to some other client?
WLXID seems to be some kind of tracking code used by Windows Live. Can you see anything above the message indicating that you need to unblock links or trust the sender?
...Hotmail to anybody including Hotmail. No, I don't see anything like that.
Today I received a notice for a Firefox beta update and ran it. Still says it's 15.0. I did some more play. If you paste the url into the message text, select it, click on the hyperlink button and then on OK you get the previous mess. If you use the hyperlink button, erase the http:// from the dialog box and paste your url there and click OK, then everything works.
Maybe Hotmail will provide some instructions on how to use their product.
Thanks for your help.
Modified by robmm76