Auto-Generate E-mail Help

[HackinCowboy]

I've a link that automatically generates an e-mail. The problem I'm having is that in the e-mail I include a link to a specific page. This link is VERY long. I've had some users complain that the link becomes broken up in the e-mail. So they have to manually type it out instead of just clicking on it. Anyone have any ideas on how to stop this?

[Xayd]

You could always just HTML'ify the link, but there are folks who have HTML turned off in their mail clients, or use older mail clients.

Why must the link be so long? You could always shorten the link with a redirect page if it's pointing to your site. Give them the link to the redirect instead of the actual link.

[HackinCowboy]

Yea "HTML'ify" the link isn't an option since this must work for all users. I'm starting to think that my only option is to shorten then link though. I made it this length for security reasons. I thought about a redirection page, but since the links are dynamically generated and authentication reasons it wouldn't be possible. I was hoping that someone knew of a way to sort of 'tag' the link so it can't be broken up.

It's wierd though. The users having this problem are only allowed 73 characters per line.

[mairving]

Forget the link and make a form. As a general rule, 80 characters is about all that will copy properly. You could also potentially use mod_rewrite, which is an Apache Module to shorten the URL.

[HackinCowboy]

It has to be a link. I don't see how a form would offer any assistance here. Also, we're running IIS 5 so mod_rewrite is not an option.

[Iman74]

Well Hack I can tell you what I do when I run into this problem with my boss all the time. His url's usually come so long they get broken up, but you don't have to retype the whole thing, just reconnect the broken parts be deleting the spaces that are generated when the user receives the email. Send one to yourself so you know what they are seeing and then explain to them in a signature of the email on how to fix that.

Also, did you try putting the url in the subject field? If no, try that.

As far as shortening it or using HTML, that's my wife's field of expertise.

[HackinCowboy]

It's too complicated for the users to copy the entire link and paste it into the browser, then delete the spaces. They have sent me copies of the e-mails they receive so I know what they're looking at. The problem is just that their format only supports so many characters per line. Putting the link in the subject would still require them to copy and paste the link. This is not an option. Thanks for all your suggestions everyone. I have re-written the encryption function to accommodate these users.

[tx2Step]

Maybe crazy, but have you thought about making not a redirect page but a page with the link on it for them to click manually? You say this is a security thing but you could set up a page with the link embedded and only a click for them to hit and they'd be on their way. The page could be simple and surely it could be made to work with the dynamically created link/page.

The single click through page could be made secure if need be. Then they wouldn't even see a long link.

Texas2Step