FamilySearch Wiki:WikiProject Finding broken links using Broken Link Checker

Current Projects page

Finding broken links on wiki pages

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to use the Broken Link Checker program to identify broken links and put them on a spreadsheet. NOTE:****This extension only works on Chrome browser.

Project Contact

Danielle Batson

Task Page

• England Counties and Topics Task List
• Australia State Pages Task List
• Other Countries and Topic pages
• Canada Provinces and topic pages
• State and Topics Task List
• U.S. County Pages Task List
• Beginner Articles

Spreadsheet

• Broken Links Spreadsheet

Instructions

Step 1 - Add Broken Link Checker to Chrome browser

1. You must have the Chrome browser. If you do not have it on your computer, you can download Chrome from this website.
2. To download, Broken Link Checker by opening your Chrome browser and go to this website: Broken Link Checker
3. Click on button to add the extension to Chrome. 4. Once it's loaded, restart Chrome. (remember that you only need to add Broken Link Checker to Chrome once)
5. Once you are back in Chrome, navigate to the wiki page you signed up to check for broken links.
6. Once on the wiki page, go to the top right hand corner of the screen click on the check mark.
7. A small dialogue box will appear in the top corner and the page will fill with different colors over the links. Be sure to let the program to finish the page before you do anything.

Step 2

1. Go to the page you signed up for to locate broken links.

2. On the Wiki page, click on the pink A in the top right hand corner of the page.

3. The program will now run and display green or pink links. Meaning of links:

• Green: Valid links (link is good)
  
• Pink: Broken link (you need to fix the link)
  

4. Only look at the pink links listed on the Wiki page - not any that are on the left hand navigation bar or the top FamilySearch navigation bar.

5. Once you find a link fill out the information on the Broken Links Spreadsheet

6. Fill out:

• Column A: Your name
• Column B: Wiki page url
• Column C: Header name where the broken link is (i.e., Military Records, Vital Records, etc.)
• Column D: Name of broken link (what the link is called on the page)
• Column E: Broken Link URL (right click on the link and on click on the menu, Copy link address
• Column F: If the link goes to a foreign language page, list the language
• Column G: If the link will be found on multiple pages, please put Yes. If it is unique to just the page, put no.
• Column H: List any additional information you would like us to know
• Columns I, J, and K you can leave blank (will be used when fixing the links)

7. You can now go to the next page on your task list.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Red links on a page (no wiki page) show up as pink and as broken. Just skip these.
• Ignore broken links for FamilySearch.org. They will be fixed later.
• Only concern yourself with pink links on the actual Wiki page. You do not have to worry about links on the left navigation bar or at the top of the page.
• Note that the report may give more broken links than appear pink on the page. Just focus on the evident pink links on content we can change.
  
• If you find a broken link that is on more than one page, we will have you report it on the spreadsheet. More information is below in Part B. Danielle can do a Replace Text to fix them all at once.
  
• If the wiki page does not respond when you click on Broken Link Checker red A, try closing Chrome and opening it up again.