E mail links dont work

[scooter981]

Hi Group,

Email links that I create in DW CS3 no longer work. Just started a few days ago.

Now, when I click on those links in a browser, there is no  response. None of them work.

The code looks as it should, Any ideas will be appreciated. Thanks.

[Jon Fritz]

Are they "mailto" links by chance?

Does the device you're clicking the links with have an installed email client like Outlook Express, Mac Mail, Eudora, etc?

Without one, mailto links do nothing. That's the main reason they should no longer be used on websites. A form to email processing script should be used instead. That both allows any user (especially those with yahoo, gmail, hotmail, etc accounts) to send a message, not just the ones with an email program running on their system.

[scooter981]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, mailto.  I do use only gmail even though I do have outlook 2016 but dont use it. . But then, I wouldn't know if the recipients had an email program.

[Jon Fritz]

You're going to want/need to move away from mailto links.

Any user who doesn't have an actual email program installed on their machine will get nothing when a mailto link is clicked. Only those few who actually install an email client will be able to contact you/your client.

Another reason to dump mailto links is security. Right now, your email address is sitting open to spam harvesters with a barrage of little blue pill spam emails one automated crawl of your site away from your inbox.

Form to Email scripts allow you to keep your email address away from the internet, safe on your server, while still allowing real customers/prospective clients to contact you. They also allow any of your viewers to contact you no matter what device or installation they're running because your server does all the heavy lifting of creating and sending the actual email.

[Nancy OShea · Accepted solution]

<Just started a few days ago....   >

Code doesn't just stop working unless something has changed.

• What have you changed in the last few days?
• What has changed on your server?
• Have you validated your code and fixed reported errors?
  The W3C Markup Validation Service

I agree with Jon about MIALTO links.   A scripted contact form is essential for lots of reasons.   If you don't have one, ask your hosting company which form-to-email scripts they recommend for your hosting plan.