Clickable hyperlinks

[Tim Chase]

On 2017-01-09 14:33, Deborah Swanson wrote:
> Ok, here is the crux of this thread's communication problem. I
> didn't ask, or particularly care for all these lectures on the
> technology of terminal emulators. I asked how to code Python to
> make clickable links.

The crux of the problem is that words mean things.  Specific words
have *specific* meanings.  When you say "make a clickable hyperlink
in a console", those words each have meanings.  Part of helping
people is coming to a common understanding.  In this case, the common
meaning is "I want to send some magical sequence to a terminal
emulator to make it treat the item as a clickable link."

To which anybody with experience in the matter answers exactly like
happened on the list:  that depends on your terminal emulator but is
entirely the domain of that emulator, and only within the context of
knowing which terminal emulator you're talking about, can any sort of
meaningful solution be given (if any).  You used words that carry a
particular technical meaning, but didn't use them in a way that made
much sense without taking the effort to clarify.

To round it out, you brought up your lengthy experience in the
computer field:

> I've only been online since 1992 (offline computing since 1972)

This usually suggests that you have been around enough to know that
these terms have precise meanings, and that you are wielding them in
the way others in the field use them.

So the roundabout discussion finally sussed out that you meant "I
want to send information to the PyCharm output area which I'm calling
a console (but is not necessarily an actual terminal emulator as the
technical word 'console' would usually be understood) and that output
area happens to know how to interpret some sequences as things that
are clickable.  How can I do that?"  Which then became "well, I don't
really even need to make clickable links, I just want to open some
target in a web browser."

And until folks on the list could understand your *intent* despite
the words you were using, it's a frustrating experience for all
involved.  So because of imprecise language, even if you didn't ask or
care about the terminology, *it matters if you want a viable answer*.


-tkc