How do I print the code for an html link to a file?

I'm trying to write html code to a file, such that

<a href="C:\\Users\\trevor.fields\\Desktop\\HTML\\index.html">Main Page</a>

appears in the file. So far I just get a link in the command window and <a href="C in the text file. I'm using

fprintf(fileid, '<a href="C:\\Users\\trevor.fields\\Desktop\\HTML\\index.html">Main Page</a>')

Answer 1

[Trevor Fields]

It interpreted \\U as an exit command, \\t as a tab, and so on. Changing each \\ in the address to / fixed the problem.

[Walter Roberson]

fprintf(fileid, '%s\n', '<a href="C:\\Users\\trevor.fields\\Desktop\\HTML\\index.html">Main Page</a>')

However, that is the wrong semantics for an html link. Relative links cannot start with something followed by colon, and non-relative links need to start with a known protocol type such as http: or https: or ftp: or file: .

file: needs to be followed by three forward slashes for local files; https://foswiki.org/Support/Faq72 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_URI_scheme

Answer 2

[Guillaume]

fprintf(sometext)

prints to the command window

fprintf(fileid, sometext)

prints to the file whose fileid you got from fopen. It seems you're missing that first argument.

[Trevor Fields]

My bad, I just missed it in the question, not my actual code.

[Walter Roberson]

The command window processes a subset of HTML to create links and a small number of other HTML behaviors.

When you write to a file, then you are just writing text, and whether the text is interpreted as creating a link depends upon the program you are using to read the text. Editors such as notepad++ and vi and the MATLAB built-in editor will not process the HTML. There are some HTML-aware editors (at least in some modes), or you could use the text with your favorite web browser... provided that you included the HTML and other appropriate headers required by HTML.