External link loses bold - strong html formating

[lherdan]

After the Canvas update that added the external link icon, links that have the strong HTML tag do not display as bold. Here is the HTML code.

<p><strong>Visit the <a href="https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Guides/ct-p/canvas_guides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canvas Guides</a> for more information.</strong></p>

The text is bold in edit mode.

but looses the formatting in view.

The issue happened only after Canvas changed the external link icon. How can I bold external links?

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

@lherdan ...

The only related thing I can find recently is an update to the icon: Canvas Deploy Notes (2022-09-28) - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com).  So, something may have changed during this deploy.  I still would suggest that you reach out to Canvas Support to report this.

[Chris_Hofer]

Hi @lherdan ...

I just tested this in my own sandbox course, and I can replicate the same behavior that you are seeing.  I would suggest that you report this to Canvas Support so that they can investigate this further.  This is also my HTML code:

<p><strong>Visit the <a class="inline_disabled" href="https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Guides/ct-p/canvas_guides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canvas Guides</a> for more information.</strong></p>

Here's how to contact Canvas support: How do I contact Canvas Support? - Instructure Community

Please keep us posted on this...thanks!

[lherdan]

Adding class="external"  to the link in HTML view removed the external link icon. I have not had to edit the code before they made the update.

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

@lherdan ...

The only related thing I can find recently is an update to the icon: Canvas Deploy Notes (2022-09-28) - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com).  So, something may have changed during this deploy.  I still would suggest that you reach out to Canvas Support to report this.

[edahlhoff]

This worked to remove the dumb icon. Thanks!

WRT the bold problem, looks like the html text is globally missing the opening <strong> code. So that is a fix...

[gnoack]

HI @lherdan Y

You might also check with the Canvas Administrator at your institution.  They may have applied global CSS styles that are causing the issue. 

[edahlhoff]

I reported this to Canvas, via my Canvas support team, weeks ago.

They told me to unlink, clear my browser history, and redo link.

I have 100s of links in my Canvas pages, so that was gonna suck But I tested it out on a few- and nope, did not work. Reported that back. Since then, its been crickets from them. It is super irritating, and its an intermittent problem. So its a mix of bold and unbold, which is very unprofessional and confusing to students. 

II am not sure I understand where I would add the class="external" fix, but I can try that....

[lherdan · Accepted solution]

You add the class in the HTML.

<a class="external" href="https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Guides/ct-p/canvas_guides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">