Title: Coding Causing 400 Server Error
Last modified: March 28, 2017

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# Coding Causing 400 Server Error

 *  [SickSquirrelTwo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sicksquirreltwo/)
 * (@sicksquirreltwo)
 * [9 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/coding-causing-400-server-error/)
 * I’m trying to add a link to my header link bar. I looked up how to code the link
   and tried it. 400 server error each time, in Safari on iPad. I didn’t check on
   Windows’ laptop.
 * I see no “wrong” characters but would appreciate some coding help
 *     ```
       <!-- <?php wp_list_pages('sort_column=menu_order&depth=1&title_li=');?>
       -->
       <ul>
        	<li class="page_item"><a title="Contact Me" href="[xxxxxxx-form id="647" title="Contact Me"]">Contact Me<a></li>
       </ul>
       ```
   
 * I haven’t coded in ten years due to illness. I used the plugin’s code and the
   rest was just a copy/paste job.
 * Thank you

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  [csloisel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csloisel/)
 * (@csloisel)
 * [9 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/coding-causing-400-server-error/#post-8963206)
 * You can’t use a shortcode as a link target, you need to use a url. Why can’t 
   you just use the menu editor to add the link you want?
 *  Thread Starter [SickSquirrelTwo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sicksquirreltwo/)
 * (@sicksquirreltwo)
 * [9 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/coding-causing-400-server-error/#post-8963250)
 * This was done in the editor.
 * So how do I make the link work? Plugin says to just copy code. Will `href=" http://
   www.domainname.com/xxxxxxx-form id=blah blah">Contact Me</a>` be the right syntax?
 * I drop the [] brackets and first title=?
 * Thank you
 *  [csloisel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csloisel/)
 * (@csloisel)
 * [9 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/coding-causing-400-server-error/#post-8963263)
 * Are you doing this on a template or in pasting this in the content via the editor?
   The shortcode may work in the editor, but not in the template. Even in the editor,
   it will probably only work outside a link. Try doing this instead: paste the 
   shortcode on a new page, then add a link to the new page in the menu.
    -  This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by [csloisel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csloisel/).
    -  This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by [csloisel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csloisel/).
    -  This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by [csloisel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csloisel/).
 *  Thread Starter [SickSquirrelTwo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sicksquirreltwo/)
 * (@sicksquirreltwo)
 * [9 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/coding-causing-400-server-error/#post-8967692)
 * Thank you. I know what you’re saying but want to be sure. I create an HTML page
   like,** “Want to email me? I love email! Just (enter my code above) click here
   to send me private email. I use the contact form so email-ripping bots don’t 
   get my private email address **
 * The memory loss frustrates me. This was so simple but HTML is foreign to me now.
   I used to hand-code entire websites with bells and whistles.
 * Thank you again. Using the Editor is new to me.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

The topic ‘Coding Causing 400 Server Error’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 4 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [SickSquirrelTwo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sicksquirreltwo/)
 * Last activity: [9 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/coding-causing-400-server-error/#post-8967692)
 * Status: not resolved

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