I am trying to use {exp:extract_url} to populate an <a > tag to allow users to download files other users have uploaded into a custom field.

When uploaded, the file winds up in the directory specified by filedir_3 in “Upload Preferences” and my custom field shows: {filedir_3}foo_file.aif

But

results in

Is there a trick I am missing?

It’s part of the Typography class, so it will only be parsed if if text is being processed through that class. See this plugin for one option. Altertnatively you could simply have a “regular” global variable filedir_#.

So, wrap the exp:extract_url inside exp:typography? Or vice versa?

Either way should work, might have to experiment with parse=inward. But why not make it a regular global variable? Easiest solution, I’d say, all things considered.

You mean something like

apologies for the mental slowness
</clueless>

No, I mean you go into CP > Templates > Global Variables > Create a New Global Variable. Name it filedir_3, or whatever, and use that.

ah, well…

That would work, yes, but:

I am using Leevi G’s SAEF upload extension to allow an SAEF to include a file upload and it needs {filedir_n} to place the file in the right location. It also embeds ‘{filedir_n}’ in the weblog entry custom field, so I seem to be stuck with curly braces.

And EE_Typography seems to wrap things in <p> tags.

I am not sure I follow. If you do create a gloabl variable, named filedir_3, you can access it anywhere by using {filedir_3}, not only when parsed by the typography class.

If you go the plugin route, just use

Moving to Howto.

Yes, formatting=“none” was what I needed, thank you!

To your previous question, the problem with the global variable route is that I am still stuck with ‘{filedir_3}’ in the actual custom field, so you end up with http://www.mysite.com/filedir_3/{file_dir3}filename.ext

OK, not looking into the extension issue too much at this point, glad you found a working solution.