There shouldn't be a problem if the URL for the link is copied from the address bar of your browser with the site open, and pasted directly into the link you're making.

With "tabbed windows" in all current browsers, you should be able to open the site you want to link to in a separate tab, copy the URL, go back to the tab where you want to make the link and paste into the link. Attempting to "type in" a long URL is an invitation to failure, and should NEVER be needed if you can copy and paste. And if you can't open what you want to link to, why post a link?

In IE at least, a very long URL may not display fully, but the "first click" on the address bar should highlight the entire URL, and Ctl-C should copy the complete URL even if you can't see it all.

A common cause of link failure here is from the apparently random tendency of the "mudcat link maker" to attach a "mudcat.org" bit on the front of what you insert. (At least it did several years ago, the last time I tried to use it.)

Attempting to guess what problem someone is having is useless without a sample of what was done that didn't work.

If you post one of your broken links here, any of a number of people can look at the page code to see what the problem is. Without a sample, we're all just farting in a stiff wind. (A tiny little noise, but no noticeable result.)

John