How do I create a link to an existing footnote?

There’s isn’t a way to reuse footnotes built-in to the plugin currently. It’s been a commonly requested feature so it’s on the roadmap.

If you need the tooltip to appear the only way to do that is going to be using the [note][/note] shortcode. Which would require you to reenter the footnote.

You can link to the footnote at the bottom of the page by targeting the footnote ID which is created as #easy-footnote-bottom-{footnote number}-{post ID}.

So the link to the first footnote on the post with the ID 402 would be:
#easy-footnote-bottom-1-402

To put that directly in your post you would need to use the text tab and add this in where you’d like the footnote to appear with the proper href set:
<sup><a href="#easy-footnote-1-402">1</a></sup>

Again that won’t display the tooltip on hover. That has to be done using the [note] shortcode. If you do that you will have duplicate notes at the bottom of the post.

I’m hoping to get a new version out allowing for re-using notes sometime in the future but have no release schedule currently.

Thanks

Another solution would be to use a dictionary plugin that creates hyperlinks automatically to dictionary items. That would also overcome the issue of the note being part of the VE text, which makes editing the base text harder.

I’ll have a play.

It’s still a great plugin though

@yingling017 – Do you have an idea of how you would like to implement this feature? We would really like this feature as well and would be willing to help code this to get it implemented.

Hi @e3betht – As far as making reusable footnotes I’m considering making a custom post type. I’m also currently looking into the best way to get things integrated with the new Gutenberg editor so that’s part of driving the decision too. I’m thinking using a CPT I could make a nice interface in Gutenberg for adding / selecting a footnote using the REST API. But I’m not far along at all.

I said I would try using a dictionary/encyclopedia plugin.

That works, to a degree. And you have the benefit that the entry does not interfere with the flow of the main text. Merely using the word in a post/page creates the link.

The interesting thing is that the way tha dictionary plugin works is to use a custom post type for each entry, just as you are suggestion. To see it in action visit this post and look for WIIFM and WYSIWIG in the post text. Not the greatest examples of footnotes text, but you can see how easily items are reusable.

But this is not really what the dictionary plugin was designed for, and it means it’s hard to use the dictionary for content other than footnotes