---
title: "Create a profile with a URL"
canonical: "https://support.appfire.com/space/MARKDOWN/72386310/Create%20a%20profile%20with%20a%20URL"
format: markdown
---
> Macro (aura-html)
> ❌ **Removal notice (applicable for Markdown from a URL macro):**
> ❌
> ❌ Please note that the URL user and URL user password parameters were removed in 3.8.2 (see [Deprecation notice: URL user and URL user password parameters](https://bobswift.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/info/pages/2537850172/Deprecation+notice%3A+URL+user+and+URL+user+password+parameters)). We recommend using [profiles](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/x/PIRQB#Configuration-Profiles) to access external data.
# Description
This article illustrates how to create a profile using a URL in the *Markdown from a URL* macro.
> ℹ️ ## Before you begin:
> ℹ️
> ℹ️ - Before you enter the URL for a repository, ensure that it is a raw URL.
> ℹ️ A raw URL is defined as the part of the URL following the domain information and includes the query string, if present. For example, in the URL string *http://www.contoso.com/articles/recent.aspx*, the raw URL is */articles/recent.aspx*.
> ℹ️ - Know what is a complete URL.
> ℹ️ - A typical path for the raw file on GitLab looks like:
> ℹ️ */projects/:id/repository/files/:file_path/raw*
> ℹ️ - Since the host address begins with:
> ℹ️ *https://gitlab.com/api/v4*
> ℹ️ - The complete URL, in this example, looks like:
> ℹ️ *https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/:id/repository/files/:file_path/raw?ref=master*
> ℹ️ - For illustrative purposes, a public Bitbucket public repository is used. Use URLs to add to profiles and in macros as per your requirement and your instance. The process for adding a profile and using it in macros remains the same for other repositories and external sources.
You can work with URLs in two ways where you can:
- Use [an absolute URL](#CreateaprofilewithaURL-md_URLProfile_absURL) in the profile
- Use [a partial URL](#CreateaprofilewithaURL-md_URLProfile_partialURL) in the profile
# > Macro (anchor)
Use an absolute URL
You can create a profile by providing the absolute URL to access the Markdown content from a remote location.
1. Navigate to **CONFLUENCE ADMINISTRATION >** ***General Configuration > *****BOB SWIFT CONFIGURATION > ****Markdown > Profiles.**
2. Click **Add Profile.**
3. Enter a unique name for the profile in the *Profile name* text box.
4. Select *URL* from the options in *Profile type*.
5. Enter the relevant absolute URL of the location to be accessed in the *URL* text box.
6. Click **Save profile** to create a profile.
To use this profile in a Confluence page:
1. Add the *Markdown from a URL* macro, or edit an existing macro on a page.
2. Select the newly created profile from the *Profile* drop-down, and click **Save**.
# > Macro (anchor)
Use a partial URL
You can create a profile by providing a partial URL for the Markdown content, and enter the relative path to the Markdown file in the *Markdown from a URL* macro.
1. Navigate to **CONFLUENCE ADMINISTRATION >** ***General Configuration > *****BOB SWIFT CONFIGURATION > ****Markdown > Profiles.**
2. Click **Add Profile.**
3. Enter a unique name for the profile in *Profile name*.
4. Select *URL* from the options in *Profile type*.
5. Enter the base URL in the *URL* text box. A base URL is a part of the path that specifies the location that the macro must access.
6. Click **Save profile** to create a profile.
To use the profile in a Confluence page:
1. Add the *Markdown from a URL* macro, or edit an existing macro on a page.
2. Select the newly created profile in *Profile* in the macro editor.
3. Enter the relative path of the Markdown file in the *URL to markdown file* parameter. The relative URL is appended to the base URL specified in the profile to create an absolute path to the file to be rendered.
4. Click **Save**.
> ℹ️ **Points to remember!**
> ℹ️
> ℹ️ - Only raw URLs must be given in either, the *URL* field in profiles or the *URL to markdown file* field in the macro.
> ℹ️ - It is recommended to specify absolute URLs to access files from public locations and to use profiles to access files from private sources. For example, a raw URL that can access a Markdown file in a public Bitbucket repository is valid. But to render a Markdown file located in a private repository, we recommend using a profile.
> ℹ️ - Profiles are a means to access and retrieve contents from external applications such as Bitbucket, GitLab or GitHub. A profile already contains the base URL and the required credentials (user credentials or an access token) to access the relevant application.
> ℹ️ - This method allows multiple users to access a profile across pages and instances of the macros.
# Addition links
- [Add a GitLab profile](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/x/KoNQB)
- [Add a GitHub profile](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/x/7IJQB)
- [Profile configuration](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/x/PIRQB#Configuration-md_configProfiles)
- [How to use URLs in Markdown from a URL macro](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/x/u4NQB)