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Appropriate Hyperlink Format?

Printed From: www.exp-systems.com
Category: PDF reDirect
Forum Name: Using PDF reDirect
Forum Discription: Questions and Comments on using PDF reDirect Freeware and Pro
URL: http://www.exp-systems.com/Forum_exp/forum_posts.asp?TID=168
Printed Date: 04 Nov 25 at 7:03AM


Topic: Appropriate Hyperlink Format?
Posted By: Joel
Subject: Appropriate Hyperlink Format?
Date Posted: 12 Feb 06 at 10:03AM

What are the appropriate formats to enable active hyperlinks in the Pro version?

For example, spelling out the full hyperlink with http://....  works fine, but hyperlinking a specific word in MS Word does not appear to hyperlink although it is "blue" and underlined.

Thanks!


Replies:
Posted By: Michel_K17
Date Posted: 12 Feb 06 at 10:27AM
   That's right. When you "print" to a PDF, the text in blue and underlined is sent to the printer, but the underlying hyperlink information is not. Once PDF reDirect Pro receives the printer data, it goes through the text (it must a standard font) and looks for text that begins with "http://", "https://" and "www." and converts that to a hyperlink.

   Therefore, the behaviour you are describing is "by design", but I'll be the first to admit: not great.

   Your most immediate option to convert a long, complex hyperlink to different text is to use the "Stamp" feature: with that, you can setup a small text stamp to place in the Header or Footer, make it blue and underlined, and assign to it a hyperlink of your choice.

   For the future: I am working on a Microsoft Word Macro which will take the imbedded hyperlinks, and pass that information to PDF reDirect Pro so that it can "rebuild" the underlying hyperlinks. This new feature will be available with the next "major" release which will be in Q4 2006 (earlier if you are willing to install and try the beta version of the next release). The only problem is that only addresses MS Word, but none of the other major word-processors out there.

   I hope that helps you understand what is going on.

   Now, final note: there is a "trick" to make these underlying hyperlinks work somehow. I have successfully managed to get them to work by:
  • placing a 3 identical textboxes underneath the hyperlink text.
  • Set the text in the textboxes to the same colour as the background so that they are not visible.
  • Stack the 3 textboxes vertically, slightly offset from one another in order to cover the hyperlink text.
  • Make sure that the hyperlink in the textboxes stay on one line (you may need to select a font size of "1".

   I know that system has worked for a couple of other people, and they were happy with the result. The problem is that it is tedious to setup and the hyperlink cannot be too long. I can send you an MS Word document with a sample if you wish.

Posted By: Michel_K17
Date Posted: 12 Feb 06 at 10:37AM
Hi,

   Here is a sample PDF and a sample MS Word document that will help you visualize what I was talking about (see the bottom of the page).
  • http://www.exp-systems.com/PDFreDirect/Download/Hyperlink_Samples.pdf - PDF Sample
  • http://www.exp-systems.com/PDFreDirect/Download/Hyperlink_Samples.zip - Zipped MS Word Doc Sample

Posted By: Joel
Date Posted: 12 Feb 06 at 12:29PM
Thanks, for your amazingly fast response!


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