Inspiring

Answered

Hyperlinking to another document in an adjacent folder

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
March 25, 2024
3 replies
2426 views

Hello,

Yet ANOTHER thing that is so simple in Word yet seemingly impossible in FrameMaker.

I want to put a hyperlinks in my files in my book that, when clicked on, will open a pdf file in an adjacent folder. For instance:

I have a chapter where I list the manuals for indivdual parts on the machine that I'm writing about. So, say I want to link to the power supply instruction sheet. I want to be able to have the phrase "Power Supply" be a hyperlink, that when clicked, will open a folder that's adjacent to the FrameMaker files.

This is what my superiors are telling me is needed in our manuals. The trainer I had for this program assured me that it's doable, but we didn't get around to covering it.

There is nothing covering this anywhere in these discussions, at least not one that tells specific commands on how to make it happen. There are some discussions that make reference to commands that I can't find in any of my menus, so I'm completely lost.

The FrameMaker manual doesn't cover this either.

I'd like to know if:

1. It is even possible to do this.

2. What are the specific steps (which menu, which menu selection, what to select when the menu opens) to getting this result.

Thank you.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Susan305351693t3o

This is not correct. You can link to adjacent folders on a local disk or server disk. Are you able to meet via zoom so we can look at this? Please contact me offlist: rick at frameexpert dot com.

Update: It CAN be done! Rick kindly demoed for me how this is done:

1. Go to the Hypertext or Marker menu

2. Enter the syntax "message openfile." If you're using the "Hypertext" menu, you will notice that this syntax is NOT included, at least in my 2020 version of FrameMaker. This is where "tribal knowledge" comes into play.

3. Enter the relative path for the file you want to link to., preceeded by a /. Be sure to include the file extension (e.g., ".pdf")

4. Test the link with CTRL/ALT click to open the file.

5. Once you have verified that it opens, you can export your FrameMaker file to pdf, and the link you've created should open.

Thank Rick!

Matt-Tech Comm Tools

Community Expert

I want to put a hyperlinks in my files in my book that, when clicked on, will open a pdf file in an adjacent folder.

Links like this can be tricky to insert, and can also be tough to maintain if/when you update documents.

FrameMaker links are designed to be used by FrameMaker, or converted to use within the publishing of output from a single FrameMaker file or book.

Cross-document links in published output don't inherently "know about" things outside of (in this case) the single PDF output without an explicit absolute path.

While it's possible to add those paths in FrameMaker hypertext markers, you may find it easier to use Acrobat to produce cross-document links once you've placed the files in their location on the server.

Whether in FrameMaker or in Acrobat, you'll need to have the final path, including the filename and/or location within the PDF available to you.

-Matt Sullivan, FrameMaker Course Creator, Author, Trainer, Consultant

Susan305351693t3oAuthor

Inspiring

I think the answer to this question is, no, you cannot link to documents in an adjacent folder unless the folder is on an internet server. You can't do what you can do in Word, which is link to a file in an adjacent folder that simply exists in a package of files with the Word file itself. The documents you link to have to be on an internet server.

Please tell me if this is correct. Thank you. If so, I will mark this as "correct answer."

frameexpert

Community Expert

This is not correct. You can link to adjacent folders on a local disk or server disk. Are you able to meet via zoom so we can look at this? Please contact me offlist: rick at frameexpert dot com.

Y

yatani

Participating Frequently

The FrameMaker 2019 user guide had the following sample hypertext command.
message system c:/hypertextdocuments.pdf
message system acrobat c:/hypertextdocuments.pdf

The Framemaker 10 user guide had the following sample hypertext command.
message openfile /HardDrive/Graphics/Tuba.eps
message openfile /HardDrive/Scripts/DocReport

frameexpert

Community Expert

Yes, it's possible. If your PDF files are going to be in adjacent folders, then make sure the FrameMaker books are also in adjacent folders. Open the appropriate documents in each folder and make your cross-references. When you make your PDFs, make sure that both .book files are open. When you deliver the PDFs, make sure that the respective folder names are the same as they were for the FrameMaker books.

Susan305351693t3oAuthor

Inspiring

I don't understand what you mean. I understand that if you want to link to a FrameMaker file from another file, that's easy. But I'm talking about linking to a separate pdf file that is in an adjacent folder. Sure, I can have that separate pdf file open, but it won't be open in FrameMaker, just open in Adobe Acrobat. It won't show up in the list of files you can link to.

When I try to open a pdf file in FrameMaker, I get this:

So how am I supposed to "have them open?"

Do you know the steps? With Word, you have the files in a folder that is in the same folder as the word file itself. You go "insert/hyperlink" and you simply select the file from the folder, and viola, there is text in the Word file that links to the pdf file.

So which menu do you use, what command, and how do you navigate to the pdf file that you're hyperlinking to?

Jeff_Coatsworth

Community Expert

See https://community.adobe.com/t5/framemaker-discussions/can-you-hyperlink-to-an-external-document/m-p/4646799

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