Link problems in web-mounted PDF files (target = "_blank" not working)

[Hoodoo12]

Hello people,

I'm trying to design PDF's to be mounted in a Wordpress framework on the internet, and I need links and hyperlinked images to open in new browser tabs or windows.  In HTML terms, this would be like adding

target="_blank"

but I can't find any dialogue or options that would allow this.

Is there any possible way to make this happen?

thanks for any suggestions!

[ls_rbls · Accepted solution]

+++ EDITED REPLY added some additional backup information about the programming language used to create the WordPress PDF Embedder plug-in

Is not confusing, I just can't help but notice that people in general use the term PDF interchangeably with Acrobat or "Adobe".

Embedding PDFs in Wordpress websites is a feature that Wordpress created, not Adobe Inc.

Yet, it is worth noting that the portable document format (PDF) technology that everyone have enjoyed for decades, even through the modern family of web browsers, was originated by Adobe.

My point is that, you need to contact Wordpress support; the Word Press PDF Embedder plug-in is platform independent as far as I am aware of.

As such, The inability to open an embedded PDF document in a new web browsing tab or in a new web browsing window, can be related to different things.

For starters, the Wordpress PDF Embedder seems to convert and weave together HTML code with ECMAScript,  a part of the JavaScript programming language dedicated for web interoperability and also used as a compiler for other languages.

 However, From what I've read, the majority of the code that is used with the WordPress PDF Embedder plug-in was developed in PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor); a scripting language that is sometimes employed as a server-side scripting language for web development.

Neither ECMAScript nor PHP are (in any way) the same thing as Acrobat JavaScript (which is based on extensions to manipulate and work with objects in a PDF document, not on web pages).

So we can't blame the Adobe Acrobat Pro DC software on the issue that you're wrestling with.

BUT, it may be possible that if you've created a secured PDF using Acrobat Pro, a core Acrobat JavaScript security feature may be enforcing some sort of restriction. 

In addition, the free WordPress PDF Embedder version is limited only to uploading and embedding, and maybe a few other features.

So you may have to pay for the Premium version to have access to all the add-ons that you may be missing.

If you already are experiencing this issue with their Premium version then disregard all of my verbage.

But overall, my main observation is actually a question:  In which web browsers is this happening?

Have you tested the same Wordpress page in Firefox, Google Chrome and the new Micrososft Edge web browser?

From reading further in the Wordpress support forums, some users have posted that when they click on the download button their embedded PDF opens in a new window instead of downloading the file directly to their computers.

As you can see, that is the behavior that you want, which for those users is doing the  opposite.

Assuming that this issue is resolved by adding a button to that web page amd activating the appropriate add-on that you seem to be missing, you may need to review  in your web browser settings if PDFs are defaulted to be downloaded or opened in a new tab.

That is also another setting that you must check which is not an Adobe Acrobat Pro DC issue and it is controlled entirely at the web browser level.

[ls_rbls]

I believe that this question is not related to any Adobe Acrobat Pro DC troubleshooting.

If by mounting a PDF to a Wordpress framework you're referring to the process of embedding a PDF to an HTML website or how to add a PDF viewer to a Wordpress web page, you must consult with the Wordpress guidelines on how to use the Wordpress PDF Embedder and how JavaScript is employed with whatever plugins you're using.

See here:

• https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-add-a-pdf-viewer-in-wordpress/

• https://athemes.com/tutorials/embed-a-pdf-file-in-wordpress/

Additionally, please review the tips in the Adobe developer blog posted in the link below:

•  https://blog.developer.adobe.com/easily-embed-pdf-into-your-website-using-adobe-document-cloud-view-...

[Hoodoo12]

Thanks for the suggestions.  There is no problem using plugins to display PDF files in WordPress sites.  The problem is (1) embedding the code that makes the link open in a new window (Acrobat problem), and (2) making the links work properly. (problem in both Acrobat, which has no option for that coding, and in OpenOffice/OfficeLibre which will export PDF nicely, and code in [ target="_blank"] nicely, but the "open in new window" programming does not work in the final PDF display.)

hope that's not too confusing.

[ls_rbls · Accepted solution]

+++ EDITED REPLY added some additional backup information about the programming language used to create the WordPress PDF Embedder plug-in

Is not confusing, I just can't help but notice that people in general use the term PDF interchangeably with Acrobat or "Adobe".

Embedding PDFs in Wordpress websites is a feature that Wordpress created, not Adobe Inc.

Yet, it is worth noting that the portable document format (PDF) technology that everyone have enjoyed for decades, even through the modern family of web browsers, was originated by Adobe.

My point is that, you need to contact Wordpress support; the Word Press PDF Embedder plug-in is platform independent as far as I am aware of.

As such, The inability to open an embedded PDF document in a new web browsing tab or in a new web browsing window, can be related to different things.

For starters, the Wordpress PDF Embedder seems to convert and weave together HTML code with ECMAScript,  a part of the JavaScript programming language dedicated for web interoperability and also used as a compiler for other languages.

 However, From what I've read, the majority of the code that is used with the WordPress PDF Embedder plug-in was developed in PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor); a scripting language that is sometimes employed as a server-side scripting language for web development.

Neither ECMAScript nor PHP are (in any way) the same thing as Acrobat JavaScript (which is based on extensions to manipulate and work with objects in a PDF document, not on web pages).

So we can't blame the Adobe Acrobat Pro DC software on the issue that you're wrestling with.

BUT, it may be possible that if you've created a secured PDF using Acrobat Pro, a core Acrobat JavaScript security feature may be enforcing some sort of restriction. 

In addition, the free WordPress PDF Embedder version is limited only to uploading and embedding, and maybe a few other features.

So you may have to pay for the Premium version to have access to all the add-ons that you may be missing.

If you already are experiencing this issue with their Premium version then disregard all of my verbage.

But overall, my main observation is actually a question:  In which web browsers is this happening?

Have you tested the same Wordpress page in Firefox, Google Chrome and the new Micrososft Edge web browser?

From reading further in the Wordpress support forums, some users have posted that when they click on the download button their embedded PDF opens in a new window instead of downloading the file directly to their computers.

As you can see, that is the behavior that you want, which for those users is doing the  opposite.

Assuming that this issue is resolved by adding a button to that web page amd activating the appropriate add-on that you seem to be missing, you may need to review  in your web browser settings if PDFs are defaulted to be downloaded or opened in a new tab.

That is also another setting that you must check which is not an Adobe Acrobat Pro DC issue and it is controlled entirely at the web browser level.

[Hoodoo12 · Accepted solution]

THANK-YOU!  This is the most helpful answer I've received so far in all the forums I've queried.   What this says to me is that my next steps are to check multi-browser functions as far as reactions to how the "target='_blank'" issue, and also to check WordPress plugin specifics, because I do believe some of the PDF embedders had paid upgrades that "allowed" links to be opened in new windows.

I sincerely appreciate the clarity, thoughtfulness and expertise you've conveyed in your response; this is a rare find in user help groups.

[ls_rbls]

Yes of course, happy to help.

This link is the most useful that I found for you:

• https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/best-pdf-plugins-for-wordpress/