PDF link opens Outlook template but not through Chrome

[daryljanisch]

Our company policies are written in Word and shared as PDF files through our intranet site.

One policy has a link to an Outlook template. You click on it and it starts a new email with a form that you can fill out and email to the interested parties.

This link only works if you have the PDF open in Adobe (Reader or Pro). If you are reading it in Chrome nothing happens. If you are reading it in Edge, Edge does ASK if you want to open the link and THEN nothing happens.

[Thom Parker]

Many PDF actions are not supported by 3rd party PDF viewers.  This is especially true of the browser and mobile viewers, many of which will actually corrupt a PDF if given a chance. JavaScript in particular is very poorly suppored in PDFs. 

Outlook templates also have restrictions. A browser is probably restricted for security reason from opening outlook. Or at least it should be. 

So how is this link formed? What is the underlying action?

[daryljanisch]

\\networkLocation\Folder\NameOfTemplate.oft

[Thom Parker]

I'm assuming that the link uses an "Open a Web Link" action and not JavaScript. 

The issue is with the browser viewer. It either does not support the link action, the link target it not supported, or security restrictions are preventing it from Opening Outlook on the user's system.    I suspect it's one of the last two. It doesn't know what to do with the "oft" file, or opening a local tool from the browser is not allowed. 

I'm surprised that Acrobat allows this action since it is supposed to be sandboxed. You really shouldn't be able to do this at all. Seems like a security breach.