Hyperlink

[AvRog]

How do I create in FrameMaker(11) a hyperlink to another pdf document?

Thanks in advance.     Rog.

[Bob_Niland]

The legacy way was to apply any Character Format to the string to be made active (typically an appropriately named one (e.g. "URL") with blue text and underline, then:
Special > Hypertext
Command: Go to URL
(the char format delimits the hypertext)

Where will the present document be found by users?

Where does the target document reside?
Do you need to deep link to something other than the first page?

(these are not casual questions)

[AvRog]

Where will the present document be found by users?

On the descktop

Where does the target document reside?

In a folder that resides in the FrameMaker output pdf folder

Do you need to deep link to something other than the first page?

No

Also I would rather select a button or graphic from the initial PDF to the target PDF.

What say you?

Thanks,     Rog.

[Bob_Niland · Accepted solution]

re, parent doc: On the descktop

Are all users on the same platform (Windows, Mac, Android, etc.)?

re, target doc: In a folder that resides in the FrameMaker output pdf folder

Seems like an odd place.

Hyperlink targets apparently can be any fully qualified URL, including local file system paths and network file system paths, both relative and absolute. The trick is making sure the target PDF is accessible via the same notation to all users anywhere.

re, link presentation: Also I would rather select a button or graphic from the initial PDF to the target PDF.

Done via image hot-spotting or the usual hidden-text-frame-behind image hack in an anchored frame.

Not needing to deep link simplifies matters, as getting Named Destinations to work in older FMs required post-processing. Not sure what the state of this is currently.

[AvRog]

Ok Bill very helpful so far. I got a link to work.

"File:///D:/Aircraft/ Rog/ATA 21/Graphics/21 3D/21 20 01.pdf"

My PDF file resides in ATA 21, How do I make this link relative so I can shorten the path and not have the users machines need to have my file structure?

This did NOT work: "File:///ATA 21/Graphics/21 3D/21 20 01.pdf"

This will be tablet based and not accessed via a server. Each unit will have all content.

Using FrameMaker 11

Thanks in advance

Roger.

[AvRog]

Got it working relative thanks Bill. Now the issue of the day.

The company I work for has 2 major locations. For reasons too angering to explain, depending on location, we will use tablets or iPads.

No issues with Tablets I am sure but don't have my hands on one to test.

On the iPads we use GoodReader for the pdf presentations.

In the Goodreader I copied the files over using the same file structure. When I click on the link I get a pop up as follow:

"pdfLink_cantOpenURL_title

The following address can't be opened:

./Graphics/21 3D/21 20 01.pdf"

What say you?

Thanks,   Rog.

[Bob_Niland]

re: What say you?

You're probably going to need some actual support from your organization's IT support dept.

Ideally, you need some sort of common resource which looks the same to everyone at all sites (I had this, world-wide, in my last hire, but I still avoiding linking PDFs one to another). If you can't get a unified common view, you might have to replicate to the two major sites. Symbolic links might be useful. What you seriously want to avoid is requiring replication at each client machine.

Unless FM has added some new notations, link paths are limited to:

• URL
  (which probably needs to be internal-only)
• relative file path
  (which presumes the PDF is always opened in a consistent relative location)
• absolute file path
  (which is in general impossible, due to intractable legacy conventions).