Hyperlinks in Placed Illustrator file

[GiGiTexas]

Is it possible to create a .AI file that contains hyperlinks (I know how to do that part) that maintain their integrity when placing it as a linked image into another illustrator file? When I create the file with the hyperlinks and export it as a PDF the hyperlinks work but when I then place it as a link into my other Illustrator file - I cant get it to work at that point.

I want to make the imaster mage and link one time and have it in many files. Am I missing something or does it just not work?

[Monika Gause]

THat will not work. You need to copy and paste the objects with the links instead.

[GiGiTexas]

Thank you that was the conclusion I was coming to. 

[Ton Frederiks]

Linking does not work, but you could drag the file with the links to a CC library and Alt-drag it into other documents.

It will embed the file, but the links work.

[_scott__]

Perhaps.... You know you can link an .ai file into another .ai file... I don't work with this a whole lot. And I don't do a lot of hyperlinks in .ai files.. but this might work, or at least be something to test...

After linking, if the link is then embeded, the link is effectively "expanded". So, the linked .ai file gets unlinked and its contents become a part of the open document, just like anything else in the document. Basically, it is as if you copy/pasted one file into another. Just without copy/paste steps. 

Since the "clickable" part of url strings is a function of the PDF export and Acrobat. This should allow the export to see the url string like any other url string and therefore generate the "click" with the export.

This would allow you to have one master file and use links until you are ready to output one of the many files containing the link. THat way, if the original url string changes it would be updated in links. You would simply need to embed the link, then Save As/Export to PDF.

[GiGiTexas]

This is exactly what I was doing, linking to another .ai file in my .ai file.

In my pea brained mind it seemed like it should work this way and was going exacty for what you are describing...like a master file with the link and used in multiple files BUT it just doesnt seem to work.

Thank you for the reply.  

[_scott__]

hmmm... Oddly enough the above works just fine - and as a link with no need to expand - at least in CS6. I'll need to test in v29.

Works as a linked file in v29 as well.

• Untitled1 - just basic .ai file with the text "http://www.example.com" - that's all. Saved as .ai (2020)
• Untitled2 - Place Untitled1 - Save As PDF - Untitled3 (using the default settings)
• Open Untitled3 in Acrobat, link is clickable.

Are you ensuring the "Preserve Hyperlinks" box is ticked when saving/exporting as a PDF? 

How is the URI text formatted? With or without "http://" - although my testing shows the "http://" appears to be irrelevant.

Is the URI text outlined? If the text is outlined here - I outline the text in Untitled1, place into Untitled2, save as PDF -- this fails and links are not made clickable in the PDF.

So, it would seem there's a need for the text to be live text, and not outlines.

[Ton Frederiks]

It is a messy subject and most of the time it depends on the pdf viewer/plug-in if the hyperlinks work.

If you have live text in your url, Acrobat and for example Preview on Mac will detect the url and make it a clickable link, even if the Preserve Hyperlinks option is off when saving the PDF. But browsers do not recognize these links.

Browsers willonly  recognize the hyperlinks that were added in the Illustrator Attributes panel using the Image Map option, or the hyperlinks that are added/detected in Acrobat using Edit > Edit a PDF > Link

[GiGiTexas]

Thanks for posting! The fact that it worked for you got me curious so I tested some more.

If I create a file Untitled-1.ai and put in a literal text hyperlink www.example.com or http://www.example.com then save it, then "Place" it in Untitled-2.ai, export it as a PDF > Untitled-2.pdf with "preserve hyperlinks" it works. I believe this is what you did.  

If I create a file Untitled-1.ai and add a hyperlink via the Attributes Panel using an Image Map on text that might say  "Click Here"  then "Place" it in Untitled-2.ai, export it as a PDF > Untitled-2.pdf with "preserve hyperlinks" it does not work. Yet if I export Untitled-1.ai to a PDF it will work just fine.