Creating hyperlinks from URLS on two lines

[michelenelson59]

Our technical journal contains a lot of long URLs that break between two lines.

When I attempt to create hyperlinks from these URLS, the result contains a space where the line break occurs, so I have to go back and edit them all manually to remove the space so the link will work in the exported PDF. This is extremely time-consuming and annoying and I don't want to do it!

For example, this text:

https://www.usenix.org/system/files/conference

/fast15/fast15-paper-aghayev.pdf

Creates this hyperlink:

https://www.usenix.org/system/files/conference/fast15 /fast15-paper-aghayev.pdf

Here is an example of what the formatted text looks like.

I have tried letting Acrobat create the hyperlinks from the URLS, but I get the same result, a space in the hyperlink where the line break occurs.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

[TᴀW · Accepted solution]

I do! Try our https://www.id-extras.com/products/hyperlinkpro

Hyperlink Pro | Id-Extras.com

Sounds like it's tailor-made for people like you 🙂

Ariel

[michelenelson59]

Thanks, Ariel, I will test this right away.

[michelenelson59]

I downloaded the free version as a test. I had to go through and remove the forced line breaks I inserted, but once I did that, it worked fine.

I assume I can change my forced line breaks to discretionary line breaks with a grep find/change so I don't have to remove them all.

I'll test this a bit more, but it looks like it might be just what I need.

[TᴀW]

michelenelson59  wrote

I had to go through and remove the forced line breaks I inserted, but once I did that, it worked fine.

Ah - well that sounds like the answer to your original question. The forced line breaks are what were messing up the 2-line hyperlinks. So replacing those with a discretionary line break character should solve that problem without the use of any script!

Ariel

[michelenelson59]

Actually, I do still need the script. Without it, the auto-generated hyperlinks for two line URLS still don't work.

For example, this text:

https://www.usenix.org/system/files/conference

/fast15/fast15-paper-aghayev.pdf

Produces this link:

https://www.usenix.org/system/files/conference

[Raphael0101 · Accepted solution]

There might be an easier solution for you and anyone who had this issue, like me. Just put the URL between < >. It worked for me

[Raleigh5FDE]

Brilliant! This solved my problem, thanks so much!!!

[jlesage]

Thanks so much for this Raphael0101! I think you've just saved me many wasted hours in my working life...

[Lorel289337892efg]

I still can't figure this out...can someone help? I have so many PDFs to edit and I am struggling. 

[jlesage]

Hi Lorel289337892efg
Did you figure this out? 
Are you using the latest version of InDesign on an apple mac, like me?
I've attached a screenshot, showing the angle-brackets in place in a document where I used this method successfully
Good luck!
Julien

[Laubender]

Hi Raphael,

would you be so kind to share a sample document where you are using this solution with enclosing < > brackets?

Best put in on Dropbox or a similar service and post the download link.

Thanks,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )