Creating a link to another page from a contents page - Interactive PDF

[tobywearefine]

Hi,

I'm creating a interactive pdf document for a client & I'd like to create direct links to pages from a contents page, so when the title of a page is clicked it would go direct to that page within the pdf... 

Is that possible within InDesign?

Best,

Toby

[Bill Silbert · Accepted solution]

Yes. You can use the Hyperlinks Panel to create links to a URL, another file, an email message or, as you're requesting, another page within the same file once it's made into a pdf. I recommend drawing an unstroked, and unfilled rectangle above each page in your contents page, select it and make it into a hyperlink (see:https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/hyperlinks.html). I would suggest putting all of these rectangle hyperlinks on a separate layer so that you can keep the layer locked after they're set up. You would then export the InDesign as an Adobe PDF (Print) and make sure that Include Hyperlinks is checked in the General section of the Export Adobe PDF dialog window that appears during the export. The advantage of using this method rather than using the Buttons and Forms Panel and exporting as an Interactive PDf is that more versions of Acrobat (version 9 or above is needed for Interactive PDFs) and  even some non-Adobe PDF viewers will recognize Hyperlinks and will not recognize the Buttons made for an Interactive PDF.

[tobywearefine]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for your advice. With regards to the recatangles, just so I understand, what are they for?

Can I not select the name of the page within the contents page & use that to create the hyperlink?

This will be used on iPads & tablets, will there be any issue with clicking the links on the screen? 

[Bill Silbert]

You can certainly do that but having the actual hyperlink as a separate object allows you to possibly edit the text without it affecting the link. Also the separate link shows up and is editable within the acrobat pdf in the Edit PDF mode using Acrobat's Edit Link option. This can be handy if the original InDesign file is not available and the link needs editing.

[tobywearefine]

Hi Bill,

Ok, that's great to know.  I was thinking of creating some arrows at the end of each heading which I could hyperlink so that they could be the shapes.

Thanks for your advice & help, its really appreciated.

Best,

Toby

[Bill Silbert]

Happy to help.