Linked files not working on exported pdfs

[Brandman33]

Hi,  i've created a doc (ID cs6), made buttons and in that dialogue box have 'actioned' the buttons to 'open a file' which is another seperate pdf file I created, I then export as  an interactive pdf, checking the include hyperlinks box. When it then opens they all work fine. The original ID file, the pdf file of that and the pdf files i've linked to are all in the same folder. 

I then email that folder (zipped) to the client, who can click through other linked pages i've made within that pdf, but can't open the pdfs i've linked to. I've assumed maybe the file names may have gone scewy and popped it on Dropbox with a link for her (unacrchived/zipped), same problem.

So somewhere in the process the linked pdfs loose their trail? Like we do with linked images, is there a way of making sure link files (in this case pdfs), via a button, keep their trail and open on any machine they're opened up on?

Also, as a sidenote, I really need the file that is opened to open in a new window. Currently there doesn't appear to be an option for this so instead i've put a home button on the file that's opened so the viewer can get back to the original intro page – is there a way around this?

Using CS6 for now, tried in CC (19) and there isn't a fix.

have searched through here and Google but using these terms for the p;roblem just brings up more of the obvious pdf / links problems. Any help appreciated. 

[Laubender · Accepted solution]

Hi Brandman33,

don't think they loose their trail. It's only that Acrobat does use fixed path to the linked files in your case.

Don't know the details anymore, but with Acrobat's JavaScript it should be possible to link the files with relative paths, I think. This all is a Acrobat question and should be asked over there: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/bd-p/acrobat?page=1&sort=latest_replies&filter=all

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Brandman33]

Ok Uwe. Thanks.

What I am trying to avoid is adding the links in Acrobat. Ultimatley the document will need to be created in ID and there will be alot of various type sof links (within document adn linking to other files), what I don't want is a situation where I add the links in ID and then have to do it again in Acrobat. Surely these wonderfully designed pieces of software – which seem to be endlesly updated – have the ability to export the file trail cross-platform? 

[Derek Cross]

Be careful of "buttons" they may not work on mobile devices (you can use images as buttons, but not rollover).

[Brandman33]

OK, thansk Derek.

Luckily will be used on laptops, albeit PC/MS adn Apple (have suggested Acrobat be the preferred title for this).

[Derek Cross]

Remember there are a number of PDF Readers available so test your document on others, apart from the Acrobat Reader, particularly Mac Preview which is poor.

[Laubender]

Hi Brandman33,

I see no way to include Acrobat JavaScript without using Acrobat Pro.

InDesign is not capable to do this with Export to PDF.

There could be a way, but this would require placed EPS files with special code, print to PostScript and Distiller to transform that special code to working Acrobat JavaScript code in the distilled PDF.

Maybe the FormMaker script by Timothy Ariel Walden could do this:

https://www.id-extras.com/using-formmaker-to-add-validation-scripts-to-a-pdf-form-in-indesign/

But it also requires an additional step in Acrobat, I think.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Brandman33]

The odd thing is, if I expoert the pdf, then pop the pdf with the folder with associated links onto DropBox – or email to my laptop, if I open that pdf up in Acrobat to check the buttons, the path is correct, ie, the ath would've changed to it's Dropbox/Laptop location, it just won't open it.

So are you saying the fix is to add any 'open a file' prompts to buttons in Acrobat rather than InDeign? 

[Laubender]

Hm. Well, I don't know. That should bediscussed in the Acrobat forum, I think.

Maybe it's a bug with Acrobat?

Or it is because of a security setting in Acrobat?

Could be very likely. If the paths are ok. Do you get any error message? Like "file not found"?

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Brandman33]

I've tried it by adding (or re-adding) the 'open a fil' prompt in Acrobat rather than InDesign and works where it didn't befroe on my laptop (not networked), just waiting for client to give me the thumbs up. Would be so much easier if this worked when set-up in ID, seems pointless to have it as an option.