CS6 hyperlink problem

[JKA@4153]

Hi everyone,

In Indesign CS6, I created a new URL hyperlink and pasted the following link into the field:

http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?docid=AID/AID2004688/00001

But when I click OK and then look in the URL field in the hyperlinks panel, I see that Indesign has changed the link to the following:

http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm%3Fdocid%3DAID/AID2004688/00001

Notice how it's swapping out the question mark (?) after .htm with %3F.

It's also swapping out the equals sign (=) with %3D.

This breaks the URL and makes it no longer workable.

I tried reinstalling Indesign but the problem still remains.

I wondered if anyone knows why this is happening and whether there's a workaround?

Appreciate any help.

[mgdibblee]

Many thanks to gwhPoster to mitigate this horrid ID6 bug. Wasn't until a reader called to my attention that a pdf "live link" wasn't working that I realized this problem a couple of months ago. So great to have people to fix these things.

After saving this to txt file, since I'm not a java programmer, I just copied the .txt file to the scripts: Java scripts: directory in ID, changed the suffix from .txt to .jsx & it works like a charm. Thanks so much! And I did report it as a bug. a big bug.

MGKD

[TonyRedhead]

I find it amazing that it's been almost eight months since this bug was first reported in this forum and still no fix . We use this feature everyday and if it wasn't for the fixes supplied by actual users of InDesign we would be in dire shape.

[mgdibblee]

And I didn't read anywhere that one needed to change the suffix from .txt to .jsx. At least that's what I had to do to get ID scripts to recognize it as a java script.

Martha Dibblee

dibblee@hevanet.com

[Laubender]

@Martha – There is a subtle, maybe too subtle hint in line one of the code that suggest a file name for the script:
Post #1 and #51 (enhanced version by Joe Fugate).

Also read anwer #14, #17, #27 or follow the links in #54.

Uwe

[mgdibblee]

Thanks, again, my programming is vintage 1990s (I'm age 72) but it was clear filename was clue, which I missed; however, I added the URL as a //comment at top of file.

From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

[TonyRedhead]

Okay 10 months now and I was eagerly awaiting the release of InDesign CC to see if they used this opportunity to fix the bug. Alas it's not to be, if you can actually get InDesign CC to run without crashing the bug is still there

[mgdibblee]

ID is really stupid. I went online to get the problem fix'd using a java script. Did you get that?

[Laubender]

@Tony – I'm speechless… 😞

Uwe

[mgdibblee]

I merely renamed the file using the javascript suffix in the javascrpt directory of ID6 & it worked. Actually I copied the file & renamed the copy, not the original. To make this work, highlight the text that's linked to the URL & click on the java script file. A lot of nonsense but it works. Otherwise, the error can be corrected in Acrobat Pro using the link tool. But when there are a lot of links this is a real pain.

[TonyRedhead]

This is a quote from Adobe’s Senior VP and General Counsel of Digital Media David Wadhwani, “We’ve added a ton of new innovation to all our CC desktop apps like Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

Except for fixing this infuriating problem!

[Guy Burns]

I started a thread (http://forums.adobe.com/message/5256788#5256788) about a similar problem I was having, being unaware of this thread. The "$" in the link below causes InDesign to go to the wrong destination, but the link works in an exported PDF.

http://www.projectorcentral.com/paint_perfect_screen_$100.htm

[Zinusmero]

I have just encountered this problem but have found a non-scripting solution that works (for me anyway).

I often have to link pages to a website containing a ? and = sign.

This is what i do:

1. Highlight the text where you want the hyperlink.
2. Create a Hyperlink Destination.
3. Select URL from the Type Combo Box.
4. Enter a destination name and URL and Click OK. The selected text by default will be the Destination Name.
5. While the text is still selected, create a New Hyperlink.
6. In the Link To combo box, select Shared Destination.
7. In the Name combo box, select the name of the destination you just created.
8. Click OK.

The URL will now be ok without the special characters.

I have tested this method in an exported PDF and it worked fine.

On a side note...(sarcastically) Thanks Adobe for all the extra work you have given me, I was getting bored with things being so uncomplicated.

[Peter Spier]

It looks like maybe the this is actually fixed in the 8.0.2 update released the other day. See item one in the list of fixes at http://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/release-note/indesign-cs6-2-release-notes.html

[Guest]

Thank you, Zinusmero! This fixes this problem that is still occurring in CS6 InDesign with any URL that has a query string in it.

[aradvocates]

I have had this same problem. A lot of the fixes posted here are over my head. I don't know what to do with a script.

I just pasted a bit.ly link in instead of the longer link that kept bugging up. It worked like a charm and is by far the simplest solution I've found so far.

Hope this works for everyone.

[dave_feasey]

Use bit.ly to shorten the URL to something containing no special characters.

[spotte]

dave_feasey:  Seven years later!

Brilliant answer. Simple and to the point. Good thinking. Thank you!!

[spotte]

Is anyway for ADOBE to fix this Adobe product bug? This Adobe's issue to fix. And this is a big problem for print designers.