Problem : When converting an MS Word document to PDF the Hyperlink to Bookmarks functionality is not working correctly.

I am an experienced user of Word and have used this functionality in the past, but am currently having a problem getting it to work

MS Word : The Hyperlink to Bookmark functionality is working as expected.

Adobe Reader :

a) A PDF document with Hyperlinks (downloaded for testing purposes) is working as expected - click on the Hyperlinked text and control goes to the Hyperlinked section. Therefore my assumption is that Adobe Reader is setup and working correctly.

b) A PDF document (with Hyperlinks) created from a Word document does not transfer control to the Bookmarked item.



In the PDF document (created from the Word document), when the Mouse is held over the item that is Hyperlinked to a Bookmark, the Open Hand changes to the Closed Hand with Index finger pointing at the Hyperlinked text - which is the expected behavior. However, when clicked, nothing happens, the control does not go to the Hyperlinked section.

I have opened the file using both Adobe Reader and the Microsoft XPS Reader. Both behave in exactly the same way.

Any suggestions...

T.

Provided you're saving the document as a PDF and not using a PDF 'printer' to produce it, the hyperlink should work in the PDF.

In case your Office installation is faulty, you might try repairing it (via Word Options|Resources|Diagnose).

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Hi Tabvla,

If you are using MS Word 13 then follow these steps:

Go to File menu and select Export To option. Now click on the PDF option to convert the file.

For MS Word 2007:

Click on the Office button in the top left corner then select the Save-As option. Click on the PDF option and save the file.

All the best

The OP's profile clearly shows Word 2007. In any event, saving as a PDF via Save As, is all that's required. There is no need to go through the 'export' process.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Paul and Mark, thanks for your replies.

Yes Paul, I agree, this should not be Rocket Science.... all that one should need to do is "Save As > PDF or XPS".

And yes, the PDF doc opens as expected in Adobe Reader. And yes again, when you move the Mouse over the Hyperlinked text the Mouse pointer changes to a closed hand with index finger pointing to the H-text.... so far, so good, so normal....

Then you click on the H-text and nothing happens, the control does not go to the area that is Hyperlinked to the Bookmark.

Perhaps it is some setting somewhere..? Security setting perhaps..? But I have gone through all the settings and nothing jumps out and says "Change me".

So..... still not working.

T.

I have read in other forums (via google) where others have also ran into the same problem. In one case, the issue was solved by installing a version of Adobe Acrobat and then converting. I have no idea if this is the only solution as I agree with Paul's comments above in that it should work via "Save As" .pdf. Depending upon the urgency for this to occur, it may be worth exploring the installation of Adobe (there is a free download version available but, the link escapes me right now...will look for it an post if necessary).

That would normally indicate the hyperlink wasn't functional in Word, either. The behaviour is what you might get if you had a link to a bookmark, then the bookmark got deleted.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Paul, I agree, that is what one would think... but, the Hyperlinks are working as expected in the original Word document and I can "see" the Bookmarks....

Jim, if you locate that link please include with your next Post.... thanks.

T.

Can you attach a copy of the document and the corresponding PDF to a post (delete anything sensitive)? You do this via the paperclip symbol on the 'Go Advanced' tab at the bottom of this screen.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Actually, credit Paul in posting this in an earlier/separate post:

"Adobe Acrobat Pro 8 is available as a free download. See: http://www.techspot.com/downloads/46...at-8-free.html (note the serial# mentioned there)."

I doubt installing Adobe Acrobat Pro is going to help resolve the OP's problem, though, since it has to do with saving files with hyperlinks. Adobe Acrobat Pro allows you to 'print' files, but that disables all links - just as you'd get with a paper print.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Paul, thanks for your reply and my apologies for not responding sooner - just a busy week.

The document is an organisation's confidential internal policy document, so regrettably I am unable to attach it to my Post. When next I am working on that computer I will create a sample doc and PDF and attach those.

T.

Thanks Jim and Paul, I will give it a try when next I am on that PC.

It still seems incredibly annoying that a simple task like converting a Word doc to PDF can be such a hassle. I accept that this is not always the case but then it should never be the case. And if it is then it would be helpful if a popup message provided the user with some useful info as to which setting needs to be changed in order to get whatever functionality isn't working, operational.

That's my grumble for the week.... mutter, mutter....

T.

SOLVED....

What was that about lost Kingdoms and horseshoe nails... sometimes it is the most obvious that eludes us.

The author of this document created the Hyperlinks using the "Existing File or Web Page" option instead of "Place in This Document" option. And I did not notice that.

Therefore when Adobe Reader tried to redirect control to the Hyperlink it needed to "link to a file" which the security settings on that machine would not allow.

So in closing this Thread.... thank you to Jim and Paul for your help and the lesson I have learned from this is - "first look for the obvious before assuming something more complex is going on".

T.