Linking to a file

[lizat]

Dear madcaps,

i have a topic that will need a link to an excel file. Can I create an relative link that wuold be honoured once the output is generated?

Thank you............................................ liz

[KevinDAmery]

You would have to treat this the same way as a link to any other type of external file by creating a URL using an 'a' tag. And like any other URL linking to a file, you would also need to ensure that the path to the file remains valid after the fact (i.e. the Excel file would need to be in the same relative location to the topic).

[MEndres]

Is there some way to get MadCap Flare to maintain relative links?

When I create an External link, I put in the relative address. For example,

External File: ../Appendix/Appendix 3.1.4 .doc

Yet, when I output to Word, the link becomes absolute and changes to "C://My Documents/My Projects/Example Flare Project/Content/Appendix 3.1.4.doc"

[RamonS]

Try not linking it as 'external file'. Once it is in the content folder it is no longer external. The external file is something I'd use for linking to a different web site or network share when on an intranet.

[MEndres]

That was just an example. What about when linking to external files?


So, instead of ../../Appendix 3.1.4.doc I link to

"../../../Appendices/Appendix 3.1.4.doc"


Is there a way to force Flare to maintain relative links, especially in printed output?

[RamonS]

Relative to what? The "../" means you are going up one level. Take the output and place it into a folder off root and the link won't work - UNLESS you include the file within the content folder, ideally as close to the topic linking to it or alternatively in a common resource folder. Any other way you will eventually end up with broken links.

[MEndres]

I want the link to stay relative in the Word/PDF output. So yes, I want to maintain the "../" in the Word/PDF output.

Is this possible?

[CataleSaia]

I just added a new posting similar to this I now relaize. I too am looking for a way for the relative pointer to remain relative to point to a number of PDF files that are stored in a remote location. I have seen some discussion of using the registry as a pointer, but I am not sure we can get that kind of privs to do that.

Thank you . I look forward to any ideas as I am sure does MEndres