Link to a PDF in HTML file

[LivW]

Hello,
I'm sure this must have been asked, but I can't get anything to come up, since it is a common couple of words.
I have Flare version 7 and am trying to add a link to a PDF to an HTML file. I would like it to open up in another window. I have used the hyperlink, but it comes up as an error; it can't find it. Any suggestions?Thanks,
Liv

PS. I would also love to find out how to put that little box in there that I have seen that read something like-" if you don't have adobe pdf reader- click to download." Don't know if this is the forum for that though.

[lacastle]

Is the PDF stored within the project or outside? I think it would have to be in the project for .chm to work since .chm creates 1 file at the end. (but i don't use html help anymore so i'm not sure.)

here are some topics that relate to this - http://www.google.com/search?q=site:htt ... nt=firefox

(searching with google is much better than with the internal forum search - http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewto ... 114#p45836)

[lacastle]

PS. I would also love to find out how to put that little box in there that I have seen that read something like-" if you don't have adobe pdf reader- click to download." Don't know if this is the forum for that though.

for this, you could just write that text and provide a hyperlink to the adobe website where the download is provided. you can also make a graphic hyperlink to the website if you want the Adobe logo.

[tjl]

I just did this out last week and here is what worked for me:

* Added PDF files to the Content folder of the help project.
* Created hyperlink to the PDF file. I chose link to a File in Project and I found that it was important to choose the Target Frame as Same Frame or it didn't work.
* Distributed the PDF files with the CHM file.

With these settings the link worked correctly when I distributed the files.

That being said, the link has stopped working for me and Help crashes when I click on it. However, I think this problem may be due to some Windows updates I ran the other day and not due to a problem with the CHM file.

[LTinker68]

That being said, the link has stopped working for me and Help crashes when I click on it. However, I think this problem may be due to some Windows updates I ran the other day and not due to a problem with the CHM file.

Adobe also released some updates to Reader at about the same time Microsoft released their updates.

[esangregory]

Hello,
I have Flare version 7 and am trying to add a link to a PDF to an HTML file. I would like it to open up in another window.

In the past, I have done what others suggested and have stored the PDFs inside my Flare project. I created a folder just for PDFs so I would know where to find them. What I actually wanted to do was link to external PDFs, but at the time I was still using Flare 6, and that function didn't work, so I had this whole workaround that involved embedding PDFs in topics. . .it was a mess! But it worked.

If you want to, with Flare 7, you can now link to a PDF (or any other file) that is external to your project. I have tested it, and it works. The only thing that you have to watch out for is that you must make sure the file path to the PDF is exactly the same as it will be when your end users click on the link, because Flare creates an absolute link when you choose to link to an external file. In my situation, our software installer puts my HTML file in a documentation folder inside the program file folder on the local hard drive. I have the software installed on my computer, so I have this folder in my program files. When I want to link to a PDF, I just make sure that I drop it in that particular documentation first. Then I send the PDF to the software developer and ask him to include it in the same folder on the build server. That way, his installer automatically puts all the files in the right places, and everything works like a charm!

As far as getting it to open in another window: When you create the link, set the Target Frame option to New Window. You should be good to go!

[LivW]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I ended up linking it to an external file, which worked better than linking to the one inside my project for some reason, and was able to get a good image from Adobe.

[i-tietz]

The only thing that you have to watch out for is that you must make sure the file path to the PDF is exactly the same as it will be when your end users click on the link, because Flare creates an absolute link when you choose to link to an external file. In my situation, our software installer puts my HTML file in a documentation folder inside the program file folder on the local hard drive. I have the software installed on my computer, so I have this folder in my program files. When I want to link to a PDF, I just make sure that I drop it in that particular documentation first. Then I send the PDF to the software developer and ask him to include it in the same folder on the build server. That way, his installer automatically puts all the files in the right places, and everything works like a charm!

Are you sure the user is unable to install the software in a different folder / under a different path? What if he IS able?

[esangregory]

Are you sure the user is unable to install the software in a different folder / under a different path? What if he IS able?

I suppose everyone has to make sure whether this will be a problem with their particular company's software / installer. The software that I document is the "main" software that is installed on a machine dedicated to that purpose. In fact, when customers order a product, they receive a PC that I *believe* comes with the software. Then when they receive / purchase an update, the installer on the CD automatically uninstalls the old version and installs the new version in its place. I don't think it even gives them an option of where to install because so many other resources would break if they moved it from the default location. So in my situation, it would be pretty hard for a user to install the software in the wrong place. But it is certainly something to consider depending on the nature of your software.

[i-tietz]

You can achieve the same if the application path is stored in the registry ... then all resources can retrieve the app path from there.
But I wouldn't know how to read sth from the registry in a HTML Help or in Flare.