Open a link to a PDF as a new PDF in the PDF-reader

[Rosenberg]

Hi together,
I insert a link to an other PDF - file in a topic and I export the H&M-project as a PDF-Dokument.
After opening the PDF for example in a acrobat reader I navigate to the link to that external PDF-Dokument.
Klicking on the link the external PDF-file will be opend - so far all the best.
The problem is, that after opening the external PDF-document it replaces the current PDF-file with the external PDF-document.
Q: Is it possible to set a parameter to open the linked PDF-file in a new window?

The preferences of Acrobat-Reader are set to open PDF's in a new tap of the same window.

Klemens

[Simon_Dismore]

I don't know whether this is supported in H+M, but in Acrobat Pro you can specify how you want a linked pdf to be opened: in the current window, a new window, or the user's reader preference. The user's preference is the default.

[screenshot] Acrobat DC Pro link property dialog.png

But there so many ways to read a PDF that you can't really count on this working. There's an interesting article It's okay to say no to interactive pdf that argues this in more detail.

[Rosenberg]

Hi Simon,
I'm using Acrobat DC Reader.
There is an option available in the preferences to open PDF's in a new tab of the same window.
I do have activated it, but no effect.
The current PDF is replaced with the linked PDF.
In H&M there you can specify parameters on opening a local files.
But if I add the parameter "/n" for opening a PDF to a new window the linked PDF is no more finded by H&M.
Thanks for reply.
Klemens

[Rosenberg]

In the File-Link-Dialog-Box there is the field named "Execution parameters".
How are the "Execution parameters" placed while execute the Link?
- <Parameters><Relative Path><filename>
- <Relative Path><filename><Parameters>
Which Syntax is used / is correct of the above list or is there an other kind of syntax?
What's about default system-file-extentions like?
- PDF: automaticly call PDF-viewer
- DOC(x) : automaticly call Word-viewer
- html: automaticly browser-call
- etc.

[Tim Green]

But if I add the parameter "/n" for opening a PDF to a new window the linked PDF is no more finded by H&M.

That is correct because then the parameter is interpreted as part of the filename, which becomes invalid. HM does not support this currently.

Actually, if you are doing this kind of linking in your PDFs you are using the wrong format for your documentation. PDF is the worst format in the world for interactive documentation, with the possible exception of Word files. It does have some linking capabilities, but they are pretty pointless. A PDF is really just raw printer data in a file, "printed" to the screen with a printer driver, and any interactive capabilities on top of that are just lipstick on a pig. Linking between PDF documents is pointless because there is no way to return to the original document. In addition to that, anyone who just wants to read a single topic in your documentation still has to download the entire PDF file, which is a waste of bandwidth.

PDF is for printing and for people who want to read linear documentation from beginning to end, and also for proofreading and annotation. If you want interactive documentation you need to use an interactive format like WebHelp. This also has the huge benefit that you can update it at any time without having to redistribute.

[Rosenberg]

Hello Tim,
thanks for reply!
Well you might have right about the worst of linking in PDF's.
But I do not need such a complicated case!
It's only the thing that the current PDF I'm just reading is compleatly replaced with the linked PDF while execute the PDF-file-link.
The only thing I need is to keep the current PDF open and open the linked PDF in a new tab of the PDF-reader.
I do NOT need any interactive linking to the current source-PDF!
Only open it into a NEW tab and don't touch the current PDF, that's all.

Most of the users are well familiar with handling and reading PDF's.
So we are forced to support such file-format!

Kind regards
Klemens

[Simon_Dismore]

PDF is the worst format in the world for interactive documentation, with the possible exception of Word files. It does have some linking capabilities, but they are pretty pointless.

Agree 100% with Tim on that. PDF does have some value for legal/compliance documentation too – the sort of thing that must be correct but is mostly left unread until something goes wrong.

Linking between PDF documents is pointless because there is no way to return to the original document.

True, but isn't that true of most technologies? If you link from one WebHelp to another, or one HelpXplain to another, how do you "return" to the place you started from?

[Tim Green]

I do NOT need any interactive linking to the current source-PDF!
Only open it into a NEW tab and don't touch the current PDF, that's all.

You can already do this. Just select Edit > Preferences in Adobe Reader and set it the way you want to have it.

[Rosenberg]

Hi Tim,
thanks for your reply!
Well I've done that already before.
I checkt the preferences in acrobat reader.
The option to open a PDF in a separate tab in the same window is well set.
But there is no effect.
Still the current PDF is replaced with the one in the specified link.

That's the reason I contact your support and put it into the forum.
Do you have an other idea?
Thanks a lot for reply or any kind of solution for it!

[Tim Green]

The option to open a PDF in a separate tab in the same window is well set.

That is the mistake. Adobe doesn't distinguish clearly between tabs and windows. The option "Open cross-document links in same window" needs to be OFF. Then the link will open the document in a new tab. When Adobe writes "window" here they are actually referring to the tabs in the Reader window.

[Rosenberg]

Hi Tim,

KR: The option to open a PDF in a separate tab in the same window is well set.

TG: That is the mistake. Adobe doesn't distinguish clearly between tabs and windows. The option "Open cross-document links in same window" needs to be OFF. Then the link will open the document in a new tab. When Adobe writes "window" here they are actually referring to the tabs in the Reader window.

I don't think so!

Doing that the manual way (expl. by windows-explorer) opening first a PDF-document and then open the next one - it works fine! The next PDF-document is opened in the same window but in a new tab!
So that must be a bug in H&M?
What is the difference between open it manually(that works fine) and open it by H&M (it doesn't work)?

You can easy reproduce it:
A) By Windows-Explorer
1) On windows-explorer(or any similar tool) open a PDF in acrobat-reader
2) Select an other PDF and open it the same way by double-click.
3) Result: Both PDF's are opend in ONE acrobat-reader-window into separate tab's!
B) H&M
1) On windows-explorer(or any similar tool) open a PDF created by H&M in acrobat-reader
Hint: In that PDF should be inserted a file-link to a PDF-document!
2) Navigate to the link in the PDF-document
3) click on it to open it
4) Result: The linked PDF opens in the same acrobat-reader-window, but it replaces the contence of the current tab!
Hint: This is definitly a bug in H&M!

Kind regards
Klemens

[Rosenberg]

Here the preferences as a screenshot:

Acrobat_Preferences.png

[Tim Green]

It seems you have an error in your Adobe Reader settings somewhere because what you describe here is not what happens when Reader is configured correctly to get the results you want. I just checked this multiple times on multiple computers. You need to set the corresponding settings in both the General and Documents settings.

[Rosenberg]

Hi Tim,
thanks for reply!

Yes now it works fine.

It was the Setting on document-tab to "open links into the same window"!
This option has to be set to off-state!
And you're right in this case the title "window" isn't correct and keeps worst interpretations.

Thanks for support this case!

Here is the relevant screenshot (I'm sorry only in german kind) for this item:

Acrobat_Preferences_Documents.png