Please disregard this post. Excel works as expected after all. My partner didn't have his Excel file in the same folder, AND I was missing a few of the pdfs. We fixed those bugs and problems vanished. Thanks - -

I want to create an Excel index to pdf files in a folder using hyperlinks. I want to be able to share with others who do not have the same directory structure, but who simply create a folder of some name, and fill it with the set of pdf files and the Excel index file.

I thought this would be easy, if I just enter the file names only(stripping any path information). But this doesn't seem to work. I wonder if there is some prefix to a file name that will present Excel from inserting a path name in front of it; or some internal Excel setting that controls this.

Basicly the hyperlink index works on my system, but won't work in the folder of the recipient whom I emailed it to. And if I fix it over there and email it back to me, then it won't work on my system.

I tried using quotes; typing "FILE:abc.pdf", and entering "./abc.pdf",etc.

Also we have generally left menu item "File properties hyperlink base" =blank.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

JimD

How about using the =hyperlink() worksheet formula and a helper cell where they
can type in the full path:

With the name of the file in A2:Axx and the path in A1 (including the rightmost
backslash), you could put this in B2:

=hyperlink("file:////" & $a$1 & a2,"Click me")
and drag down.

You'll have to make the users understand how to change A1, though.

dahljam wrote:

I want to create an Excel index to pdf files in a folder using
hyperlinks. I want to be able to share with others who do not have the
same directory structure, but who simply create a folder of some name,
and fill it with the set of pdf files and the Excel index file.

I thought this would be easy, if I just enter the file names
only(stripping any path information). But this doesn't seem to work.
I wonder if there is some prefix to a file name that will present Excel
from inserting a path name in front of it; or some internal Excel
setting that controls this.

Basicly the hyperlink index works on my system, but won't work in the
folder of the recipient whom I emailed it to. And if I fix it over
there and email it back to me, then it won't work on my system.

I tried using quotes; typing "FILE:abc.pdf", and entering
"./abc.pdf",etc.

Also we have generally left menu item "File properties hyperlink
base" =blank.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

JimD

--
dahljam

--

Dave Peterson

You need to Turn Off "Update Links on Save" You will find that in Tools
Options, General, Web Options, Files.
Also using the Auto Open macro below in the workbook will prevent the
undesired updates from "breaking" the portability.

Sub Auto_Open()
'
' Auto_Open Macro
'
'
Application.DefaultWebOptions.UpdateLinksOnSave = False

End Sub



dahljam wrote:

I want to create an Excel index to pdf files in a folder using
hyperlinks. I want to be able to share with others who do not have the
same directory structure, but who simply create a folder of some name,
and fill it with the set of pdf files and the Excel index file.

I thought this would be easy, if I just enter the file names
only(stripping any path information). But this doesn't seem to work.
I wonder if there is some prefix to a file name that will present Excel
from inserting a path name in front of it; or some internal Excel
setting that controls this.

Basicly the hyperlink index works on my system, but won't work in the
folder of the recipient whom I emailed it to. And if I fix it over
there and email it back to me, then it won't work on my system.

I tried using quotes; typing "FILE:abc.pdf", and entering
"./abc.pdf",etc.

Also we have generally left menu item "File properties hyperlink
base" =blank.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

JimD