Hyperlinks work once, then break

[Keith R]

Excel 2003 on Win XP

A grid has been created to allow users to find the info they need (titles
typed into Excel cells) then jump to the appropriate resource (web page,
file, etc) by clicking on a link in the next column/cell. There are two
links causing problems, and they are both .pps files. The links are pasted
behind existing text, e.g. "Click Here", where the actual URL is added to
the URL location property in the URL dialogue box.

The link that is pasted in as the "correct" link references a .pps file on
an internal server, so the link that actually works is:

file://FSVR03LL/2201/SFS_Files/Training/Chl%20Water%20Cycle%20&%20Assay.pps

Paste it, then click on it in the excel sheet and it opens the correct file.
Save and close Excel, then re-open the Excel file that contains the links,
and the link no longer works. Opening the hyperlink shows that the path has
been changed to:

.../../../../../../2201/SFS_Files/Training/Chl%20Water%20Cycle%20&%20Assay.pps

Any idea why this might occur, and if it is an Excel thing, how to make it
retain the original, working link? The user showed me this phenomina all at
once, so there was no disconnect from the network for Excel to think the
link wasn't valid.

Thanks,
Keith

 

[Dave Peterson]

A few people have said that this has resolved the problem for them:

File|Properties|Summary Tab|Hyperlink Base
change it to C:\
(something that's always available)

======
I, personally like the =hyperlink() worksheet function, too.

I can put the UNC Path in a cell (hidden away) and put the filenames in column A
(if I have lots of links to use) and use a version of Gary''s Student's
suggestion:

With \\finance\statements\ in A1
and 1stqtr.pdf in A2
I'd put this in B2
=HYPERLINK("File:////" & $a$1 & a2, "Click Me")

Then when the IT folks move the files--or replace that server with a differently
named one, I can just make one change in $A$1 and all my links are working
again.

 

[Keith R]

The C:\ worked perfectly! I'll keep the hyperlink formula in my back pocket
for future reference as well.

After some additional testing, the issue was occuring when the file was
itself on a server (a different one)- and didn't occur if the file is saved
locally, so I see why the base was somehow part of the problem, it must have
been trying to access one server from the other (or something like that,
well beyond my technical know-how)

Many, many (many many) thanks!

Keith

 

[Dave Peterson]

Thanks for posting back your results.

That's one of the reasons I like =hyperlink() better than Insert|Hyperlink.