I can't open PDF files when using the hyperlink

[zwalbij]

Hi everyone,

I encounter the following problem. All my hyperlinks work except for the
hyperlinks that refer to PDF files. When I click on the hyperlink the
computer wants to start up the application Adobe Acrobat Reader, but within a
fraction of a second the application closes again. I think a setting is
wrong, because of which Excel doesn't allow me to open up a linked pdf.file

How can help me out? Thanks in advance.

A. Bijl,
The Netherlands

 

[Joel]

I just successfully opened a linked PDF file.

Put a pdf file in the C:/temp directory
Try on your start menu in the run box type in the following

acrord32 - this should open adobe with no
document
acrord32 c:/temp/abc.pdf - this should openadobe with document abc


If these fail, then the problem is not with excel. There is something wrong
with Window setup. I trying to isolate the problem to make sure it is an
excel problem.

I right clicked on the cell where I wanted the link and selected hyperlink.
then I made sure that Existing file or Webpage was selected.

 

[zwalbij]

Hi Joel,

Thanks for your reply. I really appreciate it as it brought me one step
further. I know now that the problem should be the Windows setup and not
Excel. Apparently there's something wrong in the setup of Windows, because of
which it still doesn't open. By the earlier. I use Adobe 7.0. When using an
earlier version, I didn't encounter any problem. Could this have something to
do with it?

Thanks for your patience and your reply.

Cheerz,
Alex

 

[Joel]

I have to explain how a link is really opened. didn't want to go into the
details unless this was the problem.

Again go to the start button and select run
enter cmd.exe
This will bring up a command window. type assoc .pdf

On my computer it returns .pdf=AcroExch.Document. It should return
something similar for you. the association is set in the windows exploreer
and should of automatically got updated when Adobe 7.0 get installed

Open up a window explorer.the easy way is double click on My Computer on the
desk top.

Select Tools - Folder Options - Files types
Look for .pdf in the window.
my computer shows Adobe Acrobat 7.0 document

click on .pdf and then press advance
Press Open and then Edit

The application used to perform action has
"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" "%1"

The %1 is the first parameter which is the file name.

I also have Use DDE checked

Application AcroRd32

And Topic System

I would make sure the executable (AcroRd32.exe) is in the path (folder)
shown and that you have permission to execute the file AcroRd32.exe.

 

[JLatham]

Joel, Thanks for the explanation and (potential) cure. I've seen the same
situation that zwalbij describes on a system (Windows XP Pro, Acrobat 7
Standard [not the reader, full Standard version of Acrobat itself] installed)
and the only 'cure' I came up with was to have the user right-click the link,
save the .pdf file locally and then open the local copy.

Now I've got an alternative fix to try next week. Yes, I'll be sure and
check the name of the executable used vs using the reader file.

 

[Dave Peterson]

Maybe it's not excel. A few people complained that the Reader appeared and then
disappeared.

So make sure you have the latest version of the software:
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/thankyou.jsp?ftpID=2713&fileID=2551

 

[Jim Cone]

Or try a better PDF file reader. The Foxit Reader program is free,
extremely fast ( compared to Acrobat ) and is a much smaller file.
I have been very happy with it... http://www.foxitsoftware.com/

--
Jim Cone
San Francisco, USA
http://www.realezsites.com/bus/primitivesoftware



"zwalbij" <[email protected]>
wrote in message
Hi Joel,
Thanks for your reply. I really appreciate it as it brought me one step
further. I know now that the problem should be the Windows setup and not
Excel. Apparently there's something wrong in the setup of Windows, because of
which it still doesn't open. By the earlier. I use Adobe 7.0. When using an
earlier version, I didn't encounter any problem. Could this have something to
do with it?
Thanks for your patience and your reply.
Cheerz,
Alex

 

[JLatham]

It is almost definitely not Excel itself. It works that way on the machine I
dealt with at work anytime you try to open any .pdf file via a link in any
application, Excel, IE, etc. So it's a hiccup at the system level, rather
than the application level. I'm hoping that Joel's suggestion works come
Monday - since it would be much more convenient for the user to go direct
rather than download a local copy and then open it.

For Jim Cone - I agree that the Foxit solution could be a good one, but my
situation is in a business environment and we try, as much as possible, to
keep standard configurations and in this case, have a pretty good bit of
change invested in Acrobat licenses (having a need to also create .pdf's that
MUST guarantee compatibility at the other end - otherwise I'd probably set up
one of the many free virtual .pdf printer programs to achieve that end also).
But for the home user, indeed a different app might solve it and when paired
with another, give almost full Acrobat Standard abilities. Then again, I
also like to know WHY something isn't quite working properly, and just
switching to a different app doesn't always answer that question.

 

[Dave Peterson]

I would think it would be much simpler to install the latest version of Reader
than fiddling with anything else--especially if it's a bug with the Adobe
software to begin with.

 

[JLatham]

It's a kind of screwy mess - and this is only on one system at the workplace.
But if you install the Reader, it pretty much wipes out the install of full
Acrobat, so then you can read but not create. If it was this way on all
systems, I'd say junk Acrobat completely and do with the free alternatives.
But I came to the game late and didn't have any say in selecting their .pdf
reader/creation tools. All copies of Acrobat are fully updated (a process
more painful than any MSFT update: if you need 4 updates, you get 4 reboots).
I've got this thread address noted and will be giving Joel's recommendation
a try on Monday.

 

[Dave Peterson]

I've only ever used the reader. But it does surprise me that
reinstalling/upgrading the reader damages the full blown acrobat. But it just
goes to show....

It's a kind of screwy mess - and this is only on one system at the workplace.
But if you install the Reader, it pretty much wipes out the install of full
Acrobat, so then you can read but not create. If it was this way on all
systems, I'd say junk Acrobat completely and do with the free alternatives.
But I came to the game late and didn't have any say in selecting their .pdf
reader/creation tools. All copies of Acrobat are fully updated (a process
more painful than any MSFT update: if you need 4 updates, you get 4 reboots).
I've got this thread address noted and will be giving Joel's recommendation
a try on Monday.

 

[zwalbij]

This is a reply to everyone.

I want to thank everyone for so much input. That's really great! Some
explanations are quite technical, but I'll try to work myself through the
advices. I think I better start upgrading the full Adobe Acrobat Reader (and
writer) and see whether that solves the problem. With earlier versions I
didn't encounter a single problem when hyperlinking a pdf-file. So, it could
be a bug indeed.

Thanks to everyone. When the problem's solved, I'll let you all know what
helped (and what didn't).

Best regards,

Alex

 

[zwalbij]

IT WORKED !

I downloaded the latest version and now the problem has been resolved. Thank
you very much for this answer and the link to the update.

Cheerz,
Alex