Hyperlinks: a full type line is selected, only part of the line shows the hyperlink

[ceilr]

I am using InDesign 5.  My OS is Windows 10.

I selected the entire, last type line in a Table of Contents, then right-clicked and selected Interactive.

In the dialog box, I selected a page number and chose the page.

When I made the .pdf, and mouse over the type line, the first two words show no linkage, then the little pointing hand shows up across the rest of the type line.  Why won't the front end of the type line reflect the link?

I just looked at the Hyperlinks video tutorial (I didn't know there was an "Interactive for PDF" option at the top of the ID screen, so that's on now), and while it is straightforward, it doesn't address this question.  I selected the text again and opened in the Hyperlinks panel, but >cannot< select the Create Hyperlink button; it shows a slashed circle. Is this because part of the text is already linked?

Another thought: All the other type lines in my ToC were linked long ago, and this last type line is a new and recent addition.  Because the previously last line is already hyperlinked, does pressing Return to create the new type line somehow carry the hyperlink over to the new type line or otherwise confuse the function?  Is there a way to break the hyperlink so I can start over?  (My only other option is to--ugh--retype the TofC and start afresh with all of the links.)  I don't see a way to break a link, and none of the hyperlinks I made some time ago appear in the Hyperlinks panel.  I sense that I have done something wrong, even though the hyperlinks work in the .pdf. (via PDF Interactive).  If only those two words on the last line would link!

Not sure what to do and hoping someone here can help.  Thank you.

[Mike Witherell]

Why not generate your Table of Contents by clicking on Layout > Table of Contents? (Click More Options) At the bottom of that dialog box is the switch for Create PDF Bookmarks. That should fix you up.

[ceilr]

It's been a long day here, and it turns out I have TWO copies of this and other files (one in This PC and the other on Local Disk; I don't know why that is, but didn't realize I'd been working with the Local Disk copy instead of the This PC copy).

Anyway, I checked all the Paragraph Styles and then went into the Layout\TOC option and started over--and everything works!

The one thing I couldn't find was hyperlinks listed in the Hyperlinks panel (I'd obviously done that wrong).  There weren't any, but the PDF bookmarks feature in the TOC dialog box does what I need it to do, and my final line of type in my ToC now has a link, so I'm happy.

Thank you all for your help!  It means a lot.

[Barb Binder]

The one thing I couldn't find was hyperlinks listed in the Hyperlinks panel (I'd obviously done that wrong).

You don't need the Hyperlinks panel when you generate a TOC or index. Sounds like you did it exactly right.

[Randy Hagan]

Before you can redo your hyperlink, you have to delete the first one you created.

The fastest way to do that is to open the Hyperlinks panel (Window>Interactive>Hyperlinks menu command) and delete the first hyperlink from the panel. You'll notice that the text is still formatted (e.g. - cyan colored, underlined, etc.) if such formatting was applied with the previous hyperlink, so that may need to be adjusted to get the results you want.

[Barb Binder]

No one should have to type up a table of contents. InDesign will happily generate a TOC for you, with hyperlinks, as Mike mentioned above.

Advantages;

• No retyping headings
• No introducing typos while retyping headings
• Automatic hyperlinks
• After you edit the document, update the TOC and you are done

Here's how:

Create a table of contents in Adobe InDesign

https://layersmagazine.com/easy-table-of-contents-creation-in-adobe-indesign.html