Adding hyperlink to point layer

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03-28-2012 10:02 AM
DavidReed1
New Contributor
Using ArcGIS 10.0.  I'm having a problem adding hyperlinked photos to features within a layer.  What I would like to know, is it possible to add a point layer, and then after adding points to the map, and then add hyperlinks to those points?  When I attempt to add hyperlinks to the feature within its layer and select a document URL, it is unable to find the photos or the feature layer.

I know when a feature is hyperlinked, it has a different outline.  Ultimately, it would be beneficial to have a point that can have a specific symbol to make it a more obvious visual in understanding where photos are available to be viewed.

Appreciate the advice!
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3 Replies
DustinDunnill
Occasional Contributor
Hi Dave,

Pretty sure you have to Author the hyperlink in Arcmap 10 prior to adding it to your Explorer. Ive been doing this by making layer packages for each layer. Withing this package all of the authoring and hyperlinking is done. In Arcmap 10 go to your layer properties tab. In "Hyperlinks" you check the "support Hyperlinks" box and click the "documents" bullet. What I have done is added a field within whatever layer I want to hyperlink and added the directory of the image. You may also enter a url to a document to make a nice clickable link like this:

<a href="http://AXDX/AppXtender/ISubmitQuery.aspx?DSN=ax&QueryType=0&AppName=DSA-AS_BUILTS&PROJECT+NAME=ALAMA...">Click For Digital Plan</a>

This link is going directly to Application Extender which is within our local network and will open a plan within the web based AX app.

So putting this coding <a href="YOUR PATH HERE">NAME OF LINK YOU WANT TO SHOW HERE</a> combined with your path to your image or whatever you are linking to will give you a nice clickable link when a user clicks on an attribute within the Explorer Desktop map.

Here is a thread with some images on how to set it up: http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/22784-PDF-attachment-in-ArcGIS-Explorer-Desktop

You could also put photos directly linked within Explorer Desktop by making point notes on or next to each of your points. Within the body of the point note just put the directory path to your picture. Then every time the note is clicked on, the picture will show withing the note body. You can also put a website URL here and it will show up as well. You could change the note symbol to a Camera or something of your choosing as well to give it some pizzazz.
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ToddWilliams
New Contributor
I ran into an interesting issue. ArcMap (Info) forces the use of IE rather than allowing use of firefox. I created an html document and stored it on my computer. Referenced this html document within a hyperlink as an URL. If I open the document within my files it opens in Firefox. If I open the file from the hyper link in arcmap it opens in IE. Any suggestions on how to force or allow Firefox. I have set Firefox as my default browser and selected the file and used "open with" to select firefox to be sure the file was set to open with firefox.  File will only open with IE unless I create a hyperlink on a test page, open this test page in Firefox and then the file will open in Firefox.

Thought?
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DustinDunnill
Occasional Contributor
I have noticed it defaults to IE as well.  Although I haven't had any problem with this for our uses so far.  It would be nice to be able to use whatever browser is set to default by the user though.
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