I did a little test, with a document and image file in same folder, and also
both on desktop, and then created the link. Also created a link to another
image in a different folder. Then moved both document and image file to
another folder, and then also to another drive - the first link still worked,
the second did not. I then moved the second image file to the correct folder
and manually edited the link, ie deleting the drive full path, leaving only
the file name. And this worked.
I tend not to use links anyway, as 99.999% of my documents have to be
distributed, but this is interesting that you say it should not work but it
works for me, always thought I was unique in some way or other ;-)
All the best to you.
DeanH
macropod said:
Hi Dean,
Word's links are absolute, not relative. So even if the files were in the same folder, the link paths will fail if any part of
the
path to that folder differs - even if in the root folder of a CD, if the drive letter is different. Deleting or omitting the link
path from the field will not fix that - Word stills holds it in the document metadata.
Cheers
--
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]
-------------------------
DeanH said:
Are you seeing a blank box with a little red cross in the top left corner?
Have you pressed F9 to refresh?
If the Red Cross remains, you have lost connection.
If the document is going to be distributed or even just moved to another
folder/CD/etc. then always have the image files you are linking to in the
same folder (that is - not even a separate sub-folderin this folder just for
the image files) as the Word file.
If the links are created from this same folder, then the Relative links
should remain after transport. If the links are made to different folders a
Absolute file link is created.
To recitify the problem, if you show the filed code (Shift+F9) you will see
the absolute link, if you delete the drive/folder path, so you end up with
the file name with the quotes. And this file is now in the same folder as the
Word file, F9 should restore you image.
I have always discouraged the use of the Desktop as a working area, it can
prove more troublesome than it is worth.
Hope this helps.
DeanH
:
I had some graphics (Visio objects) inserted as links in a Word document
using paste special. When I moved both the Word file and the Visio file
from where they originally were, the desktop, to a folder on the
desktop, the links apparently got lost. Word said nothing when opening
the word file -- no message about updating linked information -- and
updates aren't reflected any more.
Somebody please tell me that linking is not done by absolute file tree
reference. That makes the files completely non-portable; nobody could
use them on another system in their own file hierarchy.
Or is there a way to make links relative to the location of the Word
file? I hope?
