Direct link to a pdf page

[Bobifle]

Hi,

I'm trying to create link/hyperlinks to a pdf document I've added in a topic.

1/ the only auto link created by RW points to the topic containing the pdf, not the pdf itself
2/ I tried to create in a snippet an hyperlink with an url pointing to my local drive pdf. But it's not supported.


Before opening a feature request, I'd like to know if anyone has achieved such feature ?

For instance:

snippet:
"The player uses a new discipline called The Ultimate discipline of death (core rule book#page=290)"

Edit : any way to bypass the 30 Mb file size ?

 

[Vargr]

You can add a new snippet in your topic and then choose

Documents and Media / PDF Document

That will enable you to have a link to a PDF.

I believe the PDF will be imbedded, not sure though.

I am planning to play around with that one of these days, for a need a link that will open an external file with the windows default program for that type of file. Ie. a link to a non-imbedded file.

 

[Parody]

I'm trying to create link/hyperlinks to a pdf document I've added in a topic.

As you've found, you can't link into an attached PDF file. What I do is use a special Source Tag Snippet:



The book name is one of the Tags and the page(s) go into the text field. If the Topic/Article uses more than one book, then I add another Source snippet.

any way to bypass the 30 Mb file size ?

Nope. LWD would have to change that limit. It's also a good idea to not clog up your multi-machine, multi-platform database with files you likely use independently from that database. (I use my rulebooks and modules all the time away from Realm Works.)

2/ I tried to create in a snippet an hyperlink with an url pointing to my local drive pdf. But it's not supported.

It is very much not supported. Keeping local files separated from your multi-machine, multi-platform database is also a good idea.

However, while I don't recommend doing so, you can use batch files and Foreign Object snippets to do some local automation in Realm Works. They'll only work on one machine, unless you can ensure that all paths are identical on multiple machines.

To open an external PDF to a specified page, you need to create a batch file. It only needs one line:

"E:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 10.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" /A "page=N" "c:\full\path\to\file.pdf"

The first part is the full path to your copy of Acrobat or Adobe Reader. (The example is where I installed Acrobat Pro X.)

/A is the Actions command. In the following string, replace N with the page number. It needs to be an integer index so if, for example, your PDF says the first page number is "Front Cover" you may have to add or subtract a couple to find the right one.

The last part is the full path to the PDF file.


Run the batch file and see if it works. Once you have the batch file opening the PDF to the right place, then you can attach the batch file to a Foreign Object snippet in Realm Works. When you use the "play" button to "view" it, Realm Works will write the batch file to your Temp folder and run it, which should open the file for you.

 

[Vargr]

To open a PDF to a specified page, you need to create a batch file. It only needs one line:

E:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 10.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe /A "page=N" "c:\full\path\to\file.pdf"

The first part is the full path to your copy of Acrobat or Adobe Reader. (The example is where I installed Acrobat Pro X.)

/A is the Actions command. In the following string, replace N with the page number. (It needs to be an integer index so if, for example, your PDF says the first page number is "Front Cover" you may have to add or subtract a couple to find the right one.)

The last part is the full path to the PDF file.


Run the batch file and see if it works. Once you have the batch file opening the PDF to the right place, then you can attach the batch file to a Foreign Object snippet in Realm Works. When you use the "play" button to "view" it, Realm Works will write the batch file to your Temp folder and run it, which should open the file for you.

Ohh... That is nifty! I am going to play around with that (going to use it for opening a spreadsheet - should be simpler).

 

[Parody]

If the file would normally open properly by double-clicking on it in Explorer and you don't need to pass command line options it's a lot easier:

explorer "c:\full\path\to\file.doc"

You probably don't even need to say "explorer".

 

[Bobifle]

Parody thanks for your insights.

I've tried the tag snippet and the batch files.

For the batch file, I'm not convinced because you need to create a specific snippet. It's too much work. Like you said I already have the material available (I have the printed book and the pdf) and I must balance the expense of creating my links and the benfits of clicking ont it.

Your tag snippet is a nice idea, but it kinda lack de link feature.

Right now I'm using a simple "custom ref" in GM direction for instance : "CRB p253" stands for Core Rule Book page 253 but like your tags, no link is available.

One question though :
Any benefits from using tags over simple text ?

 

[Parody]

For the batch file, I'm not convinced because you need to create a specific snippet. It's too much work. Like you said I already have the material available (I have the printed book and the pdf) and I must balance the expense of creating my links and the benfits of clicking ont it.

That's what happens when you're working around something not intended by the application.

Let's step back: what you're trying to do is reference the source text of an ability. If you really want to reference the entire text of something, bring the entire text into Realm Works. For example, create an Article named "The Ultimate discipline of death" that is set up like a Discipline description in your rulebook. Copy in the text from your PDF so it's all in the Article. Then your Realm Works links go to a complete description and you don't normally need to reference the PDF/physical book. I'd still put a source reference into the Topic/Article for those times when I want to reference the source material, though.

Any benefits from using tags over simple text ?

You can pick a default, so in most cases I just needed to type in the page number(s). If it's not the default, you can pick the name from a list instead of typing. In a system where the book titles don't have accepted abbreviations, that's pretty useful. You can also easily find all of the Topics/Articles that came from a specific source using a Tag Filter.

 

[Vargr]

@Parody:
Thank you for the suggestion.

---

I noticed that we have an option to insert a hyperlink (http in any snippet by right clicking the snippet.

I would like to suggest, that we get a file link as well, working in exactly the same manner - that would be extremely useful.

While Parody's solution work, it is not straightforward and a bit of a hassle to make.

 

[Bobifle]

I noticed that we have an option to insert a hyperlink (http in any snippet by right clicking the snippet.

I would like to suggest, that we get a file link as well, working in exactly the same manner - that would be extremely useful.

That is a great suggestion. And would cost nothing to implement. You simply need to support the file:// protocol (security issue put aside, I know little about this)
.

 

[Acenoid]

If RW would support Relative Paths (I would not know) it might be easier to link to other files on multiple machines

 

[ShadowChemosh]

I am sorry is this whole concept really not bizarre? I mean how is your players going to get to this document on your PC from the web? Or from their player version?

This to me is the same on my job site where people want to create a document in word and then "upload" it to our tech wiki. The purpose of the tech wiki is not a FILE server. Its a wiki which has its own internal database of articles and linkage.

RW is exactly the same concept in my mind. Put the information into RW so that it can link to it and be used "anywhere". Then it will also work on your players PC or tablet (with the coming of the web version of RW). Or any PC you sync the data too and it won't be locked to a single location.

RW is suppose to be a complete data base of your world. The second you begin linking to your computer PDF documents you have sort of destroyed that concept.

 

[Vargr]

If RW would support Relative Paths (I would not know) it might be easier to link to other files on multiple machines

Virtual drives and cloud storing would be the solution for that.

But relative paths as an option (and not globally) would be a boon.

 

[Vargr]

I am sorry is this whole concept really not bizarre? I mean how is your players going to get to this document on your PC from the web? Or from their player version?

I have tons of things that are not for the players' eyes.

Such as character sheets for NPCs.

This would make it easy to update, modify and use those files.

I for one could really use that and for me it would expand on the usefulness of RW.

Of course, this should be optional - no-one should be forced to use it.

 

[Silveras]

Adding a feature that the majority of non-computer-savvy users in the community could easily get themselves into trouble with because a handful of sophisticated users would find it convenient doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

 

[Farling]

What would perhaps help with this situation is to allow an external snippet to be editted using an external program. This is already allowed for HeroLab portfolios, but for other external snippet types the only options are View and Delete.

This would allow the information to be stored inside RW, but allow you to use your favourite external editor (the same program configured in Windows for viewing).

 

[Vargr]

Adding a feature that the majority of non-computer-savvy users in the community could easily get themselves into trouble with because a handful of sophisticated users would find it convenient doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

Well, that is one way to see it - but if we stay true to that, then there would probably be other features in RW that should be removed.

And I don't think, that we should let the features of RW be decided by the lowest common denominator among the users.

 

[MaxSupernova]

I am sorry is this whole concept really not bizarre? I mean how is your players going to get to this document on your PC from the web? Or from their player version?

This to me is the same on my job site where people want to create a document in word and then "upload" it to our tech wiki. The purpose of the tech wiki is not a FILE server. Its a wiki which has its own internal database of articles and linkage.

I am the primary user of my data, and my paths are the same (I keep a lot of documents in Dropbox) no matter what machine I use it on.

I also like to do things like keep things PDFs of the players character sheets in the topic about their character, so I can print it out any time the character needs it. I just go to their character's topic, click the link and print the PDF.

I can choose to embed the PDF or just embed a link to it to keep my realm size small. Either way it's just fine for my use.

Not every topic is going to be player accessible.

Don't fall into thinking that there is one right way to use RW, or that your way is the only way.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

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[Bobifle]

I am sorry is this whole concept really not bizarre? I mean how is your players going to get to this document on your PC from the web? Or from their player version?

If you've already used a "GM direction" snippet then you've already used this whole bizarre concept of having something you cannot reveal to players.

And the deal is quite simple:
Those who don't want to link external documents, do not.
Those who want, do.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

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