ACC97: Can't Create Valid Links in Hyperlink Field on ASP Form

• Microsoft Access 97

SYMPTOMS

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

When you use Microsoft Access 97 to create an Active Server Pages (ASP) form, and you use that form to add or modify data in a Hyperlink field, the record in the table does not contain a valid hyperlink.

CAUSE

ASP forms do not contain the built-in functionality to add Hyperlink fields.

RESOLUTION

You can edit the Hyperlink field in the Microsoft Access table to provide the missing information, or you can enter the Hyperlink field on the ASP form in a way that Microsoft Access understands and translates to hyperlink data.

NOTE: Both of the following methods create a valid hyperlink in the Microsoft Access table, but not on the ASP form itself. You cannot follow hyperlinks displayed in a text box on an ASP form.

Editing the Record in the Table

1. After you add a new record using the ASP form, start Microsoft Access and open the database in which the table resides.

2. Locate the newly added record.

3. Using the right mouse button (right-click), click the Hyperlink field in the record.

4. On the shortcut menu that appears, point to Hyperlink, and then click Edit Hyperlink.

5. In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, fill in the missing information in the "Link to file or URL" box and the "Named location in file" box. Click OK.

Entering the Record as a Hyperlink on the ASP Form

When you add or modify a record using the ASP form, you can type the hyperlink information in a way that enables Microsoft Access to create a valid Hyperlink field in the table.

All Hyperlink fields consist of three separate parts, separated by number signs: DisplayText, Address, and Subaddress. The DisplayText is what you see in the table or on the form; the address and subaddress information tells Microsoft Access what you want to view when you click the hyperlink. For example, the following hyperlink uses all three parts of the hyperlink field:

   1997 Sales Figures#C:\My Documents\Sales.ppt#24

The next examples use only two of the three parts in the Hyperlink field:

   Microsoft Home Page#http://www.microsoft.com#
   Quarterly Orders Form##Form Quarterly Orders

Finally, this example uses only one of the parts of the Hyperlink field:

   #http://www.microsoft.com/accessdev#

If you enter hyperlink data in your ASP form using the correct syntax for DisplayText, Address, and Subaddress, then Microsoft Access stores the data as a valid hyperlink.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

CAUTION: Following the steps in this example will modify the sample database Northwind.mdb. You may want to back up the Northwind.mdb file and perform these steps on a copy of the database.

1. Start Microsoft Access and open the sample database Northwind.mdb.

2. Select the Suppliers table in the Database window.

3. On the File menu, click Save As/Export.

4. In the Save As dialog box, click "To an External File or Database," and then click OK.

5. In the "Save Form 'Suppliers' In" dialog box, select Microsoft Active Server Pages (*.asp) in the Save As Type box, and save the Suppliers.asp file in a folder on your Web server where you have Execute permission. Click Export.

6. In the Microsoft Active Server Pages Output Options dialog box, type a valid System DSN on your Web server in the Data Source Name box, and type the uniform resource locator (URL) on your server where the ASP file will be located in the Server URL box. Click OK.

7. Start Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, or another Web browser program.

8. Type the URL in the address box of your Web browser to view Suppliers.asp, for example http://MyServer/Aspsamp/Suppliers.asp. Note that the URL depends upon where your files are located on the Web server computer.

9. The Suppliers form opens in your Web browser and displays the first record in the Suppliers table.

10. Click in the Home Page field of the first record and enter the following data:

    http://www.microsoft.com

11. Click the Commit button at the bottom of the form to save the record.

12. In Microsoft Access, open the Suppliers table in Datasheet view.

13. Locate the Supplier record you just changed (probably Exotic Liquids) and click in the Home Page Hyperlink field. Note that nothing happens.

    If you repeat steps 7-13, but you enter the following data in step 10, the hyperlink will work properly in Microsoft Access:

    Microsoft Home Page#http://www.microsoft.com#

REFERENCES

For more information about the parts of a Hyperlink field, search the Help Index for "hyperlinks, returning hyperlink information."

For more information about exporting ASP files, search the help Index for "ASP files," or ask the Microsoft Access 97 Office Assistant.

For more information about creating and using System DSNs, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q159682
   TITLE     : "Data Source Name Not Found" Err Msg Opening Web Page

   ARTICLE-ID: Q162975
   TITLE     : ACC97: Permissions Necessary to View HTML, IDC, and ASP
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