Hyperlinks Part 2...Linking from a document to a Web page

Let me set a scene. You've written a book. In that book, you've referenced the work of Mrs. Frank S. Torrens. As it so happens, Google has Mrs. Torrens' book loaded in Google Books...a web page location.

When you publish your book, you're going to produce it in PDF format, which your readers will be able to download after they've paid for it. Since your book will be a PDF, you want to insert an executable link to Mrs. Torrens' book so that your readers can see the reference first hand. To accomplish this task, you need to insert a hyperlink to a the Google web page in your Word document, which you will eventually PDF for publication.

Insert a Hyperlink to a Web Page

1. On the Internet:
   --Locate the Web page you want to have appear when your reader clicks the hyperlink.
   --Write down the address (the http://webpage.com bit) or highlight the address and copy it to your pasteboard (Ctrl + C). 
2. In Word, open the document you want to add the hyperlink to and locate the text you want to use as the hyperlink.
3. Highlight the text you want to have formatted as a hyperlink. For example, I would highlight Mrs. Frank S. Torrens in running text. 
4. Open the Insert Hyperlink dialog.
   In Word 2007/2010, click the Insert tab, and in the Links group, click Hyperlink.
   In Word 2003, on the main menu, click the  Insert tab, and then click Hyperlink.
   Or, right-click to display a pop-up menu, and then click Hyperlink.
   
   
   Click the dialog sample to see a larger version of it. 
5. Notice that the text you highlighted appears in the Text to display field at the top of the dialog. When you finish adding the hyperlink, this text will be formatted as the hyperlink. 
6. Look at the options appearing down the left side of the dialog. The option Existing File or Web Page is selected by default and it happens to be the option we need. 
7. Locate the Address field at the bottom of the dialog. 
8. Type or paste (Ctrl + V) the Web page address you found in step 1. 
9. Click OK. Your document is updated with the hyperlink. 
10. Save your document, and then test the link (hold down the Ctrl key and click the blue underlined text (a.k.a. the hyperlink). The Web page should appear.

Here's what a hyperlink looks like in a typed page.

Click the page sample and look for the text that is blue and underlined. 

There's lots more to do with this dialog. So stay tuned for the next installment of hyperlinks.  

Hyperlinks Part 1

Click this screen shot to see a larger version.

Embedded Hyperlinks



When you produce a Word document, you can add hyperlinks in the document. The links can be to:

• An existing file or webpage (a file stored on your system or elsewhere or the webpage of another researcher)
• A place in the current document (your reader can move from page 3 to page 23 in one click)
• A place in a new document that you create on the fly (your new document...a subdocument)
• An email address (your reader's mail program launches to send an email)

I'm going to be going through setting up each of these hyperlinks. The interesting part is that after you add hyperlinks, they are active links in not only the .doc or .docx (Word document) but also in any PDFs you create. These types of links polish your document and demonstrate your command of Word...you look like a Word hotshot! So get ready to learn to insert hyperlinks.

P.S. You've already done this task in a slightly different form. When you create an electronic table of contents, index entry, or crossreference, you have the option of making each of these elements a hyperlink...which works in the .doc or .docx versions as well as the PDF versions. This functionality again demonstrates the many interconnected pieces and parts of MS Word.

Electronic Footnotes Part 3

• In Word 2003, when you insert a footnote or endnote, the dialog displays automatically.
• In Word 2007/2010, you must click the arrow in the Footnotes group, which appears on the References tab.

This dialog allows you to do a number of different tasks. When you insert, Word assumes you want a Footnote.

• In Word 2003, if you want an Endnote, you can select that option on this dialog. 
• In Word 2007/2010, you can click an Endnote button to insert an Endnote and accept default settings. If you want to make changes, you need to display the Footnotes and Endnotes dialog.

Location Changes

• Footnotes: Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page that includes the footnote in running text. When you add text and the text with the footnote moves to a new page, the footnote citation at the bottom of the page also moves. By default, footnotes use Arabic numerals.
• Endnotes: Endnotes appear at the end of text in the document. By default, endnotes use Roman numerals.
• Convert button: This button is enabled after you have inserted footnotes, endnotes, or both type of notes. You can use it to make massive changes. You have the option of changing all footnotes to endnotes or vice versa. Or, you can swap footnotes for endnotes. This type of functionality is useful if you make a mistake about the contents of a footnote vs. an endnote. I haven't written much about writing or citation in this blog. I'm assuming you can handle that part on your own. Or, you can at least look it up. However, if you make a mistake, you should know about this button.

Format Changes

• Number format: Click the down-arrow to see the list of numbering options. Note that footnotes and endnotes use Arabic and Roman numerals (respectively) to avoid confusion between the two types of notes. You can make changes. Just use caution so that your reader is able to distinguish between to two types of notes.
• Custom mark: If the number format selection doesn't include a marker you want to use, you can use this option to add symbols. Click in your text where you want to add the note, open the Footnote and Endnote dialog, click the Symbol... button to open the Symbols dialog, and pick a symbol. I've never had occasion to use this option; however, you might find it useful.
• Start at: You can click the arrows to increase or decrease the starting number. Depending on how you are putting together the document, you might have occasion to start a number at a specific number. For example, if you are putting the document together in separate documents that you plan on combining later, you might want to change the numbering in each of the separate documents. You need to experiment to see what works best for you.
• Numbering: The default Continuous causes numbering to start at the number appearing in the Start at field and continue consecutively. You do have different options that you might want to use.
  --Restart each section: Remember the section breaks you add to documents to create the sections (see creating template topics). Select this option if you want footnote or endnote numbers to restart each time you enter a section break...for example, for each chapter.
  --Restart each page: Select this option if you want footnote or endnote numbers to restart on each new page.

Apply Changes

• Apply changes to: As a document grows and you add sections, this option becomes important. If you've made changes in the Format section, you need to decide if you want the changes to apply to the whole document or just the current section. If you have a document that isn't broken into section, you won't have a need to deal with this field.

Endnotes
Endnotes--other than the contents of notes--work the same as footnotes. So there you have it...endnotes and footnotes.

Electronic Footnotes Part 2

Click this drawing to display a larger version.

When you insert footnotes, it's not uncommon to have a reason to add a cross-reference to the footnote. Because Word assumes you are going to want to cross-reference, it adds Footnote (and Endnote) to the list of Reference types. In addition, Word automatically shows associated cross-reference elements:

• Footnote number: Word inserts the footnote number as the cross-reference. For example, See footnote 35.
• Page number: Word inserts the page number on which the footnote appears as the cross-reference. For example, See the footnote on page 96.
• Above/Below: Word inserts the footnote number with the word above or below based on the location of the footnote in the document. For example, See footnote 35 above.
• Footnote number (formatted): Word inserts the footnote number as the cross-reference; however, it is presented in superscript, which matches the footnote format.  

In each case, because the option Insert as hyperlink is selected, the cross-reference is formatted as an executable link; that is, click the link to go to that place in the document. These active links remain active when you convert the document to a PDF.

Insert Cross-Reference to Footnote

1. Confirm that your document has footnotes inserted.
2. Click in the document where you want to insert the cross-reference to the footnote.
3. Insert the cross-reference.
   In Word 2007 or 2010, click the Reference tab, and select Cross-reference in the Captions group.
   In Word 2003, select Insert, Reference, and then Cross-reference. 
4. In the Reference type field, select Footnote.
5. In the Insert reference to field, select a cross-reference element.
6. In the For which footnote field, select a footnote from the list.
7. Click the Insert button. Word adds the cross-reference to the footnote.

As you edit a document, add more text so that existing text and footnotes move to new pages, and add more footnotes, Word updates all footnote-related text and numbering automatically. In the case of the page number option (See the footnote on page 96.), you need to update the document (Ctrl + A, and then F9...Update entire table) to update page numbers. Letting Word do what it was designed to do--that is, do the work for you--saves you lots of time and trouble.

There's still more to look at and talk about. So stay tuned for the next post.

Electronic Footnotes Part 1

This picture is from Generated Lists Part 1. When I wrote part one, I said I'd explain everything in the picture, which is a representation of a typical page you'd find in a family history. I explained just about everything about adding captions and labels; however, the picture also includes a footnote. Click the picture to display a larger version and you'll see the circled number and footnote.

Like many attributes in MS Word, you can insert electronic footnotes with the additional ability to cross-reference to the electronic footnote and/or create lists. We'll start this multi-part conversation with the basic skill of simply inserting the footnote.

Steps

1. Open a Word document and type a few lines. Any text will do.
2. Click at the end of a sentence in the paragraph.
3. Insert a footnote.
   --In Word 2003, on the Insert menu, select Reference, click Footnote, and then click OK. Lots of additional choices on this dialog are possible; however, we're going to stick with the basics for this post.
   --In Word 2007/2010, on the Reference tab, click Insert Footnote.
   Word inserts the footnote number and moves your cursor to the bottom of the page. It opens an automatically numbered footnote (matching the number inserted in the text) and applies the Footnote style.
4. Type footnote text.
5. Move your cursor back into the text area of your document and click where you want to start typing again.
6. Repeat these steps each time you need to add a footnote and Word will number footnotes automatically and sequentially regardless of the order in which you enter the footnotes.

Footnote Style
If you don't like the way the footnote looks--for example, you want to use a different font--alter the Footnote style. See Global Changes vs. Local Changes (Change the font for a style (a global change)). Just be sure to pick the Footnote style.

Your version of Word may or may not display the Footnote style automatically. If you can't find it, display all styles. We've displayed them before; see A Style for Every Season for more information.

Cross-Referencing
The follow through is to the cross-reference dialog, where Footnote and Endnote are added to the list of labels automatically. We'll walk through the cross-reference dialog in the next post.

By now, you can begin to see that many things you do in Word are interconnected with other abilities in Word. After you know about the connections, you can begin to use them to your advantage. So stay tuned for more posts.

Taking a Short Break

With Christmas coming up, I've decided to take a short break. I need to get some rest and regroup so that I can figure out a direction for this blog. I've covered lots and lots of what you can do with MS Word. Perhaps I've covered most of what you need, perhaps not. I need to re-read the blog to spot holes and come up with a plan to fill them.

If you have questions, please email me (info@technology-tamers.com). I'll be happy to answer them in the upcoming year.

I do hope that each of you has a lovely Christmas and a happy New Year. See you in 2012.

Generated Lists Part 6

Cross-referencing is a normal part of any large document. For example, if you've created an appendix with several census pages...captioned of course, you will probably want to insert cross-references to the census pages in the running text of the pages of chapters. You want your readers to be able to flip to the page with the graphic of the census page so they can see the evidence for themselves.

You've already read about adding page number cross-references based on heading styles. (See the post Adding an Electronic Page Number for a Cross Reference.) You can use the exact same steps to add page number cross-references to default labels like Figure and to labels you've added like Census.

In the Cross-reference dialog, when you select a reference type, for example, Census or Figure, Word lists every caption you've entered using that label.

In the field Insert reference to, select Page number to have Word insert an electronic page number, and then select the caption from the list, and click Insert.

In addition, you can select a text option to insert caption text in the field Insert reference to. If you have occasion to change caption text, Word updates the text any place you've added it as a cross-reference as part of the normal update process (Ctrl + A, and then F9...Update entire table.)  

Your cross-reference might look like this:
The first time I can find the McKee family in the United States is in the 1855 Illinois State census. See Census 3: 1855 Illinois State census on page 135. Since the family appears on the 1851 English census, I'm assuming they emigrate to the United States between 1851 and 1855.

The text that is bolded in the sentence above would be electronic cross-references that you inserted using the Cross-reference dialog. If you go to page 135 and change Census 3: Illinois State census to Census 3: Illinois State Census, Randolph County,  you don't need to locate every place in the document that you've added the text cross-reference. Just update the document and Word will make the changes for you.
Spending time practicing this particular skill is worthwhile because it can save you time and trouble when your documents get larger and you're editing it in fits and starts. You won't remember every place you've added a cross-reference, but if you've taken the time to set up electronic cross-references, you don't have to because Word remembers it for you.

Generated Lists Part 5

Have you looked at figure text from as asthestic point of view? What font does it use? Is the point size too large or too small? What controls the attributes applied? The answer of course is a style.

When you insert a caption, Word automatically applies the Caption style.

Of course, you know exactly how to change a style to suit your tastes.

• Display the list of styles.
• Right-click Caption. A pop up menu appears.
• Select Modify. The Modify Style dialog appears.
• Change whatever you like.

We're not finished with this topic yet. So, stay tuned for more.

Generated Lists Part 4

When you add labels, Word keeps the labels, assuming that you'll want them in other documents. So don't be surprised if you open a new document and start to insert a caption and find labels you've added in the past. When you open the Caption dialog, Word may or may not pick the label you want to use. You can switch to a new label in a couple of clicks.

Switching Labels
When you open the Captions dialog, click the drop-down arrow in the Label field, click a new label, and the caption in the Caption field above updates. Type the text of your caption, and then select OK.

When the list of labels gets out of hand...and it will, you can select a label and delete it.

Deleting a Label

Select the label in the Label drop-down list, and then click the Delete Label button. Word removes the label from the list. When you open new documents, the label won't appear in the list. Note that you cannot delete the default labels: Equation, Figure, Table.

Upcoming Posts

We still have more to do with labels...lots of fun to come. 

Internet Genealogy Article

If you look on page 44 of the Dec/Jan issue of Internet Genealogy, you'll find an article by yours truly. The article covers using Joliprint to convert webpages into PDFs...pursuing a paperless world.

Basically, you find a webpage (and you have to be on the lowest level page), copy the address (the http:// bit), go to Joliprint, paste the addess in the Save your links... field, and click the Joliprint it button. Joliprint responds with a first rate PDF of the webpage without all of the webpage spam...that is all of the surrounding stuff the page...like ads.

I'm hoping to have additional articles published in Internet Genealogy. Of course, there are never any promises with this sort of thing and it requires that I get off my duff and write. We'll see what I manage to accomplish.