When a map object is linked to a URL or file, the object becomes an active object. Clicking on an active object with the HotLink command will launch the associated URL or file. To use active objects in your map, you must create a column in your table to store the file link information.
To link objects to a URL or file:
- Open a MapInfo Pro table that contains map objects, (for example, a MapInfo Pro table with points that represent universities in the United States).
- Create a character field where you can enter a URL or file for the desired object:
- On the TABLE tab, in the Maintenance group, click Table Structure to open the View/modify Table Structure dialog box.
- Choose Add Field and add a character field. You can name the field as you choose. Make sure the field is wide enough to accommodate the longest URL or file name string.
- Click OK.
- Open a new Browser window (on the HOME tab, in the Windows group, click New Document, and click Browser from the list), and in the new field enter a URL or file string to be associated with that row's map object.
- Add the table to a new or existing Map window. Make this Map window the active window.
- On the HOME tab, in the Windows group, click Tool Windows, and click Layers from the list, to open the Layers window.
- Select the layer whose Hotlink options you want to set and click the Hotlink Options command. The HotLink Options dialog box opens.
Note: The HotLink command is disabled when a thematic, grid, raster or cosmetic layer is highlighted.
- Click Add.
- Click the Filename Expression drop-down list and choose the field created in step 2.
If the location of the files associated with the map objects is relative to the location of the table in which the map objects are stored, then select the File locations are relative to table location check box.
- Choose Labels, Objects or Labels & Objects. Your choice determines how the objects in the layer are activated (the URL or file launched).
- Select the Save options to table metadata check box to restore these HotLink options automatically the next time you use the same table in a Map or Browser window.
- Click OK.