ACC97: How to Edit Data in a Hyperlink Field in a Table

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Description of the Hyperlink Data Type

You can use Hyperlink fields to store links to other objects in a Microsoft Access database, links to other files on your hard drive or network, or links to intranet and Internet Web addresses. Each Hyperlink field can store three pieces of information about a link: the DisplayText, the Address, and the SubAddress. These three pieces are separated by number signs (#) and have the following meaning:

• DisplayText is the text that you see in the field or form control
• Address is the path to a target document (for example, the path to a Microsoft Word document on your network, or the address of a web page on the Internet)
• SubAddress is the location in the file or page (for example, a bookmark in a Microsoft Word document, or the name of a report in a Microsoft Access database)

NOTE: When you view a Hyperlink field in the Datasheet view of a table or in a bound text box on a form, all you see is the DisplayText portion of the field. If there is no DisplayText, then you see the Address portion of the field; if there is no Address, then you see the SubAddress portion of the field.

Methods to Edit a Hyperlink Field

For Hyperlink fields in a table, you click in the field to activate the link. If you want to edit the DisplayText, Address, or SubAddress portions of a Hyperlink field, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Use the Edit Hyperlink Dialog Box

1. Open the table containing the hyperlink in Datasheet view, or open a form based on the table in Form view.
2. Using the right mouse button (right-click), click in the hyperlink field to display a shortcut menu.
3. If you want to change only the DisplayText portion of the field, point to Hyperlink on the shortcut menu, and then type in the Display Text box.
   
   If you want to change the Address or SubAddress portion of the field, click Edit Hyperlink. In the Edit Hyperlink dialog box, type the Address in the Link to File or URL box and type the SubAddress in the Named Location in File (Optional) box. Click OK.

Method 2: Tab to the Field

1. Open the table containing the hyperlink in Datasheet view, or open a form based on the table in Form view.
2. Place the insertion point in a field prior to the Hyperlink field, and then press the TAB key until the cursor moves to the Hyperlink field.
3. Press the F2 key to see the complete contents of the Hyperlink field, and then edit the field.

Method 3: Click in the Field

This method may require some practice.

1. Open the table containing the hyperlink in Datasheet view, or open a form based on the table in Form view.
2. Note that when you position the mouse pointer over a Hyperlink field, the pointer changes to a hand with a pointing finger. If you click when that pointer is displayed, the link is activated.
3. To edit a hyperlink in a table, position the mouse pointer over the upper or left edge of the Hyperlink field until it resembles a large plus symbol (+), and then click.
   
   To edit a hyperlink bound to a text box on a form, position the mouse pointer over an edge of the Hyperlink field in a way that does not change the pointer to a hand with a pointing finger, and then click.
4. Press the F2 key to see the complete contents of the Hyperlink field, and then edit the field.