Visio2002: Hyperlinks Are Missing When You Open CAD Drawing in Microsoft Visio (299075)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visio 2002 Standard
  • Microsoft Visio 2002 Professional
This article was previously published under Q299075

SYMPTOMS

When you use Microsoft Visio to open a CAD drawing (.dwg file) that contains hyperlinks, the hyperlinks are missing.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you use either Visio or AutoCAD to add hyperlinks to a CAD drawing. Visio does not convert and open hyperlinks correctly in CAD drawing files.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods.

Method 1

Insert the hyperlinks that you want, and then save the CAD drawing as a Visio drawing. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Start Microsoft Visio.
  2. On the File menu, click Open.
  3. Under Files of type, click AutoCAD Drawing (*.dwg; *.dxf), locate the CAD file that you want to open, and then click Open.
  4. Select the CAD drawing object.

    Green selection handles that appear around the object indicate selection.
  5. On the Insert menu, click Hyperlinks.
  6. In the Address box, type the location that you want to link to. For example, type the URL of a Web site: (http://www.microsoft.com).
  7. Click OK.
  8. On the File menu, click Save As.
  9. In the Save As dialog box, click Drawing (*.vsd) under Files of type, specify a name and location where you want to the save the file, and then click Save.
To open the location that the hyperlink links to, right-click the drawing object, and then click the hyperlink on the shortcut menu than appears.

Method 2

Convert the CAD drawing to Visio format, and then add the hyperlinks that you want. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Start Microsoft Visio.
  2. On the File menu, click Open.
  3. Under Files of type, click AutoCAD Drawing (*.dwg; *.dxf), locate the CAD file that you want to open, and then click Open.
  4. In the CAD Drawing Properties dialog box, click OK.
  5. On the drawing page, right-click the CAD drawing, point to CAD Drawing Object, and then click Convert.
  6. In the Convert Wizard - Step 1 of 3 dialog box, select the layers that you want to convert, and then click Next.
  7. In the Convert Wizard - Step 2 of 3 dialog box, select the DWG layers that you want to hide or delete, and then click Next.
  8. In the Convert Wizard - Step 3 of 3 dialog box, select the way that you want to convert dimensions and hatch patterns, and then click Finish.
  9. When the conversion is complete, select the shape or shapes that you want to add hyperlinks to.

    Green selection handles that appear around the object indicate selection.
  10. On the Insert menu, click Hyperlinks.
  11. In the Address box, type the location that you want to link to. For example, type the URL of a Web site: (http://www.microsoft.com).
  12. Click OK.
  13. On the File menu, click Save As.
  14. In the Save As dialog box, under Files of type, click Drawing (*.vsd), then specify a name and location where you want to the save the file, and then click Save.
To open the location that the hyperlink links to, right-click the drawing object, and then click the hyperlink on the shortcut menu that appears.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

You can add hyperlinks to each Visio shape and drawing page. Hyperlinks can link to another page in the same Visio drawing, another Visio drawing, a document created in another program, or a Web site. For additional information about adding hyperlinks to Visio Drawings, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

273814 Visio: How to Add Hyperlinks to Drawings

For more information about working with CAD drawings in Microsoft Visio, type CAD drawing in the Ask a question box or the Answer Wizard, and then press ENTER to view the topics.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/29/2004
Keywords:kbbug kbnofix KB299075
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