WD2000: Changing Hypertext Display Text Doesn't Change Underlying Link (212309)

SYMPTOMS

When you replace hyperlinked text with new text, the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) does not change; only the display text changes. For example, if you type the following URL in a Microsoft Word document:

http://www.microsoft.com

both the hyperlink and the display text are the same.

However, if you change your mind, select the URL link, and replace the original hyperlink with the following URL:

http://www.msn.com

the underlying link is still

http://www.microsoft.com

but the display text is now

http://www.msn.com.

CAUSE

The hyperlinking feature in Microsoft Word 2000 is designed to automatically create a hyperlink object when you type any text that begins with one of the following protocols:

http://
ftp://
gopher://
Mailto:

As part of this design, you can change the display text by selecting the hyperlink and typing the new text. Word only replaces the underlying hyperlink if you change the URL in the Edit Hyperlink dialog box or follow method 2 in the "Resolution" section of this article.

RESOLUTION

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

Method 1: Change the URL in the Edit Hyperlink Dialog Box

After changing the hyperlink, right-click it, point to Hyperlink on the shortcut menu, and then click Edit Hyperlink. Type the new URL in the Type the file or Web page name box.

Method 2: Make a Correction as You Type the New URL

In the following procedure, pressing BACKSPACE deletes the underlying link text as well as the display text.

Select the hyperlink.
Type the hyperlink that you want to replace the original.
Immediately after you have finished typing the hyperlink (or any time while you are typing the hyperlink), press the BACKSPACE key once.

The last character you typed is deleted, and the hyperlink effect is removed.
Retype the last character and press SPACE or ENTER. The hyperlink effect reappears, and both the display text and the hyperlink match the new destination.