Hyperlink

Parent page: Schematic Objects

A placed Hyperlink

Summary

A hyperlink is a non-electrical drawing primitive. Similar to a text string, it can be placed anywhere on a sheet. Where it differs is in its ability to link to a web page or to a document on a local or shared drive through specification of a target URL. This offers a fast, convenient alternative when providing access to datasheets for components used in a design. A hyperlink object can also provide a beneficial link to your own organization's website within the title blocks of your schematic source documents.

Availability

Hyperlinks are available for placement in the Schematic Editor only by clicking Home | Graphical Elements | 

Placement

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter hyperlink placement mode. A hyperlink will appear "floating" on the cursor.

1. Position the object then click or press Enter to effect placement.
2. Continue placing further hyperlinks, or right-click or press Esc to exit placement mode.

Additional actions that can be performed during placement are:

• Press the Tab key to access an associated properties dialog from where properties for the hyperlink can be changed on-the-fly.
• Press the Alt key to constrain the direction of movement to the horizontal or vertical axis depending on the initial direction of movement.
• Press the Spacebar to rotate the link text counterclockwise or Shift+Spacebar for clockwise rotation. Rotation is in increments of 90°.
• Press the X or Y keys to mirror the link text along the X-axis or Y-axis respectively.

Graphical Editing

This method of editing allows you to select a placed hyperlink object directly in the workspace and change its location graphically. Hyperlinks can only be adjusted with respect to their size by changing the size of the font used (accessed through the Hyperlink dialog). As such, editing handles are not available when the hyperlink object is selected:

A selected Hyperlink

• Click anywhere inside the dashed box and drag to reposition the hyperlink as required. While dragging, the hyperlink can be rotated (Spacebar/Shift+Spacebar) or mirrored (X or Y keys to mirror along the X-axis or Y-axis respectively).
• The link text for a hyperlink object can be edited in-place by:
  1. Single-clicking the hyperlink to select it.
  2. Single-clicking again (or pressing the Enter key) to enter the in-place editing mode. Sufficient time between each click should be given to ensure the software does not interpret the two single-clicks as one double-click (which would open the hyperlink's properties dialog).
  3. To finish editing in-place text, press the Enter key or use the mouse to click away from the hyperlink.

Non-Graphical Editing

The following methods of non-graphical editing are available:

Via an Associated Properties Dialog

Dialog page: Hyperlink

This method of editing uses the following dialog to modify the properties of a hyperlink object.

The Hyperlink dialog

The dialog can be accessed during placement by pressing the Tab key.

After placement, the dialog can be accessed in one of the following ways:

• Double-click on the placed hyperlink object.
• Place the cursor over the hyperlink object, right-click then choose Properties from the context menu.

Via the SCH Inspector Panel

Panel pages: SCH Inspector

The SCH Inspector panel enables you to interrogate and edit the properties of one or more design objects in the active document.

Following a Link

Once a hyperlink object has been configured as required, it can be used from within the design workspace. To do so, hover the cursor over the hyperlink. After a short delay, a pop-up with the URL will appear. Click this to open the URL as a tabbed document inside CircuitStudio.

Following an example hyperlink to its target URL.

Alternatively, a link can be followed by right-clicking over it and accessing the URL from the Hyperlink sub-menu.

Access the URL for a hyperlink object from the right-click context menu.

Notes

1. When configuring the hyperlink, you do not need to enter the full URL with http:// prefix. Entering the short-form address for a website will also work, for example, www.circuitstudio.com, or circuitstudio.com. Also, when targeting a local document on your hard drive or a shared drive, use the prefix file:/// – for example, file:///C:\Datasheets\ExampleDatasheet.pdf.