How do I make multiple plain text links active (clickable) at once?

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Level 1

6 points

How do I make multiple plain text links active (clickable) at once?

I'm running Number 3.5.2 and I deal with a lot of documents that have long lists of URLs. Anytime I open a xls or numbers doc that already has the URLs pasted in, they're listed in plain text and not clickable. Is there a way that I can select all of them and make them active links, or at least do it in some reasonably scalable fashion?

I've found how to use the "Add link" or even the "Open URL" options using the right click menu. And I know about changing the character style to "Link" to make it active. But these options are only available if I click and highlight the specific content in a single cell. It doesn't allow me to select multiple cells and make the change.

I've also tried copying the URLs out of Numbers and into another program (text edit, email) but not too long ago it stopped letting me paste back in active links.

Any help would be much appreciated!

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Apr 6, 2015 3:40 PM

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Answer 1

SGIII

Level 8

37,562 points

Apr 6, 2015 6:57 PM in response to jroos1

In your menu under Edit > Substitutions have checked to see that 'Smart Links' is checked? If you check that first, it's possible that Numbers will recognize URLs as links when you open an .xls or .numbers doc.

For URLs already in the document, sadly I think the only way to convert to live links is to turn 'Smart Links' on and then double-click in each cell and do a minor edit, such as adding a space at the end.

Recommend giving feedback to Apple via Numbers > Provide Numbers Feedback in your menu.

SG

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Answer 2

jroos1 Author

Level 1

6 points

Apr 6, 2015 6:57 PM in response to SGIII

Thanks for your response, SGII!

Unfortunately, Smart Links is already checked, so that doesn't seem to be doing the trick. Thanks anyways! I'll look into submitting a feature request.

jroos1

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Answer 3

Yellowbox

Level 7

21,939 points

Apr 7, 2015 7:07 AM in response to jroos1

Hi jroos,

The HYPERLINK function in another column.

From the Function Browser:

The HYPERLINK function creates a clickable link that opens a webpage or new email message.

HYPERLINK(url, link-text)

url: A standard universal resource locator. url is a string value that must contain a properly formatted universal resource locator string.
link-text: An optional string value that specifies the text that appears as a clickable link in the cell. If link-text is omitted, url is used as link-text.

Formula in C2 (and Fill Down)

=HYPERLINK(B2)

Then select Column C

Copy

Menu > Edit > Paste Formula Results

Delete Column B

Regards,

Ian.

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Answer 4

jroos1 Author

Level 1

6 points

Apr 7, 2015 7:57 AM in response to Yellowbox

@Ian

Awesome, this worked great! I hadn't used the hypertext function before and it does exactly what I needed. Once I made the function for the first cell in the new column I didn't even need to do the copy & paste formula results steps, I just dragged and did fill down to add all the other URLs. Thanks so much!

jroos1

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Answer 5

jroos1 Author

Level 1

6 points

Apr 7, 2015 7:59 AM in response to Yellowbox

Is there a way for me to change the response I previously marked as having solved my problem to yours?

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Answer 6

SGIII

Level 8

37,562 points

Apr 7, 2015 8:36 AM in response to jroos1

Don't think there is any way to change how you've marked answers. However, others reading through the thread can mark Ian's response as helpful, as I have done, and I understand he gets points for that (that seems to be a new feature of the Support Community).

One thing maybe you or Ian could confirm. HYPERLINK creates a live link in the adjacent column. But, even after I've turned on 'Smart Links', I'm having no luck copying column C (the one with the HYPERLINK formula) and then Edit > Paste Formula Results. On my machine after the paste the links then go dead. After you Edit > Paste Formula Results do you still have live links?

SG

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Answer 7

jroos1 Author

Level 1

6 points

Apr 7, 2015 9:06 AM in response to SGIII

@SGII

When I tried the process of copying column C and using the Paste Formula Results tool, all the links were dead for me as well. I got around that by just doing the drag and fill option (drag down on the little dot in the middle of the bottom edge of the cell) on the top cell in column C that had the HYPERLINK formula in it. It works for me since my docs aren't so long that it's unmanageable to drag down to the bottom of the content, but I could see it being more of an issue if you had a doc with thousands of results...

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Answer 8

Yellowbox

Level 7

21,939 points

Apr 7, 2015 4:07 PM in response to jroos1

Hi jroos,

Sorry about Paste Formula Results. Hide the source column instead.

Filling down without dragging can be done by Paste.

Enter the HYPERLINK formula in C2 and press enter.

Make C wide enough for some white space to the right of the URL. Click there to select the cell without triggering the URL.

Copy.

Double click on the C label to select all Body Cells and Paste

Regards,

Ian.

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Answer 9

jroos1 Author

Level 1

6 points

Apr 12, 2015 12:56 PM in response to Yellowbox

Ian, that worked too! Thanks!

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Answer 10

Apr 12, 2016 1:54 AM in response to Yellowbox

Hello Ian,

i am using Numbers on my iPad. I have been trying to apply

your hyperlink suggestion but for some reason I cannot make the links active. Could you explain it in more detail for me?

BR. Jeroen

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Answer 11

Yellowbox

Level 7

21,939 points

Apr 12, 2016 2:48 AM in response to Jeroenfrommoscow

Hi Jeroen,

Thanks for your reply. I don't have an iPad, (I have a MacBook Pro) and I don't know why HYPERLINK does not work for you. Some users in this forum are iPad experts. Please start a new discussion and tell us your version of iOS and your version of Numbers.

If you update your profile, those details will show beneath your new question.

Regards,

Ian.

From my profile: My products: MacBook Pro 13 inch (mid 2012), Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.1, Pages '09 (4.3) and Pages 5.6.1, Numbers '09 (2.3) and Numbers 3.6.1

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