Inconsistency related to surfing the footprint hyperlinks in a PDF

[dougmcalexander]

This has bothered me ever since the introduction of the option to include hyperlinks when we publish to PDF.  So, under the heading of "nitpicking", I want to raise awareness regarding this issue.  It has caused confusion for those learing AutoCAD Electrical, as well as panel shop personnel.

We have the option to publish a PDF of our project with hyperlinks, so the end user can "surf" related symbols.  However, there is an inconsistency in how this works that can lead to confusion for new users.  As an instructor of this software I have definitely found this to be true, as my students have struggled with surfing a PDF.  

Allow me to explain:  I click on one of the cross-references next to a motor starter coil and I am hyperlinked to the contact (child).  From the contact I click the TAG and I am returned to the motor starter coil (parent symbol).  I click the TAG at the motor starter coil and I am hyperlinked to the footprint on the panel layout.  

So I expect that if I click on the TAG next to the footprint I will then be hyperlinked back to the parent symbol.  But when I click over the TAG nothing happens.  Of course I know to keep moving the mouse cursor around until I see the hand symbol, which indicates that I have found something that is hyperlinked.  In the case of the footprint it is the footprint graphics, instead of the TAG.  But the person who will most likely need to use this function will not be someone with AutoCAD Electrical experience but someone in the panel shop, or a customer who requested a PDF of their project drawings.

 

The way this functions currently makes it almost appear as if the surfing of hyperlinks was written by two different programmers, with one developing the schematic symbol portion and another developing the footprint portion.  It is counter-intuitive.  It should work the same as with the parent symbol.  Let the TAG be the hyperlink.  We should be able to click the TAG to surf.  But better still, allow us to either click the TAG, an associated nameplate, OR the footprint graphics.  This will help save time and ensure that new users don't get confused and/or frustrated with using this feature.  And again, the end-user of the PDF is more than likely a customer, a customer of my customer, or someone in the panel shop..  They don't usually know or care how the drawings were created.  So the surfing of hyperlinks in the PDF needs to be absolutely intuitive.

[Anonymous]

I agree!! This bugs me too...