Endnotes Hyperlink

Question

Hello Everyone,

I am working on editing and commenting on a book manuscript. My original file had endnotes numbers in the main body text that were hyperlinked to the equivalent number endnote at the end of the file. Unfortunately because I had converted the file to a pdf then back to a word, the hyperlinks stopped being clickable back and forth between the main text and the endnotes. I have done lot of track changes and commenting on the file. I am desperately looking for help to have the endnotes numbers once again hyperlinks meaning when you click it takes you to the endnotes equivalent number and vice-versa.

I have been trying all kind of methods.

Any help would be highly appreciated.

Many thanks

Answer 1

When a PDF is generated the source .docx is not affected. Even if the same name is used the original is a 'docx file type & the PDF is a .pdf file type.

I know that. I simply accepted at face value the implication that the original document is no longer available.

The problem you describe typically is due to the endnote having been deleted rather than by deleting the endnote reference number in the document. ... Deleting the reference number of the missing endnote should resolve the issue.

Alternatively, go to the endnote range in the document and find the endnote that's missing its number. Simply copy the endnote reference from any other endnote to the start of that one. Word will recreate the correct endnote reference for it. Problem solved.

Answer 2

Admittedly I haven't used Acrobat in years but unless there's been a big change I refer back to my original reply: Creating a PDF does not alter the source document. The PDF is completely separate from & independent of the original document from which it was generated.

The problem you describe typically is due to the endnote having been deleted rather than by deleting the endnote reference number in the document. The appropriate process of deleting an endnote [or footnote] is to delete the reference number in the body of the document. Doing so deletes the footnote, itself. Deleting the reference number of the missing endnote should resolve the issue.

Answer 3

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and help.

I have tried all sorts of macros to solve this issue, including the Macro that Paul suggested. Unfortunately, it hasn't really made any changes or restored the hyperlinks of the endnotes.

I ended up deleting the end notes in the revised file (which I have been working on and without active endnotes) and then comparing an version of the original file (with hyperlinked endnotes) with the revised one, then pasted the endnotes from the original. it seems to work fine, my only minor issue is the endnote numbered as 1 is in the main text but doesn't show in the endnote as 1, when I try to add it again manually it automatically jumps to 2 skipping 1. I didn't figure out how to fix this this little issue yet.

Lesson learned, I would never try to work on a word doc file with hyperlinked endnotes on acrobat as a pdf. It messed up my whole work and disrupted my schedule.

I appreciate all your help.

Answer 4

I mean no disrespect to the solution Paul provided but it may not be necessary. When a PDF is generated the source .docx is not affected. Even if the same name is used the original is a 'docx file type & the PDF is a .pdf file type.

IOW, unless you've deleted the original or overwritten it with the new version generated from the PDF the original still should be intact... Or if saved to OneDrive /SharePoint or are using Time Machine the earlier version of the original should be recoverable.

The only reason the endnote linking failed is that the exported PDF broke them & re-saving it as .docx can't restore the links.

Answer 5

The following macro will restore your endnotes. All you need do is select all the endnotes presently at the end of the document before running the macro. The macro can handle endnotes containing multiple paragraphs, but not Word tables - those you'll need to move elsewhere, then reinsert after running the macro.

I strongly recommend you ensure all tracked changes affecting endnote numberings are accepted before running the macro and that change tracking is disabled before running it.

As coded, the macro assumes your endnotes have arabic numbering (i.e. 0-9999). If they use roman numerals, comment-out or delete the line:

.Text = "^13([!0-9])"

and activate the line:

.Text = "^13([!ivxlcd])"

Strictly speaking, this modification is only necessary if any of your endnotes has more than one paragraph.

For PC macro installation & usage instructions, see: http://www.gmayor.com/installing\_macro.htm

For Mac macro installation & usage instructions, see: https://wordmvp.com/Mac/InstallMacro.html

Sub ReLinkEndNotes() 

Application.ScreenUpdating = False 

Dim i As Long, EndNt As Endnote, StrFnd As String 

Dim FndRng As Range, DocRng As Range, NtRng As Range 

With ActiveDocument 

  Set FndRng = Selection.Range 

  Set DocRng = .Range 

  DocRng.End = FndRng.Start 

  With FndRng 

    .Style = "Endnote Text" 

    With .Find 

      .ClearFormatting 

      .Replacement.ClearFormatting 

      .Forward = True 

      .Format = False 

      .Wrap = wdFindStop 

      .MatchWildcards = True  

      .Text = "^13([!0-9])" 
      '.Text = "^13([!ivxlcd])"

      .Replacement.Text = "¶\1" 

      .Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll 

    End With 

    For i = .Paragraphs.Count To 1 Step -1 

      With .Paragraphs(i).Range 

        StrFnd = Trim(.Words(1)) 

        StatusBar = "Creating Endnote: " & StrFnd 

        .Start = .Start + Len(StrFnd) 

        .End = .End - 1 

        Set NtRng = .Duplicate 

      End With 

      With DocRng 

        With .Find 

          .ClearFormatting 

          .Replacement.ClearFormatting 

          .Font.Superscript = True 

          .MatchWildcards = True 

          .Forward = False 

          .Format = True 

          .Text = StrFnd 

        End With 

        If .Find.Execute = True Then 

          .Text = vbNullString 

          Set EndNt = .Endnotes.Add(Range:=.Duplicate) 

          EndNt.Range.FormattedText = NtRng.FormattedText 

          .Collapse wdCollapseStart 

        End If 

      End With 

    Next i 

    .Delete 

  End With 

  With .StoryRanges(wdEndnotesStory).Find 

    .ClearFormatting 

    .Replacement.ClearFormatting 

    .Forward = True 

    .Format = False 

    .Wrap = wdFindStop 

    .Text = "¶" 

    .Replacement.Text = "^p" 

    .Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll 

  End With 

End With 

Set FndRng = Nothing: Set DocRng = Nothing: Set NtRng = Nothing 

Application.ScreenUpdating = True 

End Sub