Inserting Hyperlinks Dynamically

You can insert hyperlinks to your reports dynamically using link tags. Syntax of a link tag is defined as follows.

<<link [uri_or_bookmark_expression] [display_text_expression]>>

Here, uri_or_bookmark_expression defines URI or the name of a bookmark within the same document for a hyperlink to be inserted dynamically. This expression is mandatory and must return a non‑empty value.

In turn, display_text_expression defines text to be displayed for the hyperlink. This expression is optional. If it is omitted or returns an empty value, then during runtime, a value of uri_or_bookmark_expression is used as display text as well.

Note – Values of both uri_or_bookmark_expression and display_text_expression can be of any types. During runtime, Object.toString() is invoked to get textual representations of these expressions’ values, which is useful for expressions of types like URI, for example.

While building a report, uri_or_bookmark_expression and display_text_expression are evaluated and their results are used to construct a hyperlink that replaces the corresponding link tag then. If uri_or_bookmark_expression returns the name of a bookmark in the same document, then the hyperlink navigates to the bookmark. Otherwise, the hyperlink navigates to a corresponding external resource.

Note – A link tag cannot be used within a chart.

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FAQ

1. Q: How do I create a hyperlink that points to an external URL?
   A: Use the link tag with the URL as the first argument, e.g., <<link "https://example.com" "Visit Example">>. The URL expression can be a string literal, a variable, or any object whose toString() returns a valid URI.

2. Q: Can I link to a bookmark inside the same document?
   A: Yes. Provide the bookmark name as the uri_or_bookmark_expression, for example <<link "MyBookmark" "Go to Section">>. At runtime the tag creates a hyperlink that navigates to the bookmark named MyBookmark.

3. Q: What happens if I omit the display‑text expression?
   A: When the second argument is omitted or evaluates to an empty value, Aspose.Words uses the string representation of the first argument (the URI or bookmark name) as the visible text of the hyperlink.

4. Q: Is it possible to use a link tag inside a chart?
   A: No. The link tag is not supported inside chart elements. Attempting to do so will cause the tag to be ignored or raise an error during report generation. Place the tag in regular paragraphs or tables instead.