Pro 3.3 Hyperlinks in layout export to PDF not always links - potential bug

[BryanMc]

Hyperlinks are now supported in text for layouts and reports but finding some inconsistent results. Wondering if a possible bug or just how we are implementing. Everything looks good in the layout itself, but when exporting to PDF, the PDF doesn't always keep the hyperlink:

• Create a textbox with LINK tag only (nothing else in the texbox). Exports text only, no hyperlink created.
  • <LINK url="https://www.esri.com">esri</LINK>
• Create a textbox with LINK AND some text preceeding the link: Exports a hyperlink
  • Hi Mom <LINK url="https://www.esri.com">esri</LINK>
• Create a textbox with LINK tag only, but the link text is the URL: PDF reads as a hyperlink (not sure if exported as a hyperlink or just the PDF viewer doing its automatic formatting.
  • <LINK url="https://www.esri.com">https://www.esri.com</LINK>
• As well, none of the exports to PDF with hyperlinks use proper PDF hyperlink tags for WCAG accessibility (S.508/AODA). That said, accessible exports to PDF have many other issues too (tag order and proper tag types not correct).

Anyone else notice this odd behavior? Or maybe just something in my coffee?

[Robert_LeClair]

Hmmmm...very interesting!  I'm wondering if this has to do with the Set Security Options for the ArcGIS Pro Project and Application options.  You can read about it here.  What I would recommend you try is adding the .url extension to the Supported File Extensions and see if that makes any difference.

[BryanMc]

Hi @Robert_LeClair , I updated the supported file extensions but no change. However, I noticed that if I insert a "Straight Text" element with just a link, it did not work. But if I insert a "Rectangle Text" element with just a link, it does work. Using examples from first post. Hyperlinks all show in the Layout window properly, but don't work when exported to PDF.

Not consistent as I did the same "straight text" twice and one of them worked (same tool and exact same text). I've attached a screen capture of both the Layout and PDF (hyperlink.png).

I then kept exporting to PDF many times, and results did change from original before stabilizing on one pattern and missing a hyperlink still (hyperlink2.png)

[Jennifer_Parmeley]

Found this while looking for something else, story of my GIS life ... 

We have a forced migration to 3.3 coming this fall. I have more than a couple pdf maps that hare urls linked that need to work. Are there any updates to this?

[Robert_LeClair]

Yes, this is BUG-000168733 - "Accessibility/Section 508 issue: Hyperlinks within PDF exports are not tagged correctly in Adobe Acrobat for ArcGIS Pro 3.3."  

The BUG has been fixed with ArcGIS Pro 3.3.2 and the upcoming 3.4 release.