Adding Hyperlink in a Cell

In This Topic

Hyperlinks can be added in cells to access relevant information present at any other location. Spread for WinForms allows you to add hyperlinks which can be used to:

Access a webpage URL - For example, https://developer.mescius.com/
Open mail box with recipient's email address - For example, spread.sales@mescius.com
Access a range location in current workbook - For example, Sheet2!A1:B2
Perform any custom operation - For example, showing a popup instead of navigating to URL.

Add Hyperlinks

You can add hyperlinks to a sheet or range by using the IWorksheet.Hyperlinks.Add or IRange.Hyperlinks.Add method respectively.

The below example code shows how to insert hyperlinks to access a range in a workbook, a webpage, or an email address.

C#	Copy Code
// Hyperlink to range locations fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B3", "", "Sheet1!A1", "Click here to go to A1", "Goto Cell A1"); // Hyperlink to web URLs fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B5", "http://developer.mescius.com/", "", "Click here to go to mescius website", "Mescius Website"); // Hyperlink to email fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B7", "mailto:spread.support@mescius.com?subject=spread.support", "", "Click here to mail for spread support", "Mail to: Spread Support");

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// Hyperlink to range locations
  fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B3", "", "Sheet1!A1", "Click here to go to A1", "Goto Cell A1");

// Hyperlink to web URLs
   fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B5", "http://developer.mescius.com/", "", "Click here to go to mescius website", "Mescius Website");

// Hyperlink to email
   fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B7", "mailto:spread.support@mescius.com?subject=spread.support", "", "Click here to mail for spread support", "Mail to: Spread Support");

VB	Copy Code
' Hyperlink to range locations fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B3", "", "Sheet1!A1", "Click here to go to A1", "Goto Cell A1") ' Hyperlink to web URLs fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B5", "http://developer.mescius.com/", "", "Click here to go to mescius website", "Mescius Website") ' Hyperlink to email fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B7", "mailto:spread.support@mescius.com?subject=spread.support", "", "Click here to mail for spread support", "Mail to: Spread Support")

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' Hyperlink to range locations
fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B3", "", "Sheet1!A1", "Click here to go to A1", "Goto Cell A1")

' Hyperlink to web URLs
fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B5", "http://developer.mescius.com/", "", "Click here to go to mescius website", "Mescius Website")
' Hyperlink to email

fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B7", "mailto:spread.support@mescius.com?subject=spread.support", "", "Click here to mail for spread support", "Mail to: Spread Support")

Note: If another hyperlink is set to a cell containing a hyperlink, the new hyperlink will replace the old one rather than merging it.

The below example code shows that you can perform a custom action after disabling the default behavior of hyperlink.

C#	Copy Code
// Hyperlink to custom action fpSpread1.HyperLinkClicked += FpSpread1_HyperLinkClicked; private void FpSpread1_HyperLinkClicked(object sender, HyperLinkClickedEventArgs e) { // Set e.Link to null to skip the default behavior and customize accordingly e.Link = null; }

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// Hyperlink to custom action
fpSpread1.HyperLinkClicked += FpSpread1_HyperLinkClicked;
 private void FpSpread1_HyperLinkClicked(object sender, HyperLinkClickedEventArgs e)
{
  // Set e.Link to null to skip the default behavior and customize accordingly
  e.Link = null;
}

VB	Copy Code
'Hyperlink to custom action fpSpread1.HyperLinkClicked += AddressOf FpSpread1_HyperLinkClicked Private Sub FpSpread1_HyperLinkClicked(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As HyperLinkClickedEventArgs) e.Link = Nothing End Sub

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'Hyperlink to custom action
fpSpread1.HyperLinkClicked += AddressOf FpSpread1_HyperLinkClicked
Private Sub FpSpread1_HyperLinkClicked(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As HyperLinkClickedEventArgs)
    e.Link = Nothing
End Sub

The below example code shows how to display the built-in 'Insert Hyperlink' dialog.

C#	Copy Code
// Show HyperlinkForm HyperlinkForm form = new HyperlinkForm(fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet); form.ShowDialog();

VB	Copy Code
' Show HyperlinkForm Dim form As HyperlinkForm = New HyperlinkForm(fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet) form.ShowDialog()

Create Hyperlinks Automatically

You can also generate a hyperlink automatically by entering a link like string value and setting the AutoCreateHyperlink property to true.

If a link like value starts with www, the hyperlink will consider it as a url
If a link like value matches the email link but it doesn't start with mailto:, the hyperlink will consider it as a url
If a link like value matches the workbook location type which starts with 'spread://', the hyperlink will set the value as a url

C#	Copy Code
fpSpread1.Features.AutoCreateHyperlink = true; //input link like value in any cell and it will be automatically turn into hyperlink

VB	Copy Code
fpSpread1.Features.AutoCreateHyperlink = True 'Input link like value in any cell and it will be automatically turn into hyperlink

Modify Hyperlinks

You can edit a hyperlink in a sheet or range by changing the settings in IWorksheet.Hyperlinks[index] or IRange.Hyperlinks[index] object respectively.

The below example code shows how to modify a hyperlink in Cell B3.

C#	Copy Code
// Edit link fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B3", "", "Sheet1!A1", "Click here to go to A1", "Goto Cell A1"); GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.IHyperlink hpl = fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Cells["B3"].Hyperlinks[0]; hpl.SubAddress = "Sheet1!A2"; hpl.TextToDisplay = "Goto Cell A2"; hpl.ScreenTip = "Click here to go to A2";

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// Edit link
fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B3", "", "Sheet1!A1", "Click here to go to A1", "Goto Cell A1");
GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.IHyperlink hpl = fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Cells["B3"].Hyperlinks[0];
hpl.SubAddress = "Sheet1!A2";
hpl.TextToDisplay = "Goto Cell A2";
hpl.ScreenTip = "Click here to go to A2";

VB	Copy Code
' Edit link fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B3", "", "Sheet1!A1", "Click here to go to A1", "Goto Cell A1") Dim hpl As GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.IHyperlink = fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Cells("B3").Hyperlinks(0) hpl.SubAddress = "Sheet1!A2" hpl.TextToDisplay = "Goto Cell A2" hpl.ScreenTip = "Click here to go to A2"

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 ' Edit link
 fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B3", "", "Sheet1!A1", "Click here to go to A1", "Goto Cell A1")
 Dim hpl As GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.IHyperlink = fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Cells("B3").Hyperlinks(0)
 hpl.SubAddress = "Sheet1!A2"
 hpl.TextToDisplay = "Goto Cell A2"
 hpl.ScreenTip = "Click here to go to A2"

Delete Hyperlinks

You can delete a hyperlink while retaining the cell text by using IWorksheet.Hyperlinks[index].Delete or IRange.Hyperlinks[index].Delete method. All the links in a sheet or range can also be deleted at once by using IWorksheet.Hyperlinks.Delete or IRange.Hyperlinks.Delete method respectively.

The below example shows how to delete a hyperlink in cell B3.

C#	Copy Code
// Delete link fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B3", "", "Sheet1!A1", "Click here to go to A1", "Goto Cell A1"); fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Cells["B3"].Hyperlinks[0].Delete();

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// Delete link
fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B3", "", "Sheet1!A1", "Click here to go to A1", "Goto Cell A1");
fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Cells["B3"].Hyperlinks[0].Delete();

VB	Copy Code
' Delete link fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add("B3", "", "Sheet1!A1", "Click here to go to A1", "Goto Cell A1") fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().ActiveSheet.Cells("B3").Hyperlinks(0).Delete()

Set Hyperlink Style

The built-in style of hyperlink is added along with it, by default. When you click on a link, it is painted with the text color of "Followed Hyperlink" style. However, you can customize the hyperlink style by changing the settings of "Hyperlink" and "Followed Hyperlink" built-in styles.

The below example code shows how to change the built-in hyperlink styles.

C#	Copy Code
// Change setting of "Hyperlink" and "Followed Hyperlink" build-in styles fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().Styles[GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.BuiltInStyle.Hyperlink].Font.Color = GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.Color.FromKnownColor(GrapeCity.Core.KnownColor.Red); fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().Styles[GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.BuiltInStyle.FollowedHyperlink].Font.Color = GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.Color.FromKnownColor(GrapeCity.Core.KnownColor.Cyan);

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// Change setting of "Hyperlink" and "Followed Hyperlink" build-in styles
fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().Styles[GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.BuiltInStyle.Hyperlink].Font.Color = GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.Color.FromKnownColor(GrapeCity.Core.KnownColor.Red);
fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().Styles[GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.BuiltInStyle.FollowedHyperlink].Font.Color = GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.Color.FromKnownColor(GrapeCity.Core.KnownColor.Cyan);

VB	Copy Code
' Change setting of "Hyperlink" and "Followed Hyperlink" build-in styles fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().Styles(GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.BuiltInStyle.Hyperlink).Font.Color = GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.Color.FromKnownColor(GrapeCity.Core.KnownColor.Red) fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().Styles(GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.BuiltInStyle.FollowedHyperlink).Font.Color = GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.Color.FromKnownColor(GrapeCity.Core.KnownColor.Cyan)

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' Change setting of "Hyperlink" and "Followed Hyperlink" build-in styles
    fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().Styles(GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.BuiltInStyle.Hyperlink).Font.Color = GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.Color.FromKnownColor(GrapeCity.Core.KnownColor.Red)
    fpSpread1.AsWorkbook().Styles(GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.BuiltInStyle.FollowedHyperlink).Font.Color = GrapeCity.Spreadsheet.Color.FromKnownColor(GrapeCity.Core.KnownColor.Cyan)

UI Behavior

The Hyperlink displays following behavior when UI interaction is performed:

The painting area of a cell containing hyperlink is used for navigating to the target location (by displaying Hand cursor).
The cross cursor is shown for other areas, if all of the below are set:
- Horizontal alignment is either Left, Right, Center
- Vertical alignment is either Top, Bottom, Center
- TextRotation is 0
- WrapText is False
The tooltip is shown when mouse hovers over hyperlink cell text and hides when mouse leaves the hyperlink cell text.
To select the cell without navigating to the target location, click into the cell and hold for a moment until the cursor shows as a cross cursor.
Hyperlink supports formulas. However, the visited state like actual hyperlink is not supported.
Hyperlink supports overflow but the overflowed content cannot be clicked as link.
When you type a formatted URL directly in a cell and press ENTER, the cell edit action is finished. The link is automatically created by a separate create link action. Now if you use undo command or CTRL+Z, only the link is removed from the cell, but the text of URL is retained. If the undo command or CTRL+Z is executed again, then the text URL is removed from the cell.

Limitations

Hyperlinks can only be copied when RichClipboard is set to true.
Hyperlink with DragFill is not supported.