Get wrapped version of hyperlinked text?

JustA.NotherUser · April 11, 2020, 6:00pm

I am a new LibreOffice user, using version 6.4.03 (x64) on Windows 10.

I imported an Excel file in which a column consists entirely of hyperlinked text (small sample of content attached). The text does not wrap, making the document virtually useless to me. I saved it as an *.ods file and explicitly applied wrapping, but no joy.

The solution at https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=39910 says to use the =hyperlink() function. That’s fine for newly created content, but I’m looking a large number of pre-existing cells.

Is there a quick way to get the display text to wrap?

test.ods

keme · April 11, 2020, 7:05pm

There may be formatting on the cells from Excel. Transitions from MS Office to LibreOffice are often troubled by the difference in style handling and formatting between the suites, so remove “inherited” formatting first.

Select the offending column and then menu item Format - Clear direct formatting (ctrl+M). Hopefully this doesn’t ruin the linking.

Apply text wrap again.

I assume that you used the wrap setting from Format - Cells, tab Alignment.

JustA.NotherUser · April 11, 2020, 7:56pm

I thought this worked, but didn’t properly check. I seemed to work, but unfortunately, it also removed the hyperlink.

keme · April 23, 2020, 12:08pm

If you selected the column when you applied the above, “almost solution”, it indicates that the formatting issue is connected to that column only.

… unfortunately, it also removed the hyperlink.

Then we need to remove the part of formatting which clutters wrapping, instead of the “clear all” shotgun approach. One likely candidate is hard formatted row heigth.

Select the column.
Menu item Format - Rows - Optimal heigth.

keme · April 23, 2020, 5:13pm

If the row heigth guess is also wrong, you could perhaps attach a file which displays the issue. A few rows will do.

Guessing is not so efficient with this kind of problem. Hands on is better.

JustA.NotherUser · April 26, 2020, 11:54pm

The row height doesn’t seem to be the problem, because some rows are actually quite high due to non-hyperlink content in other columns. However, I selected the column of hyperlinks and set the row height to optimal, as you described. No luck. I attached a sample of the hyperlink content to the original question. Thanks.

dan-yell · April 30, 2024, 8:21pm

It’s no excel conversion problem but rather a genuine calc problem (still 4 years later). Just tried it with a new blank file in calc (LO version 42.2.2.2.2 unter windows 10) and any text longer than the cell (text wrapping activated) will unwrap as soon as a hyperlink is added.

EarnestAl · May 1, 2024, 4:22am

In this situation, use the HYPERLINK() function, e.g. =HYPERLINK("https://help.libreoffice.org/latest/en-GB/text/scalc/01/04060109.html?DbPAR=CALC#bm_id9959410";"This text is too long for a cell so use HYPERLINK") which will wrap nicely but note that only the first line before the first wrap is clickable.

dan-yell · May 1, 2024, 12:48pm

Thanks for the quick answer with a workaround!
The clickability of function-based Hyperlinks in the wrapped lines certainly is a question of “bug or feature” and I can go with “feature”.
Meanwhile the CTRL-K-based Hyperlinks are an official feature, and in terms of text wrapping not working as anyone would expect - so clearly a bug. Where should I address to, to report it?

EarnestAl · May 1, 2024, 7:31pm

There is already a bug report, linked in the original question. You can add yourself to the CC list to receive updates about it and to show your interest. The number of people on the CC list can encourage developers to work on the problem.