Cognos Analytics

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 Report hyperlink column

Dagur Egonsson's profile image
Dagur Egonsson posted Tue January 27, 2026 12:33 PM

I have a report with a hyperlink column containing a full url to an image showing a picture related to each row.
My problem is that when a user click the row image url the image opens up in the same tab and the report has to be rerun.
I would like the image to open in a different tab or windows.
How can this be accomplished?


Patrick Neveu's profile image
Patrick Neveu IBM Champion posted Wed January 28, 2026 04:07 AM

Hi Dagur,

The short answer would be to create a Product image calculation that is 'https://yourdomaine/cognos/images/image1.png'.

In Cognos Analytics, you will create an HTML element that will be : '<a href="' + [Product image] + '" target="_blank">' where [Product image] is a valid URL.

You will drag an image element to the right, it will be linked to [Product image] (this is Data Item Value).

Then you drag again a new HTML element to the right of this image with the following : </a>

If you click on the image, it will open a new tab in HTML output. If you will PDF output, you will see the image but there is no link in this page.

@Dagur Egonsson, DM me if you need the report spec.

Best regards,

Dagur Egonsson's profile image
Dagur Egonsson posted Thu February 05, 2026 12:18 PM

Hi @Patrick Neveu,

We are still on version 11.7 and I am having problems in draging a image element to the right of a HTML element !
Is this not possible in version 11.7?

Also you say create an HTML element in Cognos Analytics, do you mean in the data module?

Thank you for your time.

Patrick Neveu's profile image
Patrick Neveu IBM Champion posted Thu February 05, 2026 02:42 PM

Hi Dagur,

Let's me try to rewrite a bit...

In Cognos Analytics, you will create an HTML element that will be : '<a href="' + [Product image] + '" target="_blank">' where [Product image] is a valid URL.

Create a list report.

Drag [Product] and [Product image] in this list.

I don't have Cognos Analytics v11.1.7 available, so I can create a screenshot for the next advice.

To unlock a report, click the More icon More icon in the application bar and then click Locked. All layout objects in a report are unlocked. Please follow the document from https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/cognos-analytics/11.1.x?topic=reporting-report-objects.
You will drag an HTML element to the left of your image.

This HTML element should be a Data Item Value with the following value : 

'<a href="' + [Product image] + '" target="_blank">'

Then you drag again a new HTML element to the right of this image. Source type is Text with the following value :

</a>

Run your report, if you click on the image, it will open a new tab in HTML output. If you will PDF output, you will see the image but there is no link in this page.

Note : @Dagur Egonsson, send me a message if you need more help.

Best regards,

Patrick Neveu, IBM Champion

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