Adobe Using RoboHelp HTML 9 Robo Help 9.0 Operation Manual Robohtml En

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Using
ADOBE® ROBOHELP® HTML 9
Last updated 12/14/2011
Copyright
© 2011 Adobe Systems Incorporated and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Using Adobe® RoboHelp® HTML 9 for Windows®
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Last updated 12/14/2011
Contents
Chapter 1: Getting started
Activation and registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Help and support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
What’s new in RoboHelp 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
What’s new in RoboHelp Server 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chapter 2: Exploring the workspace
Workspace overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Working with pods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Menus and toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Create or remove keyboard shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Configure general settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Chapter 3: Projects
Project basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Create and manage projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Authoring content in multiple languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Import PDF files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Importing and linking Microsoft Word documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Import FrameMaker documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Import a DITA map file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Import XML files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Import Microsoft HTML Help projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Import WinHelp projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Adding projects to version control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Merging Help projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Chapter 4: Working with topics
Create, save, and open topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Author in XHTML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Import and copy topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
View topics and design elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Master pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Manage topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Managing resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Check spelling and find and replace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
W3C compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
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USING ROBOHELP HTML 9
Contents
Last updated 12/14/2011
Chapter 5: Editing and formatting
RoboHelp editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Character formatting and fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Format paragraphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Borders, backgrounds, color, and sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Headers, footers, and page breaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Text boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
User-defined variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Single-source with snippets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Chapter 6: Styles and style sheets
Style types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Manage style sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Create styles for style sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Table styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
List styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Apply styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Edit styles in CSS files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Delete styles from style sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Use color and images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Inline styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Chapter 7: TOCs, indexes, glossaries
TOCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Indexes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
TOCs and indexes in Microsoft HTML Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Glossaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Glossary hotspots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Chapter 8: Linking and navigation
Navigation basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Create text links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Link to a pop-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Bookmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Link images and multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
External links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Link View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Link maintenance and repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Link controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Text-only pop-ups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
RoboHelp search basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
External content search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Browse sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
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Chapter 9: Multimedia and special effects
Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Adobe Captivate demos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Dynamic HTML and special effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Marquees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
HTML comments in topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Iframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Chapter 10: Conditional text
Conditional text basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Conditional build tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Conditional build tag expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Chapter 11: Context-sensitive Help
About context-sensitive Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Author and developer roles in creating context-sensitive Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Map files and map IDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Dynamic editing of context-sensitive topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Information for developers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
What’s This? Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Maintaining text-only topics (Microsoft HTML Help projects) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Working with text-only topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Testing context-sensitive Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Context-sensitive Help terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Chapter 12: Generating Help and printed documents
Single sourcing basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Work with layout types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Generate, view, and publish output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Distribute the project output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Printed documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Skins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Chapter 13: Review and collaboration
Review in Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
PDF review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Manage comments and changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Review and collaboration in AIR Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Chapter 14: Advanced program features
ActiveX controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Applets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
HTML Help controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
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Information types (for HTML Help) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
About ExtendScript Toolkit support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Twisties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Chapter 15: Default keyboard shortcuts
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Chapter 1: Getting started
Adobe RoboHelp software is designed for developing Help systems, e-learning content, policies and procedures, and
knowledgebases. Its enhanced editing and layout capabilities enable you to create professional looking content. You
can publish this content to multiple channels, including Adobe AIR for an integrated online and offline user
experience. With the support for the ePub format, you can now take your content authored in RoboHelp,
FrameMaker, or Microsoft® Word to mobile devices, e-book readers, and tablets.
Worldwide, Adobe RoboHelp is a leader of online Help authoring tools through innovation. New features create a
more productive experience for technical communicators and their audiences.
For latest information about Adobe RoboHelp, visit www.adobe.com/go/learn_robohelp_product_en
Before you begin working with your software, take a few moments to read an overview of activation and the many
resources available to you. You have access to instructional videos, plug-ins, templates, user communities, seminars,
tutorials, RSS feeds, and much more.
Activation and registration
To review complete system requirements and recommendations for your Adobe® RoboHelp® 9 software, see the
ReadMe file on the installation disc.
Install the software
1Close any other Adobe applications open on your computer.
2Insert the installation disc into your hard drive, and follow the onscreen instructions.
Note: For more information, see the ReadMe file on the installation disc.
Help with installation
For Help with installation issues, see the Installation Support Center at www.adobe.com/support/robohelp.
License activation
During the installation process, your Adobe software contacts an Adobe server to complete the license activation
process. No personal data is transmitted. For more information on product activation, visit the Adobe website at
www.adobe.com/go/activation.
Register
Register your product to receive complimentary installation support, notifications of updates, and other services.
Note: Register only once for RoboHelp 9.
❖To register, follow the onscreen instructions in the Registration dialog box, which appears after you install the
software.
If you postpone registration, you can register at any time by choosing Help > Registration.
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Adobe Product Improvement Program
After you have used your Adobe software a certain number of times, a dialog box appears, asking whether you want
to participate in Adobe Product Improvement Program.
If you choose to participate, data about your use of Adobe software is sent to Adobe. No personal information is
recorded or sent. The Adobe Product Improvement Program only collects information about the features and tools
that you use in the software and how often you use them.
You can opt in to or opt out of the program at any time:
•To participate, choose Help > Adobe Product Improvement Program and click Yes, Participate.
•To stop participating, choose Help > Adobe Product Improvement Program and click No, Thank You.
Adobe provides more information about the Adobe Product Improvement Program in a frequently asked questions
(FAQ) list on the Adobe website.
ReadMe
A ReadMe file for your software is available online and on the installation disc. Open the file to read important
information about topics such as the following:
•System requirements
•Installation (including removing the software)
•Activation and registration
•Troubleshooting
•Customer support
Help and support
Community Help
Community Help is an integrated environment on Adobe.com that gives you access to community-generated content
moderated by Adobe and industry experts. Comments from users help guide you to an answer. Search Community
Help to find the best content on the web about Adobe products and technologies, including these resources:
•Videos, tutorials, tips and techniques, blogs, articles, and examples for designers and developers.
•Complete online Help, which is updated regularly and is more complete than the Help delivered with your product.
If you are connected to the Internet when you access Help, you automatically see the latest online Help rather than
the set delivered with your product. Online Help also includes a link to the complete, updated PDF version of Help.
•All other content on Adobe.com, including knowledgebase articles, downloads and updates, Adobe Developer
Connection, and more.
Use the Help search field in your product user interface to access Community Help. You can search for content within
the Adobe.com site and also in websites that have useful information about your product. Moderators continue to
identify the most relevant web content for your product. You can add comments to online Help and view comments
added by other users.
Note: To restrict search within the product documentation, expand Search Options and select Local. Filter results by
selecting the documentation from the drop-down list. You can use Ctrl + F to search within the contents displayed in the
right pane.
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Services, downloads, and extras
You can enhance your product by integrating various services, plug-ins, and extensions in your product. You can also
download samples and other assets and see various resources to get your work done.
Adobe Exchange
Visit the Adobe Exchange at www.adobe.com/go/exchange to download samples as well as plug-ins and extensions
from Adobe and third-party developers. The plug-ins and extensions can help you automate tasks, customize
workflows, create specialized professional effects, and more.
Adobe downloads
Visit www.adobe.com/go/downloads to find free updates, trials, and other useful software.
Adobe Labs
Adobe Labs at www.adobe.com/go/labs gives you the opportunity to experience and evaluate new and emerging
technologies and products from Adobe. At Adobe Labs, you have access to resources such as these:
•Prerelease software and technologies
•Code samples and best practices to accelerate your learning
•Early versions of product and technical documentation
•Forums, wiki-based content, and other collaborative resources to help you interact with like-minded users
Adobe Labs fosters a collaborative software development process. In this environment, customers quickly become
productive with new products and technologies. Adobe Labs is also a forum for early feedback. The Adobe
development teams use this feedback to create software that meets the needs and expectations of the community.
Adobe forums
To reach out to experts in the Adobe RoboHelp community, visit www.adobe.com/go/learn_robohelp_forum_en.
Adobe TV
Visit Adobe TV at http://tv.adobe.com to view instructional and inspirational videos. The Technical Communications
channel features videos relevant for technical communicators.
RoboHelp sample projects and output
Visit the RoboHelp resourcespage and download sample projects created with RoboHelp and other resources, such as
workspaces and applications configured for implementing context-sensitive Help.
RoboHelp Developer Center
Visit RoboHelp Developer Center for articles written by internal and external RoboHelp users on various user-
requested topics.
RoboHelp Help and Support page
Visit the Adobe Support website at www.adobe.com/support/robohelp to learn about free and paid technical support
options.
Previous RoboHelp Help
Download the documentation of older versions of RoboHelp from www.adobe.com/go/learn_rh_previous_docs_en.
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Troubleshooting tips
Before you call Customer Support, try the tips collated on www.adobe.com/go/learn_robohelp_forum_tips_en to
troubleshoot RoboHelp problems.
What’s new in RoboHelp 9
Authoring enhancements
Shared and linked resources Save time and boost productivity by reusing assets across authors and projects. The
enhanced Resource Manager in RoboHelp 9 lets you add shared resources in Copy or Linked mode. RoboHelp
supports the auto-update of linked resources if the resources are modified in the shared location. Using linked
resources helps you maintain consistency and conform to organizational and industry standards. See “Managing
resources” on page 123.
Statuses of linked resources help identify need for update
Problem Solution
RoboHelp X5 activation does not work. Run RoboHelp X5 without activation.
For more information, see ts_kb403696_en-us
Some of the third-level TOC entries are missing when
publishing a project to RoboHelp Server.
Follow the steps listed in ts_cpsid_90498_en-us
The Adobe RoboHelp 9 uninstaller exits with an error and does
not uninstall Adobe RoboHelp 9.
Manually uninstall (remove) Adobe RoboHelp 9.
For more information, see ts_cpsid_88189_en-us
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Enhanced User Defined Variables and Snippets pods The User Defined Variables pod and the Snippets pod include
many usability enhancements in RoboHelp 9. Both pods are now search-enabled. You can now organize snippets in
categories and expand and collapse each category. Support for sorting, and enhanced preview helps you insert, edit,
and manage UDVs and snippets with greater ease. Capabilities such as organizing snippets into categories and
converting them to text provide you with flexibility and speed.
A. Search-enabled User Defined Variables and Snippets pods B. Snippets organized in categories
Paste rich HTML content Copy and paste tables from Microsoft Word, Microsoft® Excel, and browsers. RoboHelp
pastes rich HTML content with text formatting, tables, lists, hyperlinks, and images intact.
Automated CSH authoring From within RoboHelp, open the application for which you want to provide context-
sensitive Help and map dialog boxes with new or existing topics. Dependency on developers is minimal because
RoboHelp extracts the context-sensitive Help IDs automatically. Updating or remapping topics is also easy because of
the seamless integration of RoboHelp and the application. See “Dynamic editing of context-sensitive topics” on
page 232.
Note: The application needs to implement context-sensitive Help using the RoboHelp 9 CSH API. Currently, only C++
APIs on Windows are supported.
Include external content in search Specify URLs for content available outside the Help system (for example, in blogs)
and map them to terms that users are likely to search for. By curating relevant content in this way, you can optimize
the search experience for users and provide easy access to user-generated content. See “External content search” on
page 204.
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Implementing external content search
Preview Web output in multiple browsers Preview a topic or the WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, and FlashHelp
Pro output of a project with different browsers. Multibrowser support for previewing topics and project output helps
you ensure that the content appears correctly in commonly used browsers. See “Preview topics” on page 114 and “View
output” on page 307.
Support for latest devices, products, and browsers Stay up-to-date with support for the latest platforms, browsers,
and devices (eBook readers, mobile devices, tablet PCs, and more). You can now import or link content from and
publish output to Microsoft Word 2010 (.docx and .doc). End users can view content generated from RoboHelp in the
latest version of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome.
Integration with FrameMaker 10, Adobe Captivate 5, and Acrobat 10 RoboHelp 9 supports the latest version of Adobe
products such as FrameMaker 10, Adobe Captivate 5, and Acrobat 10. Leverage the latest enhancements in these
products, such as support for setting a text background color at both character and paragraph levels in FrameMaker.
RoboHelp Server reports to optimize content RoboHelp Server provides a host of reports to understand how users
consume the content. Take advantage of these usage analytics to optimize the content according to user needs. Now
that you can include external content in search, you can even map content that’s already available outside the Help
system and help users find the information they need.
For more information, see Reports in RoboHelp Server Help.
Import and linking enhancements
General import and linking enhancements In RoboHelp 9, the following enhancements apply to import and linking
of both Microsoft Word and FrameMaker documents:
•Saves the relative path of the linked document RoboHelp 9 saves the relative path, instead of the absolute path, of
linked documents. As a result, the links work even when the RoboHelp project and the linked Microsoft Word or
FrameMaker documents are moved.
Note: Earlier versions of RoboHelp projects that contain absolute paths of linked documents open normally in RoboHelp
9. While saving these projects, RoboHelp 9 saves the relative path.
A
B
C
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•Modify character and paragraph source styles While importing or linking a document, you can modify the
character and paragraph styles defined in the document. In the case of linked documents, style properties modified
from within Microsoft Word or FrameMaker and modified from within RoboHelp can now co-exist. In other words,
you can modify the style properties that you want to override in RoboHelp and allow other style properties to be
modified in Microsoft Word or FrameMaker.
RoboHelp 9 maintains two styles sheets to manage the styles of a linked document. A [topic].css file stores the styles
defined in the source document. The global CSS file, by default named RHStyleMapping.css, stores the details of
modifications and mapped RoboHelp styles.
RoboHelp stores each modified style with the style name WD_[original_style_name] (in the case of Microsoft Word)
or FM_[original_style_name] (in the case of FrameMaker) in RHStyleMapping.css.
Note: RoboHelp hides the [topic].css files from the workspace to ensure that source styles are preserved in this file.
•Edit style sheets from within Project Settings While specifying the import settings in the Project Settings dialog
box, you can now edit the CSS file you want to use for style mapping. The Edit With option lets you select an editor
from a predefined list, which includes RoboHelp CSS Editor and other registered CSS editors.
•Import and export of settings from an ISF file You can now import settings from a saved ISF file or export them
while importing Microsoft Word and FrameMaker documents. Any changes you make to the settings after importing
the ISF file are not saved; the modified settings are used only in the current import process.
Enhanced FrameMaker import and linking In RoboHelp 9, FrameMaker document import and linking includes the
following additional enhancements:
•Support for importing or linking DITA maps and DITA topics You can now import or link DITA maps (.ditamap,
.dita, and .xml) and DITA topics (.dita and .xml). For RoboHelp, a DITA map is similar to a FrameMaker book and a
Dita topic is similar to a FrameMaker .fm file. RoboHelp 9 also supports Ditaval, which means that you can now create
output based on conditions specified in the Ditaval file. See “Apply conditions from a Ditaval file” on page 71.
•Enhanced list import in FrameMaker import and linking In RoboHelp 9, list symbols used in unordered lists
convert without any distortion. If you select Convert Autonumber To Text, RoboHelp retains the list indentation style
of the FrameMaker source document.
•Enhanced table import in FrameMaker import and linking Enhancements include the import of table titles as
captions, caption style mapping, import of table headers <th> tags when the table style is mapped to [source], and the
ability to configure table height and width, row height, and column width.
Note: RoboHelp CSS Editor does not support caption editing. However, if you create a caption style with another editor,
you can duplicate the caption with RoboHelp CSS Editor to create additional captions.
•Better conversion of Math equations, text frames, and freehand curves in FrameMaker import and linking
RoboHelp 9 uses Acrobat Distiller to convert FrameMaker Math equations, text frames, and freehand curves to
images. Select the Use PDF To Generate Images option in the Conversion Settings dialog box to use this enhancement.
See “Image conversion settings” on page 80.
Review and collaboration features
With RoboHelp 9, collaborate in multiple ways with other authors, SMEs, and end users.
Review in Design Editor RoboHelp 9 lets you enable Track Changes in Design Editor and insert comments and
changes directly in the project. Take advantage of this capability to implement peer reviews. Multiple reviewers can
work sequentially and provide their feedback on the project. After the review ends, you can view and manage the
feedback from Review Pane. For step-by-step instructions, see “Review in Design Editor” on page 347 and “Manage
comments and changes” on page 350.
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PDF review Create a PDF from an entire RoboHelp project or from parts of it, including topics, master pages, and
snippets, and send it for review (Reviewers only need the free Adobe Reader to add comments to the PDF). After the
review ends, import the comments into the project and view and manage the feedback from Review Pane. For step-
by-step instructions, see “PDF review” on page 348 and “Manage comments and changes” on page 350.
Rate topics and add comments in AIR Help Gather end-user feedback by enabling topic rating and commenting in AIR
Help (Adobe AIR Application output type). You can implement a trust-based setup on an internal server or a secure
setup on a server running RoboHelp Server for users outside your corporate network. In both scenarios, RoboHelp
supports comment moderation. See “Review and collaboration in AIR Help” on page 352.
Publishing features
Multidevice publishing with ePub output With RoboHelp 9, generate project output for mobile devices, eBook
readers, tablets, and other devices that support the ePub format. The output includes metadata conforming to ePub
specifications. See “Generate output in the ePub format” on page 305.
Access the ePub Generator script from A. File menu B. Tools menu C. Script Explorer
Publish to SharePoint RoboHelp 9 supports publishing WebHelp, FlashHelp, and Browser based Help (Adobe AIR
SSL) output to a SharePoint site using Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path. See “Set options for generating
WebHelp” on page 292, “Set options for generating FlashHelp” on page 296, and “Configure a server to host browser-
based Help” on page 290.
A
B
C
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Define SharePoint settings in layout properties
Dynamic user-centric content Publish Adobe® AIR® and WebHelp projects as integrated Help systems with different
content categories. Users select the content category that's relevant for them and navigate and search within the
content category. Each content category has its own TOC, index, and glossary. Creating dynamic user-centric content
is useful if end users have to quickly toggle between the content for different roles, products, or variants. For example,
queries that a call center agent handles sometimes pertain to different areas of system administration (for example,
user administration, site administration, and content administration). The ability to view and search the system
administration content as a set of modular content categories accessible from the same interface works as a time-saver
where you handle queries in real time.
For information about how to create content categories, see “Configure the Adobe AIR layout” on page 284 and “Set
options for generating WebHelp” on page 292.
A. Content category definition in SSL B. Content category selection in the output
A
B
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Merged AIR Help The capability to merge the output of multiple projects is now extended to output generated using
the Adobe AIR SSL. Both Adobe AIR output types—Adobe AIR Application and Browser based Help—support
merging. See “Merging Help projects” on page 96.
Enhanced search experience RoboHelp 9 ensures improved user experience by excluding unreferenced topics from
the output and unreferenced baggage files from search. For a definition of unreferenced topics and unreferenced
baggage file, see “RoboHelp search basics” on page 203. For the steps to exclude unreferenced topics and baggage files,
see the relevant topic in “Generate output” on page 292.
See the following table to find the layouts that support the Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output and Exclude
Unreferenced Baggage Files From Search options:
Personalize or brand output Change colors, styles, icons, and fonts to match company branding and other
specifications with the brand new Adobe AIR Help Skin Editor. See “Create custom skins for Adobe AIR projects” on
page 336.
Support for character encoding in SSL Enables you to set character encoding at an SSL level when the web server to
which you’re publishing has a character encoding different from UTF-8. For information about how to set character
encoding for an SSL, see the relevant topic in “Generate output” on page 292.
Note: Character encoding in SSL is not supported for Printed Documentation and Microsoft HTML Help layouts.
Set a language for SSL Override the language setting of the project by setting a language for the relevant single-source
layout. RoboHelp uses the SSL language setting for the user interface (UI) strings and language-related UI elements in
the preview and generated output. For information about how to set a language for an SSL, see the relevant topic in
“Generate output” on page 292.
Note: Language setting in SSL is not supported for Printed Documentation and XML layouts.
Support for selection of browse sequences In WebHelp and Adobe AIR layouts, you can now select the browse
sequences that you want to display. If the layout defines content categories, you can select browse sequences for each
content category. Further, in WebHelp layouts, you can enable or disable browse sequences at a project level. For
SSL Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output
option
Exclude Unreferenced Baggage Files From
Search option
Adobe AIR
Output type: Adobe AIR Application
Yes Yes
Adobe AIR
Output type: Browser based Help
Yes Yes
WebHelp Yes Yes
WebHelp Pro Yes Yes
FlashHelp Yes Yes
FlashHelp Pro Yes Yes
Microsoft HTML Help Yes No
Printed Documentation No No
XML Output Yes No
Oracle Help Yes No
JavaHelp Yes No
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information about how to enable or disable browse sequences and select them for content categories, see “Configure
the Adobe AIR layout” on page 284 and “Set options for generating WebHelp” on page 292.
Enhanced Printed Documentation output Take advantage of enhanced style mapping options to generate better PDF
output and printed documentation. In addition to mapping character and paragraph styles, you can now map
multilevel list and table styles to the corresponding styles in Microsoft Word.
Important: By default, list and tables styles in Microsoft Word do not have names. Create new styles in Microsoft Word
and name them so the style names are available in the drop-down list in Printed Documentation layout properties.
Unnamed styles appear in the Microsoft Word styles (All) drop-down list as Unassigned
In the generated Microsoft Word document, the mapped styles retain the Microsoft Word style properties. For
example, if you add a row to a table with shaded alternate rows, the newly added row has the expected shade. See
“Mapping styles” on page 330.
With the new Insert > Page Break option, you can add page breaks in topics. RoboHelp honors the page breaks to add
new pages in the Printed Documentation output.
Hide the Rank column in search results For WebHelp and WebHelp Pro output, you can hide the Rank column in
search results to allocate more space for displaying search results. The Hide Rank Column In Search Results option is
available in the Search tab of WebHelp layout properties. See “Set options for generating WebHelp” on page 292 and
“Set options for generating WebHelp Pro or FlashHelp Pro” on page 298.
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User customization features
In RoboHelp 9, organizations deploying Adobe AIR Application output (AIR Help) can configure features such as
auto-update, commenting, and moderation settings through the configuration file and settings.xml files.
Customization through configuration file In RoboHelp 9, an author can specify a configuration file path at the time of
generating AIR Help (General settings in the Adobe AIR SSL properties). When the AIR application is distributed,
users can copy the default configuration file from the SSL folder to the location specified in the configuration file path
and modify the default settings according to their preferences.
Users can modify the following author-specified settings in the [configuration_filename].xml file:
•Add the company logo and name Personalize and brand the Help by specifying the company logo and name in the
configuration file.
•Enable or disable auto-update Specify the preference for auto-update and override the author-specified auto-
update setting.
•Change the location of the auto-update XML file Specify a location to store the auto-update XML file.
•Change the location for storing comments Specify a central location of choice for storing and syncing comments.
•Change the status of new comments Specify whether new comments are to be accepted without moderation.
•Enable or disable topic rating Allow or disallow users to rate topics.
For more information, see “Configure the Adobe AIR layout” on page 284 and “Distribute Adobe AIR output” on
page 321.
Customization through settings.xml Users can override the moderation setting defined in the SSL by configuring the
moderation state setting in the settings.xml file.
For more information, see “Distribute Adobe AIR output” on page 321 and “Comment moderation” on page 354.
Usability and productivity features
Sample applications with layouts configured for multichannel publishing RoboHelp 9 installation comes with two
sample projects, Salesbuilder-Help and EmployeeCare. The Salesbuilder-Help project is designed to help you
understand the new features offered by RoboHelp 9. The EmployeeCare project is designed to show how a
knowledgebase can be created using RoboHelp 9. The layouts are set up ready for you to generate them when you have
read the topics in the About folder. Both projects include the About Adobe RoboHelp 9 topic, which outlines the new
features of RoboHelp 9. If a particular feature is used in the sample project you have opened, the icon appears below
the feature name.
Workspace enhancements In RoboHelp 9, you’ll find a host of workspace enhancements that give you flexibility and
speed. Some of the key changes are as follows:
•Easy-to-arrange pods From the context-sensitive menu of the title bar of a pod, access options such as Dockable,
Floating, and Tabbed Document to arrange pods in various ways. The menu also includes options to hide and close
the pod.
•Buttons in the Tabbed Document pane to open and close topics Take advantage of fixed buttons in the Tabbed
document pane to open and close topics quickly.
•Topic drop-down list When multiple topics are open, access an open topic quickly from the Topic drop-down list.
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Names of open topics appear in the drop-down list
•Single-topic mode Deselect the Allow Editing Of Multiple Topics option in Tools > Options > General to open and
edit one topic at a time.
Uncluttered Tools > Options dialog box The tabs in the Options dialog box are now displayed in a tree view in the left
pane of the dialog box.
Save And Generate button for each layout The properties dialog box for each SSL now has a Save and Generate
button, enabling you to save modified properties and generate output with a single click.
Suppress messages while running scripts in TCS workflows FrameMaker Server uses RoboHelp scripting APIs, and
any message or alert in RoboHelp blocks the server. So RoboHelp 9 does not display unnecessary dialog boxes while
running any script, especially in TCS workflows.
Read this articleto find out how Tech Pub departments are using RoboHelp Server to stay ahead of the competition
and enabling information collection and publication.
What’s new in RoboHelp Server 9
User interface enhancements
RoboHelp Server 9 features a fresh, aesthetically appealing user interface.
Enhanced platform support
•Support for Microsoft Access 2010
•Support for Apache Tomcat 7.x. Tomcat 7.x is currently in the beta stage.
Technical enhancements
•RoboHelp Server logs are now created in a consolidated log file (robohelpserver.log) under the
<Tomcat
Home>/logs folder. All RoboHelp Server-related exceptions and warnings are logged in this file.
This new log file is generated using the Apache log4j logging framework.
If you want to tweak the size, backup limit, or format of the logs, modify the value of the relevant properties in the
<RoboHelp Server Home>/Web-INF/classes/log4j.properties file.
•You can now host RoboHelp Server over HTTP Secure (HTTPS) to ensure secure communications between the
server and clients.
•Authors can publish their RoboHelp HTML projects using HTTPS
•End users can view projects on the server over HTTPS
•The RoboHelp Server Web Administrator and reports can be viewed over HTTPS as well
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Moderation settings for Adobe AIR Help comments
Using the Web Administrator, you can now specify the following moderation settings for comments on Adobe® AIR®
Help output:
•Allow Post Anonymous
•Mark Comments As Pending
Search-related enhancements
RoboHelp Server 9 features many search-related enhancements:
Project stop list for server-side indexing Unlike RoboHelp 8, the stop list specified in a RoboHelp HTML project is
now used for server-side indexing.
Project synonym list for server-side indexing Unlike RoboHelp 8, the synonym list specified in a RoboHelp HTML
project is now used for server-side indexing.
Synonym highlighting Synonyms for a keyword being searched for are highlighted in the search result list. This
enhancement is available only for WebHelp Pro output published using RoboHelp HTML 9.
Dynamic context in search results for server-side indexing RoboHelp Server now displays dynamic context along with
search results. Apache Lucene, the text search engine library powering search in RoboHelp Server, displays the relevant
words around a keyword as context in the search result list. This feature is available only for WebHelp Pro and
FlashHelp Pro projects published to RoboHelp Server with server-side indexing enabled.
•For keywords within topics, words in the immediate vicinity of the keyword in the topic are displayed as context.
•The static context of the topic is displayed for user-specified keywords. The first few words of the topic include
static context.
•In the case of external resources for keywords, the URL description of the external resource is displayed as the
dynamic context.
Note: For WebHelp Pro projects, dynamic context is displayed beneath a topic in the search result list, with the
relevant matched text highlighted in bold. For FlashHelp Pro projects, dynamic context is displayed as a tooltip when
the user hovers the pointer over any topic in the search result list.
Reporting enhancements
RoboHelp Server 9 delivers several reporting improvements that help you better optimize the value of your Help
content:
•Functionality to filter reports by area
•New, intuitive names for the reports
•Improvements to the graphical representation of reports
•Functionality to export report data to the CSV format
•Flexibility to customize reports by showing/hiding columns. Column layouts can be saved across sessions.
•Fine-tuned numerical data in reports
Configuration Manager enhancements
You can now perform the following additional tasks using the RoboHelp Server Configuration Manager:
•Migrate context data from RoboHelp Server 8 to RoboHelp Server 9
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•Deploy a context in the root context
•Delete contexts
•Set up an admin account for RoboHelp Server using LDAP authentication or database authentication
•Configure LDAP settings
•Configure search indexing settings
The little things
•The Web Administrator now provides functionalities to edit and delete users. Only RoboHelp Server
administrators are allowed to edit or delete users.
Note: These functionalities are useful for setting a new password if a user has lost or forgotten the earlier password.
•New Sign Out link in the Web Administrator
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Chapter 2: Exploring the workspace
Workspace overview
You create and manipulate your projects using various elements, such as pods, panes, bars, and windows. Any
arrangement of these elements is called a workspace. The RoboHelp workspace includes pods, panes, and
customizable toolbars and menus. Expanding menus track commands you frequently use and display them on a
shortened version of each menu. You can also customize keyboard shortcuts and add new toolbars.
RoboHelp workspace
A. Menu bar B. Toolbars C. Clubbed pods D. Tabbed Document pane E. Design Editor F. Workspace switcher
•The menu bar across the top contains the commands to display various menus and a workspace switcher.
•Various toolbars appear below the menu bar. Select View > Toolbars to show or hide toolbars that you require.
•The topic window or the Tabbed Document pane displays the topic(s) that you are editing currently. Select Tools
> Options > Allow Editing Of Multiple Topics to edit multiple topics concurrently. You can paste objects and
selections across multiple topics. You can select horizontal or vertical tiling of topics.
The Design and HTML buttons in the topic window let you switch between Design Editor and HTML Editor.
When multiple topics are open, click the down arrow button in the upper-right corner of the Tabbed Document
pane to display the list of open topics and navigate to any topic.
Right-click a tab to find options to save the active topic, close the active topic, close all topics, close all but the active
topic, and create horizontal or vertical tab groups.
A
B
C
F
DE
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•Various pods, such as Project Manager, Project Set-up, Resource Manager, and Single Source Layouts, help you
complete the different steps to create the project and generate the required output. Select View > Pods to show or
hide pods that you require.
Working with pods
Pods are workflow panes that you can float or dock anywhere in the application window. They provide quick access to
logically grouped features from one location. For example, you can select and generate various layouts from the Single
Source Layouts pod.
RoboHelp provides access to your most frequently used pods and projects, with flexible options. You can move a pod
anywhere on the screen or to a different monitor. Use the auto-hide feature of pods to show or hide them on the
desktop.
View a pod
❖Select View > Pods > [pod name].
Arrange pods
•Click the title bar of a pod and drag-and-drop it on the required part of the screen.
•Change the display of the pod.
1Do one of the following:
•Click the down arrow button in the upper-right corner of a pod.
•Right-click in the titlebar of the pod.
2Select one of the following options:
Dockable Docks the pod if it’s in the Tabbed Document state or in the Floating state
Close Closes the pod
Floating Floats the pod if it’s in the Tabbed Document state or in the docked state
Auto Hide Pins or unpins the pod if it’s not in the Tabbed Document state.
Tabbed Document Opens the pod in a new tab in the topic window.
Types of pods
Starter pod
The Starter pod provides links to common commands and product information.
Recent Projects Open recently used projects (up to ten recent projects are listed) and other projects.
Create New Select the Help type you want to generate.
Import Import a Help project, such as an HTML Help project, Word document, and all other available types.
Resources Access forums, developer centers, knowledgebase articles, and other online content.
News Announcements Access information about Adobe products.
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View Online Help Access the complete online Help.
Quick Tour Of RoboHelp Access a set of videos for a quick tour of RoboHelp features.
Project Manager pod
The Project Manager pod contains various folders where you create and delete project files, or edit their properties. It
also has folders for various key project components, such as the table of contents, the index, and the glossary.
If the project has many topics, collapse the Project Files folder first to view the other folders.
More Help topics
“Project Manager folders” on page 39
Project Set-up pod
The Project Set-up pod contains the following folders:
Windows folder Containers for output. Custom windows for projects are stored in this folder. Modify window
properties by double-clicking a window icon.
Master Pages folder Use master pages to reuse information and create a standard appearance across topics.
Skins folder Use skins with WebHelp or FlashHelp projects to change the appearance of the Help system. You can
match the appearance of a company website or add interest and style to the output. Use skins to customize colors,
buttons, text, fonts, icons, backgrounds, multimedia (FlashHelp projects), images for TOC icons and navigation
buttons, and more.
External Content Search Map URLs and search terms to enable users find related content outside the Help system.
Context-Sensitive Help folder Container for the Map Files folder and the What’s This Help Files folder.
•Use the Map Files folder to access map files and perform most window-level context-sensitive Help tasks.
•Use the What's This Help Files folder for field-level context-sensitive Help in HTML Help projects.
More Help topics
“Windows” on page 341
“Master pages” on page 115
“Skins” on page 334
“External content search” on page 204
“About context-sensitive Help” on page 225
“Map files and map IDs” on page 226
Snippets pod
Add custom HTML code snippets to a project for insertion later into desired topics. When you modify a code snippet
shared by different topics, the changes are reflected in all the associated topics.
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Snippets are stored in a Snippet library as separate files with the .hts extension. In the Snippets pod, you can organize
them in categories, expanding or collapsing the categories for easy viewing. The category names appear in a sorted
order in the Snippets pod and in the Insert dialog box. You can drag snippets to desired locations in a topic. You can
also select snippets and then copy, duplicate, or delete them. Select the Preview option from the context menu to
preview a snippet.
More Help topics
“Single-source with snippets” on page 152
Styles And Formatting pod
Use the Styles And Formatting pod to apply styles quickly. Select a style in the pod and apply it to the selected text in
the topic. You can create and edit a style directly from the pod. Right-click the name of a style to rename, delete, or
preview that style.
Note: Select Format > Styles to view the Styles And Formatting pod. You must open a topic to view the Styles And
Formatting pod.
More Help topics
“Create a style using the Styles And Formatting pod” on page 157
User Defined Variables pod
From the User Defined Variables pod, you can accomplish these tasks:
•Create, edit, or delete variables.
•Create, edit, or delete variable sets.
•Provide and modify runtime values uniquely for different variable sets while generating the output.
•Format variable values.
More Help topics
“User-defined variables” on page 149
Error List pod
The Error List pod shows buttons for errors, warnings, and messages that are displayed when you try to validate a topic
or a master page. You can click these buttons to display the relevant information in the Error list. The caption of
buttons shows the number of errors, warnings, and messages. You can click all of these buttons to display the relevant
information.
Output View pod
The Output View pod displays important errors, warnings, and messages that RoboHelp captures while importing
content or generating project output. You can use the toolbar and the right-click options to save, copy, select, or clear
the log.
Toolbox pod
The Toolbox pod provides shortcut icons to access various tools that come with RoboHelp. You can also add tools.
Graphics Locator, HTML Help Studio, and Resize are some of the default tools.
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Resource Manager pod
Resource Manager stores all the common resources to use across projects and allows for quick access and management
of common resource files.
Shared Locations Specify the various shared folders that store resource files to use across projects. While a shared
location can contain files of any type, Resource Manager displays only those that match defined file types (Add/Edit
Categories).
Categories Specify categories to organize resources according to file types. For example, you can add a category called
Video and associate .flv, .swf, and .avi file types with it.
File Types List the extensions associated with a category. For example, for the Images category, list all the file types that
you want Resource Manager to consider as images.
Linked Resources Manage linked resources (resources used in the project with links to the original versions in the
shared locations). Synchronize the original version and the copy, remove links to stop automatic tracking of updates,
or replace links to point to another resource of the same file type.
More Help topics
“Managing resources” on page 123
RoboHelp Server pod
The RoboHelp Server pod enables you to connect to RoboHelp Server. You can configure the setup for the server by
selecting WebHelp Pro or FlashHelp Pro as the primary layout.
You can enter Servername:port/context-name/server and connect to it to publish your projects.
Note: By default, RoboHelp uses the http protocol. To specify that the https protocol should be used, enter
https://Servername:port/context-name/server.
Environments
A RoboHelp environment refers to the arrangement of various workspace components, such as pods, in the main
application window. By saving the current workspace as a named environment, you can restore that workspace even if
you move or close a pod. The names of saved environments appear in the Workspace menu on the right of the menu bar.
Create and save an environment
You can create multiple environments for a project. Only one environment is loaded at a time.
1Arrange pods.
2Click the down arrow button in the workspace switcher and select Save Environment.
3Type a filename, including the .rhs extension.
4Specify a location for the environment. The default location is C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\My
Documents\My RoboHelp Projects.
Note: You can exchange an RHS file with other authors.
Load an environment
1Click the down arrow button in the workspace switcher and select Load Environment.
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2Browse to an RHS file and select it.
3Click Open.
Note: The last environment you used before closing RoboHelp is used the next time you open RoboHelp.
Restore the default environment
❖Click the down arrow button in the workspace switcher and select Default Environment.
Delete an environment
❖Do one of the following:
•Delete the RHS file from the location where it was stored.
•Click Start > Run. In the Open box, type regedit and click OK. Locate the MRUENVFile[n] variable in
HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Adobe > RoboHelp > 9.00 > Common and delete the string assigned to
the variable.
Menus and toolbars
Customize menus
1Right-click a toolbar and choose Customize.
2Click the Commands tab.
3Choose New Menu from the Categories list.
4In the Commands section, click New Menu and drag it to the location where you want it to appear on the menu bar.
5Right-click the New Menu item on the menu bar and click inside the Name field.
6Type the desired menu name and press Enter.
7Choose different categories and drag the desired commands to the menu.
8Click Close.
9Restart RoboHelp HTML to preserve changes.
Customize toolbars
1Select View > Toolbars > Customize.
Note: You can also right-click a toolbar and choose Customize.
2Do any of the following:
•To create a toolbar, click the Toolbar tab. Click New, type a name, and click OK.
•To add an item to a toolbar, click the Commands tab. Select a category, and drag a command to the toolbar.
•To edit a newly added toolbar item, right-click its icon in the toolbar and select options, such as Delete and
Name. The Begin Group option inserts a separator bar to the left of the item.
You can use an ampersand (&) in the name to add keyboard shortcuts. For example, for the Format menu, an
ampersand precedes the letter "o" in “Format”. To access the Format menu using the keyboard shortcut, press
Alt + O.
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•To edit a button image, right-click the button and select Edit Button Image. Use the Button Editor tools and
modify the image. Check the preview and click OK.
•To edit menus and toolbar items, click the Options tab. Set the following options as needed:
Always Show Full Menus Select this option to show all the available menus. See “Enable and disable smart
menus” on page 22.
Show Full Menus After A Short Delay Select this option to show few menus on starting the application and few
after a short delay.
Reset Menu And Toolbar Usage Data Click this button to delete the records of all the new or modified
commands you have used and restore the default settings.
Large Icons Select this option to show large icons for the menus.
Show Screen Tips On toolbars Select this option to show Screen Tips on the toolbars.
Show Shortcut Keys In Screen Tips Select this option to show keyboard shortcuts in Screen Tips.
Menu Animations Select an animation type from the pop-up menu.
More Help topics
“Create keyboard shortcuts” on page 22
“Customize menus” on page 21
Enable and disable smart menus
Smart menus display only the most frequently used commands. To access the hidden commands, click the down arrow
at the end of the command menu.
1Right-click a toolbar.
2Select Customize.
3Click the Options tab.
4Select or deselect Always Show Full Menus under Personalized Menus And Toolbars.
Create or remove keyboard shortcuts
Create keyboard shortcuts
1Select View > Toolbars > Customize.
2Click the Keyboard tab.
3Select a command category.
4Select a command to assign to a keyboard shortcut.
5Type the keyboard shortcut in the Press New Shortcut Key box.
6Click Assign.
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Remove or reset keyboard shortcuts
1Select View > Toolbars > Customize.
2Click the Keyboard tab.
3Do one of the following:
•To remove a keyboard shortcut, select the category and command for the shortcut to remove. Select the shortcut
in Key Assignments, and click Remove.
•To restore all shortcuts to their default settings, click Reset All.
Configure general settings
❖Select Tools > Options. Click General and set the following options to configure options for using the program and
working with project files.
Set the default language and other preferences
Default Language Allows you to change the default language for every project that is created using the RoboHelp
application.
Use Underscores In File Names Saves topic filenames with underscores between words (for example,
My_Help_Topic.htm). For HTML Help projects, topic filenames require underscores rather than spaces. This
convention enables the book or page to synchronize with the topic content displayed at the right side of the viewer.
Automatically Check For Updates The program checks for updates when you quit the program. You can also enable
this option by selecting Help > Check For Updates.
Allow Editing Of Multiple Topics Opens topics in different tabs in Design Editor and allows editing. Deselect this
option to work in single-topic mode.
Clear Project Cache (.cpd File) Before Opening Any Project Controls whether the old <ProjectName>.cpd file will be
deleted each time while opening a project and a new <ProjectName>.cpd will be created from the project files.
Auto-Compile Outdated Files When you view or publish your project, the program automatically generates your
primary layout when the output files are out of date. If this option is disabled, the program prompts you to generate
the primary layout if the output files are out of date.
Auto-display Output View Shows the Output View at the bottom of the program window when a project is generating.
Convert RoboHelp-edited Topics To HTML Converts XHTML topics created or edited in RoboHelp into HTML in the
output. Topics created or edited with third-party editors are not converted.
Enable or disable confirmation
Prompt when a file is saved The A File Is Saved option is disabled by default. Changes to the current topic are saved
when you open another topic or close the project without saving. You can disable this setting here if necessary. For
example, if you change a topic and want to restore the content, you can temporarily disable the automatic save.
Prompt when auto-generated topics from linked documents are modified Allows you to enable or disable the message
displayed when you modify a topic generated from the contents of a linked Word or FrameMaker document.
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Enable, disable, or reset notifications
By default, notifications are enabled. Some notifications include an option (Don’t Ask Me Again) to suppress their
display.
•To enable or disable all notifications, deselect or select Tools > Options > General > Do Not Show Notifications.
•To restore all notifications to their default settings, click Reset All.
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Chapter 3: Projects
Project basics
Basic workflow
1. Create a project.
Every Help system has at least one project. The basic element of the project is the topic.
2. Author the content.
Create topics. You can add multimedia now, or later when you customize the output. Work with the application
developer to start planning which topics to also use for context-sensitive Help. Context-sensitive topics appear when
the user clicks a Help button in the user interface or presses F1.
3. Import files.
You can import HTML files, Microsoft Word files (.doc, .docx, .docm, .rtf), FrameMaker books and documents (.book,
.bk, .fm, .frm, .mif), XML files (.xml), and Adobe PDF files (.pdf).
4. Develop the navigation.
Based on the hierarchy, or organization scheme, of the content, create links among topics and to external content if
necessary. You can also link text or images to other content. Create a table of contents that reflects the content
hierarchy, and include an index that users can browse. You can also create browse sequences, paths a user can follow
through Help topics. For example, if a user must read several related topics to understand a feature completely, you
can link them in a browse sequence.
5. Customize the output.
You can apply layouts (which determine behavior and appearance) and formatting. You can also use conditional text
to show or hide content, depending on user interest, application being used, skill level, and other factors. Add
multimedia to make your Help more compelling and richer.
6. Create, test, and distribute the Help package.
Create the output so you can view the Help and check links, formatting, and so on. Test every output you intend to
distribute, including printed documentation.
About projects
Projects contain the source files that become the final Help system. Help authors work with the project files, and Help
users view the output. For CHM output, the project contains the content you create and the properties you set up, such
as what the output window looks like. The developer determines the window for WebHelp and FlashHelp output
formats, or leaves them to run in your browser window. Create folders in the Project Manager to organize topics and
structure the Help system.
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Projects are collections of files. The project file (XPJ file) contains information about the content and properties of the
project. Whenever you change the project, this file (and any other affected file) is updated automatically. Project files
consist of the following:
Content Project files contain topics with content and information about the location of topics, images, index, TOC,
and other files.
Properties Projects contain setting information, such as project title, language, and windows. When you first create a
project, the basic (default) settings are used. Modify these settings according to your design needs.
Navigation Projects include a table of contents, index, and full-text search.
You can view the elements that make up a project in several places, including the Project Manager, Single-Source
Layouts pod, and Project Settings dialog box. You can also generate various reports (Tools > Reports) that identify
project status, duplicate topics, files distributed with Help, and so on.
Help project components
Help systems are made up of different components that vary according to the Help format you deliver.
Projects RoboHelp HTML creates a main project file (with the extension .xpj) that contains the information about
your topics, images, and other files. (Open this file to open a project.) Project files also contain the settings that affect
the appearance and functionality of a Help system.
Topics The basic unit of a Help system is the topic. Topics communicate the message of the Help system, mainly
through text and images. You decide the content, format, and organization of your topics.
Table of contents If a table of contents is included, users see a Contents tab or button when they open the Help system.
The table of contents presents a hierarchical outline of what the Help project contains. Users can browse and select
topics to view from the Contents tab.
Indexes If an index is included, users see an Index tab or button when they open the Help system. The index displays
a multilevel list of topics and keywords or phrases that you’ve specified.
Full-text search Full-text search allows users to find specific words and phrases that occur in the content.
Links and navigation Users navigate a Help system by clicking links. You design the strategy that connects your topics
together. The most common links are from one topic to another. Links can also go to topics in different Help systems,
different output formats, and even to a website or an application.
Styles You format topics using styles. Styles are named formats that you design and apply to control the layout and
appearance of text.
Image and multimedia files Images and multimedia files enhance Help by adding graphics, sound, video, animation,
and more.
Windows Windows are the frames that display topics. In certain output formats, you can customize the appearance
and attributes of windows. You can also design new windows to suit your content. You can open multiple windows
and from the Windows dialog box, select a window and click Activate to bring it to focus. Click Save to save the
displayed window in focus. Using the Windows feature, you can rename the project title to display in the output.
Compilers The Help compiler isn’t part of the final Help file, but you sometimes need a compiler to create the Help
file. For example, in Microsoft HTML Help projects, the compiler aggregates the source files and other project
components. The compiler then creates one Help system file that you distribute to end users. (WebHelp and FlashHelp
projects are not compiled.)
Viewers and browsers Users access the Help system from within a viewer or browser.
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Files in a project
Main project file (XPJ)
The project file (.xpj) is XML-based. You can open project files with the .mpj extension, the format for older versions
of RoboHelp, but they convert to XPJ files.
Folder files (FPJ)
Each project folder has an FPJ file that lists the folder contents. RoboHelp displays only those subfolders and topics
that are listed in the FPJ file of a folder.
All the subfolders have their respective FPJ files. The name of an FPJ file except the FPJ file for the project folder is
same as that of the folder.
The name of the FPJ file for the project folder is root.fpj. The root.fpj file is modified if you add, delete, or rename a
topic or subfolder inside the respective folder. The root.fpj file is also modified if the order of topics or subfolders is
changed in Project Manager.
Single-source layout files (SSL)
A single-source layout file (SSL) is used for each single-source layout. An SSL file stores the properties of the respective
single-source layout and is modified when you edit the properties. An SSL file does not get modified on generating,
viewing, or publishing a single-source layout.
Auxiliary project files (APJ)
The following components have corresponding APJ files, which get modified when you edit the components:
•Baggage files
•Colors
•Conditional build tags
•Font sets
•Information types
•Map files
•Pop-up note topics
•See Also keywords
•Skins (when adding or removing skins only)
•Single-source layouts (when adding or removing single-source layouts only)
•Topic keywords
•Topic templates (when adding or removing single-source layouts only)
•Windows
Other types of files
When you modify the following components, the respective file gets modified:
•Browse sequences (BRS)
•Topics (HTM)
•TOC (HHC)
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•Index (HHK)
•Glossary (GLO)
•Image and multimedia files (filename extension varies)
•Style sheets (CSS)
About output types
RoboHelp can generate the following output types. These types have common basic characteristics but different
features and viewing and platform requirements.
WebHelp Adobe WebHelp format works with virtually any combination of browser and platform for web-based or
desktop applications, online Help, and online books. WebHelp also provides customizable navigation panes and quick
downloads.
WebHelp Pro WebHelp Pro is used for web-based applications, with features available only in server-based Help.
WebHelp Pro provides feedback on the use of your Help system. Authors can work on separate projects and publish
anytime, and projects are merged on the server at run time. RoboHelp Server is required to generate WebHelp Pro.
FlashHelp Adobe FlashHelp® uses Adobe Flash® to provide an interactive navigation pane, customizable navigation
controls, Flash animation, streaming video, audio, and graphics. Users need Flash Player.
FlashHelp Pro FlashHelp Pro is used for web-based applications, with features available only in server-based Help.
Authors can work on separate projects and publish anytime, and projects are merged on the server at run time.
RoboHelp Server is required to generate FlashHelp Pro.
Microsoft HTML Help Microsoft HTML Help is used as application and stand-alone Help for Windows 98 and later,
using Internet Explorer 4.x or later, and provides unique features.
Note: Due to Microsoft security changes, Microsoft HTML Help is now used where the Help has to be run on the users
PC; it cannot be installed on a server without registry changes. WebHelp and FlashHelp are used where the Help is to be
run from a server. WebHelp and FlashHelp can be run locally, but it is not recommended.
XML XML output exports to Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, used to structure, store, and send
information. XML files use style sheets, as well as handler files. Handler files determine how RoboHelp imports or
generates the XML files, associated style sheets, and related components.
JavaHelp JavaHelp, from Sun Microsystems™, works with Java applications and is a delivery system, not an authoring
tool. JavaHelp features (TOC, index, searches, controls, global search and replace, pop-ups) are created automatically,
along with HTML features (links, Related Topics buttons, and image files).
Oracle Help Oracle Help for Java™ is used with applications written in any language. Oracle Help and the ICE 5
browser provide TOC, index, full-text searches, pop-ups, context sensitivity, and customizable windows, through the
Oracle Help viewer.
Printed documentation RoboHelp enhanced printed documentation provides control over structure, content, and
appearance of printed documents. You can organize the content as needed, format using CSS or Word template styles,
and produce formatted and structured Word documents or PDF files.
Adobe AIR The Adobe AIR output type allows you to generate Help in Adobe AIR format. Generate your content in
the cross-platform Adobe AIR Help format that brings a host of enhancements, such as these:
•Easy navigability through breadcrumbs, and more
•New templates and skins
•A rich branding experience, and the ability to insert corporate logos and an About box in Help
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•Rich commenting and auto-updates
•Browser-based Help, with both offline and online content.
•Ability to add and access RSS feeds
•Enhanced search
End-user viewer requirements
* Requires JavaHelp viewer, Sun Java 2 JDK or later, and JavaHelp 1.0 or later components.
Create and manage projects
Create a project
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > New > Project.
•In the Starter pod, click More under Create New.
2On the New pane in the New Project dialog box, double-click a project type. You can change the project type after
your project is created.
Blank Project Customize and publish a project in any output. You can modify the window settings for WebHelp,
FlashHelp, and HTML Help outputs.
Application Help Create a Help system that you can install locally. The Application Help project has sample topics
with notes on how you can customize and modify the information. For example, you can create a Help system to
document information about a company product.
Note: By default, the Application Help does not use master pages or snippets but you can always add them.
e-Handbook Create a project for an electronic handbook, such as an employee handbook for a company. The e-
Handbook project template provides the relevant folders and topics for you to place company-specific information.
e-Learning Integrate and organize Captivate demos into a project. Using the layout and recommendations
provided, you can create computer-based and web-based training.
Knowledge Base Create a knowledgebase that has an interface similar to a wiki page. The knowledgebase project
template contains master pages that you can customize. You can also create self-updating pages.
Web Application Help Create a Help system that you can publish on a server. The Web Application Help project
has sample topics with notes on creating online Help for a software application.
End-user system WebHelp/Pro FlashHelp/Pro Microsoft HTML
Help
JavaHelp* Oracle Help AIR Help
Windows XP SP4
or later, XP, Vista
Web browser Web browser with
Flash Player 8.0 or
9.0
Built-in viewer JavaHelp viewer Oracle Help
viewer
AIR Help Runtime
Mac OS, Linux®Web browser Web browser with
Flash Player 8.0 or
9.0
Not available JavaHelp viewer Not available AIR Help Runtime
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Department Guidelines Create a Help system to outline guidelines for a department in a company. For example,
you can create Help for a human resources department, outlining guidelines on recruitment and selection, flexible
working hours, and so on.
Disaster Recovery Plan Create a Help system with samples on how to write a disaster recovery plan.
Online Manual Create an online manual for a company product or software application.
Policies And Procedures Create a handbook or a document listing policies and procedures specific to an
organization.
Custom Customize a Help project template.
3 Specify options in the New Project Wizard dialog box:
•Leave Language as English or select another language to localize the project. Spell checking, indexing with the
Smart Index Wizard, and parts of the user interface are localized.
• If you select Save As Default, the selected language is used for all new projects.
4Click Finish.
The first topic opens in the Design Editor on the right. On the left, the Project Manager opens. The first topic is selected
in the HTML Files (Topics) folder.
More Help topics
“Change project settings” on page 33
Create a project by importing documents
1Do one of the following:
•From the Starter pod, select a new project type from the Import list.
•Select File > New > Project. Click the Import tab and select a new project type.
2Follow the prompts. The new project opens in RoboHelp.
Create a project using FrameMaker or Word documents
You can create new projects by importing FrameMaker or Word documents. While importing, you can map the styles
of these documents to styles in RoboHelp.
1Select File > New > Project and click Import.
2Select FrameMaker or Word documents and click OK.
3Select from .book, .mif, .fm, .bk, and .frm files for FrameMaker and .doc, .docx, .rtf, and .docm files for Word. You
can import multiple FrameMaker or Word documents at the same time. You can import .book and .bk files one at
a time.
Note: For any FrameMaker format other than MIF, FrameMaker 8 or later is required. If the correct version is not
installed, you cannot import the file.
4Enter the project title, filename, and location of the project.
5Click Finish.
A new project wizard prompts you to select options to map the TOC, index, or glossary.
6Select the required options, and click Next.
7Click Edit.
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8Select styles to map to the RoboHelp styles.
For information about different conversion options for FrameMaker documents, see “Conversion basics” on
page 70.
For information about different conversion options for Word documents, see “Converting Word styles to
RoboHelp styles” on page 55.
9Click OK.
Note: If you click Cancel in the wizard, no files are imported and the empty project remains open.
10 Click Finish.
Create a project using a DITA map file
Important: For expert users only.
Before you import a DITA map file, Java JDK and the DITA Open Toolkit must be installed and running properly.
Experience with DITA and the DITA Open Toolkit is also required.
1Select File > New > Project.
2Click the Import tab.
3Select DITA Map File.
4Click OK.
5Enter the following information in the New Project wizard:
DITA Map File To Import Specify path to a valid DITA map file that you want to import and create a project. Click
the Browse button
to select the file.
Location Of The Project Specify path to the location of the new project.
6Click Next.
7Specify the input required on the Open DITA Toolkit Processing Options dialog box.
8Click Finish.
More Help topics
“Import a DITA map file” on page 82
“Converting Word styles to RoboHelp styles” on page 55
Save projects
Save frequently while you work.
•To save individual files, select File > Save [item].
•To save all files, click the Save All button .
Disable auto-save
By default, RoboHelp saves changes when you close the project. If you prefer, you can disable the auto-save feature.
1From the Tools menu, select Options.
2Click the General tab.
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3Under Options, deselect Save Without Prompt.
Opening a project
Open a project when starting RoboHelp
❖From the Starter pod listing recently opened projects, click the project name. If you don’t see the project you want,
click Open.
You can use the following controls to locate the project you want to open:
My Places bar Find documents by using the shortcuts to the left of the Folder and Files list.
Desktop The Desktop folder lists all folders on your desktop.
My Computer The My Computer folder lists the hard drives configured on your computer.
My RoboHelp Projects The My RoboHelp Projects folder is the default working folder where RoboHelp stores all
projects. This folder is placed in the My Documents folder when Adobe RoboHelp is installed. When you start
Adobe RoboHelp, projects stored in the My RoboHelp Projects folder are automatically listed in the Starter pod
under the Recent Projects list. All RoboHelp projects use the .xpj filename extension.
Look in list By default, this list displays the My RoboHelp Projects folder. Alternatively, if you have accessed other
folders, the last folder you accessed, is selected in this list. This list includes the My Computer, My Network Places,
and My Documents folders under the Desktop folder.
Go To Last Folder Visited icon Displays the last folder you accessed. Click the arrowhead to view a list of the most
recent folders you visited. This icon is disabled if you do not access a folder in the dialog box.
Up one level icon Enables you to move to the parent folder of the current folder displayed in the Look in list.
Delete icon Enables you to delete a selected folder or file. The deleted folder or file is sent to the Recycle Bin.
Create New Folder icon Enables you to create a folder under the parent folder selected in the Look in list.
View Menu icon The arrowhead enables you to choose the view in which the folder and file list must be displayed.
You can view the folders and files as thumbnails, tiles, icons, a simple list, or a list with details of the folders or files.
Tools icon Enables you to delete or rename a folder or file, add a folder or file to the My Places bar, or map a hard
drive to a computer or folder on your network. You can also view properties of a folder or file.
File Namebox Enables you to specify the name of the file to access (to open, to import, and so on.)
Files Of Type menu Enables you to select the type of files to list in the folder and file list.
Open a project after starting RoboHelp
1Select File > Open. The Open Project dialog box appears.
Note: You can also select the last ten projects opened from the bottom of the File menu.
2Select RoboHelp HTML Help Project (.xpj) from the Files Of Type menu.
3Locate the project file, and double-click it.
Upgrading a project
If you open a project created in a previous version of RoboHelp, you are asked whether to convert it before opening it.
Important: Make a copy of your project before converting it into the new format.
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More Help topics
“Add a RoboHelp project to version control” on page 95
Pin a project to the list of recently opened projects
By default, the list of recent projects that appears in the Starter pod and in the File menu displays up to the last ten
projects opened. Pin a recently opened project so that it always appears in the recent projects’ list. The list displays the
pinned projects and recently used projects up to the number of projects set in the Max Projects field.
1Select Tools > Options.
2On the Recent Projects tab, select a project from the Recently Opened Projects list.
3Click Pin. Click OK.
Note: Click Unpin to remove a pinned project from the recent projects’ list.
Change project settings
1Choose File > Project Settings.
2On the general tab, change settings as needed:
Project Title Enter a project title. This title appears in the window bar of the output.
Primary Output/Layout Select a primary layout.
Language Select the default project language.
Advanced Click to create or edit lists for localization. Set options in each pane.
To Do List Click Manage to manage the To Do list for your project. For more information, see “Using the To Do
list” on page 36.
Index Select an option for saving keywords:
•Index File (HHK) saves new index keywords in the project index file (HHK).
•Topics saves new index keywords in individual topic files (HTM).
•Binary Index uses a binary index in Microsoft HTML Help projects.
Set options on the Stop List pane
Use the Stop List tab to modify words contained in the Stop List file ProjectName.stp. A Stop List contains common
words (for example, “a” or “the”) that the search ignores for an accurate result.
Edit Select a word, click Edit. Type the new name. Press Enter. Right-click the word to display a drop-down box with
the Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, and Select All options.
Reset To Default Removes the new entries and restores the default list.
New Adds a word. Click New. Type the word. Press Enter.
Delete Deletes a selected word.
Note: In Microsoft HTML Help projects, the stop list file can’t be larger than 512 K. If the file is larger, words at the end
of the file are not included in the CHM file.
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Set options on the Phrases pane
Modify words in the Phrases file ProjectName.phr. This tab contains a phrase list the Smart Index Wizard includes in
keyword searches. For example, make project settings one phrase, not two words. You can add, rename, and delete
words.
Edit Select a word, click Edit. Type the new name. Press Enter. Right-click the word to display a drop-down box with
the Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, and Select All options.
Reset To Default Removes the new entries and restores the default list.
New Click New. Type the new word. Press Enter.
Set options on the Always Ignore Words pane
Modify words in the Always Ignore Words file ProjectName.ign. This list contains “noise” words such “as,” “the,” or
“a.” The Smart Index wizard uses the list to keep the noise words out of the index.
Edit Select a word, click Edit. Type the new name. Press Enter. Right-click the word to display a drop-down box with
the Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, and Select All options.
Reset To Default Removes the new entries and restores the default list.
New Click New. Type the new word. Press Enter.
Set options on the LNG File pane
Change text elements in the user interface for WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, FlashHelp Pro, AIR Help, printed
documentation, or HTML Help output.
See the complete list of available changes you can make in the LNG file tab.
When you edit the LNG file, your changes supersede settings made in Project Settings in other locations.
❖Select an element, and click either of the following:
Edit Modify LNG file text for each user interface element listed. In Edit mode, you can also right-click on the edited
line to undo the edits, cut, copy, paste, delete, or select all.
Note: You can change the string to show expanding or collapsing mini TOCs in settings for master pages. For more
information, see “Master pages” on page 115.
Reset To Default Erases the new entries and restores the default list.
Set options on the Synonyms pane
Define words as synonyms. For example, you can define “find” and “locate” as synonyms for “search.” In the generated
output, when a user searches for “search,” results for “find” and “locate” are also displayed.
Reset To Default Removes the new entries and restores the default list.
Edit Select a word, click Edit. Type the new name. Press Enter. Right-click the word to display a drop-down box with
the Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, and Select All options.
New Click to add a new word in the Synonym table and specify a synonym for it.
Delete Click to delete the Word and its synonyms.
More Help topics
“RoboHelp search basics” on page 203
“Upgrade localized projects” on page 48
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Rename a project
When you rename a project, the main project file (.xpj) and all other project files are renamed.
Note: The TOC, index, and glossary files are not renamed.
When you rename a project, the project closes and reopens. Any changes made since last saving are saved.
Note: You cannot rename projects under version control.
1Open the project.
2Select File > Rename Project.
3In the Project Name box, enter the new project name (do not enter a filename extension).
4Click OK. To make the changes take effect, the program closes and then reopens the project.
Note: If you are creating Microsoft HTML Help, the name of the compiled HTML Help file (CHM file) is based on the
project filename. If you change the project name, the name of the CHM file changes as well. You can rename the CHM
file to restore the old name.
Viewing projects
Help systems are displayed in a browser or viewer, depending on the output type, the application platform, and the
platforms of your end users. Help systems are displayed in a main window. Users can view topics in the right pane and
navigate with tabs, buttons, and toolbars in the left pane and along the top.
View your project often to test links and make sure that styles appear properly. View each single-source in the viewer
required for the specified output type.
More Help topics
“View output” on page 307
Define chapter layout
You can define a chapter layout for a project to order topics and folders logically in the Project Manager pod. The
default order is alphanumerical. You can drag folders and topics to customize the sequence. RoboHelp uses the
customized order to auto-create a TOC.
Notes:
•If you rename a folder or a topic, the topics and folders retain their order.
•If you delete a topic or a folder, the remaining topics retain their order.
•If you add a new topic or a folder, it is added at the top inside the parent folder.
•If you drop a topic or a folder on a non-topic/folder item (such as CSS, image, or baggage), it moves to the last
position inside the parent folder of the target.
•When you upgrade a project from an older version of RoboHelp, all the topics appear randomly. You can customize
the order of topics later.
•You can right-click a folder or topic in the Project Manager pod and select Explore to open the topic or the folder
in Windows Explorer.
•You can drag folders from the Project Manager pod to the TOC pod. The dragged folders convert to TOC books,
and all the topics change to pages.
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•The TOC items don’t change dynamically as you change them in the Project Manager or in a topic.
Drag folders
•Drag a topic or a folder above or below another topic or folder. For linked documents, you can drag only above the
linked documents.
•You cannot drag topics into or out of a linked document.
More Help topics
“Create TOCs” on page 165
Manage files
List topics by title or filename
1In the Project Manager pod, open the Project Files folder.
2Select View > By Topic Title or By File Name.
Using the To Do list
The To Do list helps you track project tasks. You can customize the list by adding, deleting, or modifying the existing
To Do tasks.
Note: To Do settings are retained when you upgrade a project from an older version of RoboHelp to a newer version.
You can generate a report on the customized To Do list.
Edit items on the To Do list
1Select File > Project Settings.
2Click the General tab.
3Click Manage.
4Do either of the following:
•To add a task to the list, click Add. Type the name of the task item.
•To edit or remove a task, select the task and click Edit or Delete.
Note: From the Project Settings dialog box, you cannot see the Ran Smart Index item in the default To Do list. This
precaution ensures that you do not delete this item by mistake. By default, RoboHelp sets the option Ran Smart Index for
all the topics on which you run the Smart Index wizard.
Update the To Do list for a topic
1Right-click a topic in the Project Manager pod and select Properties. Click the Status tab.
2Select or deselect items on the To Do list.
Generate a status report
You can generate a Project Status report to view the number of topics using the To Do list.
❖Select Tools > Reports > Project Status.
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Edit the list of recently opened projects
Recently opened projects are listed in the RoboHelp Starter pod.
1Select Tools > Options.
2Click the Recent Projects tab.
•To change the number of files listed, specify a number in the Max Projects box.
•To remove a file from the list, select it and click Remove.
More Help topics
“Pin a project to the list of recently opened projects” on page 33
Add files to the Baggage folder
RoboHelp sometimes doesn’t automatically add references to external elements to the Baggage Files folder. If needed,
add files to the Baggage Files folder so the external elements appear correctly in the output:
1Select View > Pods > Project Manager.
2Right-click the Baggage Files folder. Select New > Baggage File.
Note: If the Baggage Files folder isn’t listed, click the Toggle Project Manager View button .
3Double-click the source file for any of the following:
•Bitmaps and icons used with HTML Help controls
•Image files used in style sheets, topic backgrounds, and scripts
•The JavaScript file that supports Dynamic HTML effects, such as pop-ups and drop-down hotspots
4Click Yes.
Note: You can create a link to a baggage file by pressing the SHFT key while dragging and dropping it into a topic.
Remove files from the Baggage folder
To remove a file from the Baggage folder:
❖Select the file and click Delete.
Map file types
Map file types to associate them with the applications used for editing them.
Associate a file extension with an application
1Select Tools > Options.
2Click File Association tab.
3For associated programs, click Add.
4Enter a filename extension.
5Select an editor to edit documents with the specified filename extension.
When you select a program, its location appears in the Edit With box. The programs appear alphabetically.
Note: Only those programs appear in the list whose registry entry is set to “NoOpenWith.”
6Select a program to view the file.
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You can also browse to a program not listed in the program list.
Add an HTML editor mapping
1Select Tools > Options.
2Click File Association tab.
3For HTML editors, click Add.
4Select from the recommended or other programs registered to edit or view .html or .htm files.
Note: When you select a program, its name and location appear in the Name and Location box. You can also browse
for a program that does not appear in the program list.
5Click OK. The selected program appears in the list of HTML editors.
Note: To change the HTML editor, browse and select a new program.
Remove topics from projects
Before you remove files, back up all project files and view and print reports if your project is not under version control.
To avoid broken links, don’t remove files in Windows Explorer or version control software.
1Select one or more files:
•To remove a topic, use the Project Manager pod.
•To remove multiple topics, use the Topic List pod.
2Press Delete. If prompted, do NOT remove references to removed topics.
Note: You can choose to remove the references, but if you do that, you do not get to review the effect of the removal in
other topics. Electing NOT to remove the references, forces the links to display in Broken Links, from which you can
review each topic to see if any editing is required.
More Help topics
“Broken links report” on page 103
“Unused files report” on page 107
Manage folders
Create folders
The Project Manager contains default folders for project organization. You can create folders and subfolders only in
these folders: HTML Files (Topics), Images, Multimedia, Style Sheets, and Baggage Files.
Note: Do not use Windows Explorer to create subfolders to add, move, or rename files. RoboHelp does not recognize these
changes.
1Select the Project Files folder in the Project Manager pod.
Note: If the Project Files folder isn’t listed, click the Toggle Project Manager View button .
2Right-click the folder, and select New > Folder.
3Enter a name for the folder. Avoid special characters and spaces.
4Press Enter.
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Tips:
•Move files and folders in Project Manger by dragging.
•You can drag topics from the Topic List into multiple folders in the Project Manager.
Project Manager folders
In the Project Manager pod, you edit, delete, and create project files. Two views are available in Project Manager. Both
views include a set of commonly used options for authoring. One view displays all the project files gathered together
in a single folder called Project Files; the other view groups the project files into various virtual folders based on file
type. Click the Toggle Project Manager View button
or , to change views.
The Project Manager view that displays project files in various virtual folders contains the following folders:
HTML Files (Topics) Stores the topics of a project. Files are sorted alpha numerically (A-Z, 0-9). You can add folders
within this folder. You can use the structure to generate a TOC automatically and create browse sequences.
Images Images used in your project are stored in this folder. Image maps and their associated links (hotspots) are also
listed. You can drag an image from this folder into the Design Editor to add images to topics. You can also rename
images in this folder by selecting the image and pressing F2.
Multimedia All sound and video files used in your project are saved in this folder. Adobe Captivate demos (SWF files)
are also stored here. You can drag sound or video files into the Design Editor to add multimedia to topics. You can
also find out where the files are referenced in your project.
Style sheets Style sheets control the formatting of topics. When you change a style sheet, all topics associated with it
are updated. The RoboHelp default style sheets (CSS files) and any others you add to your project are stored in this
folder. Edit a style sheet by double-clicking its icon.
Baggage Files Certain files are automatically added to the Baggage Files folder in the Project Manager to display the
following correctly in the generated project:
•Bitmap and icon files used with HTML Help controls
•Image files used in topic backgrounds and scripts
•The JavaScript file (ehlpdhtm.js) that supports Dynamic HTML effects such as related topics pop-ups, smart pop-
ups, and drop-down hotspots.
•The support file for skins and the navigation pane in browser-based outputs (TOC, index, glossary, and full-text
search.
You can drag files from the Baggage Files folder into topics to create links to the files.
Broken Links Stores links to files that are not present in the project. To restore or remove a broken link, double-click it.
URLs Stores links to web addresses, FTP sites, newsgroups, e-mail addresses, and HTML topics in external CHM files.
From this folder, you can add a URL to an index. You can drag a URL into the Design Editor.
Table Of Contents Stores the default TOC and all other TOCs created in the project.
Index Stores the default index and all other indexes created in the project.
Glossary Stores the default glossary and all other glossaries created in the project.
See Also Double-click the See Also folder to display the See Also pod. You can add the See Also keywords in the See
Also pod.
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Rename folders
Use the Project Manager to rename folders.
1Select the Project Files folder in the Project Manager pod.
2Right-click the folder. Select Rename.
3Type the new name. Don’t include special characters, and avoid spaces, especially for WebHelp and FlashHelp.
4Press Enter.
Move folders
Use the Project Manager pod to move folders.
1Select Project Files in the Project Manager pod.
2Drag the subfolder to its new location.
Remove custom folders
Before you remove the folder, move any items in it that you want to keep.
1Select the custom folder in the Project Manager pod.
2In the toolbar, click Delete.
File and folder icons
The Project Manager icons indicate the components and files included in your project.
Note: Icons with a red check mark indicate that the file is checked out (applicable only to topics under version control).
Icon Description
Closed folders. Closed folders that contain files display a plus sign. Click the plus sign to show the folder contents.
Right-click for more options.
Open folders. Open folders display a minus sign with the contents shown below. Click the minus sign to collapse the
folder.
, Toggle view. Click to switch between a simplified view with fewer folders or one showing all folders.
Show/hide files. Click to select the files you want to show in the Project Manager.
Empty folders. Empty folders display no signs.
HTML files (Topics). Double-click page icons to open a Design editor. Right-click for more options.
HTML topics with bookmarks. Topics with bookmarks have a plus sign. Click the plus sign to show all bookmarks.
Missing files. A red X indicates files that the program cannot locate. These files are not in the project path. Either they
have been deleted, or they are saved in a different folder of the project.
Bookmarks. Bookmarks appear alphabetically below their respective topics. Double-click to open a topic. Drag
bookmarks into topics in Design Editor to create links.
Framesets. Double-click to open a dialog box for changing frame attributes.
URLs, web addresses, FTP sites, newsgroups, e-mail addresses, or HTML topics in external CHM files. Double-click to
open a dialog box for adding keywords to a link. Drag URLs into topics open in Design Editor to create links.
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Images (GIF, JPEG, and JPG formats). Double-click to preview the image, identify topics that use it, and view file
information. Drag images into topics in Design Editor to add them.
Image maps. Images with clickable links or hotspots. Click the plus sign to display links. Double-click to preview the
image, identify topics that use it, and view file information. Drag the image maps into topics in Design editor to add
them.
Image map links (hotspots). Double-click to identify topics that use image maps.
Sound files (AU, MID, RMI, and WAV formats). Double-click to identify topics that use them and view file information.
Drag sound files into topics in Design Editor to add them.
Video files (AVI and MOV formats). Double-click to identify topics that use them and view file information. Drag video
files into topics in Design Editor to add them.
Adobe Captivate files (SWF files). Double-click to identify topics that use them and view file information. Drag Adobe
Captivate files into topics in Design Editor to add them.
Custom windows. Double-click to modify window properties.
Style sheets (CSS). Double-click to modify styles.
Text-only files For What's This? Help (.TXT format). Double-click to create or modify text-only topics files.
Map Files For Context-Sensitive Help (.HH) Includes imported map files or automatically generated files.
All map IDs. Links map IDs to HTML topics for context-sensitive Help. Double-click to work with map IDs and map files.
Table of contents folder. Shows the default and other table of contents in the project.
Table of contents folder. Expand to view the table of contents listed.
Table of contents. Double-click to open the selected table of contents pane.
Index folder. Shows the default and other indexes (if any) listed.
Index folder. Expand to view the indexes listed.
Index. Double-click to open the selected index pane.
Glossary folder. Shows the default and other glossaries (if any) listed.
Glossary folder. Expand to view the glossaries listed.
Glossary. Double-click to open the selected glossary pane.
See also. Double-click to open the See Also pane and add to See also keywords.
Baggage files (BMP, ICO, XML, JS, other image files). Files such as bitmaps and icons used with HTML Help controls,
including custom buttons for link controls and startup screens. If your project includes Dynamic HTML, the file
EHLPDHTMJS is included in your Baggage Files folder. Other image files are included as well, such as topic
backgrounds and scripts.
Icon Description
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You can map filename extensions to applications. For example, map GIF files to Adobe Photoshop®. When you right-
click a GIF file from the Images folder and select Edit, the file opens in Photoshop.
More Help topics
“Define chapter layout” on page 35
Authoring content in multiple languages
You can change the language of an existing project or a new project. The language affects the window text, as well as
the dictionary for the spell checker and the automatic indexing (Smart Index Wizard) customized settings.
You can also customize the display text, such as the text in browse sequence buttons, previous and next buttons,
show/hide buttons, some messages, and more. The text can be anything you specify. For example, the default text
“Search” on the Search tab can be changed to “Find” in the language of your choice.
When delivering the project to translators, always provide the source files and not the output files.
Note: In HTML Help systems, the end user’s operating system must be in the same language as the one used in your
project. Otherwise, the end user’s operating system overrides the language specified in your project. The dictionary and
index sorting are not affected in the end user’s system.
Support for multiple languages
RoboHelp provides multiple language support at the paragraph, topic, and project level. You can set the language at
the paragraph level and topic level through the RoboHelp user interface. Language defined at the paragraph level takes
precedence over language defined at a topic level. Language set at the topic level takes precedence over language
defined at a project level. Language defined at the project level can never take precedence over language defined at
paragraph level. You can think of the prioritized language as the effective language. Effective language is used in
spelling checks, in a dictionary or a thesaurus, in generating a smart index, and in preparing a full-text search.
The project language is defined at the project level. You can apply different language settings using File > Project
Settings.
You define the topic language using the Topic Properties dialog box.
You define the paragraph language using the Paragraph dialog box. Select any paragraph in the Design view and
choose Paragraph from the context menu.
RoboHelp supports the following languages:
Languages Spell Check User Dictionary Thesaurus Auto correct
Danish (Denmark) Yes Yes Yes Yes
German (Germany) Yes Yes Yes Yes
English (US) Yes Yes Yes Yes
English (UK) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Spanish (Spain) Yes Yes Yes Yes
French (France) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Italian (Italy) Yes Yes Yes Yes
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More Help topics
“Define a language for a paragraph” on page 139
“Create a topic” on page 110
Dutch (The Netherlands) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Norwegian Bokmâl (Norway) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Norwegian Nynorsk (Norway) Yes Yes No Yes
Portuguese (Brazil) Yes Yes No Yes
Swedish (Sweden) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Croatian (Croatia) Yes Yes No Yes
Portuguese (Portugal) Yes Yes No Yes
French (Canada) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Finnish (Finland) Yes Yes No Yes
Catalan (Spain) Yes Yes No Yes
Russian (Russia) Yes Yes No Yes
Bulgarian (Bulgaria) Yes Yes No Yes
Czech (Czech Republic) Yes Yes No Yes
Polish (Poland) Yes Yes No Yes
Romanian (Romania) Yes Yes No Yes
Hungarian (Hungary) Yes Yes No Yes
Greek (Greece) Yes Yes No Yes
Turkish (Turkey) Yes Yes No Yes
Estonian (Estonia) Yes Yes No Yes
Latvian (Latvia) Yes Yes No Yes
Lithuanian (Lithuania) Yes Yes No Yes
Slovenian (Slovenia) Yes Yes No Yes
German (Switzerland) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Japanese (Japan) No No No No
Korean (Korea) No No No No
Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) No No No No
Simplified Chinese (China) No No No No
Thai (Thailand) No No No No
Vietnamese (Vietnam) No No No No
Languages Spell Check User Dictionary Thesaurus Auto correct
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Translation workflows
You can create content for multiple languages in a single RoboHelp HTML project by translating the English content
in the same project. You can then create tables of contents, indexes, glossaries, and conditional build tags in the project
for the desired languages. Finally, you can apply conditional build tags to content authored in the various languages,
and generate conditional output.
Follow the steps in this workflow, which uses translation from English to French and Japanese as an example:
1Apply French language project settings by selecting French Language.
2Open an English topic, create a topic for the French language, and translate the content, including the topic title
from English to French. (Do not translate topic filenames.)
3Create French tables of contents, indexes, and glossaries.
4Create a conditional build tag, such as FrenchContent.
5Apply the FrenchContent conditional build tag to French content and topics.
6Generate output for the French language.
7Apply Japanese language project settings by selecting the Japanese Language.
8Open an English topic, create a topic for the Japanese language, and translate the content from English to Japanese.
9Create Japanese tables of contents, indexes, and glossaries.
10 Create a conditional build tag called JapaneseContent.
11 Apply the JapaneseContent conditional build tag to the Japanese content.
12 Generate output for the Japanese language.
Note: To view the Japanese output, you must change your PC’s language to Japanese.
Note: To translate a webhelp project, first make a copy of the project, open that copy in Robohelp and author in your
desired language.
Compare content in different languages
1Open topics created in different languages.
2In Design Editor, position the topics side by side: Drag a topic tab slightly down or to the right, and release the
mouse when the page icon
appears. Choose New Horizontal Tab Group or New Vertical Tab Group.
Select a different language for translating a project file
1Select File > Project Settings.
2Select the desired language.
3Click Advanced, and then use the following tabs:
Stop List Click New to add words that must be ignored during a text search.
Phrases Click New to add a phrase for the Smart Index Wizard to include when searching topic content for
keywords.
LNG File Click Edit to modify the text for each user interface element listed.
"Always Ignore" Words Click New to add a word or phrase that the Smart Index Wizard ignores when generating
the index.
Synonyms Click New to add a synonym for a word. This option enables you to search for words and their
synonyms. The results are always returned for the searched words.
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Create a project with a different language
1Select File > New > Project.
2In the New tab, double-click Project Type. The New Project Wizard appears.
Note: To create a JavaHelp or Oracle Help project, first create a Microsoft HTML Help project, and then add a new
layout to that project.
3Enter project information.
4From the Language menu, select the language. Click Save As Default to keep the language as the default.
5Click Finish.
The first topic opens in the Design Editor. Generate and view your project to view the results.
More Help topics
“Create and edit single-source layouts” on page 270
Customizing text for localization
You can customize certain text in the user interface for WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, FlashHelp Pro, and
HTML Help outputs. Here is what you can change for each format:
WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp and FlashHelp Pro
•With a skin Customize text in the Skin Editor. If you do not change the default text (such as “Contents” for the
Contents button), the text is automatically translated using the project language setting.). If you customize text in
a skin, the skin text overrides any customizations you make in the LNG file. For FlashHelp, the Flash developer uses
the Skin Development Kit to customize the text.
WebHelp only
•Without a skin Edit the language file. You can localize browse sequence button text; text on the Glossary tab,
Previous button, and Next button; certain messages; and the Contents, Index, and Search tabs. For example, you
can change the text on the Search tab from “Search” to “Find.”
HTML Help
You can customize browse sequence button text and all text on the Glossary tab. Change window titles in the Windows
Properties dialog box.
Edit the LNG (language) file
1Create or open a project.
2Select File > Project Settings.
3Click the General tab. Click Advanced.
4Click the LNG File tab.
5Select the interface text. Click Edit.
6Type the edits. Press Enter.
Notes:
•If RoboHHRE.LNG is already in your user's Windows folder, it overrides the file in the Baggage Files folder.
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•If you do not include the RoboHHRE.LNG file, or omit some values, your project defaults to the English values
shown in the example.
•If you are using a skin, the default text is translated to the default language. If you customized the text in a skin, the
skin text overrides customizations in the LNG file.
Change the default project language
1Open the project.
2Select File > Project Settings.
3Click the General tab and select the language.
4Click OK.
5Generate and view your project.
Notes:
•If you use a skin, the default text uses the language setting of the project. Customized skin text overrides text settings
in the LNG file.
•Localize window captions in the Windows Properties dialog (not applicable to WebHelp projects).
Language support for associated dictionaries
If your project contains content authored for multiple languages, define RoboHelp language settings in the project,
topic, and paragraph separately. The effective language is used for dictionary or thesaurus association and for spell
checking. For example, suppose you set the project language to UK English and the paragraph language to French for
several paragraphs. The French spelling checker is activated for French paragraphs while the UK English spelling
checker is used for the rest of the content.
Note: Updated language settings for each language are stored at a common location in the project folder. You can access
the language settings information in the Projects\ !Language! folder.
Index localized text
Use the Smart Index wizard to index your localized project. You can assign keywords for each topic based on the topic
content. The index is generated based on language and search criteria you define in the Smart Index wizard. The Smart
Index Wizard suggests keywords based on topic content.
1Select a language for a new or existing project.
2Follow the steps for automatically creating your index.
Universal character sets
RoboHelp enables you to create content in multiple languages. However, authoring content in a multilingual
environment can be challenging when the languages span multiple Microsoft Windows code pages. Support for the
Unicode character encoding standard in RoboHelp overcomes many of these challenges.
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Without Unicode, operating systems use a code-page-based environment, in which each language script has its own
table of characters. Content based on the code page of one operating system seldom translates correctly on an
operating system that uses another code page. For example, suppose you are running the English version of the
Microsoft Windows® XP/Vista operating system with the German code page. Then suppose you open a plain text file
created in the Japanese version of Windows XP/Vista. In this case, the code points of the Japanese code page are
mapped to unexpected or nonexistent characters in the Western script. The resulting text is unintelligible.
The universal character set provided by Unicode and supported in RoboHelp overcomes this problem.
Support for Unicode text encoding standards
RoboHelp HTML supports Unicode text encoding. You can create a topic in multiple languages, regardless of the
language used by the operating system running RoboHelp.
You can perform the following tasks related to Unicode:
•Author documents containing multilingual paragraphs and words. For example, you can have a set of Greek
characters followed by Russian characters, and then by French text in the same paragraph.
•Use the relevant language spelling checker to check Unicode content.
•Create, open, or edit Unicode-encoded HTML and text files (UTF-8 and UTF-16 encoded files).
•Enter Unicode characters in input forms and dialog boxes.
•Generate TOC, index, and glossary by using Unicode strings.
•Convert and import text of non-Unicode encoded file types (HTML, XML, MIGF, and so on).
•Publish content to a non-English server by adding multibyte characters in the complete path name.
•Create, open, or edit Unicode-encoded HTM files (UTF-8 and UTF-16 encoded files).
•Provide Unicode-encoded input and view Unicode content in fields, dialog boxes, wizards, and forms.
Set up input languages on Windows
Before you start typing non-English text or Unicode characters in the HTML files, ensure that RoboHelp HTML 8 is
running on a UTF-8 locale. Configure the regional language or locale settings on your computer to add additional
languages for keyboard input, across operating systems.
Use the Windows® XP regional and language settings to add additional languages for keyboard input. These languages
and speech settings appear in the Language bar on the desktop. After you select a language from the bar and a localized
keyboard, you can start typing the required text in the document. Microsoft® defines the keyboard layouts.
1Open the Control Panel and double-click the Regional And Language Options icon. The Regional And Language
Options dialog box appears.
2Click the Languages tab.
3Click the Details button. The Text Services And Input Languages dialog box appears.
4In the Settings tab, click the Add button.
5Select a language from the Input Language list.
6Click OK. The selected language is included in the Installed Services list.
7Select the desired language in the Default Input Language list.
8Click Apply and click OK to save the settings and close the Text Services And Input Languages dialog box.
9Click the Regional Options tab, and choose the language you selected in the Default Input Language list.
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10 Click Apply and click OK to save the settings and close the Regional And Language Options dialog box. The
Language bar appears on the desktop of your computer.
11 Open RoboHelp, and type the content. The text appears in the selected language.
You can change the language in the Default Input Language list and the Regional Options tab. The language selected
in the Language bar is updated automatically to reflect your new choice.
Upgrade localized projects
If you customized a phrase, stop list, always-ignore-words list, or an LNG file in RoboHelp 6 or earlier, move the list
to RoboHelp 8 or later, which uses a different file structure and extensions.
Product-level customization is moved to [install_folder]\Language in RoboHelp. For example, English is renamed as
en_US and en_UK, and French is renamed as fr_FR.
The project-level customization is moved to [project folder]\!Language!\[language folder].
Minor customizations
1Open Notepad.
2Open the file to modify. These files reside in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp
[version]\RoboHTML\!Language!\en_US.
3Open the project. Do the following:
•Edit the LNG file.
•Edit the custom word lists.
Major customizations
1Open Notepad.
2Open the old file in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp [version]\RoboHTML\Language.
3Open the new file in a separate window in Project folder\Language.
4Copy the customizations from the old file to the new file. See the table for filenames.
Note: The above procedure is NOT the recommended way. The recommended way is described in “Change project
settings” on page 33
Import PDF files
You can convert an Adobe PDF file (version 1.4 or later) into a single topic or multiple topics for a new or existing
project.
•You cannot import SWFs, PDF portfolios, and encrypted PDF files (files that require a password).
File description Pre-7 filenames 7 Filenames
Phrase list Phrases.wlf ProjectName.phr
Always Ignore list AlwaysIgn.wlf ProjectName.ign
Stop list *.stp ProjectName.stp
Language file *.lng ProjectName.lng
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•If the PDF contains 3D images, save the PDF in version 5 to import the images.
•TOCs or index field codes convert to PDF.
•Adobe Reader® or Adobe Acrobat® is not required to import PDF files.
•Sometimes fonts in PDF files do not convert correctly when imported into HTML.
Create a project by importing a PDF file
Note: You cannot import encrypted PDF files (files that require a password).
1Select File > New > Project.
2Click the Import tab. Select PDF Document and click OK.
3Click the browse button to select one or more PDF files from a single folder. Click Open, and then click Next.
4Enter the project information. Click Next.
5Select options in the Conversion Options dialog box.
Topic Select how to split the PDF into topics.
Create New Topic(s) Based On Style(s) Activates the Next button. Click to select styles.
Create A Single Topic Creates one topic from the entire PDF.
Create A Topic For Each PDF Page Choose additional options.
Convert As HTML Creates a topic for each PDF page.
Convert As Image Renders each PDF page as a separate image.
Convert As Absolutely Positioned HTML (Advanced) Creates a topic for each PDF page. Positioning the content can
require advanced HTML and subsequent editing can be difficult. Use this option if the other options don’t produce
the results you want. This option is not recommended for printed documentation.
Image (JPG/GIF/PNG) Select the format for images converted from the PDF. To exclude images, select None.
Page Range
By default, all PDF pages are converted. Alternatively, enter the page numbers on which to start and end.
Create new topics based on styles
Styles are converted based on the following:
•The most common style becomes the Normal style, which cannot be used to split topics.
•The remaining styles are ranked from largest point size to smallest. Style ranking also considers boldness (highest
precedence), italics, and normal (lowest precedence).
•Styles are ordered and numbered using “Heading 1” for the dominant heading style and “PdfParaStyle01” through
“PdfParaStyleX” for all other styles. Rename these styles using this dialog.
Create New Topics Based On Lists the styles used in the PDF document.
Description Displays a description of the selected style.
Paragraph Preview Displays a preview of the selected style.
Rename Style Renames the selected style in your project.
Finish Completes the import process.
Back Returns to the Conversion Options dialog box.
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Import PDF files into a project
1In the Project Manager pod, right-click Project Files.
2Select the file to import into.
3Select File > Import > PDF Document.
4Select one or more PDF files. Click Open.
5Select options in the Conversion Options dialog box.
6If Create New Topic(s) Based On Style(s) was selected, click Next to select styles.
7Click Finish.
Importing and linking Microsoft Word documents
In RoboHelp, you can import or link Microsoft Word documents (files with .docx, .docm, .doc, or .rtf extensions after
the filename). You can create new projects by importing or linking Word documents. Or, you can use the Word
documents as source files for an existing RoboHelp project. You can use this workflow to integrate content created by
different authors in Word.
The settings for importing and linking Word documents are applied at the project level. For this reason, you have
consistent settings for all documents that you import or link to RoboHelp projects. You can also export the conversion
settings that you define and reuse them across multiple projects. Defining a set of standard settings for conversion
ensures consistency across projects. See “Word conversion settings” on page 64.
Steps to import a Word document into RoboHelp
1Locate your Word document.
2Optimize the Word document for import. See “Optimizing Word documents for online output” on page 51.
3Read through the differences between linking and importing the Word document. See “Linking versus importing
Word documents” on page 51.
4Open RoboHelp, and either create a project or use an existing project to import the Word document.
5Import the Word document. See “Import a Word document into a RoboHelp project” on page 53.
6Export your conversion settings and reuse it when you import another Word document. See “Export conversion
settings” on page 64.
Steps to link a Word document from RoboHelp
1Locate your Word document.
2Optimize the Word document for linking. See “Optimizing Word documents for online output” on page 51.
3Read through the differences between linking and importing the Word document. See “Linking versus importing
Word documents” on page 51.
4Read through the options for linking Word documents. See “Linking options for Word documents” on page 52.
5Open RoboHelp, and either create a project or use an existing project to link the Word document.
6Link the Word document. See “Link a Word document to a RoboHelp project” on page 53.
7Synchronize your linked Word document with RoboHelp when you edit your Word document. See “Synchronizing
linked Word documents with RoboHelp projects” on page 61.
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8Export your conversion settings and reuse it when you link another Word document. See “Export conversion
settings” on page 64.
Linking versus importing Word documents
You have two options for integrating content from Word documents into RoboHelp projects: linking and importing.
The following table lists the differences between the two methods:
Optimizing Word documents for online output
If you are importing Word documents that have been published in printed or online format, consider the following
before linking or importing them into RoboHelp projects.
Heading hierarchies Determine the best mapping of Word heading styles to RoboHelp styles so that you can achieve
automatic pagination (splitting the document into topics) based on heading styles. If your document does not employ
hierarchical heading styles, apply them before conversion. For example, you can apply Heading 1 style to standalone
articles in your Word document. Then map this style to a similar RoboHelp style and define pagination to create an
HTML topic for each Heading 1 style. See “Pagination and topic naming in converted Word files” on page 58.
Option Linking Importing Remarks
Ability to update generated
topics
Yes. You can update the
generated topics whenever the
source document or your
RoboHelp project settings
change.
No. When you import a Word
document into a RoboHelp
project, RoboHelp copies the
contents of the Word document
into RoboHelp project. RoboHelp
generates topics based on
conversion settings. If the source
document changes, delete the
generated topics and reimport
the Word document.
Use the link option when the
source Word document can
change. Typically, if multiple
projects share the Word
document, you link the Word
document.
If, however, you are bringing in
content as a one-time activity,
you can use the import option.
Ability to automatically update
TOC, index, and glossary changes
from the source document
Yes. When you link a document,
separate TOC, index, and glossary
files are created and associated
with the linked Word document.
When the linked Word document
is updated, the linked TOC, index,
and glossary files are also
updated.
No. When you import a Word
document, the generated TOC is
appended and index and glossary
are merged into the selected TOC,
index, and glossary file.
Use the link option if you want to
automatically update the TOC,
index, and glossary whenever
these components are updated in
the Word document.
Ability to regenerate deleted
topics
Yes. You can delete a topic that is
generated from an imported
Word document, and then
regenerate the same topic when
you update the Word document.
No. Import the source document
again to generate the deleted
topic.
Use the linking option when you
share the source document across
multiple projects.
Ability to preserve changes in
generated topics
Yes. You can mark topics
generated from a linked Word
document to ensure that the
marked topics are not updated
when the linked document is
updated. In this way, you can
preserve any changes you made
in RoboHelp.
No. When you re-import a Word
document, all topics previously
generated from the imported
document are recreated,
overwriting any changes you
made in RoboHelp.
Use the link option if you need to
retain updates made to both the
linked Word document and the
generated topics.
Ability to change the filenames
and topic titles of generated files
from Project Manager
No. When you link a Word
document, you cannot change
the filenames or topic titles of
generated files from Project
Manager.
Yes. When you import a Word
document, you can change the
filenames or topic titles of
generated files.
Use the import option if you want
to customize the filenames
andtopic titles from Project
Manager.
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Inline styles and style overrides You can convert inline styles to CSS styles in RoboHelp. However, converting inline
styles to CSS styles can lead to numerous styles that share the same formatting. See “Converting Word styles to
RoboHelp styles” on page 55.
Header and footer information RoboHelp can convert headers and footers. However, to ensure consistency across
your topics, you can define a master page that contains the required header and footer information. By using master
pages, you can also suppress page numbers in headers and footers. “Convert headers and footers in Word documents”
on page 55.
Chapter versus topic In printed documentation, the chapter is the logical and physical unit for grouping content. In
online Help, the organizational unit is the topic, and users see topics one at a time. Although you can group the content
into folders that expand when the user navigates the table of contents, only one topic appears on the screen at a time.
Try to provide comprehensive information without adding redundancy by grouping related topics. See “Pagination
and topic naming in converted Word files” on page 58.
TOCs As you import Word documents, you can also import the Word TOC into the RoboHelp TOC. You can define
the topic hierarchy and represent that hierarchy in the RoboHelp TOC. See “Importing a Word TOC, index, and
glossary” on page 54.
Context sensitivity In online Help formats, you can link specific topics to dialog boxes and other elements that users
encounter in the application workflow. You can assign map IDs to topics in RoboHelp. However, you can also assign
context-sensitive Help markers in Word documents using custom footnote entries. RoboHelp reads these footnote
entries and assigns the map IDs to the generated topics. Ensure that topics in the source Word document are not overly
fragmented. A topic must contain sufficient information to make sense as a standalone unit.
For example, if a short task doesn’t make sense without some introductory conceptual information, don’t display that
task as a standalone topic. To avoid overly fragmented content, assign context-sensitive Help markers to topics at a
higher level. In this way, the generated Help topic can contain the concept, the task, and any relevant graphics. See
“Convert context-sensitive Help markers in Word to map IDs” on page 59.
Linking options for Word documents
For linking Word documents to a RoboHelp project, you can specify one of the following options in the Import tab of
project settings (File > Project Settings):
Create A Reference You create a reference to an external Word document. In this case, the source Word document is
not copied into the RoboHelp project folder. It remains outside the project. You can edit and update the Word
document independently in Word. Later, in RoboHelp, you can update the topics generated from the linked
document.
Use the linking by reference option to bring in content that is shared across multiple projects. Because only a single
copy of the document exists, any change in the source document is reflected in all projects to which this document is
linked.
Create A Copy And Link You create a copy of the source document and link to the RoboHelp project. In this case, a
copy of the source document is copied into the RoboHelp project and is visible in the Project Manager pod. You can
edit and update the Word copy without affecting the source document. You update the topics generated from the
copied Word document whenever you edit the document.
Use the Create A Copy And Link option to maintain the Word document in RoboHelp, and restrict access to the
source document and allow editing only in the copy available in the RoboHelp project. For example, if you want to
bring in content from a static Word document, link the document by copying it to the RoboHelp project.
Note: This option is available only when you link Word documents. When you import a Word document, RoboHelp does
not keep any link to the source Word document.
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Link and import Word documents
•Create a RoboHelp project by linking to or importing a Word document. You can import DOCX, DOC, DOCM,
or RTF files.
•Link or import Word documents into a RoboHelp project.
•(For linked documents) Update the generated topics whenever any of the conversion settings or the source
documents changes.
HTML files are not created until you define the conversion settings and generate the Help topics. The source Word
documents are unaffected by linking and subsequent editing. RoboHelp creates a copy of the linked or imported Word
documents before applying the conversion settings.
Create a project by importing a Word document
You can create a RoboHelp project by importing a Word document. To import Word files, you must have Microsoft
Word installed on your computer.
Note: DOCX and DOCM formats are not supported by versions earlier than Microsoft Word 2007. See Microsoft Word
Help for more information.
1In the Starter pod, click Word Document under Import.
2Select Word Documents from the Files Of Type pop-up menu, select the Word document, and click Open.
3Enter relevant details in the New Project wizard and click Finish.
Link a Word document to a RoboHelp project
1Create a project in RoboHelp.
2Select File > Link > Word Document.
3Click Browse to select one or more Word documents and click Open.
Note: To import multiple documents with separate TOCs, select them in the order they should appear in the master TOC.
4Right-click the linked file in Project Manager, and select Properties.
5In the Word Document Settings dialog box, do the following:
•To generate a TOC from the source document, select the Convert Table of Contents option, and specify a
filename.
•To generate an index from the source document, select the Convert Index option, and specify a filename.
•To generate a glossary from the source document, select the Convert Glossary option, and specify a filename.
Note: You can define the paragraph styles for a glossary term and definition in the project settings. See “Convert
Word paragraph styles to RoboHelp styles” on page 56.
Note: RoboHelp associates the generated TOC, index, and glossary files with the source Word document. So when the
source document is updated, the TOC, index, and glossary files are also updated.
6Click OK.
Import a Word document into a RoboHelp project
1Create a project in RoboHelp.
2Select File > Import > Word Document.
3Click Browse to select one or more Word documents and click Open.
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Note: To import multiple documents with separate TOCs, select them in the order they should appear in the master TOC.
4In the Content Settings dialog box, set conversion options for the TOC, index, and glossary, and click Next.
For information about various conversion options, see “Importing a Word TOC, index, and glossary” on page 54.
5(Optional) To edit the conversion settings, click Edit.
6Modify conversion settings according to your requirements, and click OK.
For information about converting headers and footers, see “Convert headers and footers in Word documents” on
page 55
For information about converting paragraph, character, and other styles, see “Converting Word styles to RoboHelp
styles” on page 55.
7Click Finish.
Importing a Word TOC, index, and glossary
When you import a Word document into a RoboHelp project, you can also import the table of contents (TOC). Import
the TOC into the RoboHelp project to retain, in Help, the navigation structure you defined in your Word document.
If you import a Word-generated TOC, the first heading becomes a book. Lower-level headings become pages (unless
a book exists at a lower level).
To import multiple documents with separate TOCs, select the Word documents in the Open dialog box in the order
that they should appear in the master TOC. The converted TOC is based on the {TOC} field codes of the Word
document. Ensure that:
•Headings for main books have lower-level headings.
•Headings for sub-books appear under main headings and have lower-level headings.
•Headings for pages do not have lower-level headings.
For example, suppose you import a document with more styles than the TOC contains: The document contains
heading levels 1 through 3, but the TOC contains only heading 1 and 2 entries. To ensure that heading 3 styles appear
in the TOC, either include heading 3 in the Word TOC or auto-create the TOC in RoboHelp.
Import a Word TOC
1Select File > Import > Word Document.
2In the Content Settings dialog box, select Convert Table Of Contents.
3Select one of the following options:
Add To Existing TOC Appends the TOC entries to any existing RoboHelp TOC present in the project. Select an
existing RoboHelp TOC from the list.
Create New Associated TOC Enter a name for a new associated TOC that is added to the RoboHelp project.
Import Word index entries
RoboHelp creates an index based on the index markers in the document you are importing.
1Select File > Import > Word Document.
2Select Convert Index in the Content Settings dialog box, and select one of the following options:
Add To Existing Index Add the Word index entries to the existing RoboHelp index of the project.
Create New Associated Index Enter a name for a new associated index that is added to the RoboHelp project.
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Add To Topic Add the Word index entries to individual topics in which they appear.
Import Word glossary entries
RoboHelp creates a glossary from the Word document you are importing, based on the paragraph styles defined for
the glossary terms and definitions in project settings.
Note: RoboHelp creates a glossary entry by finding a term and a definition in the specified styles in the Word document.
Consecutive instances of term styles or definition styles are rejected.
1Select File > Import > Word Document.
2Select Convert Glossary in the Content Settings dialog box, and select one of the following options:
Add To Existing Glossary Add the Word glossary entries to the existing RoboHelp glossary of the project.
Create New Associated Glossary Enter a name for a new associated glossary that is added to the RoboHelp project.
Convert headers and footers in Word documents
You can convert the header and footer text in your Word documents to headers and footers in the generated HTML
topics.
Note: Don’t use this procedure if your projects have topics natively created in RoboHelp and imported or linked from
other sources as well. Instead, use the master page feature in RoboHelp. Using master pages, you can define consistent
layouts and consistent headers and footers.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under Word Document.
3In the Conversion Settings dialog box, select Other Settings and then do the following:
•To convert the header in Word documents, select Convert Header.
•To convert the footer in Word documents, select Convert Footer.
Converting Word styles to RoboHelp styles
You can select the cascading style sheet (CSS) that RoboHelp uses to map Word styles to RoboHelp styles. RoboHelp
saves all the style conversion settings in this CSS file. By default, RoboHelp uses the RHStyleMapping.css file for your
project.
You can also use a custom CSS for your project. You can later edit the styles either in RoboHelp or in an external CSS
editing application, such as Adobe Dreamweaver®. You can define how the Word styles convert to RoboHelp styles at
the project level. All Word style definitions in the Word document appear in the mapping dialog box, irrespective of
whether they are used in the document.
Select CSS for style mapping
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Import > Word Document.
•Select File > Link > Word Document.
•Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, do one of the following:
•Select the CSS file from the CSS For Style Mapping menu. RoboHelp lists CSS files in the root folder of your
project, from which you can select a CSS file.
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•Click Add next to the CSS For Style Mapping menu, and select the CSS file that you want to use. Use this option
to specify a custom CSS for your project. When you select this option, RoboHelp copies the selected CSS file into
the root folder of your project, and uses the selected CSS for style mapping.
Convert Word paragraph styles to RoboHelp styles
By default, RoboHelp converts all Word styles to CSS, thus retaining the appearance and behavior of the Word styles
in the RoboHelp project. If you want to ensure consistency of your online Help projects, you can map the Word styles
to RoboHelp styles and edit them.
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Import > Word Document.
•Select File > Link > Word Document.
•Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under Word Document.
3In the Conversion Settings dialog box, select the Word style from the Paragraph group.
4From the RoboHelp Style pop-up menu, select the RoboHelp style that you want to map to the Word style. To retain
the appearance of Word text in your online Help format, select [Source].
5Select the properties for the selected Word style. To edit the selected RoboHelp style, click Edit Style.
To mark a style for glossary
•Select Glossary Definition Style to mark the style to consider for the glossary definition.
•Select Glossary Term to mark the style to consider for the glossary term.
Note: Follow Glossary Definition Style with Glossary Term Style for a complete a Glossary Term Definition pair.
RoboHelp uses the terms marked with the selected styles, to create a Glossary.
•To set up pagination: Select Pagination (Split into topics based on this style) to create a Help topic at each
occurrence of the selected Word paragraph style. For example, if you select Heading 1 and Pagination (Split into
topics based on this style), RoboHelp starts a new topic at every instance of Heading 1. For more information
on Pagination, see “Set pagination for online Help topics” on page 59
•Using a user-defined HTML tag: Select or enter a user-defined HTML tag for the selected paragraph style.
For example:
A paragraph with style ParaStyleOne is imported in RoboHelp as <p class=ParaStyleOne> Paragraph
Text </p>.
Specifying this string as Pre for the style ParaStyleOne causes RoboHelp to import the paragraphs with the style
ParaStyleOne as <pre> Paragraph Text </pre>.
Convert Word character styles to RoboHelp styles
You can map the Word character formats to character styles in RoboHelp. You can also edit the styles in RoboHelp.
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Import > Word Document.
•Select File > Link > Word Document.
•Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under Word Document.
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3In the Conversion Settings dialog box, select the Character group.
4Select the Word character style from the left pane of the Conversion Settings dialog box.
5Select the RoboHelp character style from the pop-up menu. Optionally, you can do the following:
•To import the Word character style, select [Source] from the pop-up menu.
•To edit the character style in RoboHelp, click Edit Style.
List mapping
You can map Word lists to RoboHelp lists (multilevel lists) or HTML lists (basic ordered and unordered lists) in
RoboHelp. If you have defined lists as paragraph styles in RoboHelp, you can map these list styles in RoboHelp. If you
do not select a style mapping option for a list, it is converted to text without list properties.
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Import > Word Document.
•Select File > Link > Word Document.
•Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab, click Edit under Word Document.
3In the Conversion Settings dialog box, select the Other Settings group.
4Do one of the following:
•To convert the Word list styles to RoboHelp lists, select RoboHelp List from the Convert Word List To pop-up menu.
•To convert the Word list styles to HTML lists, select HTML List from the Convert Word List To pop-up menu.
Create custom HTML tags
You can define or apply a custom HTML tag instead of the standard <p> tag for paragraph styles in the HTML output
for the formats that you import from a Word document. You can define separate HTML tags for each format in the
Word document.
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Import > Word Document.
•Select File > Link > Word Document.
•Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab, click Edit under Word Document.
3In the Conversion Settings dialog box, select a Word paragraph style, and then select User Defined HTML Tag
option.
4Type the name of the custom HTML tag or select an existing tag to use instead of the default HTML tag.
Convert Word table styles to RoboHelp table styles
You can map Word table styles to RoboHelp table styles. Alternatively, you can import the table styles as inline
formatting from the Word document. Optionally, you can edit the converted table styles in RoboHelp.
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Import > Word Document.
•Select File > Link > Word Document.
•Select File > Project Settings.
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2In the Import tab, click Edit under Word Document.
3Select the Word table style from the left pane of the Conversion Settings dialog box.
4Select the RoboHelp table style from the pop-up menu. Optionally, to edit the table style in RoboHelp, click Edit
Style.
Convert Word references to hyperlinks
RoboHelp can convert the references such as foot notes, end notes, captions, bookmarks, and cross-references in the
Word documents. These references appear as hyperlinks in the generated Help topics.
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Import > Word Document.
•Select File > Link > Word Document.
•Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab, click Edit under Word Document.
3In the Conversion Settings group, select Other Settings, and then select Convert References To Hyperlinks.
Create RoboHelp styles from inline formatting
Even though it’s best to avoid inline formatting in your Word documents, and apply defined paragraph and character
styles, you can link and import Word documents to RoboHelp. You can also create RoboHelp styles from inline
formatting in your Word documents. Such styles are added to the project CSS.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab, click Edit under Word Document.
3In the Conversion Settings dialog box, select Other Settings and then select Auto-Create CSS Styles From Inline
Formatting.
Pagination and topic naming in converted Word files
In addition to splitting the document into topics and defining topic naming settings, you can do the following:
Convert header and footer Header and footer text in your word documents is converted and used in the Help topics.
See “Convert headers and footers in Word documents” on page 55.
Convert TOC and index entries TOC and index entries in the Word document are converted in your RoboHelp
project. See “Importing a Word TOC, index, and glossary” on page 54.
Map Word list styles to RoboHelp styles You can convert the list styles in Word to either RoboHelp list styles or
HTML list styles. See “List mapping” on page 57.
Convert references to hyperlinks You can convert the references to hyperlinks in RoboHelp topics. See “Convert
Word references to hyperlinks” on page 58.
Automatically create CSS styles from inline formatting See “Create RoboHelp styles from inline formatting” on
page 58.
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Set pagination for online Help topics
When you import a Word document, you define how the contents of the Word file appear as topics in RoboHelp. For
example, suppose your Word file contains ten topics. If each topic contains subtopics, definition lists, tasks, and tables,
you can have each topic appear as a separate HTML file. If each of these topic headings is in Heading 1 style, you can
have each Heading 1 topic created as a separate HTML topic. If, however, you set the pagination at Heading 2, separate
HTML files are created for each Heading 2 topic.
You can select multiple paragraph styles for pagination. For example, selecting Heading 1 and Heading 2 for
pagination, causes RoboHelp to start a new topic at every instance of Heading 1 as well as Heading 2.
Note: Pagination is based on the Word paragraph styles and not on RoboHelp styles.
Even though you can set pagination for any Word paragraph style, the topic generated must contain relevant, complete
information for the reader. For example, if you set pagination for Heading 3, you run the risk of creating topics with
only task-level instructions. In this case, the required contextual information required to complete the task is isolated
in another Heading 3 level topic. To avoid such disjointed, incomplete topics, set the pagination at a higher level.
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Import > Word Document.
•Select File > Link > Word Document.
•Select File > Project Settings.
2Click Edit under Word Document.
3In the Conversion Settings dialog box, in the Paragraph group, select the paragraph style on which to base
pagination.
4Select the option marked Pagination (Split into topics based on this style) and click OK.
RoboHelp splits the documents into topics using the specified pagination styles.
Convert context-sensitive Help markers in Word to map IDs
You can convert the context-sensitive Help markers that you insert in your Microsoft Word documents and reuse
them as map IDs. You insert the context-sensitive markers using the Custom Footnote option in Word. You insert
context-sensitive Help markers using the Insert Footnotes And Endnotes dialog box in Word. To insert context-
sensitive Help markers, enter a custom string such as TopicAlias and then insert the map ID as the marker text. The
custom string must not contain spaces or any other invalid characters. See Microsoft Word Help for more information
about inserting custom footnote markers.
Sometimes Word documents that you are linking to or importing have context-sensitive Help markers. If so, you can
incorporate them in the map ID header file that you generate. In the project header file, add the map IDs that you
assigned to topics in your Word documents. The context-sensitive marker string is a project-wide parameter. Ensure
that all Word documents that you link to or import contain the same string as the context-sensitive marker text.
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Import > Word Document.
•Select File > Link > Word Document.
•Select File > Project Settings.
2Click Edit under Word Document.
3In the Conversion Settings dialog box, in the Other Settings group, enter the context-sensitive Help marker string
and click OK.
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Define the topic name pattern for generated topics
When you set heading styles for pagination, the heading text is included by default in the filename of the topic file
created in RoboHelp. For example, suppose you define Heading 2 for pagination. If the Word document has two
Heading 2 topics, “Introduction” and “Beyond basics,” the topics are created as files named introduction.htm and
beyond_basics.htm. The result is intuitively named HTML files that indicate the topic title. In addition to this default
scheme, you can define more naming conventions. If, however, the Help system uses sequentially numbered files, such
as helptopic001.html, helptopic002.html, and so on, you can define the pattern to support that convention.
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Import > Word Document.
•Select File > Link > Word Document.
•Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Conversion Settings dialog box, select Other Settings.
3In the Other Settings tab, set the topic name pattern.
Topics are named according to the selected pattern. You can select one of the following or create a topic name
pattern.
Default Uses the topic title text as the topic filename.
<$filename_no_ext>-<$paratext> The name of the converted HTML topic contains the following:
•The name of the Word source file without its extension
•Hyphen as the separator
•Paragraph text used to demarcate HTML topics
For example, a Word file named “Chapter.doc” with “1-Introduction” as paragraph text is converted
to an HTML topic named “Chapter-1-Introduction.”
<$filename_no_ext>-<n> The name of the converted HTML topic contains the following:
•The name of the Word source file without its extension
•Hyphen as the separator
•A sequential number
For example, “Chapter.doc” is converted to an HTML topic named “Chapter-1.”
<$paratext_no_num> The name of the converted HTML topic contains the paragraph text used to demarcate the HTML
topic, without numbering. For example, paragraph text “1.Introduction” is converted to an HTML
topic named “Introduction.”.
<$paratext> The name of the converted HTML topic contains the paragraph text used to demarcate the HTML
topic. For example, paragraph text “Introduction” is converted into an HTML topic named
“Introduction.”
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Synchronizing linked Word documents with RoboHelp projects
After you import or link Word documents to your RoboHelp project, you generate Help topics based on the project
settings. When you import a Word document into a RoboHelp project, the topics are generated immediately and
appear in the Project Manager pod. However, when you link a Word document to a RoboHelp project, the topics are
not generated until you explicitly generate them. Because RoboHelp maintains a live link with the linked Word
document, you can update a linked Word document if the source document or conversion settings in the RoboHelp
project change. Icons of the project files in the Project Manager pod indicate whether the documents are in sync with
the RoboHelp topics.
Update the topics generated from linked Word documents in the following scenarios:
•Source Word documents changed after you added or linked them to the RoboHelp project.
•You changed the pagination settings in the RoboHelp project.
•You changed the styles in the RoboHelp project and want to revert them to as in the FrameMaker document.
•You updated the CSS in the RoboHelp project.
If you imported documents into the project, the Project Manager pod does not indicate the synchronization status. If
either the Word documents or the conversion settings change, reimport the Word documents and overwrite the
RoboHelp topics already generated. When you update the documents, RoboHelp updates the converted HTML topics,
TOC, index, and glossary.
Word document synchronization status indicators
The following table shows the different status indicators that appear on the Project Manager pod in RoboHelp for all
linked Word documents.
Generate topics from linked Word documents
Generating Help topics from linked Word documents is a one-time activity. After you generate Help topics, you can
update them whenever the source document or conversion settings change.
❖Right-click the linked Word document in the Project Manager pod, and select Update > Generate.
Icon Description
Source Word document that was linked by reference missing. The source document that you have linked to the
RoboHelp project is moved to another folder, renamed, or deleted. Locate the source document and link to the new
location.
Source Word document that was linked by copy into the project is missing, renamed, or moved to another folder. Locate
the source document and link to the new location.
Source Word document that was linked by reference is out of sync because of changes in the source document. Update
the document.
Source Word document that was linked by copy into the project is out of sync because of changes in the source
document. Update the document.
Source Word document linked by reference is out of sync because of changes in the RoboHelp conversion settings.
Update the document.
Source Word document linked by copy into the project is out of sync because of changes in the RoboHelp conversion
settings. Update the document.
Source Word document linked by reference and generated topics are in sync.
Source Word document linked by copy into the project and generated topics are in sync.
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Update topics generated from linked Word documents
RoboHelp does not update linked documents automatically when you link Word documents to a RoboHelp project.
You define the conversion settings, including style mapping and pagination, and then generate the topics. Select
options to update a linked document manually.
❖From the Project Manager pod, right-click a Word document, select Update, and select one of the following:
Generate Generates HTML topics from the linked Word document for the first time. After the topics are
generated, the option changes to Update.
Update Updates topics generated from the selected Word document. Only the topics that have changed are
updated.
Update All Updates all topics generated from all linked documents including all Word and FrameMaker
documents. Because all documents are updated, including those that you edited in RoboHelp, exercise caution
when you use the Update All option.
Force Update Overwrites the current set of topics generated from the selected Word document. Use this option to
force an update of the topics generated from the linked Word document after you edit the source in Microsoft
Word. This option updates all topics including those that haven’t changed.
Force Update All Updates all linked documents, including Word and FrameMaker documents, and overwrites all
generated topics.
Preserve changes to a topic during an update
Normally, when you update a linked document, all topics generated from it are updated, overwriting any other
changes you made in the generated topics. However, you can selectively preserve changes in generated topics and
retain your edits.
1Right-click the linked document in the Project Manager pod and select Properties.
2In the Word Document Settings dialog box, select File Update Settings tab.
3On the left column, select the files in which you want to preserve changes during update and click OK.
Set alert when editing generated topics
You can set RoboHelp to alert you when you make changes to topics generated from linked documents. When you
save the changes to such topics, RoboHelp alerts you that the changes would be lost when the linked documents are
updated.
1Select Tools > Options.
2In the General tab, select Show Alert On Modification Of Auto Generated Topics From Linked Documents and
click OK.
Mark topic edits for preservation
If you enabled the alerts when saving changes to generated topics, you can mark the topic edits for preservation during
an update. Topics marked for preservation during updates are automatically added to the list of preserved topics in the
File Update Settings dialog box.
1Edit a generated topic and save the changes.
2In the alert message that appears, select Preserve Modifications To This File and click OK.
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Delete a generated topic
When you delete a generated topic, you have two options. You can regenerate the deleted topic when you update the
linked Word document or completely remove the deleted topic from your project. By default, RoboHelp regenerates
the deleted topic when you update the Word document.
1In the Project Manager pod, expand the linked Word document to display the topics generated from it.
2Right-click the topic that you want to delete, and select Delete.
3Do one of the following:
•Click OK to delete the topic from the project permanently. The deleted topic is not regenerated when you update
the Word document.
•Select Generate This File On Next Update and click OK to delete the topic. When you update the Word
document, the deleted topic is generated again.
Regenerate a deleted topic
If you delete a topic generated from a linked Word document, the topic is removed from the project. However, you
can regenerate topics deleted from a linked document.
1Right-click the linked Word document in the Project Manager pod and select Properties.
2In the Word Document Settings dialog box, select File Update Settings tab.
3On the right column, select the deleted files that you want to retrieve and click OK.
4Update the Word document.
Edit a linked Word document
You can edit linked Word documents directly in Microsoft Word.
1Right-click a document and select Edit.
2Edit the Word document in Microsoft Word.
3Click Save. The modified Word document now appears in the Project Manager pod with a different icon. This icon
indicates that the source content is now out of sync with the topics generated from the linked Word document.
Note: Force an update of the document after you edit the source in Microsoft Word.
Delete a linked Word document
You can directly delete documents linked by copy from the Project Files folder, and you can delete the references of
the documents linked by reference.
❖Right-click a document and select Delete.
When you delete a linked file, all its associated documents, such as CSS, images, baggage files, and multimedia files,
are also deleted.
Notes:
•If a referenced file is moved to a different location, its icon changes. You can restore the link to the Word document
by pointing to its new location.
•Do not rename files generated after linking a Word document.
•You cannot drag the generated topics outside the parent Microsoft Word document folder to some other location
in the Project Manager pod.
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Restore a link to a missing or renamed Word document
If any of the linked Word documents are moved or renamed, RoboHelp displays a missing link icon for the linked
document in the Project Manager pod. You can restore the link to a moved or renamed file and have all the topics
already generated from the document retained in the project.
1In the Project Manager pod, right-click the Word document that has the missing link icon.
2Select Restore Link To Word File, and browse to select the new location of the missing file.
Word conversion settings
You can create a standard set of conversion settings for importing Word content into RoboHelp projects and then use
these settings consistently across multiple projects.
You define these settings once. For subsequent projects, import these settings to the project. In this way, you can
quickly set up the project environment and publish Word content in several online formats.
These settings include:
•Cascading style sheets (CSS) for RoboHelp projects
•Style mapping between Word styles and RoboHelp styles
•Style conversion and other settings
Export conversion settings
1Select File > Project Settings.
2On the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Export.
3Specify a name for the RoboHelp Import Settings file (ISF) and click Save.
Import conversion settings to a project
1Select File > Project Settings.
2On the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Browse.
3Select a RoboHelp Import Settings File (ISF). Click Open.
Word document components converted to RoboHelp
RoboHelp converts most of the Word components when you link or import Word documents. The following tables
list the major Word document components and show how they are converted in RoboHelp.
Word document component
TOC Converted, if selected. See “Importing a Word TOC, index, and glossary” on page 54.
Index Converted, if selected. See “Importing a Word TOC, index, and glossary” on page 54.
Glossary You can create a Glossary in RoboHelp from selected paragraph styles in Word. See “Importing a Word TOC,
index, and glossary” on page 54.
Equations
Equations Ignored when importing the document into RoboHelp.
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Import FrameMaker documents
FrameMaker and RoboHelp together provide an end-to-end authoring and publishing workflow. This integration lets
you exchange content and publish a variety of output formats such as PDF, online Help, and Help based on Adobe AIR.
Note: If you are using Adobe Technical Communication Suite, you can link FrameMaker documents to your RoboHelp
projects. For more information, see Using FrameMaker with RoboHelp.
Optimizing for online output before conversion
If your authoring process in FrameMaker is optimized for print output, consider the following before linking or
importing FrameMaker documents into RoboHelp projects.
Heading formats Determine the best mapping of FrameMaker heading formats to RoboHelp styles. FrameMaker
documents define various heading formats specifically for print documentation. Among these formats are side heads
and heading styles that start on a new page. These formats don’t apply to online formats. You generally map these
heading styles to a few standard styles in the RoboHelp project.
Markers
Cross-references, hypertext,
URLs
Cross References are converted to hypertext links if the Convert References to hyperlinks option is enabled
in RoboHelp when importing a Word document. Else, the Cross References are imported as plain
text.Unresolved cross-references and hypertext entries appear as text in online Help.
URLs become live hypertext links in the online Help output.
See “Convert Word references to hyperlinks” on page 58.
Context-sensitive Help markers Converted into map IDs in RoboHelp. See “Convert context-sensitive Help markers in Word to map IDs” on
page 59.
Formats
Paragraph formats Converted. You can map Microsoft Word paragraph formats to RoboHelp styles or import the source
formatting. See “Convert Word paragraph styles to RoboHelp styles” on page 56.
Character formats Converted. You can map Microsoft Word character formats to RoboHelp styles or import the source
formatting. See “Convert Word character styles to RoboHelp styles” on page 56.
Table formats Converted. You can map Microsoft Word table formats to RoboHelp styles or import the source formatting.
See “Convert Word table styles to RoboHelp table styles” on page 57.
Lists Converted according to the settings you define. See “List mapping” on page 57.
Page layouts
Page layout, size, and Word
pagination
Ignored. These elements are not applicable to online Help.
Headers/footers Converted. See “Convert headers and footers in Word documents” on page 55.
Images
Images Converted. PNG images are imported as is if the Allow PNG as a graphicsformat option is selected in
Microsoft Word Web Options. All other images are converted to gif or jpg.
Drawings Converted to images.
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Page layout settings Often FrameMaker chapter templates specify an even number of pages so that new chapters
begin on a recto (right) page. For online Help, ignore these pagination considerations.
Headers and footers RoboHelp ignores headers and footers during conversion, including legal text such as
“Confidential” and copyright lines. Include such text in the headers and footers in a separate step, after conversion.
Similarly, in RoboHelp, re-create watermark text or images that you used in the printed documentation. Use the
master page feature in RoboHelp to make these changes.
Navigation In print, cross-references specify page numbers which are irrelevant in Help. You can map cross-reference
formats in FrameMaker to a format without the chapter and page number. Converting to online Help removes chapter
and section titles in headers and footers. You can enhance navigability by using breadcrumbs, back and next buttons,
and a defined browse sequence instead.
Redundant content To provide context in different sections of a printed document, writers generally add redundant
information such as brief summaries of concepts covered previously. Because online Help is a random-access,
nonlinear medium, it requires less redundant content. Use cross-references and conditional text options to minimize
redundant content in your outputs.
Chapter versus topic Printed documentation requires you to segregate content into self-contained chapters, which
allow readers to logically and physically separate content. Online Help segregates content at topic level, accessed one
topic at a time. Although you can group the content within chapters into folders that expand when a user navigates the
table of contents, only one topic appears at a time. In this case, try to provide comprehensive information without
adding redundancy by chunking related topics together.
Context sensitivity Online Help formats allow you to link specific topics to related content within the application
workflow. Although you can assign map IDs to topics in RoboHelp, you can also assign context-sensitive Help markers
in FrameMaker documents. RoboHelp reads these markers and assigns the map IDs to the generated topics. Ensure
that sufficient information is contained in the topics that are created from FrameMaker.
For example, a short procedure as a stand-alone topic does not provide the conceptual information for the reader. To
avoid creating topics with incomplete information, assign context-sensitive Help markers to topics at a higher level, so
that the generated Help topic contains the concept, procedure, and any relevant graphics.
Preparing FrameMaker documents for conversion to Help
If the FrameMaker document that you are importing is an unstructured FrameMaker book, you can define a single
FrameMaker template for the conversion. You can then specify this template as the project template that overrides the
formats of individual documents at the RoboHelp project level. You can also reuse the conversion settings across other
projects by exporting the conversion settings.
Carefully examine the FrameMaker templates before importing the documents into RoboHelp, such as when you use
a general-purpose FrameMaker template. If this template contains formats that aren’t used in the book, omit those
formats in the template you use for the conversion.
1Create a FrameMaker template that contains the formats you need in Help. Alternatively, customize the
FrameMaker template. You don’t have to apply the template manually. You can set RoboHelp to apply a selected
template to FrameMaker files before they are linked or imported to RoboHelp.
In Structured FrameMaker, the element definition document (EDD) or the DTD used in the structured
FrameMaker template automatically controls formatting. Because structured FrameMaker enforces a valid
structure and format, structured documents do not contain format overrides.
2Apply context-sensitive Help markers to the required topics. See “Convert context-sensitive Help markers from
FrameMaker documents” on page 76.
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3Enclose graphics, callouts, and graphic or text frames you created with FrameMaker graphic tools into anchored
frames. RoboHelp imports only those FrameMaker graphics that are enclosed in anchored frames. By default, when
you import graphics and multimedia files into a FrameMaker document, these are placed in anchored frames. On
the other hand, if your FrameMaker document contains graphics that are placed in graphic frames, you should
place these into anchored frames before linking or importing the FrameMaker files into RoboHelp.
Note: If the offset for an image in the FrameMaker file is set to a negative value, the image can be partly hidden in the
HTML. Change the value before importing.
4To maintain the original quality of images, insert them in FrameMaker documents by Reference. RoboHelp copies
the referenced images directly from the source if the complete image is visible inside the anchored frame. Similarly,
if the images are large, insert them in the source document by reference.
5Fix any issues in the document such as unresolved cross-references, missing fonts, and irregular numbering issues.
See FrameMaker Help for more information.
6Set up alternate text or captions for the images and graphics to create accessible online content. See “Create
alternate text for images” on page 82.
7Apply conditional text settings in FrameMaker documents. See FrameMaker Help.
8Edit the FrameMaker TOC reference pages to have indented hierarchical headings with different styles. See
“Convert a FrameMaker TOC” on page 70.
Importing FrameMaker documents
The RoboHelp workflow for linking or importing FrameMaker documents allows you to do the following:
•Create a RoboHelp project by importing a FrameMaker book. You can import BOOK or BK files.
•Import FrameMaker documents into a RoboHelp project. You can import FM files, or MIF files that are authored
in FrameMaker. XML files that are part of a FrameMaker book can be imported.
Before you import FrameMaker documents, check them in FrameMaker for errors such as unresolved cross-references
and format overrides. See Prepare FrameMaker documents for conversion to Help.
Create a RoboHelp project by importing FrameMaker books or documents
You can create a RoboHelp project by importing FrameMaker books or documents. Importing these files requires that
FrameMaker 8 or later installed is in your computer.
1On the RoboHelp Starter page, click More under Import or select File > New > Project.
2On the Import tab of the New Project dialog box, select FrameMaker Document and click OK.
3Select the FrameMaker book or document (BOOK, BK, FM, MIF, FRM) from the Files Of Type pop-up menu,
browse to select the FrameMaker book, and click Open.
Note: Use the above procedure to create a new project from scratch and import FrameMaker content in the new project.
However, linking of FrameMaker documents is not allowed in this case.
Import a FrameMaker book into a new RoboHelp project
1Create a project in RoboHelp.
2Select File > Import > FrameMaker Document.
3Select FrameMaker book (BOOK) from the Files Of Type pop-up menu.
4Browse to select the FrameMaker book file and click Open.
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If you are importing a FrameMaker document, you can select the components that you want to import from the
Import Wizard that appears. You can select the TOC, index, and glossary, and specify the conversion settings.
Note: Use the above procedure if you already have a project with some content, and wish to import FrameMaker content.
Linking of FrameMaker document is allowed in this case.
Import FrameMaker documents into an existing RoboHelp project
1Select File > Import > FrameMaker document.
2Select the FrameMaker document type that you want to import.
3Select the documents and click Open.
FrameMaker document components converted to RoboHelp
RoboHelp converts most of the FrameMaker components when you link or import FrameMaker documents. The
following tables list the major FrameMaker document components and show how they are converted in RoboHelp.
FrameMaker files
Book files Documents contained within the book are converted (FM, XML, MIF, HTM, and HTML files). XHTML files that
are included in the FrameMaker book must be valid XHTML. Validate the XHTML in FrameMaker itself. All
other files in the FrameMaker book are ignored. Child books, folders, and groups in FrameMaker 9 books are
converted and appear as folders in the RoboHelp projects. See “Hierarchical structure in a FrameMaker 9
book” on page 73.
TOC Converted, if selected. See “Convert a FrameMaker TOC” on page 70.
Text insets Text insets in the FrameMaker documents are considered part of the FrameMaker document itself and are
inserted as text in the RoboHelp topic. Once inserted, the content cannot be edited as a text inset in
FrameMaker but can only be edited as text within Robohelp.
Index and glossary Index and glossary files generated in the FrameMaker book are not converted. Instead, the index markers
and glossary markers in the imported FrameMaker documents are converted if selected. See “Import
FrameMaker index entries” on page 71 and “Import glossary definitions” on page 71.
Variables and conditional
text
Variables Converted. User-defined variables in FrameMaker are converted as such in RoboHelp and can be redefined.
Apply relevant conditional text tags to suppress variables that shouldn’t appear in online format. For
example, you can suppress the Table Continuation variable in table headers for tables that break across
pages in the FrameMaker documents.
Conditional tags Converted as RoboHelp conditional build tags. See “Conditional text” on page 219.
Equations Convert equations to images and insert them in the RoboHelp topics after conversion.
Markers
Cross-references, hypertext,
URLs
Converted to hypertext links. You can map the cross-reference formats in RoboHelp so that you can remove
the volume, chapter, and page references that are not relevant in online format. Unresolved cross-references
and hypertext entries appear as text in online Help. URLs become live hypertext links in the online Help
output. See “Convert FrameMaker cross-reference formats to RoboHelp styles” on page 74.
Index and glossary markers Converted to an index and glossary when creating project. See “Import FrameMaker index entries” on
page 71 and “Import glossary definitions” on page 71.
Topic name markers Converted if you select this option in the project conversion settings. Use topic name markers to create topic
titles and topic filenames from the marker text. See “Pagination for Help” on page 75.
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Context-sensitive Help markers Converted if you select this option in the project conversion settings. Use Context Sensitive Help Makers in
FrameMaker to specify text in FrameMaker document for generating Context Sensitive Help. See “Pagination
for Help” on page 75.
Custom markers Converted. You can use these markers for delineating topics from FrameMaker source, or to pass processing
instructions to RoboHelp for images and tables.
Formats
Paragraph formats Converted. You can map FrameMaker paragraph formats to RoboHelp styles or import the source
formatting. See “Convert FrameMaker paragraph formats to RoboHelp styles” on page 77
Character formats Converted. You can map FrameMaker character formats to RoboHelp styles or import the source formatting.
See “Convert FrameMaker character formats to RoboHelp styles” on page 77.
Table formats Converted. You can map FrameMaker table formats to RoboHelp styles or import the source formatting. See
“Convert FrameMaker table formats to RoboHelp table styles” on page 80.
Footnote properties and table
footnotes
Converted. Because table title and table footnotes are paragraph formats in FrameMaker, you specify
conversion settings for these paragraph formats separately.
Lists Converted according to the settings you define. See “List-mapping scenarios” on page 79
Page layouts
Master pages FrameMaker master pages are ignored. Master pages are used for layout, borders, and page numbers in
FrameMaker, so they are not applicable to online Help. RoboHelp provides master page support for
breadcrumbs, mini-TOCs, and headers and footers that can be selected when you publish a single source
layout.
Reference pages Ignored. However, you can use the advanced scripting support in RoboHelp to convert images and graphics
placed in the reference pages that are associated with paragraph formats.
Page layout, size, and
pagination
Ignored. These elements are not applicable to online Help. See “Pagination for Help” on page 75.
Headers/footers Ignored. Headers and footers in FrameMaker usually contain chapter names, chapter numbers, and page
numbers, which are not applicable in online formats. After you generate topics in RoboHelp, you can create
headers and footers in RoboHelp that allow you to place information at the top and bottom of topics.
Rotated text Converted to text, such as in table cells. (Rotated text is not supported in HTML).
Images and anchored frames
Images Only converted if they are inside anchored frames. If the images are not in anchored frames, reinsert them
after you have imported the FrameMaker files. By default, FrameMaker places the imported and linked
images in anchored frames, so they are converted. However, images placed in graphic frames are not
converted. If images contained in anchored frames are missing, RoboHelp creates blank images with the
filename in a sequential manner. See “Image conversion settings” on page 80.
Drawings Drawings created within anchored frames are converted to images. You can define the image conversion
settings. See “Image conversion settings” on page 80.
Anchored frames Converted to images. See “Image conversion settings” on page 80.
ALT text on images and
anchored frames
Converted. If no ALT text is provided in the FrameMaker document for images RoboHelp applies the
filename of the converted images as the ALT text. See “Create alternate text for images” on page 82.
Text frames, graphic frames,
and images inside anchored
frames
Anchored frames and their content convert to images. All content within an anchored frame, including text
frames, multiple images, and callouts convert to a single image. RoboHelp inserts the filename of the created
image as the ALT text if no ALT text is defined for the anchored frame.
Equations Enclose equations in anchored frames so that they are converted to images when RoboHelp converts them.
See FrameMaker Help.
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Conversion basics
Convert a FrameMaker TOC
When you import a FrameMaker book to a RoboHelp project, you can also import the table of contents (TOC). Import
the TOC into the RoboHelp project to retain the navigation structure you defined in the FrameMaker book.
1Select File > Import > FrameMaker Document.
2In the Content Settings dialog box, select Convert FrameMaker Table Of Contents, and browse to select the
FrameMaker TOC file.
3Select one of the following options:
Add To Existing TOC Appends the TOC entries to any existing RoboHelp TOC in the project. Select an existing
RoboHelp TOC from the list.
Create New Associated TOC Enter a name for a new associated TOC that is added to the RoboHelp project.
Styles in the FrameMaker TOC determine which TOC items become books, sub-books, or pages. The most important
element in determining the level is the leftmost indent, followed by the font size and font weight. TOC entries that have
indented items under them become books in the RoboHelp TOC. If all the TOC entries have the same indention, font
size, and weight, the TOC in RoboHelp appears flat.
•To make a heading a main book, include indented heading levels beneath that heading, or use smaller fonts or no
bold for the subsumed headings.
•To make a heading a sub-book, place the heading under a main heading. Then include indented heading levels
beneath the sub-book heading, or use smaller fonts or no bold for the subsumed headings.
•To make a heading a page, don’t include any heading levels beneath that heading. Indent the page heading, or use
smaller fonts or no bold.
Differences between FrameMaker and RoboHelp TOCs
You can either import the FrameMaker TOC or automatically create a TOC in RoboHelp from generated topics.
•In FrameMaker, the TOC is generated according to the heading styles that you include in the TOC. In RoboHelp,
the TOC is generated according to the topic titles. If you use topic name markers in FrameMaker to name the topics
when you import FrameMaker documents, filenames in RoboHelp differ from the topic titles.
•Autocreating a TOC for a FrameMaker 9 book can create multiple layers of content because of the folder structure
in a FrameMaker 9 book.
•In RoboHelp, you can place a TOC placeholder in another TOC, thus allowing you to create nested TOCs.
Structured FrameMaker
components
XML files in book Converted like FrameMaker documents.
XHTML files in book Converted like FrameMaker documents.
Content references Text or files inserted into FrameMaker documents as content references appear as part of the topics where
they appear. They do not appear as references in the online Help outputs. See “Content reference” on
page 74.
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Import FrameMaker index entries
RoboHelp creates an index based on the index markers in the document you are importing. However, the index file
generated in the FrameMaker book is not imported into the RoboHelp project.
1Select File > Import > FrameMaker Document and select the FrameMaker book or document.
2Select Convert Index in the Content Settings dialog box, and select one of the following options:
Add To Existing Index Add the FrameMaker index entries to the existing RoboHelp index of the project.
Create New Associated Index Enter a name for a new associated index that is added to the RoboHelp project.
Add To Topic Add the FrameMaker index entries to individual topics in which they appear.
Note: RoboHelp does not have any Project Level setting related to Index type. Index entries can be present in a Project
Index or Topic. FrameMaker linking allows you to select the Index type from the various possible options related to
Indexing. When output is generated from RoboHelp, the index entries present in the topic and the index entries present
in the selected (in SSL layout) Index are placed in the output.
Import glossary definitions
RoboHelp creates a glossary based on glossary markers in the document you are importing. The text inside the glossary
marker is the glossary term, and the paragraph text that contains the marker is the definition.
1Select File > Import > FrameMaker Document and select the FrameMaker book or document.
2Select Convert Glossary in the Content Settings dialog box, and select one of the following options:
Add To Existing Glossary Add the FrameMaker glossary to the RoboHelp glossary of the project. You can select the
glossary from the list.
Create New Associated Glossary Enter a name for a new associated glossary in the RoboHelp project.
Apply conditions from a Ditaval file
While importing a FrameMaker DITA map, you can apply a Ditaval file. RoboHelp processes the conditions specified
in the Ditaval file to filter content for import.
1Select File > Import > FrameMaker Document and select the FrameMaker DITA map.
2Select the .ditaval file to apply and click Open.
Converting FrameMaker formats to RoboHelp styles
You can define how the FrameMaker formats are converted to RoboHelp styles at the project level. All FrameMaker
format definitions in the FrameMaker document appear in the Conversion Settings dialog box, even if they aren’t used.
You specify the following:
•FrameMaker template used for conversion. This step is optional.
•RoboHelp style sheet for style mapping.
Select a FrameMaker template for conversion
If the FrameMaker document that you are importing is an unstructured FrameMaker book, you can define a single
FrameMaker template for conversion. For example, suppose the documentation set contains a Getting Started Guide,
Installation Guide, User Guide, and an Administration Guide. These documents can have different page layouts and
formats in print, none of which is relevant for online output. In such cases, you can define one template that contains
format definitions for all documents you want to convert.
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You can then specify this template as the project template, which overrides the formats of individual documents at the
RoboHelp project level. You can also reuse the conversion settings across other projects by exporting the conversion
settings.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2Click the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box. Select Apply FrameMaker Template Before Import.
3Click Browse to select the FrameMaker template you want to use for the project.
Select the CSS for style mapping
You can select the cascading style sheet (CSS) that RoboHelp uses to map the FrameMaker formats to RoboHelp styles.
By default, RoboHelp uses the RHStyleMapping.css file for the project. You can also use a custom CSS. You can later
edit the styles either in RoboHelp or in an external CSS editing application such as Adobe® Dreamweaver®.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2Click the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box. Do one of the following:
•Select the CSS file from the CSS For Style Mapping menu.
•Click Add next to the CSS for Style Mapping pop-up menu, and select a CSS file.
Use this option to specify a custom CSS for the project. When you select this option, RoboHelp copies the
selected CSS file into the root folder of the project, and uses the selected CSS for style mapping.
Upgrading from RoboHelp 7 to RoboHelp 9
RoboHelp 7 allowed document-level conversion settings for the FrameMaker documents that you added to a
RoboHelp project. With RoboHelp 8, the conversion settings are applied project-wide, allowing you to have a
consistent set of conversion parameters. If you are opening a RoboHelp 7 project that had FrameMaker documents
added by reference or by copy, you can retain the document-specific settings defined in the RoboHelp 7 project.
When you upgrade a RoboHelp 7 project to RoboHelp 9, you can either retain the earlier document-level settings or
convert to the project-level settings supported in RoboHelp 9. After you upgrade your project, you cannot open the
project in RoboHelp 7.
You can add or remove documents to an upgraded project with the document-level conversion settings. You can
define document-level conversion settings for the newly added FrameMaker documents also. This option allows you
to retain the RoboHelp 7 behavior for your upgraded project. However, to take advantage of the enhanced features of
RoboHelp 9 and its integration with FrameMaker, you should upgrade the project completely. For example, RoboHelp
7 provided limited mapping options for autonumbering and list styles. On the other hand, RoboHelp 8 allows you to
map complex autonumber formats and multilevel list styles to RoboHelp styles or HTML lists. In RoboHelp 9, list and
table import is further enhanced.
Note: You can discard the document-level settings any time, even if you choose to retain them at the time of upgrading.
However, discarding the document-level settings is irreversible.
Retain or discard RoboHelp 7 settings when upgrading
To retain the document-level settings for converting FrameMaker content into your RoboHelp project, you override
the project-level settings of the converted project with the document-level settings inherited from the RoboHelp 7
project. By default, RoboHelp allows you to retain the document-level settings by overriding the project-level settings.
1Open the RoboHelp 7 project in RoboHelp 9.
2Select File > Project Settings.
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3In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, do one of the following:
•To retain the document-level settings in the upgraded project, select the Override Project Settings At Document
Level option. This is the default behavior.
•To discard the document-level settings and use project-level settings, deselect the Override Project Settings At
Document Level option.
Edit document-level conversion settings
If you retain the document-level settings that override the project-level settings for a project converted from an earlier
version of RoboHelp, you can edit these settings.
1In the Project Manager pod, right-click the added FrameMaker document and select Properties.
2In the FrameMaker Document Settings dialog box, select the Conversion Settings tab, and set the following.
Apply FrameMaker Conditional Text Build Expression Select to apply conditional text settings before converting
the added FrameMaker document.
Convert AutoNumber To HTML List Select to convert the FrameMaker autonumbering to HTML lists in the
converted HTML topics.
Context-Sensitive Help Marker Specify the context-sensitive Help marker that RoboHelp should use for generating
context-sensitive Help.
User-Defined HTML Tag Select the user-defined HTML tag that you want to use instead of the standard <p> tags in
the generated topics.
Note: To select FrameMaker formats on which the user-defined tag must be applied, select the FrameMaker formats
from the Project Settings dialog box.
Topic Name Pattern Specify the topic name pattern for topics generated from the added FrameMaker document.
FrameMaker Styles For Pagination Specify the list of FrameMaker paragraph formats on which pagination for
online Help topics should be done. You specify the FrameMaker paragraph formats separated by commas.
Note: Pagination is based on FrameMaker paragraph formats.
Hierarchical structure in a FrameMaker 9 book
With FrameMaker 9, you can enforce a hierarchical structure and grouping within the book. You can also include child
books within a book, and create folders and groups within a book.
When you link or import a FrameMaker 9 book, the Project Manager pod in RoboHelp shows the FrameMaker book’s
hierarchy. When linked or imported into RoboHelp, child books inherit the TOC, index, and glossary from the parent
book. See FrameMaker 9 Help for more information.
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Hierarchy of FrameMaker book reflected in the Project Manager pod when you link a FrameMaker book into RoboHelp
Convert FrameMaker cross-reference formats to RoboHelp styles
By default, all cross-reference styles in the source document are used in the generated topics without mapping. Define
the mapping of these formats because FrameMaker documents can contain page and volume references in cross-
references that are not relevant to Help formats.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under FrameMaker Document.
3Select a cross-reference format from the Cross Reference group in the Conversion Settings dialog box.
4Select a RoboHelp style to map to it, or type the RoboHelp style field to redefine the cross-references in the
FrameMaker document.
5Double-click a building block to append it to the RoboHelp cross-reference definition.
Content reference
Text or files that you have inserted into the FrameMaker documents as content references appear as part of the topics
where they are referenced. They do not appear as references in the online Help outputs. See FrameMaker Help for more
information.
Conversion settings
RoboHelp allows you to define project-wide settings for each source type. For all FrameMaker documents, you define
the conversion settings only once. Similarly, the conversion settings of Microsoft Word documents remain the same
for imported Word documents.
Project-wide conversion settings promote consistency not just in your project but across multiple projects. You can
quickly set up a RoboHelp project without having to define individual conversion settings for paragraphs, tables,
images, and so on.
These settings include:
•Defining a FrameMaker template
•Cascading style sheets (CSS) for RoboHelp projects
•Style mapping between FrameMaker formats and RoboHelp styles
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•Format conversion settings, image conversion settings, and other settings
Export conversion settings
1Select File > Project Settings.
2On the Import tab, click Export.
3Specify a name for the RoboHelp Import Settings file (ISF file) and click Save.
Import conversion settings to a project
1Select File > Project Settings.
2On the Import tab, click Browse.
3Select a RoboHelp Import Settings File (ISF file) and click Open.
Pagination for Help
When you link or import a FrameMaker document, you define how the contents of the FrameMaker file are presented
as topics in RoboHelp. For example, if the FrameMaker file contains ten topics, with each topic containing subtopics,
tasks, and tables, you can set each topic to appear as separate HTML files. If each of these topic headings is at Heading
1 format, you can set each Heading 1 topic to be created as a separate HTML topic. On the other hand, if you set the
pagination at Heading 2, separate HTML files are created for each Heading 2 topic.
Even though you can set pagination for any FrameMaker paragraph format, follow these guidelines:
Completeness of content in the topic Ensure that the topic generated contains relevant and complete information for
the reader. For example, if you set pagination for Heading 3 level paragraph, it is possible that the topic contains only
the task information, without the required contextual information that is covered in another Heading 3 level topic. To
avoid such disconnected topics, set the pagination at a higher level so that complete information is available in a single
Help topic.
Drop-down text Ensure that the paragraph format for the drop-down text body is not set for pagination. The
paragraphs applied with this format must accompany the drop-down text caption paragraph format. See “Optimizing
for online output before conversion” on page 65.
Topic name pattern
When you set heading styles for pagination, the heading text becomes the default filename for the topic file created in
RoboHelp. For example, suppose you define Heading 2 for pagination, and the FrameMaker document has two
Heading 2 topics, “Introduction” and “Beyond basics.” In this case, RoboHelp creates the topics introduction.htm and
beyond_basics.htm. Thus, you get intuitively named HTML files that indicate the topic title. In addition to this default
scheme, you can define other naming conventions. If the filenames use sequential numbering, such as
helptopic001.html and helptopic002.html, you can define the pattern for such conventions.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under FrameMaker document.
3In the Other Settings tab, select one of the following:
Topic Name Pattern Topics are named according to the selected pattern. You can select one of the following or
create a topic name pattern using the Topic Name Pattern building blocks provided by RoboHelp. In addition, you
can add standard static text, such as “HelpTopic,” followed by sequential number as the topic name pattern.
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Topic Name Marker Topics are named after the marker applied in the FrameMaker document. Ideally, you specify
the topic name as the marker text, so that topic names reflect their content. If you select this option, the pagination
settings applied on the Paragraph Styles pane are ignored. Use this option to precisely control the creation of
separate Help topics from the FrameMaker documents.
For example, suppose you define the topic name marker "OnlineHelp" in FrameMaker. You can apply this marker
to all paragraphs that begin a new Help topic. To gain maximum flexibility in defining topic titles and topic file
names, you can enter the file name and the topic title separate by the pipe symbol (|) as the marker text for each
entry in FrameMaker.
Convert context-sensitive Help markers from FrameMaker documents
You can convert the context-sensitive Help markers that you insert in your FrameMaker documents and reuse them
as map IDs. You specify the context-sensitive Help marker in the Project Settings dialog box before linking
FrameMaker documents. You can also specify this setting when you import FrameMaker documents. You can work
with context-sensitive Help markers in FrameMaker documents in two ways:
Automatic conversion of map IDs from FrameMaker documents You apply context-sensitive Help markers in your
FrameMaker documents, and specify the marker type in the conversion settings. RoboHelp imports the markers from
FrameMaker documents and adds the map IDs from the strings contained in the context-sensitive Help markers.
Manually adding a map ID file If you received map IDs from your development team, you use these map IDs as the
context-sensitive Help marker text strings for the marker to be used as context-sensitive Help marker in your
FrameMaker documents. Later, you create a map ID file by associating the map IDs from the development team and
the context-sensitive Help marker text you inserted in the FrameMaker documents. You then add this file to the
project. When you link or import the FrameMaker documents, you specify the context-sensitive Help marker in the
conversion settings.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under FrameMaker Document.
3In the Other Settings group of the Conversion Settings dialog box, enter the Context-Sensitive Help Marker.
Building block Converted topic name pattern
default HTML topic generated has the filename consisting of the paragraph text.
<$filename_no_ext>-<$paratext> HTML topic generated has the filename consisting of the filename of the FrameMaker
document without the .fm extension and the topic title, separated by a hyphen. For
example, the FrameMaker document named “Chapter.fm” with "1-Introduction" as
paragraph text is converted to an HTML topic with the filename "Chapter-1-
Introduction.htm”
<$filename_no_ext>-<n> HTML topic generated has the filename consisting of the filename of the FrameMaker
document without the .fm extension and the paragraph number separated by a hyphen.
For example, the FrameMaker document "Chapter.fm" is converted to an HTML topic with
the filename "Chapter-1.htm"
<$paratext_no_num> HTML topic generated has the filename consisting of the paragraph text of the paragraph
format at which pagination is set, without the paragraph number. For example, a heading
1 paragraph "1. Introduction" is converted to an HTML topic with the filename
"Introduction.htm"
<$paratext> HTML topic generated has the filename consisting of the paragraph text of the paragraph
format on which pagination is set. For example, a heading 1 paragraph "Introduction" is
converted to an HTML topic with the filename "Introduction.htm"
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Apply FrameMaker conditional text build expressions
You can apply the Show/Hide settings of the conditional text build expressions to the content in your FrameMaker
documents imported into RoboHelp projects. RoboHelp imports the content after applying the Show/Hide settings to
the FrameMaker content. Any text that is hidden is not brought into RoboHelp project.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under FrameMaker Document.
3In the Other Settings group of the Conversion Settings dialog box, select Apply FrameMaker Conditional Text
Build Expression.
Converting FrameMaker content
Convert FrameMaker paragraph formats to RoboHelp styles
By default, RoboHelp converts all paragraph formats from FrameMaker to RoboHelp CSS styles, thus retaining the
appearance and behavior of the FrameMaker formats in the RoboHelp project. To ensure consistency of the online
Help projects, map the FrameMaker formats to RoboHelp styles and edit them.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under FrameMaker Document.
3On the Conversion Settings panel, select the FrameMaker format from the Paragraph group.
4From the RoboHelp Style menu, select the RoboHelp style that you want to map to the FrameMaker format. To
retain the appearance of FrameMaker text in the online Help format, select [Source].
To edit the selected RoboHelp style, click Edit Style. See “Styles and style sheets” on page 155.
5Select the properties for the mapped RoboHelp style:
Exclude From Output Select to discard the content in FrameMaker document that is applied with the selected
FrameMaker paragraph format.
Pagination (Split into topics based on this style) Select to create a Help topic at each occurrence for the selected
FrameMaker paragraph format. For example, if you select Heading 1 and Pagination (Split into topics based on this
style), RoboHelp starts a new topic at every instance of Heading 1.
User Defined HTML Tag Select or enter a user-defined HTML tag for the selected paragraph format.
If the selected FrameMaker format has auto numbering properties defined, specify how auto numbering is
converted.
More Help topics
“Custom HTML tags” on page 78
“Autonumber style mapping” on page 78
Convert FrameMaker character formats to RoboHelp styles
You can map the FrameMaker character formats to character styles in RoboHelp.
You can also edit the styles in RoboHelp.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under FrameMaker Document.
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3Select the FrameMaker character format from the left pane of the Conversion Settings dialog box.
4Select the RoboHelp character style from the pop-up menu. Optionally, you can do the following:
•To import the FrameMaker character format, select [Source] from the pop-up menu.;
•To edit the selected RoboHelp style, click Edit Style.
•To exclude the text in the FrameMaker document applied with the selected character format, select Exclude
From Output.
•To apply a user-defined HTML tag to the imported text in HTML output, select User Defined HTML Tag, and
select the tag from the pop-up menu. You can also enter a new HTML tag. The custom HTML tag for the
character format replaces the <span> tag in the generated HTML file.
Exclude a FrameMaker paragraph format from Help topics
You can exclude the content in FrameMaker documents that has a specified paragraph format from the converted
output. Use this option to remove content such as special notices that are not required in online output.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under FrameMaker Document.
3In the project settings, select a FrameMaker paragraph format in the left pane.
4Click Exclude From Output.
Custom HTML tags
You can define or apply a custom HTML tag instead of the standard <p> tag for paragraph styles and <span> tag for
character styles in the HTML output for the formats that you import from FrameMaker. You can define separate
HTML tags for each format in the FrameMaker document.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under FrameMaker Document.
3In the Conversion Settings dialog box, select the user-defined HTML tag option.
4Type the name of the custom HTML tag or select an existing tag to use instead of the default HTML tag.
Autonumber style mapping
Choose the conversion setting for converting autonumber formats in the FrameMaker document to the Help format.
If the FrameMaker document contains hierarchical numbered lists, you can choose one of the following:
Ignore Autonumber Choose this option if the autonumber text is relevant only in print format. The converted
paragraph does not contain autonumbering. For example, suppose you ignore autonumbering for the FrameMaker
paragraph format "Section2 Level." In this case, "Section 1.1: System Requirements" in the source appears as "System
Requirements" in the RoboHelp topic generated.
Convert Autonumber To Text Choose this option to retain the appearance of the FrameMaker numbered lists. The
autonumber part loses its sequencing properties and appears as part of the paragraph text in RoboHelp topic.
Convert Autonumber To HTML List Choose this option to convert the autonumber to HTML lists using HTML tags
such as <ol>, <ul>, and <li>.
Convert Autonumber To RoboHelp List Choose this option if you want to edit the generated HTML topics in
RoboHelp or use the RoboHelp styles to control the numbering properties.
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List-mapping scenarios
RoboHelp allows you to convert list properties of FrameMaker paragraph formats in several ways. Consider the
following scenarios:
FrameMaker numbered list mapped to [Source]
The FrameMaker paragraph format autonumber property converts to a list according the autonumber conversion
settings you define for that FrameMaker paragraph format.
Ignore Autonumber The autonumber part of the FrameMaker paragraph format is ignored. The converted paragraph
style in the RoboHelp topic doesn't contain the list part.
Convert Autonumber To Text The autonumber part of the FrameMaker paragraph converts to text and appears as
paragraph text in the RoboHelp topic.
Convert Autonumber To HTML List Autonumber format converts to list items using HTML tags such as <ol>, <ul>,
and <li>.
Converted Autonumber To RoboHelp List Autonumber properties of the paragraph style convert to a RoboHelp list.
Example:
•Create a paragraph style "FM_Para1" in FrameMaker with autonumbering defined as <a+> and apply it to
paragraphs. The resulting paragraphs are ordered as "a, b, c, ...."
•Map the FrameMaker paragraph format "FM_Para1" to [Source].
Generated paragraphs in RoboHelp topics have the list style applied to them, where the list has properties similar to
those in the source document.
FrameMaker numbered list mapped to RoboHelp unnumbered style
You can map a FrameMaker paragraph format with autonumbering properties to a RoboHelp paragraph style that is
not linked to any list style. In this case, the autonumber is converted to a list according to the autonumber conversion
settings you define for the paragraph format.
Ignore Autonumber The FrameMaker paragraph autonumber is ignored and doesn't appear in the RoboHelp topic.
However, the paragraph style is mapped.
Convert Autonumber To Text The FrameMaker autonumber part is converted to text and appears as a part of
paragraph text in RoboHelp topic. The paragraph style is mapped.
Convert Autonumber To HTML List The FrameMaker paragraph format is converted to HTML list items using HTML
tags such as <ol>, <ul>, and <li>.
Convert Autonumber To RoboHelp List The autonumber properties of the FrameMaker paragraph format are
ignored. The paragraph style is mapped.
FrameMaker unnumbered format mapped to RoboHelp numbered style
In this case, the converted paragraph has the RoboHelp paragraph style and inherits the RoboHelp list style. The
Autonumber conversion options do not affect the paragraph behavior in the RoboHelp topic.
For example:
•In the FrameMaker document, create a paragraph format "FM_Para 1" without autonumber properties.
•Define a RoboHelp list style "RH_List1" in the RH style mapping CSS.
•Create a paragraph style "RH_Para1" and link the first level of list style "RH_List1" to the paragraph style
"RH_Para1".
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•Map the FrameMaker paragraph style "FM_Para1" to RoboHelp paragraph style "RH_Para1".
The generated paragraph in the RoboHelp topic inherits the properties of the list style "RH_List1".
FrameMaker numbered list mapped to RoboHelp numbered list
The converted paragraph style has the RoboHelp paragraph style and inherits the RoboHelp list style. The
Autonumber conversion options do not affect the paragraph behavior in the RoboHelp topic.
For example:
•In FrameMaker, create a paragraph format "FM_Para1" with autonumbering defined as <a+> and apply it to a
paragraph so that the paragraph has an ordered list such as "a, b, c, …."
•Define a numeric list style "RH_List1" in the RoboHelp style mapping CSS with the first level definition as <x>.
•In RoboHelp, define a paragraph style "RH_Para1" and link the first level of list style "RH_List1" to the paragraph
style "RH_Para1".
•Map the FrameMaker paragraph format "FM_Para1" to the RoboHelp paragraph style "RH_Para1".
The generated paragraph in the RoboHelp topic inherits the properties of list style "RH_List1" and displays a list of
type "1, 2, 3, ...."
Convert FrameMaker table formats to RoboHelp table styles
You can map FrameMaker table formats to RoboHelp table styles. Alternatively, you can import the table formats from
the FrameMaker document. You can also edit the table formats in RoboHelp. Cells in the FrameMaker document that
are merged (straddled) cannot be unmerged (unstraddled); however, the straddled cells appear merged in the
RoboHelp topic.
If the FrameMaker table formats contained table titles and table footnotes, convert these paragraph formats in
FrameMaker to RoboHelp paragraph styles separately. Decide whether you want to retain automatic numbering in the
table title styles and specify the autonumbering properties for the mapped RoboHelp paragraph style. For example, if
the table title formats in the FrameMaker documents included the chapter number, such as “Table 2-3: Quarterly
Results”, you can choose to ignore the autonumbering part and have only “Quarterly Results” appear as the table title.
See “List-mapping scenarios” on page 79.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2In the Import tab of the Project Settings dialog box, click Edit under FrameMaker Document.
3Select the FrameMaker table format from the left pane of the Conversion Settings dialog box.
4Select the RoboHelp table style from the pop-up menu and click OK. Optionally, to edit the table style in RoboHelp,
click Edit Style.
Image conversion settings
Some FrameMaker documents, especially those optimized for high-quality printing through PDF, contain images in
EPS format. Convert EPS images to web-supported image formats such as JPEG, GIF, or PNG for online Help.
You specify the following image conversion settings in the Conversion Settings dialog box:
Use PDF To Generate Images Select this option to generate web-friendly image formats from graphics linked and
inserted in FrameMaker documents. You should use this option especially if you have vector graphics formats, such
as EPS or AI, or graphics with text content in them.
Preserve 3D Images Select this option to convert the 3D graphics as a PDF file, with the 3D rendering intact within the
PDF file. To ensure that the 3D image retains its rendering, enable embedding in FrameMaker.
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Preferred Dimensions Specify the dimensions for the images. Select one of the following:
•Scale Scale images as a percentage of the existing size. The aspect ratio of the images is maintained.
•Width and Height Specify the absolute image size as Height and Width, in points. Select Maintain Aspect Ratio to
ensure that the images are not skewed.
Note: To convert the images in FrameMaker documents to the actual dimensions of the images, specify the height and
width as 0pt. The <img> tag for such images in the generated HTML does not have the height and width values. This
conversion is irrespective of the dimensions of the anchored frames that contained the images.
•Maximum Dimensions Set the maximum dimensions for images in online format. Images that exceed the
maximum dimensions you specify are automatically scaled down to fit the maximum size you specify. If you scale the
images and specify an aspect ratio, RoboHelp scales the images within the maximum dimensions specified and
maintains the aspect ratio.
Use this option to avoid large images causing the browser window to scroll horizontally or vertically. For example, if
you specify the window size to be 800 x 600 pixels, you can specify the maximum dimensions to be 640 x 480, so that
the images do not exceed the window size.
Margins Set the margins for the images:
•Set equal margins on all sides by setting the margin in All Sides.
•To set margins on individual sides, set the margins on each side.
Borders Set a border for the images:
•To set a uniform border on all sides, select All from the Border pop-up menu. Alternatively, you can specify the side
on which you want the border to appear from the pop-up menu.
•To set the border style, select the style from the Style pop-up menu.
•To set the border color, select the color from the Color pop-up menu.
•To set the border width, select it in, in points, from the Width menu.
Format Define the image format, color depth, and quality settings for the web-supported images that are converted
from the images in the FrameMaker document:
•As Is Select this option for retaining the images in the current web-supported format.
•JPG Select this option for multicolor images such as screenshots or photographs. JPG format with a high color
depth provides the best online quality, but increases the file size. Select this option for photographs.
•GIF Select this option if the FrameMaker document contains only line art, such as schematic diagrams.
•BMP Select this option for screenshots and other images. BMP files provide good quality at an increased file size.
•PNG Select this option for screenshots.
JPEG Quality Set the quality percentage for JPG images.
Color Bit Depth Set the color bit depth for bitmap images. JPG and PNG formats can have either 8- or 24-bit color
depth, while BMP images can be have color bit depths of 1, 4, 8, 16, 24, or 32. GIF images can have only 8-bit color
depth.
Grayscale Select this option if you want monochrome images.
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Preserve converted images
RoboHelp converts the images and anchored frames in the FrameMaker documents each time the topics are updated
or generated. You can skip updating the images if the corresponding images or SWF files from the corresponding
anchored frames are already present in the RoboHelp project. Use this option in the following cases:
•You want to avoid regenerating the images each time the FrameMaker document is updated
•You have edited the images in the RoboHelp project using another image-editing tool, and want to prevent
overwriting of the edited images
•You want to preserve the earlier generated image in the RoboHelp project even though the image in the
FrameMaker document has changed
If the order in which the images appear in the document or the image name has changed, you should clear this option
and allow RoboHelp to update the images.
❖In the Image tab of the Conversion Settings dialog box, select Do Not Re-Generate Images.
Create alternate text for images
To create accessible content, create alternate text (ALT text) for images so that visually impaired users can access the
content through screen readers. If you link or import completed FrameMaker books into RoboHelp for publication,
add alternate text to graphics used in the FrameMaker documents. These entries are not visible in PDF files, but they
appear in online content when the mouse hovers over the images. See FrameMaker Help to learn about setting
alternate text for graphics and images.
Import a DITA map file
You can import DITA map files or topics in RoboHelp to generate XHTML output. The DITA Open Toolkit processes
the information in the DITA map file and provides the XHTML output. RoboHelp reads the XHTML output to
generate the XHTML topics, TOC, and index. RoboHelp shows processing information of the DITA Open Toolkit in
the Output View pod.
Note: RoboHelp depends on the DITA Open Toolkit to process the DITA map content. RoboHelp does not correct any
errors generated by the DITA Open Toolkit. For example, if the DITA Open Toolkit does not generate XHTML 1.0
transitional compliant files, RoboHelp does not generate errors. Therefore, the XHTML topics generated from the import
of DITA map file do not contain the meta tag <meta name="generator" content="Adobe RoboHelp -
www.adobe.com" />
Note: The XHTML file must have well-formed XML.
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Import > DITA Map.
•Right-click the Project Files folder in the Project Manager pod. Select Import, and then select DITA Map as the
file type.
2Select a DITA map file. Click Open.
3In the DITA Open Tool Kit Processing Options dialog box, specify the following options:
Replace Default XSLT File For Conversion Select an XSL file to use for transforming the DITA files to XHTML
instead of the default XSL file used by the DITA Open Toolkit. The equivalent parameter for the Ant processing of
the DITA Open Toolkit file is args.xsl.
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Use DITA Val For Conditional Processing Specify a DITA Val file to use for conditional processing of the DITA files.
The XHTML is generated based on the Val file. A DITA Val file contains filter, flagging, and revision information.
The equivalent parameter for the Ant processing of the DITA Open Toolkit file is args.filter.
Show Index Entries In The Topics Select to show index entries (marked by <indexterm> in DITA topics) in
RoboHelp topics. The equivalent parameter for the Ant processing of the DITA Open Toolkit file is
args.indexshow.
Show Image Filename In Annotation Select to add annotations to images showing the filename of the image or the
full path to include in the topics. The equivalent parameter for the Ant processing of the DITA Open Toolkit file is
args.artlbl.
Include Draft And Cleanup Content Select to include draft and required cleanup content (items identified as left to
do before publishing). The equivalent parameter for the Ant processing of the DITA Open Toolkit file is args.draft.
Select XHTML File To Be Placed In The Header Area (hdf) Select the location of the file containing XHTML to place
in the header area of the output file. The equivalent parameter for the Ant processing of DITA Open Toolkit file is
args.hdf.
Select XHTML File To Be Placed In The Body Running-header Area (hdr) Select the location of the file containing the
XHTML to place in the body running-header area of the output file. The equivalent parameter for the Ant
processing of the DITA Open Toolkit file is args.hdr.
Select XHTML File To Be Placed In The Body Running-footer Area (ftr) Select the location of the file containing
XHTML to place in the body running-footer area of the output file. The equivalent parameter for the Ant
processing of the DITA Open Toolkit file is args.ftr.
DITA Open Tool Kit Home Directory Select the absolute location of the home folder of the DITA Open Toolkit.
Specify the valid DITA Open Toolkit home folder. You specify this location only once. It is stored in the registry.
You can change the location.
4Click Finish.
Note: RoboHelp verifies the location of the selected files but does not validate the files as the DITA Open Toolkit processes
all the information.
Import XML files
When you import an XML file into an existing project, RoboHelp creates a topic for the XML file.
1In the Project Manager pod, select the file to import into.
2Select File > Import > XML File.
3Select one or more XML files. Click Open.
4Select options in the Select XML Import Handler dialog box.
5(Optional) To set advanced options, select Import XML (CSS/XSL).
6Click Advanced.
7Select an option:
Treat As Text Flow Import the XML file as HTML text without formatting.
Treat As XML Tree View Import the XML file in HTML tree view. HTML imports as code.
Use Customized CSS/XSL File Select a file from the pop-up menu.
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8Click OK.
Note: If multiple imported topics have the same topic name, this error is due to the XSL file used during the import
process. The XSL file used to transform the XML to HTML contains the <title> specified field. Edit the XSL file and
reimport the XML file.
Select XML Import Handler
Handler Name The following are predefined handlers:
•Import DocBook As Topics A DocBook file is imported as an HTML topic.
•Import XML (CSS/XSL) If the XML file has an associated style sheet (CSS or XSL file), the file is imported as an
HTML topic. Otherwise, the file is imported as an HTML file without any display control.
Advanced Active if you select Import XML (CSS/XSL). Click for more import options.
Automatically Replace Topic(s) Imported From Previous Session Overwrites old data.
Validate XML Before Import RoboHelp validates the XML file before importing it.
Advanced XML Import Options dialog box
These options are available for importing XML with this handler only if no associated XML style sheet exists.
Treat As Text Flow Imports the XML file as HTML text without formatting.
Treat As XML Tree View Imports the XML file in HTML tree view. HTML imports as code.
Use Customized CSS/XSL File Select the customized file.
Note: You can create and edit customized handler files using the XML Handler Manager and the Handler Description
File (HDF) Editor.
About the XML Handler Manager
Handlers determine how XML is imported. Select one of the predefined handlers or create a custom handler to meet
your requirements. You can select a handler when you import an XML file into a project or when you generate XML
output.
The XML Handler Manager lists all Handler Description files (HDF files) that have been exported from the HDF
Editor.
Handler Description files (HDF files) Contain individual handlers and the files necessary to perform the XML
transformation. The predefined HDF files are organized by type (XHMTL, for example) and contain all related
handlers:
DocBook This handler type includes: Import DocBook As Topics, Export Project To DocBook, Export Topics To
DocBook.
XHTML This handler type includes: Import XHMTL (XML), Import XHTML (XHTML), Export Topics To XHTML,
Export Project To XHMTL.
XML/CSS This handler type includes: Import XML (CSS/XSL).
To open an HDF file and view the handlers in it, click the plus box to the left of an HDF file.
Edit After selecting an HDF file (XHTML, for example) or a specific handler, click to open the HDF Editor and edit a
handler.
Delete After selecting an HDF file (XHTML, for example), click to delete all handlers in it.
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Import Import an existing handler.
Note: Initially a handler is an HDF file with a subfolder of support files. To bring a handler file from the HDF Editor into
this program, export the HDF file as a ZDF file. Use the HDF Editor for this task.
Import Microsoft HTML Help projects
When you import an HHP file, a new RoboHelp project file (XPJ) is created.
1Select File > Open.
2Select HTML Help Project (*HHP) from the Files Of Type menu.
3Navigate to the HHP file and open it.
You can also import FrameMaker (.fm, .book, and .mif) files, Word files (.doc, .docx), PDF files, and XML files.
Note: If you use an HTML editor other than Design Editor to author your content, you can still use RoboHelp for the
project.
More Help topics
“Create a project” on page 29
“Third-party HTML editors” on page 134
Import WinHelp projects
You can import compiled WinHelp 4.0 (HLP) or the WinHelp project file (HPJ) into a project.
The HPJ file is the main organizational file, containing all the source files. When generating WinHelp, RoboHelp
creates an HLP file and a CNT file. The HLP file doesn’t contain topics excluded by a conditional build expression, so
the new project might not mirror the original.
You can import HLP files to HTML-based projects, but the process is easier if you have the HPJ file.
You can’t output a WinHelp file from RoboHelp HTML.
Import WinHelp Project settings
Pop-ups
Smart Popups Create links that display pop-ups that resize to accommodate content. All HTML formatting is
supported.
Regular Hyperlinks Create links that open in the window in which the link appears.
What’s This Help
Text-Only Topic Files Create and save topics in text-only format (TXT). Use this option for What's This? Help topics.
Individual HTML Files Create and save topics as regular HTML topics for window-level context-sensitive Help.
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External topics
Links To External HTML Help Topic Convert external WinHelp topic links to HTML topic links in external CHM files.
Retain Keep External WinHelp Topic Links HTML topics include WinHelp Topic controls. Use this option when
linking HTML topics to WinHelp topics.
Images
Converts BMP images into GIFs or JPEGs.
Bullets/Numbering
HHTML Bullets And Numbering (Recommended setting) Convert numbered lists and bulleted lists into their HTML
equivalents using Pure HTML tags (<ol>, <ul>, <li>). These lists are auto-numbered or bulleted. Special paragraph
formatting used in RTF files is not carried over.
Formatted Text Retain indents, line spacing, and other paragraph formats from RTF files. Convert numbered lists into
hard-coded numbered lists. Convert bulleted-list items into hard-coded symbol characters.
Tips:
•Remove hard-coded numbers and bullets and replace with auto-numbered lists and bulleted lists in the Design
Editor.
•Create special bulleted and numbered list styles and apply them to paragraphs after they are converted.
WinHelp folder import options
Folder for HTML files
Do Not Create Subfolder Save all HTML topics at the root of the project folder.
Create Subfolder Save all HTML topics in a subfolder.
Create Folders Based On Source Document Names Create and save HTML topics in subfolders based on the DOC
files.
Create Subfolders Based On TOC Structure Create and save HTML topics in subfolders, based on the WinHelp table
of contents. Books within books are created as subfolders within folders. All topics not used in the WinHelp table of
contents are saved at the root of the project folder.
Folders for images
Do Not Create Subfolder Save all image files at the root of the project folder
Create Subfolder Save all image files in a subfolder
File options
HTML File Extension Save all HTML topics using the extension selected.
Always Use Lowercase Save filename extensions in lowercase letters. Select this option for UNIX® servers.
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WinHelp formatting import options
Work with or without style sheets. Without style sheets, topics format using inline styles. For external style sheets,
create new style sheets based on the formatting in WinHelp documents or select a style sheet already in use.
Inline Styles (No External Style Sheets) Convert all formatting into HTML inline styles. This option does not create or
apply styles or style sheets to the topics. Formatting is handled on a paragraph-by-paragraph and character-by-
character basis. Apply styles after importing the project. Manually apply character and paragraph attributes to new
topics.
External Style Sheets (One For Each Source Document) Create one style sheet for each DOC file imported.
External Style Sheet Based On One Source Document Create a single external style sheet based on one DOC file. The
style sheet uses the same names and formatting as the styles in the WinHelp documents. The HTML topic text is
formatted using these styles.
External Style Sheet Based On Existing Style Sheet Link an existing style sheet to all topics. Styles in the DOC files
must have a one-to-one relationship to styles in the style sheet, including style names. Apply styles to the paragraphs
and characters that use them. With a one-to-one style relationship, styles in HTML topics use the same names and
formatting as the styles in WinHelp documents.
WinHelp general import options
Navigation pane
TOC Contents displays books and pages in the table of contents. The index displays keywords.
Glossary Provide definitions for the Help system.
Favorites Create a personalized list of favorite topics.
History See topics viewed previously. Sets options for the navigation pane.
Search:
No Search Select this feature to disable full-text searching.
Regular View a list of topics by title.
Advanced Provide advanced full-text search capabilities including Boolean, wildcard, and nested expressions. Limit
the search to previous results, match similar words, or search topic titles only.
Tab Position Select Top, Left, or Bottom.
Default pane
Set options for Help projects.
Websearch Quickly find topics on the web. A WebSearch button is added to the Help viewer.
Create Browse Sequences Transfer WinHelp browse sequences into HTML-based Help.
Ignore Secondary windows Format jumps to display the HTML topics in the viewer.
Note: Display pages from the WinHelp CNT in custom windows. HTML supports jumps from TOC pages to custom
windows.
Add Keywords To Selects the location for saving keywords:
Index File (HHK) Save all keywords in a single index file.
Each Topic Save all keywords in the HTML topic files referencing them.
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Note: The project compiles a binary index when keywords are added to HTML topics. Topic keywords are automatically
sorted in the index and cannot be cross-referenced. They can link only to local HTML topics. The destination topics can
be displayed only in the default Help window.
Advanced
Open the HTML Help Advanced Settings dialog to further customize the viewer.
HLP and HPJ files
When you import compiled WinHelp 4.0 files, RoboHelp does the following:
•Creates an HTML-based project. Information in the HLP or HPJ file is used to create the project file (HHP) and a
RoboHelp project file (XPJ).
•Creates HTML topics. Information in the HPJ file is used to create an HTML Help file and a RoboHelp project file
(XPJ). Open the project to open the XPJ file. A separate HTML topic is created for each WinHelp topic. These files
are saved in the HTML Files (Topics) folder.
•Converts WinHelp graphics to HTML images. WinHelp bitmap files (BMP, MRB) and metafiles (WMF) convert
into Graphic Interchange Format files (GIF). Images that are right-aligned are left-aligned in the HTML topics.
Modify the size and placement of these images in the Design Editor.
•Converts hotspot images into image maps. WinHelp hotspot images (SHG files) convert to HTML image maps
(GIF).
•Converts WinHelp navigation to HTML navigation. WinHelp jumps convert into HTML hyperlinks. WinHelp
pop-alls convert to smart ups. Browse sequences also convert. Mid-topic jumps are maintained.
•Maintains authorable buttons. Authorable text buttons, mini buttons, and graphic buttons all convert and work in
the HTML topics. Modify authorable buttons in the Design Editor. Authorable buttons are known as Link Controls
and HTML Help controls.
•Creates an HTML table of contents. An HTML Help table of contents (HHC file) is created from the WinHelp
contents file (CNT). Modify the table of contents in the TOC Composer.
•Creates an HTML index. An HTML Help index (HHK file) is created that includes the same keywords as in
WinHelp. A new index includes keywords that match jumps in the topic.
The RTF files are used to create an HTML index that includes the same keywords. Modify keywords in the Index
Designer and use the Smart Index wizard to automate indexing tasks.
Note: This information doesn’t apply to every HLP or HPJ project.
HTML projects from WinHelp: Frequently asked questions
Will WinHelp macros work in the HTML project?
All WinHelp macros with HTML counterparts are converted and included in the HTML project. Non-standard
WinHelp macros with no HTML equivalent are not converted.
Can HTML topics open in custom windows as in WinHelp?
You can format books and pages in the TOC to display destination topics in custom windows or frames. Microsoft
HTML Help does not support links to custom windows, though you can format these links to use pop-up note
windows and frames.
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Can I use tabs in HTML topics?
HTML does not support tabs and converts them to spaces. Use tables instead to position text in HTML.
How can I add spaces to position text in HTML topics?
You can edit topics in the RoboHelp HTML Editor and add non-breaking spaces to position text. However, display
issues can occur if the Help window is resized. Consider using tables instead to position text in HTML.
Tables convert into HTML topics, but the columns do not resize properly and a horizontal scroll bar appears.
Use the Design Editor to resize cells and tables.
How can I fix incorrectly formatted bullet lists?
You can remove broken bitmap references from topics and use HTML bulleted styles, and adjust hanging indents. You
can also use the Formatted Text option to import paragraph formatting from Word documents.
My WinHelp topics use manually numbered lists with {SEQ} fields. What happens to these fields?
HTML does not support {SEQ} fields, but recognizes number sequences and converts the lists into numbered
paragraphs. You can delete these numbers and apply an HTML numbered style to the list.
What happens to nonscrolling regions?
HTML projects do not support nonscrolling regions, and the tri-pane output window does not need them.
The background in the Design Editor is gray, but in the preview window is white. How can I make the background
always white?
The style sheets use a gray background (the HTML default), while the preview window uses a background specified by
your browser. To change the style sheet background, see “Use color and images” on page 163.
When I click a hyperlink, an error says the system cannot open the site or find the path. What does this mean?
The link is to a non-existent file or a topic in a DOC or WinHelp Help file not included in the project.
After I create the HTML project, is it ready to distribute?
Open the HTML project in RoboHelp, review the topics, TOC, index, and so forth. Preview the topics and test the
links.
Will context-sensitive topics transfer into an HTML project?
What's This? topics in RoboHelp for Word can convert into text-only topics. Dialog box level topics can convert into
individual HTML topics for use as window-level Help in RoboHelp.
Import a WinHelp HLP file into an HTML project
1In the Starter pod, click More under Import.
2Select WinHelp (*.hlp) and click OK.
3In the Help-To-HTML wizard, define options for your HTML project.
4Click Browse, navigate to the HLP file, and open it.
5Click Next. Set up File options:
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6Click Next. Set up Style options:
7Click Next. Set up HTML Help options:
8Click Finish.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Tips:
•If you link a style sheet to your HTML topics, a generic style sheet file called StylesCSS is created and added into
your project folder. You can modify the styles in this style sheet at any time.
•If you select Convert Numbered lists, all WinHelp topics that use numbered lists retain the numbered list
formatting in the HTML topics.
HTML limitations with HLP files
Bullets Make sure that the WinHelp topics do not use bitmap references as bullets. You can select an option to keep
bulleted lists. This option applies only to topics that use bullet characters and not images. If you use images, the HTML
output might not include hanging indents.
HTML jumps Jumps to HTML pages are not converted. You can easily re-create the links in the Design Editor after the
HTML topics are created.
Jumps to external WinHelp topics
Jumps to external WinHelp topics are stripped out of the HTML topics. If you are
using WinHelp projects (especially master projects) that include external jumps, use the HPJ file instead of the HLP file.
Desired Result Actions
Specify a hard drive and folder for saving the HTML project and
image (GIF) files (use the same folder for both). Click Browse and navigate to the drive/folder to select it. Or
enter the name of the folder in the text box.
Limit the length of the HTML files to eight characters. Select Short Filenames. (Enter the first three characters in Prefix if
you want the filenames to use similar naming conventions.)
Distribute the HTML project as uncompiled HTML Help (not using
Adobe WebHelp)
Enter the name of the start page in Start Page Name.
Distribute the project as compiled Microsoft HTML Help or cross-
platform Help using Adobe WebHelp, JavaHelp, or Oracle Help
output.
Do not enter information in Start Page Name.
Desired Result Actions
Format HTML topics without attaching style sheets to them. Select <No Stylesheet>. All topics use default HTML styles, gray
background, black serif font.
Format HTML topics to look exactly like the WinHelp topics. Select <Embedded>. Style sheets are not attached to topics. All
formatting is embedded in individual topics. The topic title is
Heading 1 style. All other text (regardless of the styles used in
WinHelp) is in Normal style.
Attach a custom style sheet to all HTML topics. Click Browse and navigate to the drive/folder where the style
sheet file (CSS) is located to select it.
Desired results Actions
Specify where the Contents, Index, and Search tabs are displayed
in the viewer.
Select Top, Side, or Bottom.
Convert your WinHelp pop-up windows into standard HTML links. Deselect Display Popups In An Active pop-up window.
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Macros, buttons, and shortcuts These macros convert: Jump Context, JumpId, and PopupId. Other macros are not
converted. Jump Context macros that send output to a window do not convert because links that send output to
custom windows are not supported. Only buttons convert for Popup Context macros. Graphic buttons retain their
images, but the button is not included.
Microsoft Word HTML styles Microsoft Word HTML styles are not used to format the HTML topics.
Microsoft Word templates Word templates that are used to format RTF files in WinHelp are not converted to HTML
style sheets.
Mid-Topic jumps
Mid-topic jumps are converted to bookmarks. The bookmark name does not use the mid-topic jump
topic ID that was created in WinHelp. Instead, it is assigned a sequence of numbers so that it can be read in the HLP file.
Multimedia files (AVI and WAV) These files cannot be converted with HLP files. You can add sound and video to
HTML topics in the Design Editor. HTML topics can use AVI, AU, MID, RMI, WAV, and other files.
Non-scrolling regions HTML-based output does not support non-scrolling regions.
Numbered lists Numbered lists use a 12-point serif font by default. You can create a numbered list style and use it to
reformat numbered lists.
Related Topics buttons Related Topics keywords are translated into Related Topics terms. You see customizable
buttons when you view the topics.
Secondary windows WinHelp secondary windows are not translated. Unlike WinHelp topics, HTML topics do not
support links that display information in secondary windows. You can design custom windows in RoboHelp and use
them to display topics selected from Related Topics buttons, Keyword Link controls, See Also controls, the table of
contents, and the index.
Table of contents The HTML TOC file (HHC) does not support WinHelp pages that link to external WinHelp topics
or reference macros or that contain link statements. You can link HTML TOC items to HTML topics, web and e-mail
addresses, FTP sites, newsgroups, and multimedia.
What's This? Help Context-sensitive Help is not converted. What's This? Help-style topics or dialog topics are
converted into regular HTML Help topics. You can import map files and assign map IDs for the window-level Help
topics. For What's This? Help, you can re-enter the text from these HTML Help topics into a text-only dialog box and
create text-only topics. You can also import context-sensitive Help created with the What's This? Help Composer into
your HTML Help projects. If you use the HPJ file, you can transfer the context-sensitive Help topics into HTML Help.
Microsoft Word formatting Formatting that is not converted in the HTML topics includes underlining, paragraph
spacing, indents, alignments, table borders, spreadsheets, background colors, and watermarks.
Tips for creating HTML projects with HLP files
•Help files for Windows 3.x and 95 and later are supported.
•HTML topics cannot use styles and formatting from the WinHelp project. All topic titles are formatted to the
Heading 1 style and the rest of the topic is formatted to the Normal style.
•Embed the formatting when selecting style options. Instead of attaching a style sheet, the HTML topics are
formatted to closely resemble the formatting used in the WinHelp topics.
•A style sheet is not required. It can be created after generation.
•If the entire WinHelp project is available, create the HTML project using the HPJ file rather than the HLP file.
Import a WinHelp HPJ file into an HTML project
1Select File > New > Project.
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2Click the Import tab.
3Select WinHelp Project. Click OK.
4Click the browse button, and select the HPJ file to import. Click Next.
5Specify the output folder and filename.
6Under Choose Source Document(s), select the Word documents you want to import.
7Click Finish or click Next to step through the remaining steps in the wizard.
Tips for creating HTML projects with HPJ files
•To ensure that the HTML project suits your preferences, review the steps before you start.
•All files referenced by the WinHelp project (HPJ) must be in the locations you specify before you generate the
project files.
•You can create a single style sheet and apply it to all topics or use different style sheets for different topics.
• WinHelp topics can use a combination of defined styles and manual character and paragraph formatting. If so,
create style sheets that use the same styles from the WinHelp topics to retain the special formats.
•You can select an existing style sheet that you use with other HTML projects. Make the style names in the WinHelp
topics identical to the style names in the style sheet. Also, format the paragraphs in the WinHelp topics to use these
styles. Otherwise, you'll have to apply styles from the style sheet to paragraphs in the HTML topics after the project
is generated.
•You do not have to use a style sheet at all. The HTML topics include the formatting from the DOC files (as inline
styles which are individually formatted paragraphs and characters). You can always create styles and apply them to
topics after the HTML project is created. (If your project is large, do use style sheets to create the HTML topics.
When you revise the styles, the topics are automatically updated.)
•Run a small test project to become familiar with the options. Experiment with different options until you get the
HTML output you want.
•If you are generating a large project, decide how you want to organize it beforehand. In HTML, you have one
HTML topic file for each WinHelp topic. You have several options for organizing these files. You can save them at
the root of the project folder or in a subfolder. You can create subfolders based on the DOC filenames and save the
corresponding topics in them. Finally, you can save topics based on their use as pages in the table of contents.
(Folders are created for each book and subfolders are created for sub-books in your CNT file.)
•Often a project is used in combination with several other WinHelp projects (for example, as a master project). If
so, create HTML projects with each HPJ file separately so that all the links work.
•After the project is generated, you often want to make a few changes to the style sheet. By default, it uses a gray
background. You can change it to white by changing the document properties for the style sheet.
Adding projects to version control
Note: Authors must use the "Add to Version Control" command from within the RoboHelp authoring client app itself
when adding a new project to version control. Do not add the folders and files within the RoboSource Control Explorer
interface, as this might cause file corruption.
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About version control
RoboHelp works with version control software to check out files automatically (if already not in use) when you begin
editing and tracks their use. You can also view files by opening them from version control without checking them out.
To work with RoboHelp, your version control software must support the Microsoft SCC API. You can use Adobe
RoboSource Control (installed with RoboHelp) or a third-party package. Either way, you perform version control
tasks from within RoboHelp.
Read the following articles if you plan to integrate RoboHelp projects with Microsoft Team Foundation Server or
Subversion:
•Integrating RoboHelp projects with Team Foundation Server
•Integrating RoboHelp projects with Subversion
When you finish with a file, you can check it into version control, or let the program check in all files when you close
the project. Once your changes are checked in, other authors can access them. You can also set RoboHelp to
automatically check in files when you close the project.
Note: If you cannot check out a file, check if one or more files is checked out by another user. Or, check if the file is not in
version control.
Many topics are linked to other topics, or part of the TOC, index, and browse sequences. When you modify a file or
change the project structure, RoboHelp automatically checks out all affected, dependent files (if available). When you
move a file, the author is prompted to check out the source and destination folders.
To turn off prompts when performing version control tasks manually, deselect the option on the Version Control tab
(Select Tools > Options). Files are then checked out automatically. Files not selected in the list cannot be checked out.
RoboHelp shows which files you must check out and whether they are already checked out.
Note: RoboHelp checks out all the dependent files automatically.
To undo any changes in the checked out copy of a version-controlled file, undo the checkout of the file listed. Then
return to the latest copy from version control. This Undo Check Out command discards changes to the local file copy.
Version control safeguards files as you work, provides revision tracking, makes backups, and can provide file sharing
and organization. All files added to a project under version control are automatically added to version control and
checked out. All files removed from a project are automatically removed from version control, though file history is
retained.
You can perform version control tasks from project panes: Right-click the file, select a command, select the file, and
click a Version Control toolbar button. Or, select the file and then select an option from File > Version Control.
Apply version control
1Install version control software that supports the Microsoft SCC API.
2Work with your network administrator to address user access. See your version control software documentation.
3Add the project to version control.
Access version control options in pods
File status pod Select View > Pods > File Status. Shows the list of files for file status and version control tasks. The
Version Control toolbar provides access to version control tasks.
Topic list pod Select View > Pods > Topic List. Use to open, view, and sort topics.
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Project Manager pod Select View > Pods > Project Manager. Displays file icons. A red check mark indicates that a file
is checked out.
Note: The RoboHelp user interface is optimized for RoboSource Control, Microsoft Team Foundation Server 2005, and
Microsoft Visual SourceSafe.
Version control FAQs
How does version control work?
A Help project includes topics, graphics, style sheets, TOC, windows, and other components, each with its own file so
authors can work on components independently.
How can multiple authors use version control?
•Edit project components while authors edit other components.
•View project components even while they are being worked on.
•Get the latest changes (after authors check in files).
•Configure and use version control from RoboHelp. (Using version control on your project outside RoboHelp is not
recommended.)
Can single-user projects use version control?
Yes, to use revision tracking, and to centralize projects onto a network for backup.
Are multiuser checkouts OK?
Multiuser checkouts are not recommended.
Where can I set version control options for RoboHelp?
Click Tools > Options > Version Control.
Will I need my version control program outside RoboHelp?
When removing files or folders from your project, remove them from version control also. Also use your version
control software to create user accounts or set program properties. You can open version control from RoboHelp.
Should I check out the project file (XPJ) to edit the project?
You don’t have to check out the XPJ file when editing. You check out the XPJ file only if you edit project settings.
Are items added to the project also added to version control?
Yes. New topics are added immediately; new folders are added when you save the project. When you rename a file or
folder, it is not renamed in version control. The new item is added, but the original item remains with its old name.
Remove the item by going into version control.
Save your project whenever you add files, but be sure to check files back in to add changes to version control. Changes
saved to your local hard drive aren’t added.
Are items removed from the project removed from version control?
Files are removed from version control as you delete them. Renamed items are added under their new name, but the
old version remains under its old name.
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Where are the latest changes made by the team?
You can get the latest file versions (checked in by other users) when you open the project, or manually.
How can I add output files to version control?
If others need access to your output files, add them to version control.
Add a RoboHelp project to version control
When you add a RoboHelp project to version control, create a database connection when you first connect to
RoboSource Control. RoboHelp uses this connection to access the database. See Adobe RoboSource Control Help for
more information.
1Open the project in RoboHelp HTML.
2Choose File > Version Control > Add To Version Control.
3Select RoboSource Control and click OK.
4If you are connecting to the RoboSource Control database for the first time from your computer, go to step 5 to
create a connection. If you have connected previously, verify that the correct connection is selected in the
Connection list. Then skip to step 9.
5From the Connection list, select Create.
6Do one of the following:
•If the RoboSource Control Server software is on your computer, select the database connection from the list on
the left
•If the RoboSource Control Server is on a server, complete the following fields:
Connection Name Enter any name to identify the database from RoboSource Control Client. If you want, you
can use the database name.
Server Enter either the IP address or the unique name of the server on your local network.
Database Enter the name of the database exactly as you entered it in the Create Database dialog box.
7Click Create And Connect.
8Connect to RoboSource Control.
9In the Configure Source Control dialog box, click the Browse button next to the Root Path field.
10 If prompted, enter the same password that you entered to log in.
Note: When the Login dialog box is hidden behind the RoboHelp window, your screen appears to be frozen. Use
Alt+Tab to view the Login dialog box.
11 Click the root node $ to select it, click OK, and then click Yes in the displayed message.
All your RoboHelp project files are now copied to the server-based database, and all the files are flagged as checked out
to you. When you close the project, you are prompted to check the files into the database. If you answer Yes, all the
files are checked in.
Note: An additional File Status pod is displayed in the RoboHelp user interface. This pod lists all the project files that are
under version control and the status of each (checked in or out). Further documentation is installed with RoboSource
Control. This help file is accessed from within the RoboSource Control Explorer application.
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File check-in/check-out
When you begin to modify a project file in RoboHelp, the topic file is checked out from version control (if not in use).
Many topics are linked to other topics, or part of the TOC, index, and browse sequences. When you modify a file or
change the project structure, RoboHelp automatically checks out all affected, dependent files (if available).
If a project has dependent files, RoboHelp asks to check them out. If some are already checked out, ask users to check
them in.
Merging Help projects
About merged Help projects
Using RoboHelp, you can create projects in an enterprise or distributed setup where different documentation projects
feed into a common project. You can achieve multi-authoring without using source-control software because multiple
writers can work on their individual projects and you merge them to create the common project. By using skins and
templates in the common project, you can achieve a unified appearance in the merged projects.
The merging takes place at run time, after the projects are generated. Before merging the projects, you simply place
references to other projects inside a master project (the master project does not actually contain the child projects).
You insert each reference in the master project's table of contents, placing it where you want the TOC of the child
project to appear. This step gives you control over where end users access the child project and gives the appearance
of a single, unified Help system. End users see a single online system complete with a table of contents, an index, full-
text search, a glossary (in WebHelp projects), and link controls.
Important: The child projects must not have content categories.
Merging multiple projects involves these steps:
•Create a master project with references to child projects in the TOC. See “Create a master project” on page 97.
•Publish the child projects. See “Publish child projects” on page 98.
Note: For master projects having the Adobe AIR Application output type, publish the child projects as browser-based
Adobe AIR Help.
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Browser based Help output type selection
•(Adobe AIR Application output type only) Regenerate the output of the master project. See “Configure the Adobe
AIR layout” on page 284.
Note: WebHelp Pro and FlashHelp Pro projects are automatically published by RoboHelp Server.
Create a master project
This procedure applies to HTML Help, WebHelp, FlashHelp, Adobe AIR Application, and browser-based Adobe AIR
projects.
1Create the master project and the projects that you want to merge.
For ease of maintenance, the master project should ideally be an empty container or only have a default topic. The
child projects should store all the content. For more information, see Which project works best as the master
project? in “FAQs about merging projects” on page 100.
2Open the master project. In the default topic, add the content that you want to display on the home page of the
merged Help.
3Select a skin. The skin of the master project is used as the skin of the merged Help.
4Do one of the following:
•Select the default TOC of the master project from the Project Manager pod.
•Create a TOC for the master project.
5To insert child projects, place your cursor in the TOC.
6On the TOC pod, click the New Merged Project icon.
7Do one of the following:
•For HTML Help projects, click the HTML Help tab in the Merged project dialog box.
•For WebHelp/FlashHelp/Adobe AIR projects, click the WebHelp/FlashHelp/Adobe AIR tab.
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8Do one of the following:
•For HTML Help projects, select a CHM file that is already in the current project folder or browse to the location
of the CHM file.
An icon with the filename is displayed in the TOC pod where you inserted the child projects. The filename is the
format <CHM file> .chm::/<CHM file>.hhc. The HHC file represents the TOC of the merged CHM file. This
icon appears where the TOCs of the child projects occur in the merged project. If needed, you can drag the icon
to another location in the TOC and drop it into place.
•For WebHelp/FlashHelp/Adobe AIR projects, enter the name of a RoboHelp project (XPJ) or click Open to
browse to the project file.
In case of WebHelp/FlashHelp/Adobe AIR projects, the placeholder appears as the name of the project.
9Generate the master project.
When a project having merged project references in its TOC is generated, a folder "mergedProjects" appears in the
SSL output folder. The mergedProjects folder contains a folder for each referenced child project. In the case of
WebHelp/FlashHelp/Adobe AIR, the corresponding child project has to be generated in its own folder.
Note: The name mergedProjects is reserved. Do not give any folder in the project folder the name mergedProjects.
10 In the Result dialog, click View to see the results and test the merged project.
Notes:
•Merged HTML Help projects use non-binary contents files (HHC). The names of the compiled output file (CHM)
and contents file (HHC) cannot include spaces. (To find out if they have spaces, look at them in your project folder
in Windows Explorer. Do not rename the files in Windows Explorer, however.) If either of the filenames has spaces,
open the project and rename the project file. Then, generate the project and change the name of the output file
(CHM file). The HHC filename is updated automatically when you change the project name.
•Do not assign the Binary TOC feature to your project. If you do, the external TOCs are not displayed in the
Contents tab in the HTML Help viewer.
•If you generate a WebHelp/FlashHelp/Adobe AIR output using a skin, the skin from the master project overrides
the skin of the child project in the merged project. If you access the projects individually outside the merged project,
the project-specific skin is used.
•If you need to add cross-project links, make sure you set up the folder structure for source projects in the same way
as the folder structure of the generated and published files.
Otherwise, while hyperlinking, you need to manually construct the URL based on the folder structure of the
generated and published files and specify in the Link To text box. For detailed steps, see this article.
Publish child projects
This procedure applies to Microsoft HTML Help, WebHelp, FlashHelp, Adobe AIR Application, and browser-based
Adobe AIR projects.
After you create the master project, publish the child projects to place them in the correct location. Publishing the
projects enables you to view them together at run time. You can maintain child projects at different locations and
merge them at a different location. You can publish the merged project to a corporate intranet, an Internet site, a local
hard disk, or a network or FTP server. The output files of the merged project are stored only at the published site and
not at individual child project locations.
1Open a child project.
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2Right-click the layout in the Single Source Layouts pod and select Generate.
Note: In the case of master projects having the Adobe AIR Application output type, select the output type Browser
Based Help for each child project.
3For master projects having the Adobe AIR Application output type, select the output type Browser Based Help for
the child project.
4Display Publish settings.
•(Adobe AIR/WebHelp) Click the Publish tab in the layout properties dialog box.
•(FlashHelp/Microsoft HTML Help) Click Next until the Publish dialog box is displayed.
5Specify a destination. For example,
[master_project_folder]/SSL!/[layout_name]/mergedProjects/[child_project_name] or
//servername/mergedProjects/[child_project_name].
6Click Save And Generate. The layout is generated.
7On the Result dialog box, click Publish.
When the process is complete, a dialog box displays statistics about the publishing process and a list of files
published.
8Click Close.
9View the master project from its published location to see the merged Help.
View merged Help projects
1To view the merged Help system from the local copy of the master project (instead of the published location), copy
WebHelp files of child projects to the master project's mergedProject\<ProjectName> folder.
Note: To run browser-based Help from a local drive, the installation folder must be added in the list of trusted folders
defined in the RoboHelp.cfg file of in the FlashPlayerTrust folder. See “Distribute Adobe AIR output” on page 321.
2Right-click the layout in the Single Source Layouts folder and select View. If you use this method, be sure not to use
the Republish All option in the master project, which could potentially overwrite newer child project files on the
network or server.
Remove merged child projects
1To remove a merged Help project, click Delete in the TOC pod. The child project icon is removed. Regenerate (and
publish if applicable) the master project to remove the child project from the output. For WebHelp projects, publish
the child projects for the change to take effect.
2Removing a child project from a master project does not remove it from a location to which it was published. Use
another tool to remove the old files or remove them manually.
Customize merged WebHelp/FlashHelp Pro projects
RoboHelp Server automatically merges multiple WebHelp/FlashHelp Pro projects. The projects appear in the table of
contents in alphabetical order. To nest a project TOC within the TOC of another project, you can rearrange the
projects in the table of contents. You can ask your server administrator to change the order of the projects for you in
RoboHelp Server, or you can customize the projects yourself.
1Ask your server administrator to deselect the Automatically Merge All Projects option in the Projects tab of the
RoboHelp Server (Web Admin interface).
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2Open the master project. Select any project as the master or select a blank project as a master project.
3In the TOC pod, click the New Merged Project icon. The Merged Project dialog opens.
4In Project Name, type a WebHelp/FlashHelp Pro project (XPJ) name. Or, click Open to browse to the project file.
A reference to this project is inserted in the TOC of the current project where you clicked.
5Click OK. An icon with the project name is displayed in the TOC where you inserted the child project. The icon is
a placeholder indicating where the TOC of the child project appears in the merged project. If needed, you can drag
the icon to another location in the TOC and drop it into place.
6Generate all the projects to update any changes.
7Publish the master project.
8View the merged project from the server.
FAQs about merging projects
This information applies to Adobe AIR, WebHelp, and Microsoft HTML Help projects.
Master projects
Which project works best as the master project?
A blank project with no topics as a container for the child projects works best as the master project. If you need to
include content in the master project, avoid creating cross-project links.
The TOC of the master project can consist of references to child projects only. The TOCs of the child projects appear
in the output.
Can the master project include content categories?
Yes, the master project can include any number of content categories. However, the child projects must not have
content categories.
How many child projects can the master project reference?
There is no limit to the number of child projects that you can reference in the master project.
Can a master project be a child project of another master project?
Yes. For example, Project A can be a master project referencing Project B, and it can also be added as a child project
of Project C. Here are examples for each output type:
For WebHelp projects: To use Project A as a child project, publish it to the \mergedProjects\ folder of Project C.
For HTML Help projects: To use Project A as a child project, add the CHM file to Project C and generate the merged
projects.
Where do I place the child project in the TOC?
You can place the child project anywhere in the TOC of the master project (as a subbook or a top-level book). After
inserting the child projects into the TOC, you can drag them to the selected location in the TOC. However, you cannot
separate or divide the child project TOC in the master TOC. The TOC of the child project appears in its entirety where
you place it.
Does generating or publishing the master project update the child projects?
No. To update a child project in the merged Help system, generate the child project. In WebHelp projects, also publish
the child projects to the correct folder.
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Features
Do I need to merge the index separately?
No. The updated merging function of RoboHelp merges the index automatically.
What happens if the merged projects have identical index keywords, glossary terms, or link controls?
•Index keywords
Identical index keywords are combined at run time. For example, if project A and project B both have the index
keyword "Installation," this keyword contains all the topics and subkeywords for both projects.
•Glossary terms
In WebHelp projects, if the same term is used in the master project and the child projects, the definitions are
combined at run time (if different, the definitions are placed on separate lines in the "Definition for" pane).
In HTML Help projects, if the same term is used in the master project and the child projects, the definition in
the master project replaces the child project definition.
•See Also keywords
•In WebHelp, identical See Also keywords are not combined at run time. Each project uses its own See Also
keywords. For example, even if Project A and Project B both use the keyword "Setup," topics displayed are
for the individual projects only.
•In HTML Help, identical See Also keywords are combined at run time.
Can you merge browse sequences?
No, browse sequences are not merged. However, all the browse sequences defined in each merged project are available
in the merged Help.
How is conditional text handled?
Child projects generated with a conditional build expression are supported in the master project. For example, if a
child project defines a conditional build expression to exclude Tag A, all topics and topic content with Tag A applied
are excluded from the child project and the master project.
For HTML Help projects, are links to external topics retained?
For merged HTML Help projects, index keywords, TOC books and pages, and HTML topics can all link to external
topics in any of the CHM files that are included in the master project. (Remote topics are not supported in WebHelp.)
WebHelp projects
How do I distribute merged WebHelp projects?
Publish merged WebHelp projects to an intranet or a web address, a local or network drive, or an FTP server.
Where do I publish the projects?
Although you publish the master project where you normally would, the child projects are published to a special
location.
What happens to references to child projects that are not published?
If you add a child project to the master project but do not publish it, the child project is not displayed when the master
project is published.
HTML Help projects
What type of index should I use?
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The master project must have an index or the merged index is empty. To merge CHM files, your master project needs
to have a binary index when it is generated. With a binary index, all the keywords from the child projects are merged,
alphabetically sorted, and saved in the index file (HHK) of the master project. Binary format is ideal because it is highly
compressed, takes up less space, and is faster to load. Index files in the child projects do not have to be in the binary
format.
Set the Binary index option to the master project before merging the projects.
How do I distribute merged HTML Help projects?
Distribute the CHM files for all the projects, and save them in the same folder as the master project. When you merge
projects, the CHM file of the child project is copied to the folder of the master project. Whenever you update and
generate the child project, copy the updated CHM file to the master project folder.(You can do this using Windows
Explorer.) Distribute the most current versions of all CHM files.
Adobe AIR projects
How do I distribute merged Adobe AIR Application projects?
An Adobe AIR Application project is a single .air file. To distribute this .air file, copy the file from the output location
to the required shared location.
How do I run merged browser-based Adobe AIR Help from a local folder?
Add the output folder in the list of trusted folders defined in the RoboHelp.cfg file in the FlashPlayerTrust folder. See
“Distribute Adobe AIR output” on page 321.
Reports
Export project reports
1Click Tools > Reports. Select report type.
2Customize the report.
3Click Save As.
4Browse to the location where you want to save the file.
5Enter a name for the file.
6From the Save As Type list, select RTF or TXT.
7Click Save.
Print reports
1Select Tools > Reports.
2Select the report type.
3Customize report options.
4Click Print.
Print the table of contents or index from the TOC pod or Index pod. Select File > Print.
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Send reports
You can share reports with others by sending the content as an e-mail message.
1Select Tools > Reports.
2Select the report type. The Reports dialog box appears.
3Use the options available to customize the report. (Not all reports are customizable.)
4Click Mail To.
Your e-mail program creates a message and the report information is added as the content of the message. Edit this
text and add information as you would any other e-mail message.
5Address and send your e-mail.
Note: If you need assistance using the Mail To feature (for example, your system prompts you to set up a profile), contact
your e-mail administrator.
Generate and customize reports
All reports are available from Tools > Reports.
Broken links report
This report (available from Tools > Reports > Broken Links) finds files that contain broken links. This report is not
customizable.
Notes:
•In a multi-author, version-controlled environment, ensure that you don’t link to topics that have been moved,
renamed, or removed. These links will be broken.
•For a version control project, have one person test the latest version for broken links before releasing the final
output.
Conditional Build Tag report
This report provides information about usage of topic-level, content-level, and TOC-level build tags in the entire
project.
It displays a summary of the project. It identifies the conditional build tags used in the project. For each tag, it shows
the detailed path of all topics in which the tag is used.
1Select Tools > Reports. Select Conditional Build Tags. The Reports dialog box appears, with the Build Tags tab
selected, displaying the Conditional Build Tag report.
By default, the report sorts the tags by Build Tag Name.
2(Optional) To change the sort order, select Options. The Build Tag Report Option dialog box appears.
3Select Topic, TOC, And Index Name.
4Click OK. You can view the tags usage report sorted by Topic, TOC, and Index Name.
See Also report
1Select Tools > Reports > See Also. The See Also report appears.
2Customize these options as needed:
Keywords Includes all keywords from the index.
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Keywords And Topics Contains a list of keywords. Each keyword lists the topics that use it. You can discover if
keywords are not linked to any topics and identify topics to remove from keywords.
Topics And Keywords Contains a list of topics. Each topic list the keywords associated with the topic. You can
discover if topics are missing keywords, inconsistent phrasing, and identify keywords to remove from topics.
Index report
1Select Tools > Reports > Index.
2To customize, select from the following options:
Keywords Includes all keywords from the index.
Keywords And Topics Contains a list of keywords. Each keyword lists the topics that use it. You can discover if
keywords are not linked to any topics and identify topics to remove from keywords.
Topics And Keywords Contains a list of topics. Each topic lists the keywords associated with the topic. You can
identify missing keywords, inconsistent phrasing, and keywords to remove from topics.
Select Index Select an Index from the list to generate a report for the index selected.
Duplicate Map IDs report
Each map number in your project must be unique. Use this dialog to remove duplicate map IDs.
If your project includes context-sensitive Help, make all map numbers in your map files unique. If some map files use
the same map numbers, the Duplicate Map IDs tab identifies them for you.
Note: If duplicate map IDs exist in your project, some of your context-sensitive Help topics might not work properly.
❖Select Tools > Reports > Duplicate Map IDs.
Use this report to test your help project. With the RoboHelp BugHunter tool, you can test map numbers and topics.
External Topics report
The External Topics report (Tools > Reports > External Topics) includes data on these topics:
•URLs
•Links to HTML topics in other CHM files
•FTP addresses
•Newsgroup addresses
•E-mail addresses
Tips:
•Use this report to test your links.
•Share this report with authors who use these URLs.
Glossary report
1Select Tools > Reports > Glossary.
2Select one of these options from the Reports menu:
Detailed Lists Terms and definitions
Overview Lists Terms without definitions
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The glossary report is shown for the glossary selected.
Images report
❖Select Tools > Reports > Images. The Image report appears.
View An Alphabetized List Of Images Grouped under each image is a list of all topics that use it.
View An Alphabetized List Of Topics Grouped under each topic is a list of all images they include.
Map IDs report
Use this report (Tools > Reports > Map IDs) to generate a project summary. It includes the number of map IDs, topic
ID and location, map number, and map filename.
The Map IDs report provides information about all the context-sensitive Help topics that are used in your project,
including map IDs and text-only topics (for What's This? Help).
First, the report displays a summary of the entire project. It identifies the number of map IDs and then gives more
specific information. Each topic in the project that has a map ID assigned is listed with topic ID, map number, map
filename, and topic location.
Use this report as a reference for testing Help.
Project Status report
Generate information for a group of topics (Tools > Reports > Project Status) by selecting a specific folder from the
Folder list.
•Total number of topics completed, in progress, and ready for review
•Total number of topics in a project
•Estimated development time to author all topics
•Information on To Do items
Snippets report
Select Tools > Reports > Snippets. The Snippets report appears showing the snippets defined in the project. The
Snippets report also shows the topics in which a particular snippet has been used.
Style Sheets report
Use this report (Tools > Reports > Style Sheets) to view an alphabetized list of style sheets or topics. The list of style
sheets shows which topics use each style sheet. The list of topics identifies which style sheet each topic is attached to.
To sort, choose an option from the Sort By menu.
Table Of Contents report
Use this report (Tools > Reports > Table Of Contents) to view information about TOCs. Specify the level of detail you
want to see:
Detailed Includes titles of books and pages, names of linked topics, and location of files.
Overview Includes titles of books and pages and the names of linked topics.
The Table of Contents report is shown for the TOC selected.
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You can change your table of contents whenever you change topic titles or filenames.
Topic Properties report
Use this report (Tools > Reports> Topic Properties) to filter reports according to various properties. To customize the
report, click Options, and select details to add:
General Folder and bookmark names and locations.
Topic Status Status, priority, time, completed To Do items, and comments.
References Links to the topic, links from the topic, map IDs, table of contents, See Also keywords, and keywords.
Advanced Information types, conditional build tags, search keywords, and style sheet, and exclude from search.
You can filter the list of topics included in the report by selecting a specific folder from the Folder list.
Topic References report
Use this report (Tools > Reports > Topic References) to track topic references. References include:
•Topic links
•TOC books and pages that use the topic
•Keywords and phrases that use the topic
Select the Folder list to generate information for a topic group.
Tips:
•Use this report to find references to remove when updating your topics.
•Before you remove a topic, you can remove all references to it. Use this report to identify the references and relink
them to different topics.
•If you don't remove references when you remove a topic, this report identifies the breakable references.
Topics By Priority report
The Topics By Priority report (Tools >Reports > Topics By Priority) provides a summary of your project. It lists topics
sorted by the priority assigned by the author. This information is gathered from the topic properties. Therefore, the
key to making this report work for you is to change topic properties as you author.
To customize the information in this report, click Options and select the information you want to include in it. You
can select a range of priorities or view all priorities. You can also filter the list of topics included in the report by
selecting a folder from the Folder list.
Unreferenced Topics report
This customizable report (Tools > Reports > Unreferenced Topics) tracks unreferenced topics in the TOC, index,
browse sequences, or in other topics. Use it to identify:
•Inaccessible topics (To fix, create links from other topics.)
•Topics excluded from the TOC
•Topics without index or See Also keywords (To fix, add keywords, or add the topic to a See Also keyword.)
Note: Some topics do not use references. For example, if you create window-level context-sensitive Help, topics are only
accessible when end-users press F1 or click Help. They don't need references. You can identify unreferenced topics that
you are using as context-sensitive Help topics.
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Unused files report
Use this report (Tools > Reports > Unused Files) to view unused files in one place. You can sort by filename or file type
by selecting from the Sort By menu.
You cannot remove these files from within your project. Make a list of the unused files and their paths and then use
Windows Explorer to delete the files.
Important: Before you delete files, make a backup copy of the project in case you need to revert changes.
Note: Indiscriminate deletion of files other than what is listed by the unused files report, results in broken links, missing
files and other undesirable consequences.
Unused index keywords report
Use this report (Tools > Reports > Unused Index Keywords) to track all index keywords that are not associated with
topics. Use it to:
•Identify index keywords that you can remove from your project.
•Find index keywords that must be associated with topics.
•Review cross-references included in your index.
Used Files report
Use this report (Tools > Reports > Used Files) for an inventory of all files in the project.
Missing topics report
Use this report (Tools > Reports > Missing Topics) to track missing topics and several associated elements:
•TOCs, books, and pages that reference missing topics
•Index keywords and phrases that reference missing topics
Select a folder from the Folder list to generate topic group information.
Tips:
•Before you remove a topic, remove all references to it.
•If you do not remove references when you remove a topic, this report identifies the breakable references.
Variables report
Use this report (Tools > Reports > Variables) to list variables in the order they were created along with their values and
information about their usage.
If you view all variables in the project, the report indicates the variables defined in Variable sets and the files in which
they are used. You can also find variables that have not been used.
This report is useful when you want to remove variables. Locate all topics in which the variables are used and delete
references to the variables before deleting the variables.
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Reference
URL Properties dialog box
Use this dialog box to link index keywords to URLs in your project.
Keywords Enter the word or phrase that end users must enter in the index to access the URL.
Delete Old Project dialog box
Delete the old WebHelp Pro project from the RoboHelp Server before publishing the renamed project.
Move File Into Project dialog box
Restore a broken topic link by finding a file or creating a link.
Try To Find Browse for the linked file.
Create New Create a topic and save it in your project folder to repair the broken link.
Help to HTML style options
Select The Style Sheet To Use Specifies the style sheet name to attach to all created HTML topics.
No Stylesheet Does not attach a style sheet. All topics use default formatting.
Embedded Styles Does not attach a style sheet to the topics. All HTML topics use WinHelp formatting. Formatting is
embedded into each HTML element.
Convert Bulleted Lists Uses bulleted list items from WinHelp topics in topics (retains bulleted lists).
Convert Numbered Lists Uses numbered list items from WinHelp topics in topics (retains numbered lists).
Tips:
•You can modify any style sheet after you convert the project.
•Create new style sheets after converting and attach them to topics.
•Projects can include multiple style sheets.
HTML Help Advanced Settings tri-pane
Buttons
Defines the buttons/controls to include in the toolbar. Options:
Hide/Show Hides the left-tab components in the tri-pane.
Options Displays a menu of options.
Locate Synchronizes the left and right panes (when Auto Synchronize TOC is not selected).
Navigation pane
Defines how content appears in the viewer. Options:
Auto Show/Hide Nav Pane Hides the left navigation pane when end users switch from a compiled help file to a
program. The content remains visible in the right pane. The left tabs can't be viewed until the user selects the window.
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Auto Synchronize TOC Formats the left and right panes to synchronize as users navigate content.
Note: Project filenames cannot include spaces. You can automatically replace spaces with underscores after you create
the project.
Width Defines the navigation pane width in pixels.
Note: Project filenames cannot include spaces. You can automatically replace spaces with underscores after you create
the project.
Width Defines the width of the navigation pane, in pixels.
Font
Selects a font for displaying titles on the Contents tab.
Select Opens the Font dialog box.
Default Sets the font to use your default system setting.
HTML Help Advanced Settings TOC tab
Border Add a border around the Contents pane.
Dialog Frame Add a frame around Contents pane.
Lines From Root Display lines connecting books and pages starting at the root.
Plus/Minus Squares Display plus and minus squares that open and close books.
Folders Instead Of Books For table of contents book items, display a folder icon in place of a book icon.
Single-Click To Open Book Formats book items to open with a single click. When this feature is not selected, books
open with a double-click.
Lines Between Items Add lines between books and pages.
Raised Edge Format the table of contents so it looks raised from the tri-pane.
Sunken Edge Format the table of contents so it looks sunken into the tri-pane.
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Chapter 4: Working with topics
Create, save, and open topics
Create a topic
1In the Project Manager pod, open the XHTML Files (Topics) folder.
2To store the topic in a specific custom folder, select the folder.
3Do either of the following:
•Click the New Topic icon .
•To create the topic with a different HTML editor, right-click and select New > Topic With. Then select the
editor.
Note: You can also right-click in the Topic List and select New Topic With > [editor].
4Specify a topic title and filename.
For best results, use underscores instead of spaces in filenames, and follow the HTML file naming protocol. Avoid
using these characters in filenames: \ / : * ? < > | # ", $, &, [ ]
(Apply these same conventions to folder names.)
5(Optional) Select a master page.
6Specify a language for the new topic.
Note: If you do not specify a language for the topic you are creating, RoboHelp uses the language setting for the project.
RoboHelp uses the language setting for a topic for the spelling checker, the thesaurus, smart indexing, and full-text
search indexing. The output UI is controlled by the project language setting. For more information about language
support, see “Authoring content in multiple languages” on page 42
7Add keywords to enable search on this topic. To separate the keywords, you can use commonly used characters,
such as comma, semicolon, and space. Space works in most languages.
Note: The keywords you specify are added to the index. For more information, see “Topic keywords” on page 170.
8Select Exclude From Search only if you do not want to display this topic in the search results.
Note: Exclude From Search is not available for Microsoft HTML Help (CHM) search.
To open a topic in a third-party editor, right-click the topic in the Project Manager or the Topic List and select Edit
With. The topic opens in the editor you specified (the Editor box still displays the editor set for the project).
More Help topics
“Add underscores to filenames” on page 120
Save topics
Save a topic
•Press Ctrl+S.
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•In the toolbar, click Save.
Enable or disable Save
If you deselect Save Without Prompt, you are prompted to save topics.
1Select Tools > Options.
2Click the General tab.
3Under Options, select or deselect Save Without Prompt.
4Click OK.
Rename topic files
Note: Avoid using Windows Explorer or your version control application to rename files. The Project Manager cannot
update file references.
1Do either of the following:
•In the Project Manager pod, expand the appropriate folder. Select View > By File Name. Right-click the file, and
select Rename.
•In the Topic List pod, right-click the file. Select Properties.
2Type the new name.
For best results, use underscores instead of spaces, and follow the HTML filenaming protocol. Avoid using these
characters in filenames: \ / : * ? < > | # ", $, &, [ ]
If the filename has multiple words, use underscores instead of spaces.
Open topics
You can open topics in Design Editor or another editor while still using RoboHelp to add online Help features.
❖In the Project Manager or Topic List pod, do one of the following:
•To open the topic in Design Editor (or a third-party editor you’ve set as the default editor), double-click the
topic.
•To open the topic in an editor, right-click the topic and select Edit With > [editor].
If you are prompted whether to continue with possible HTML code changes, click Yes. However, to avoid code
changes from one editor to the next, edit topics in the same editor and click No.
More Help topics
“RoboHelp Design Editor” on page 133
“Third-party HTML editors” on page 134
Support for multiple document interfaces
You can open multiple topics in Design Editor. You can edit topics simultaneously, compare topics, and copy content
from one topic to another.
Each open topic has a corresponding tab in the Design Editor pod. Click a tab to make its topic window active. Click
the scroll arrows to scroll through tabs and reveal hidden tabs. Drag the tabs to position topic windows horizontally
or vertically within Design Editor.
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Author in XHTML
You can use RoboHelp to create topic files in XHTML and project-specific files in XML. Structured authoring in XHTML
ensures well-written code, closed tags, no overlapping of tags, properly quoted attributes with explicit values, and no
proprietary attributes. RoboHelp upgrades all the old RoboHelp for HTML topics to XHTML when it imports them.
Note: For upgraded projects, the formatting of bulleted lists might not be correct in the output. After upgrading a project,
make sure that the bulleted list style in the CSS specifies zero or a positive value for the left margin.
The RoboHelp editor creates all the topics in XHTML. All topic files are compliant with XHTML 1.0 Transitional.
XHTML generated from RoboHelp conforms to the XHTML 1.0 Transitional specification from the World Wide Web
Consortium (W3C). All topics have the XHTML 1.0 Transitional doc type:
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
Every XHTML topic contains an HTML tag and an xmlns attribute value of http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml.
Note: To view the XHTML source of a topic, open the topic in the Design Editor and select the HTML view.
You can use third-party editors such as Notepad, Microsoft Word, or Adobe Dreamweaver to edit your files and retain
these files in their existing format. You can edit topics using a third-party XHTML editor. RoboHelp retains its
processing instructions (PI) as comments to avoid any data loss. You can use RoboHelp to edit the third-party HTML
or XHTML topics and generate XHTML output.
Note: Snippets, master pages, and framesets are created in XHTML format only.
When creating a project, RoboHelp creates several project-specific files, such as APJ, CSS, and BRS files, in XML
format. For example, the TOC, index, glossary, and the following project filename extensions are generated in well-
formed XML:
.ali, .brs, .phr, .stp, .ign, .lng, .ssl, .xpj, .apj, .syn, .glo, .hhk, .hhc, .ppf, .fpj
These files are in the root of the RoboHelp project folder. You can open these XML files and read the data using XML
processors.
Convert XHTML to HTML
1Select Tools > Options > General.
2Select Convert RoboHelp Edited Topics To HTML.
Selecting this option converts all the topics to HTML in the SSL output. You can generate the SSL to check whether
the output files are in HTML or XHTML. XHTML pages support all the DHTML effects that can be applied using
RoboHelp HTML. HTML pages do handle DHTML effectively. Within a topic, right-click and select View or Preview
Topic. View the source of the output file or preview the topic to verify whether it is XHTML or HTML.
More Help topics
“RoboHelp editors” on page 133
Validate XHTML
You can validate the RoboHelp generated XHTML code against W3C specifications for compliance with XHTML
Transitional 1.0. You can select File > W3C Compliance > Validate and RoboHelp validates the topic. You can select
Validate All to validate all the topics.
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The following features are not supported in XHTML:
•Marquees in topics
•Border color in framesets
•Background sound in topic properties
Use of these features results in invalid XHTML code. Remove these features to generate valid XHTML code.
More Help topics
“W3C compliance” on page 131
Import and copy topics
Import topics
1Select View > Pods > Project Manager. The Project Manager pod appears.
2Open the HTML Files (Topics) folder.
3To save the file in a subfolder, select the folder.
4Select File > Import > HTML/XHTML File.
5Navigate to the HTML/XHTML file.
6Select the file. Press Ctrl to select multiple files.
7Click Open.
8Click Yes to copy the file into the project folder. Click Yes To All to copy the file and all its components.
Note: You can similarly import FrameMaker documents (*.mif, *.fm, *.book, *.bk), PDF documents (*.pdf), Word
documents (*.docx, *.docm, *.doc, *.rtf), XML files (*.xml), DITA maps (*.ditamap), and DITA topics (*.xml, *.dita).
Copy topics into a project
1Do one of the following:
•Select View > Pods > Project Manager. The Project Manager pod appears.
•Select View > Pods > Topic List. The Topic List pod appears.
2Select a topic.
3Right-click and select Duplicate Topic.
4In the Topic Title box, type the title.
5If the topic is associated with a master page, it appears in the Master Page pop-up menu. If None appears, the topic
uses the default style sheet.
6Click the View icon to view the master page. Or, browse to a new master page.
7Click the Appearance tab to change the style sheet.
8Click OK.
The new topic is appended to the project. It appears in the Project Manager.
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View topics and design elements
Preview topics
Preview topics instead of generating an entire project. Click links and Related Topics buttons, see Dynamic HTML
effects, access frames and forms, and view features.
Important: If the topics contain links to PDFs, make sure that Adobe® Acrobat® 10 is installed on your computer.
Previewing any PDF in Acrobat 9 or earlier versions might not work correctly.
If you have multiple browsers installed on your computer, you can select a browser from the View With list from the
preview window. RoboHelp displays the topic in the selected browser.
1Do one of the following:
•Open the topic in the Design view and click the View icon on the toolbar.
•Right-click the topic in the Topic List pod or the Project Manager pod and select View.
2(Optional) To preview conditional text areas, choose a conditional build tag expression from the menu.
Note: To change the CBT while previewing in the browser, change the CBT in the preview dialog and click Refresh in
the browser.
3Click View With and select the browser from the list of the browsers installed on your computer.
Notes
•Certain features, such as See Also controls and Keyword Link controls, do not work in preview mode - both in the
Preview dialog box and the browser.
•Text-only popups cannot be viewed in Firefox, Chrome, and Safari.
•If you close the Preview dialog box, the topic displayed in the browser appears until you refresh the browser.
•(Preview dialog box) The Back and Forward options in the context-sensitive menu help you navigate between
topics that you open by clicking links in the topic you are previewing. You can also press the Backspace key.
•(Preview dialog box) If you change the topic in Design Editor and drag the Preview dialog box, RoboHelp updates
the content to display the new changes.
•(Browser) If the topic you’re previewing includes a link to another topic, clicking the link opens the topic but
snippets, UDVs, placeholders, and iframes are not patched and CBTs are not applied.
Define a conditional build expression
1In the preview window, click Define.
2Specify tags to exclude from the output:
•To move one tag, select it and click the single arrow button.
•To move all tags, click the double arrow button.
3(Optional) Click Advanced. Select a conditional build tag from the menu. Click Add Tag. Click the AND, OR, or
NOT operators to define an expression. Click Clear to remove the expression.
NOT Excludes topics that use a named conditional build tag. NOT has the highest priority of all the build
expressions.
AND Includes or excludes topics that use specified conditional build tags. AND has the second-highest priority of
all the build expressions.
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OR Includes or excludes topics that use specified conditional build tags.
4Click OK to return to the preview window.
5To remove the condition from the preview, select None from the menu.
View design elements
❖Select View > Show > [design element].
Master pages
Note: Master pages replace templates in RoboHelp HTML 7 and earlier.
An HTML page is made up of three elements: content, layout, and styling. For single sourcing, the best practice is to
separate content from styling and layout. Although CSS files help to separate styling from the content, layout remains
embedded in the HTML code. By using master pages, you can separate layout and styling from the content. A master
page contains the layout information and is associated with a CSS file.
A master page is a template for HTML topics. You define the placement of headers, footers, and placeholders for the
body, breadcrumbs, and mini TOC. Master pages can include snippets and user-defined variables. You can create a
topic using a master page or associate an existing topic with a master page. When you create a topic using a master
page, the body content is placed in the resulting topic. If you apply a master page to an existing topic, the body content
is ignored.
The layout information defined in the master pages is not visible in Design view. However, you do see the CSS of the
master page in Design view. You can see the layout when you generate output or a preview. The topic content is placed
in the body placeholder, and the layout is inherited from the master page. All placeholders defined in the master page
are also populated with relevant information when you generate output.
Design element Appearance in the Design Editor
Bookmarks
Paragraph markers
Table gridlines
Glyphs
Fields
Unknown tags
Conditional areas
Comments
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You can use tables to create a precise layout where each placeholder is placed in a table cell.
Body placeholder When you create a topic from a master page, the topic includes content from the master page.
Copyright information is an example. When you apply a master page to a topic, actual content of the topic replaces the
body placeholder at the time of preview and generation.
Note: When you apply a master page to a topic, the header and footer of the topic are overridden by those of master pages.
Mini TOC placeholder Shows the automatically generated mini TOC at the time of generation or preview of Help topic.
Define the exact location and format of the mini TOC by designing the layout of the master page. By default, the levels
allowed for a TOC layout are heading 2 to heading 6.
Breadcrumbs placeholder Shows the automatically generated breadcrumbs at the time of generation of Help topic.
The breadcrumbs are generated based on the TOC. When you preview a topic, actual breadcrumbs links are not
generated and only the layout of breadcrumbs is visible.
You can apply conditional build tags to the mini TOC and breadcrumbs placeholders but not to the body placeholder.
However, you can apply a conditional build tag to the content inside or outside the body placeholder.
Create a master page
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > New > Master Page.
•Select and right-click Master Pages in the Project Set-up pod.
2Select New Master Page.
3Enter a name for the new master page in the General tab.
Note: Master pages have the filename extension .htt.
4Click the Appearance tab.
5Select a style sheet to apply to the master page.
6(Optional) Select the Background Sound options.
7Click OK.
A new master page shows the body placeholder by default. You can insert mini TOCs by clicking the Mini TOC icon
and breadcrumb placeholders by clicking the Breadcrumbs icon from the toolbar in the Design editor of master
pages. But this toolbar does not appear for normal pages. You can insert any number of mini TOCs or breadcrumbs
at any location in the master page.
Create a master page from a topic
1Open a topic.
2Do one of the following:
•Right-click in the Design Editor and select Add To > Master Pages.
•Select File > Add To Master Pages
All the content in the topic is wrapped in the body placeholder. After you add a topic to a master page, any new topic
created from this master page includes its body placeholder content.
When topics are associated with a master page, the style sheet, header, and footer of the master page override style
properties of the topic. You can edit or change the CSS of a topic later.
Note: Use the Topic Properties option to change the master page associated with a topic.
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More Help topics
“Headers, footers, and page breaks” on page 147
Formatting master pages
When you generate or preview a layout, border and shading properties of the master pages override border and
shading properties of topics. If the properties do not conflict, they are applied independently. For example, if you set
border properties for a master page, and background color for a topic, the final output topic has both applied to it.
Edit a master page
1Do one of the following:
•Right-click a master page in the Project Set-up pod and select Edit.
•Select a master page in the Project Set-up pod and select Edit > Edit [name of the master page].htt.
•Double click a Master Page in the Project Set-up pod.
2Make the desired changes.
Change the CSS associated with a master page
1Right-click in a master page and select Properties.
2Click the Appearance tab.
3Select a style sheet from the list of style sheets available in a project.
4Click OK.
Note: Select the Used In tab in the Master Page Properties dialog box to see a report of the topics associated with the
master page.
Insert a placeholder
You can insert placeholders for mini TOCs, breadcrumbs, and topics in master pages. By default, a body placeholder
is inserted in a new master page.
1Place the cursor below or after the body placeholder.
2Select Insert > Placeholder > Mini TOC or Breadcrumbs.
Note: You cannot insert a placeholder inside a paragraph as inline text or in headers or footers.
More Help topics
“Headers, footers, and page breaks” on page 147
Format and edit placeholders
You can format styles in placeholders using the Format Placeholders option from the context menu. Open a master
page in Design view and do one of the following:
•Right-click a placeholder. Select Format Placeholder.
•Select a placeholder and click the Format Placeholder button in the Design Editor toolbar.
•Double-click in the placeholder.
•Select Format > Placeholder.
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Notes:
•If a body placeholder is deleted from the master page or does not appear, the resultant topic has its headers appear
first (if at all), followed by the HTML content of the master page, the topic content, and the footer (if present).
•You cannot apply DHTML effects on the placeholders. The content inside the body placeholder is normal HTML
content, so you can apply DHTML effects to it.
•You can preview the master pages to see how the placeholder content is displayed in the final output. If the
associated master page has mini TOC and breadcrumbs placeholders, the mini TOC and breadcrumbs are
generated at the time of preview or layout generation.
More Help topics
“Add breadcrumbs to topics” on page 190
Importing master pages
You can import master pages from other projects and apply them to topics in your current project. When you upgrade
from RoboHelp 7 or earlier, topic templates convert to master pages when you import them. Except for the header and
footer, all the content in the topic template is wrapped in the body placeholder.
Applying master pages
You can apply or change the master page to one or multiple topics at a time. Use this option to change the master page
of one or more, but not all topics in your project. You can apply the master page to all topics when you generate the
Help output.
Apply a master page to a topic
1From the Topic List, right-click the topic, and select Properties.
2In the Topic Properties dialog box, select the General tab.
3All the master pages in a project are listed in the Master Page menu. Select a master page and click OK. Optionally,
you can do the following:
•To preview the selected master page, click the Preview icon.
•To select a master page that is not in the current project, click the Browse button.
Apply a master page to multiple topics
1In the topic list, sort the topics by the master page associated with them.
Note: If the Master Page column is not visible, right-click a column header, and select Master Page from the menu.
2Select the topics that are associated with the master page that you want to substitute. If you are applying master
pages for the first time, select the topics that are not associated with a master page. You can also select multiple sets
of topics with different master pages applied to them.
3Right-click, and select Properties.
4In the Topic Properties dialog box, select General tab.
5Select the master page from the Master Page menu, and click OK.
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Applying a master page or CSS at the time of generation
Single-source layouts let you override the master page or the CSS when you generate output. For different output
results, apply different master pages or a different CSS.
Each single-source layout except the Printed Documentation layout provides an option to apply master pages or CSS.
You can choose to apply a master page or a CSS across all the topics in a project.
Note: For the Printed Documentation layout, you can apply only a different CSS.
To apply to all topics, select Apply To All Topics and choose either a master page or a CSS. The Master Pages and CSS
menus show all the master pages and CSS available in the project.
•If you do not select the Apply To All Topics option, the master pages associated with individual topics take effect.
If no master pages are associated with individual topics, RoboHelp applies no master pages when it generates
output.
•If you choose to apply a master page, master pages associated with individual topics are overridden. The CSS
associated with the master page becomes effective and overrides the CSS associated with all other individual topics.
•If you choose to apply a CSS, master pages associated with individual topics take effect. The selected CSS is applied
to all the topics whether any master page is associated with them or not.
•If a master page is not associated with any CSS, the CSS associated with each individual topic becomes effective.
Manage topics
Rename a topic
When you rename a topic, the title is updated in the topic properties. Links to the topic still work. Other references are
not automatically updated. For example, you may need to edit the TOC page title in the TOC Editor.
If you create new topics using a master page, topic titles are automatically updated when you change a topic title in
Topic Properties.
1Do one of the following:
•Select View > Pods > Project Manager.
•Select View > Pods > Topic List.
2Select a topic.
3In the toolbar, click the Properties icon . Click the General tab.
4In the Topic Title box, type the new title.
5Click OK. The topic title is updated.
6To change the topic heading, open the topic in the Design Editor. Edit the heading text.
Note: To match the filename to the updated topic title, change the filename when you change a topic title.
More Help topics
“Rename topic files” on page 111
“Manage files” on page 36
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Update topic references
If you rename a topic title, make sure that you update the following items as indicated.
Text links The path of the link is updated, but the link text that is visible to a user is not. If link text in any topics
includes the topic title, update each topic.
Topic heading If you want to change the topic heading to match the topic title, change it in the Design Editor.
Table of contents Update a book or page with the new title. In the Table Of Contents pod, right-click the book or page
and select Rename. Enter the new title.
Index If the topic title is an index keyword, update the keyword in the Index pod. Right-click the keyword in the upper
pane and select Rename. Type the new title.
Add underscores to filenames
If topic filenames have multiple words, you can set RoboHelp HTML to replace underscores with spaces. This
convention enables TOC books and pages to synchronize with topic content displayed in the viewer.
Existing filenames aren’t affected unless you edit them.
1Select Tools > Options.
2Click the General tab.
3Select Use Underscores In Filenames.
Change topic properties
Topics have properties that define their appearance and index keywords. You can change properties for a single topic
or a group of topics.
1Do one of the following:
•Right-click one or more topics in the Topic List pod. Select Properties.
•Right-click a topic in the Project Manager pod. Select Properties.
•Right-click a topic in the Design Editor and select Topic Properties.
2Click a tab and make changes.
3Click OK.
Use options on the Status tab to track topic development and manage the project. (To access the Status tab, right-click
a topic and select properties. On the Topic Properties dialog box, select the Status tab.) You can also generate project
reports based on properties you set.
Change topic properties on the Index tab (WebHelp Pro)
Work with keywords referenced by the topic.
Select Index Select an index to add keywords or view the related referenced keywords.
Index Keywords Create and edit keywords.
Add Add a keyword from the Index Keywords text box.
Add Existing Copy a keyword from other topics.
Delete Remove a keyword.
Replace Replace a keyword with text from the text box.
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Smart Index Open the Smart Index wizard.
Properties Open the General tab. Save the keyword in either the index file or in the current topic.
Changing master pages
To change which master page is applied to a topic, select a master page from the Master Pages menu. The default is the
last master page applied to the topic. You can view the master page by clicking the View button
or browse to a
new master page by clicking the Browse button.
More Help topics
“Update the To Do list for a topic” on page 36
“Link a style sheet to topics or master pages” on page 155
“Apply conditional build tags to multiple topics” on page 221
“Identify the browse sequences a topic is assigned to” on page 207
Find a topic
Find topics within your project from the Table Of Contents, Index, and Project Manager pods.
You can search on all or part of a topic title or on topic properties.
1Click the pod to search:
•To find out which folder a topic is in, click the Project Manager pod.
•To find out where a topic is in the table of contents, click the Table Of Contents pod.
•To find out where a topic is referenced in the index, click the Index pod.
•To find out if a topic is in your project, click the Topic List pod.
2Select Edit > Find Topic.
3To conduct a simple search, click the Search tab and type all or part of the topic title next to Topic Title Includes.
4To conduct an advanced search, click the Advanced tab. You can search according to the following options:
Topic Title Includes Enter text to help you find the topic by title.
File Name Includes Enter text to help you find the topic by filename.
You can search for the following topic properties:
Status Click to ignore status in the search or search for topics that are assigned to a specific status.
File Modified Click to ignore file modification dates or search for files modified before or after specific dates. You
can enter a date at the right of this option.
Priority Click to ignore topic priorities in the search or to search for topics based on a specific priority assignment.
You can enter a number at the right of this option.
Note: Searching by author is not supported.
The Found Topics area has these features:
Found Topics Displays the topics that match the search criteria. Select a topic from this list to preview it or modify
its properties.
View button Displays the selected topic in the Preview window.
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By Title Click to search for text in topic titles instead of in filenames.
Topics Containing <item> Displays the topics that match the search criteria. Select a topic from this list to preview
it or modify its properties.
5Click OK.
Assign a default topic
The default topic appears in the Topic panel when the Help system is opened.
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click the layout. Select Properties.
2Next to the Default Topic box, click Select.
3Select a topic. Click OK.
4Click Save.
5Generate and view the layout.
Track topic status
The status of new topics is In Progress by default. You can change this status as you work.
Status information is used in the Project Status report.
1In the Topic List pod, select topics.
2Click the Properties button .
3Click the Status tab.
4Set options as needed:
Status Click the triangle to select a development stage.
Priority Enter a number.
Hours Enter a number to assign estimated or actual hours of topic development.
To Do list Select items as you complete them.
Comments Enter text.
More Help topics
“Generate and customize reports” on page 103
View and manage topic details in the Topics List pod
❖In the Topic List pod, do any of the following:
•To view details about topics, choose View > Details View.
•To sort topics, click the column header.
•To select details to appear in the Topic List pod, right-click a column header, select More, and select the details.
•To view or update topic properties, select one or more topics and click the Properties button .
•To create topic references, drag topics from the list to create a table of contents, index, and See Also keywords.
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More Help topics
“Reports” on page 102
Work with the Tag list
The Tag list in Design view shows the hierarchical structure of the HTML page. The top of the hierarchy is on the left
(always the document). The currently selected item is on the right.
•To display the Tag list, select View > Show > Tag list.
•To select an item in Design Editor, click the item in the Tag list.
•To edit the properties of an item in the Tag list, double-click the item. Set options.
Specify formatting attributes to remove:
Tag HTML tag that creates the specified format type.
Text Text to which the formatting is applied.
Class Class (style specified in the style sheet) used in the HTML tag. Not all tags have classes assigned.
Id ID (tag for JavaScript or Dynamic HTML) used in the HTML tag. Not all tags have IDs assigned.
Managing resources
About Resource Manager
Resource Manager helps you maintain resources such as images, multimedia, style sheets, snippets, and baggage files
in a shared location on your computer or network. Multiple authors can use them across projects and manage them
from the Resource Manager pod in RoboHelp.
RoboHelp provides easy ways to add resources in the shared location and the project. Drag files and folders between
Resource Manager and Windows Explorer. Drag images, style sheets, and topics from Project Manager to Resource
Manager. Drag master pages between the Project Set-up pod and Resource Manager. Drag snippets from Resource
Manager to topics (RoboHelp updates the Snippets pod).
When you drag a resource from within a project (for example, a snippet from the Snippets pod) to a shared location
in Resource Manager, you export the resource and make it available to other authors. Conversely, when you drag and
drop a resource from Resource Manager to a project, you import the resource (with its associated files) to the project.
Configure Resource Manager settings
1 Do one of the following:
•Select Tools > Options. Click Resource Manager.
•Select View > Pods > Resource Manager. Click the Resource Manager Settings button.
2In the Options dialog box, specify application-level and project-level settings for Resource Manager.
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Specify application-level Resource Manager settings
1In the Options dialog box, specify how you want to use shared resources in projects. Select either of the following
options:
As Copy Inserts a copy of a shared resource in the project. Resource Manager does not notify you or update the
project if the original resource in the shared location is updated.
As Linked Inserts a copy of a shared resource in the project and maintains a link between the copy (in the project)
and the original (in the shared location). Maintaining a link helps Resource Manager to keep track of updates to the
resource and allow you to update the resource in the project or in the shared location.
Note: If a linked style sheet includes references to other resources, RoboHelp does not track updates to the referenced
resources.
2Specify the frequency of checking updates to linked resources.
Note: Besides checking for updates according to this defined frequency, RoboHelp checks the status of linked resources
when opening a project and when generating output.
3Specify the frequency of refreshing the shared location.
Specify project-level Resource Manager settings
You can specify your preferences for the update of linked resources at a project level. For example, for project A, you
can specify that Resource Manager should auto-update all linked resources if they are updated in the shared location.
On the other hand, for project B, you can specify that Resource Manager should notify you if a linked resource is
updated.
To specify project-level settings for the update of linked resources:
❖Select one of the following options:
Notify Notifies if linked resources are different from their original versions in the shared location
Do Not Notify Does not notify if linked resources are different from their original versions in the shared location
Auto-Update Project Updates all linked resources in the project with the changes in the shared location
Manage shared resources in the Resource Manager pod
Add a shared location
Add any number of resource locations as root elements in the Resource Manager pod. You can create folders under
each shared location.
1Select View > Pods > Resource Manager. Do one of the following:
•Click Add Shared Location .
•Right-click in the blank area below the displayed categories and select Add Shared Location.
2Browse and select a folder preferably on a network or shared path. Click OK.
3(Optional) Right-click the shared location and select New Folder. Specify a name for the folder.
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Add a category
Categories help you manage different types of resources. You can add and edit categories and associate various file
types with each category. For example, you can add a category called Video and associate .flv, .swf, and .avi file types
with it.
1Select View > Pods > Resource Manager. Click the Add/Edit Categories button.
2Click the Add Category button .
3Enter a name for the new category and click OK.
4Click the Add File Type button to add a file type for the selected category.
Notes:
•You can add file types to an existing category.
•You can edit the file types in an existing category.
•You can click Reset To Default to reset to the default view of the Resource Manager. All the user-defined categories
and file types still exist in the root folder.
Show or hide contents in the Resource Manager pod
1Select View > Pods > Resource Manager.
2Click the Show/Hide Categories button .
3Select or deselect the categories to show or hide in the Resource Manager pod.
4Select one of the following options:
All Displays all the resources in the shared locations.
Linked Displays only the resources used in the open project.
Maintain shared resources
1Select View > Pods > Resource Manager.
2Do any of the following:
Edit You can right-click a file to edit it in the associated editor.
Explore Right-click a folder and select Explore to open the folder in Windows Explorer. You can right-click a file
and select Explore to open the parent folder of the file in Windows Explorer.
Copy Copies the selected file or folder to the Clipboard.
Paste Pastes the copied file or folder to the shared location.
Delete Select Delete from the right-click menu to delete a file or a folder.
Rename Right-click a file or folder and select Rename to rename a file or a folder.
Copy to Project folder Copies the selected files to the project root folder.
Note: You must have the project open to copy the files to the project root folder.
Export Select Export from the right-click options of a file or folder to export to the selected folder in the Export
Resource Files dialog box.
Import (Folder) Imports one or more files into the selected folder.
Properties Displays the properties of the selected file or folder.
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Manage linked resources
Linked resources are shared resources used in a project. When you use a shared resource in a project, RoboHelp adds
a copy of the shared resource in the project. However, it maintains a link with the shared location to track whether the
master copy is updated. Deleting the master copy from the shared location does not delete the copy of the resource
used in the project.
1Do one of the following:
•Select Edit > Linked Resources.
•Select View > Pods > Resource Manager. Click Manage Linked Resources.
2Do any of the following:
Search Searches linked resources in the project based on specified criteria.
A linked resource can have one of the following statuses:
•In sync The original shared resource and the copy used in the project are same.
•Modified in the shared location The original shared resource is modified, and the copy used in the project is
out-of sync.
•Modified in the project The copy used in the project is modified.
Note: In Project Manager and Resource Manager, resources used in the project appear with icons that indicate if the
resources are in sync or out of sync.
Resource icons indicate in-sync and out-of-sync statuses
A. In-sync resources B. Out-of-sync resource
•Modified in both locations Both the original shared resource and the copy in the project have been modified.
•Not found in the shared location The original resource is not found in the shared location.
•Not found in the project A reference to the resource exists in the project but the resource is deleted from the
project folder. This scenario occurs only in the case of manual deletion of the resource.
Sync Allows you to update the resource either in the project or in the shared location.
A
B
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Remove Links Removes the links of the selected resources to the shared location. The resources remain in the
project as copied resources; any updates to the master copies in the shared location must be tracked manually.
Replace Link Replaces the current link with a link to another shared resource that has the same file extension.
Check spelling and find and replace
Note: If your project is localized, the spelling checker uses a dictionary in the selected language.
Check spelling in the TOC, index, see also list, or glossary
When the spelling checker finds an error, you can ignore the word, change it, or add it to the dictionary.
1Open the component you want to check.
2Select Tools, and then select Spell Check TOC, Index, See Also, or Glossary.
3Select a suggested word or type a replacement in Not In Dictionary.
4Select options.
5To add a word to the custom dictionary, click Add.
Note: Online glossaries are available with WebHelp and Microsoft HTML Help.
Specify spelling options
❖Select Tools > Spelling Options and select from the following sets of options:
Main Options
Check Spelling As You Type Checks for misspelled words as you type.
Auto-Correct When Possible Corrects misspelled words as you type. To view a list of typically misspelled words, open
the Dictionary Editor dialog box.
Match Case Searches for uppercase or lowercase as indicated.
Note: The Auto-Correct When Possible and Match Case options do not work if you do not select the Check Spelling As
You Type option.
Special Options
Ignore All Uppercased Words Ignores all uppercase words.
Ignore Mixed Letters/Digits Ignores strings containing both letters and digits.
Ignore Doubles Ignores repeated words.
User Dictionary Lets you modify the existing dictionary.
Auto-correct spelling options
Auto-correction is possible only if you select the Auto-Correct When Possible option and the Check Spelling As You
Type option in the Spelling Options dialog box. (Select Tools > Spelling Options). You can define misspellings along
with the correct version. For example, you can add ”r;adn” as a misspelling and define the correct spelling as ”random.”
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Note: Misspellings are not predefined; be sure to add them explicitly. This feature is Unicode-compliant. You can add
words in any language, including Russian and Japanese, in the same project, a topic, or a paragraph.
Replace Specify a misspelling in the Replace box.
With Specify the correct word in the With box.
Add Click to add the word to the Auto-Correct list.
Delete Click to delete the misspelled entries.
Cancel Cancels any changes made in the dialog box fields.
OK Click to save the changes made in the dialog box fields.
View Ignore Words list
❖Select the Ignored Words tab. Use this dialog box to view the list of words ignored during spelling checks.
Ignored Words Lists words ignored during the spelling check.
Delete All Click to delete all words from the Ignored Words list.
Delete Click to delete the selected words from the Ignored Words list.
Check spelling in topics or projects
1Open a topic in the Design Editor. Do one of the following:
•Select Tools > Spell Check.
•Select Tools > Spell Check All Topics. (Optional) Click Skip Topic.
•Select Tools > Spell Check Project. (Optional) Click Skip.
2Select a suggested word or type a replacement in Not In Dictionary.
3Select options as needed.
4To add the word to the custom dictionary, click Add.
Spelling check options for topics
Not In Dictionary Display the questionable word.
Suggestions Display a list of suggested spellings for the word.
If a word is not listed, enter the correct spelling in Not In Dictionary.
Add Add the word to the dictionary.
Ignore Skip the word and continue the spelling check.
Ignore All Add the word to the Ignore Word list.
Change Replace the word displayed in Not In Dictionary with the word selected in Suggestions.
Change All Replace all occurrences of the word displayed in Not in Dictionary with the word selected in Suggestions.
Close End the spelling check and close the dialog box.
Note: The Spell Check tool works for the language selected. If the selected language does not support the Spell Check tool,
the tool is disabled in the Tools menu.
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Spelling check options for projects
Currently Checking Display the topic currently being checked.
Skip Skip the current topic.
Not In Dictionary Display the word not found in the dictionary.
Add Add the word to the dictionary.
Suggestions Show a list of words similar to the word not in the dictionary.
Ignore Ignore the word not found in the dictionary.
Ignore All Ignore all the suggestions for the selected word.
Change Replace the word under Not In Dictionary with the one in the Suggestions list.
Change All Change all the instances of the word.
Note: Words are added to the custom dictionary of the language the project is using.
More Help topics
“Authoring content in multiple languages” on page 42
Customize a dictionary
Use the Dictionary Editor to add words, for example, “RoboHelp,” to your dictionary. The dictionary is specific to the
language and the user. Every language has its own dictionary, and every user can save changes to the dictionary.
Note: The Dictionary Editor is case sensitive.
1Select Tools > Spelling Options.
2Click the Options tab.
3Click Modify.
4In the Dictionary Editor, under Word, type a new entry and click Add. To delete an entry, select it and click Delete.
Note: You cannot cancel additions or deletions made in the Dictionary Editor, so the Cancel button is disabled.
Use the thesaurus
1In the Design Editor, open a topic.
2Select a word.
3Select Tools > Thesaurus.
4Select a synonym or antonym and click Replace.
Looked Up Display the word selected in the topic or type a word to look up.
Replace With Display a suggested replacement for the word.
Category Display the meaning of the word and its part of speech. If more than one category appears, select one to
see different synonyms.
Synonym Display words that are equivalent alternatives to the selected word. Select a word to replace the word you
looked up.
Replace Replace the current word with the new one.
Look Up Adds words in the Look Up pop-up menu.
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Close Close the dialog box.
Find and replace
Find and replace text in a topic
1Open a topic.
2Select Edit > Find or Edit > Replace.
3Type the text in the Find box.
4(Optional) Set options. Use expressions to broaden or restrict search results.
5Click Find or Find Next.
6Click Replace or Replace All, or ignore the selection and click Find Next.
Windows expressions
? c?rd finds card and cord
* r*m finds ram and random
[ ] [cg]lass finds class and glass
[-] [c-g]lip finds clip and flip
@ ste@p finds step and steep
UNIX expressions
? sells? finds sell and sells
* co*p finds cop, coop, and cp; r.*m finds ram and random
[ ] [cg]lass finds class and glass
[-] [c-g]lip finds clip and flip
+ ste+p finds step and steep
Find options
❖Select Edit > Find.
Find Type a word or phrase to search for (the search string).
Find Next Search for the next occurrence.
Close End the search.
Allow Regular Expressions Recognize Microsoft Word-style or UNIX-style expressions.
Match Case Limit the search to strings that exactly match the case of the entered search string.
Direction Select the direction of the search.
Backward Search up from the current insertion point.
Forward Search down from the insertion point.
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Find and replace options
❖Select Edit > Replace.
Find What Search for this word or phrase.
Replace With Use this word or phrase as the replacement text.
Find Next Locate the first occurrence in the text.
Replace Replace selected text.
Replace All Replace all occurrences.
Close End the search.
Allow Regular Expressions Recognize MS Word-style or UNIX-style expressions.
Match Case Limit the search to strings that exactly match the case of the entered search string.
Direction Select the direction of the search.
Backward Search up from the current insertion point.
Forward Search down from the insertion point.
Find and replace text in files
Use the Multifile Find and Replace tool to globally find and replace words in a project.
1Select Edit > Find And Replace In Files.
2Specify the required options and click Find.
Find Search for this word or phrase.
Replace Use this word or phrase as the replacement text.
Named Specify the file type(s) to search.
Where Specify the location to search.
Case Sensitive Limit the search to strings that exactly match the case of the entered search string.
Whole Word Exclude strings that contain the entered search string.
Ignore HTML Tags Exclude HTML tags when searching in HTML files.
Make Backups Back up the original files before replacing text.
Overwrite Backups Select to allow existing backups to be overwritten when Make Backups is selected.
Include Subfolders Select to allow searching within all subfolders in the specified folder.
W3C compliance
You can validate XHTML or HTML topics for World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) compliance and view error
messages, informative messages, or warnings. You can validate the following for W3C compliance:
Topics Do one of the following:
•Right-click a topic in the Project Manager pod and select Validate W3C Compliance.
•Select any topic in Project Manager view and select File > W3C Compliance > Validate. RoboHelp validates the
selected topic and displays warnings or error messages in the Output View pod or the Error List pod.
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Project Do one of the following:
•Right-click Project Files in the Project Manager pod and select Validate W3C Compliance.
•Select File > W3C Compliance > Validate All.
RoboHelp validates all the HTML/XHTML topics and shows warnings or error messages for any non-compliance in
the Output View pod and Error List pod. RoboHelp displays errors, warnings, and information in different situations:
•Errors appear if you have added an incorrect tag or if you have not closed a tag.
•Warnings appear if a tag is not valid for XHTML.
•Information appears when all topics are validated.
Note: You can double-click an error or a warning message in the Error List pod to open it. When you place the cursor on
an error in the Error List pod, it shows the line of the topic where the error occurred.
Reference
General pane for Oracle projects
The General pane applies to the Topic Properties and New Topic dialog boxes in Oracle Help projects.
Use the General pane to create topic titles and filenames.
Topic Title Displays in the viewer, or when viewing topics by titles in the Project Manager.
File Name Name of the topic file (default is based on the title). Displays when viewing topics by filenames in the Project
Manager.
You can automatically save filenames using underscores, letting you synchronize the TOC book and pages in the
Contents tab with content in the viewing pane.
Template Displays or selects a template for a topic. Select None to use formatting from the default style sheet. To view
the displayed template, click the View button.
Editor (For Topic Properties) Shows the HTML editor for the project. Change this setting to use one other than the
RoboHelp Design Editor.
Note: Oracle Help uses topic IDs (in a map file) to make context-sensitive Help calls. You can change the ID by editing
the topic META tag.
More Help topics
“Add underscores to filenames” on page 120
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Chapter 5: Editing and formatting
RoboHelp editors
RoboHelp provides two editors by default: Design Editor and HTML Editor. You can also use third-party editors to
edit their respective documents. For example, you can use Microsoft Word to edit a Word document linked to a
project.
RoboHelp Design Editor
When you select a topic file from the Project Manager pod, the topic opens in Design Editor. Use the RoboHelp Design
Editor to perform word-processing tasks and to insert online elements, such as links, multimedia, Dynamic HTML,
and See Also/Related Topics buttons. You can also add index keywords to topics, apply conditional text, create browse
sequences, map IDs, and edit master pages.
You can edit any standard XHTML or HTML file in Design Editor. (You can import stand-alone HTML files into a
project and edit them).
Note: To switch to HTML Editor from Design Editor, click the HTML tab.
RoboHelp HTML Editor
You can author topics in RoboHelp by writing XHTML code in the RoboHelp HTML Editor. RoboHelp HTML Editor
is a text editor for XHTML and HTML tags and text.
Open RoboHelp HTML Editor
1Select a topic file from the Project Manager pod. The topic opens in Design Editor.
2Click the HTML tab to view the HTML code for the topic.
Undo a change
❖Click the Undo The Last Action button.
Note: If you switch views after making a change, you can’t undo the change.
View line numbers
❖Right-click the body of the topic and select Line Numbers.
All code lines are numbered in the HTML Editor.
Add keyword expansions
Keyword expansions allow matching keywords to appear for text you type in the editor. The closest match is
highlighted. Click an entry in the list to insert it.
For example, suppose you add "RoboHelp" as an expansion. When you type "R", a list of keywords that begin with "R"
appears. When you type the next letter "o," the keyword "RoboHelp" is highlighted. Click it to insert it in the HTML
Editor. Text assigned to this keyword (for example, Adobe RoboHelp) appears in the HTML Editor.
Note: If the characters you enter do not have a matching keyword, the pop-up window disappears.
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You can add keyword expansions in the HTML Editor.
1In the HTML Editor, right-click and select Edit Expansions.
2Click New.
3(Optional) Enter a new keyword in the Keyword box.
4Enter a caption for the keyword in the Caption box.
5Enter some text in the Text To Insert text area. This text appears when you select a keyword from the list in the
HTML Editor.
6Click OK.
Change code color
You can change the color of code in the RoboHelp HTML Editor. However, the content text is always black.
1In HTML view, right-click and select Colors.
2In the Color Table dialog box, select an item and specify a color for the text, highlight, or both.
3Click OK.
More Help topics
“Modify colors” on page 141
Third-party HTML editors
Using RoboHelp with other HTML editors
When using RoboHelp with a third-party HTML editor, note the following details:
•You can edit HTML in another editor while RoboHelp is open. When you open a topic in a third-party HTML
editor, RoboHelp functionality is not available. You can insert HTML code and elements, but you can’t insert or
edit RoboHelp features, such as text-only pop-ups or link controls.
•Close files in the third-party editor before opening them in RoboHelp.
•If you insert an image using a third-party editor, add the image to the project Baggage Files folder. The same is true
for JavaScript-based special effects with images, including accompanying .js files.
Add an HTML editor
For a list of detected HTML editors, select Tools > Options > Associations.
1Select Tools > Options.
2Click the Associations tab. Click Add in the HTML Editors area.
3Do either of the following: Type the name of the HTML editor. Press Enter.
•Select an editor from the Recommended Programs or Other Programs folder. The Name and Location boxes
display the information for the selected program.
•Click the browse button . Select the EXE file for the HTML editor and click Open. Type a name for the
editor.
Note: If you install a new HTML editor, you can’t add it until you restart RoboHelp.
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Remove or rename an HTML editor
1Select Tools > Options.
2Click the Associations tab.
3Select an editor. Click Edit.
•To rename the editor, click Edit and type a name in the Name box.
•To remove the editor, click Remove.
Note: RoboHelp Design Editor, RoboHelp HTML Editor, and Windows Notepad cannot be changed or removed
from the list.
Auto-select an HTML editor or set a default
RoboHelp can automatically open a third-party HTML editor for you. RoboHelp detects the editor to open based on
the HTML file itself. The Auto Select option also lets you associate an editor with its own Meta/Generator tag to
automatically open topics with the editor that created them.
Note: To find out the editor associated with an installation of RoboHelp, select Tools > Options and check the default
editor setting on the Associations tab.
You can set a default HTML editor. The default editor is used for creating new topics, even if the auto-select feature is
enabled.
1Select Tools > Options.
2Click the Associations tab. Do one or more of the following.
•Select Use Default Editor. Click Set As Default.
•Select Auto Select Editor.
3To change the associations between editor and tag, select Auto Select. You can change the HTML editor but not the
Generator tag. You cannot remove the tags either. Choose from these Generator tags:
<None> The editor associated with this tag is used for files with no Meta/Generator tag.
<Unknown> The editor associated with this tag is used for files with Meta/Generator tags not in the Associations
HTML Editors list.
<Robohelp> The editor associated with this tag is used for files created with all versions of RoboHelp.
Change the associations between editor and tag using the following options:
Add Associate an editor and a Meta/Generator tag.
Remove Remove an association between an editor and a Meta/Generator tag.
Set Editor
Display the editors in the Associations tab. Change associations between editors and Meta/Generator tags.
Set Tag Modify associations between Meta/Generator tags and editors by typing a Meta/Generator tag in the field
or browsing to an HTML file that contains the Meta/Generator tag.
4Click OK when you finish.
Notes:
•You can also use third-party HTML editors on a topic-by-topic basis, even if you set a default editor. Right-click
the topic in the Project Manager pod or the Topic List pod and select Edit With.
•All editors must be associated with a Meta/Generator tag.
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Specify an editor for new topics
Specify the default editor for new topics.
1In the Project Manager pod, right-click a topic. Select New > Topic With.
2Select an editor. Click OK. Click the General tab, and specify options.
3Select Tools > Options. Click the Associations tab. Select Use Default Editor.
Character formatting and fonts
If you format characters using the toolbar or the Format > Font option, you create inline styles. Inline styles override
style sheets. For repeated use, create or modify a character style in a style sheet.
Apply or remove character formatting
❖Select the text to format. Do one of the following:
•In the toolbar, click the tool for the formatting option.
•Choose Format > Font.
Apply color to text
1Select text.
2In the toolbar, click the arrow on the Change Font Color button .
3Click a color swatch, or click More Colors to select from additional swatches or to apply a custom color.
More Help topics
“Create styles for style sheets” on page 157
Define advanced font options
1Select Format > Font.
2Click Advanced.
You can define the following advanced options for fonts:
Style Specifies that the font is displayed in either normal, italic, or oblique
Weight Defines the font weight property (to make it appear lighter or darker). The bolder and lighter values are
relative to the inherited font weight, while the other values are absolute font weights. Not all fonts have all the possible
display weights.
Overline Inserts a line above the selected text.
Preview Shows a Design Editor representation of how your text looks with the selected font options. The view updates
as you apply different settings at the tab.
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Change character spacing
1Select Format > Font.
2Click the Spacing tab.
3Select Normal, Expand, or Compress. Set options:
By (For Expand or Compress) Specify the amount of space between characters.
Position Specify a location for the text.
4Click OK.
Change font size
1Select the text.
2In the toolbar, select a font size.
You can also change font sizes in navigation panes using the WebHelp Skin Editor.
Create a font set
A font set is a collection of fonts to apply in style sheets or character and paragraph formatting. For example, you can
create a font set with Verdana as the first font, and then (in order) Arial® and Sans Serif as substitute fonts. If users do
not have Verdana installed, the viewer uses Arial and then Sans Serif.
1Select Format > Font Sets.
2Click New, type a name, and click Modify. Select the first font, and click Add.
Note: Font sets are saved with projects.
Apply a font set to text
1Open a topic in the Design view. Select the text to format.
2Select a font.
Change font sets
1Select Format > Font Sets.
2Select a font.
3Click Modify.
4Add fonts from Available Typefaces or delete them from Font Set Selections.
5Click OK.
Remove font sets
Note: Before removing a font set, reformat all text that uses that font set. If you don't, the font set you remove is re-created.
1Select Format > Font Sets.
2Select the font to remove.
3Click Delete.
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Insert symbols and special characters
1Open a topic in the Design Editor. Select a location for the character.
2Select Insert > HTML > Symbol.
3Double-click the symbol.
Insert a non-breaking space
❖Place the insertion point where you want the non-breaking space. Press Ctrl+Alt+spacebar.
Format paragraphs
If you format a paragraph using the toolbar or the Format > Paragraph option, you create inline styles. Inline styles
override style sheets. For repeated use, create or modify a paragraph style in a style sheet.
Align paragraphs
1Open a topic in the Design view. Select the paragraph to align.
2From the toolbar, click an alignment button.
Indent paragraphs
1Click in the paragraph.
2Do one of the following:
•In the toolbar, click the Decrease Indent or the Increase Indent button in the toolbar.
•Select Format > Paragraph. Set indents:
•For a left or right margin indent, click Up or Down and select a number from the list.
•For a first line indent, click the triangle under Special and select First Line. Under By, click Up or Down and
select a number from the list.
•For a hanging indent, click the triangle under Special and select Hanging. Under By, click Up or Down and
select a number from the list.
Indent text lines
1Select View > Show > Ruler.
2In the Design Editor, insert your cursor where you want to create the indent or select the text you want to change.
3On the ruler, do one of the following:
•To create a hanging indent, drag the lower marker where you want the indent to start.
Marker position for a hanging indent
•To create a first-line indent, drag the upper marker to the position where you want the text to start.
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Marker position for a first-line indent
Change margins
Follow this procedure if you want to change a single topic. Otherwise, use a style sheet.
1Select View > Show > Ruler.
2In the Design Editor, insert your cursor where you want to change the margins or select the text to change.
3Drag the margin markers on the ruler.
Tips:
•In tables, apply margin settings to each cell as you move your cursor through the table.
•To specify exact margin measurements, select Format > Paragraph.
•To specify a margin setting that affects a certain style, modify your style sheet.
•Right-click the ruler to access the Snap To Tick Marks option. Select it and drag the markers on the ruler so they
align with the tick marks on the ruler. To move the markers in smaller increments, deselect Snap To Tick Marks.
More Help topics
“Create styles for style sheets” on page 157
Change the unit of measure for the ruler
1Select View > Show > Ruler.
2Right-click the ruler.
3Select a unit of measure.
Define a language for a paragraph
Select a language for the paragraph. If no language is selected, the project language applies to the paragraph.
❖Right-click and select Paragraph. Select a language from the Language menu.
More Help topics
“Support for multiple languages” on page 42
Apply text wrapping
1In the Design Editor, double-click an object.
2Under Text Wrapping, select an option.
Note: To use Around (For Tables), the table must be left- or right-aligned.
3(Optional) To set spacing between the object and surrounding text, click Margins.
•Enter values for the amount of space between the selected object and the surrounding text.
•Set the spacing between text and object or by entering an amount in inches. Depending on whether you select
left or right text wrapping, you can enter the spacing for All Sides or Left/Right and Top/Bottom.
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4Click OK.
Notes:
•Tables must be left- or right-aligned to use text wrapping, and they must be less than 100% in size.
•If text wrapping is applied around an image, the image cannot be aligned.
Adjust line spacing
1Select Format > Paragraph.
2Set Spacing options:
Before Specify the amount of space above each paragraph.
After Specify the amount of space after each paragraph.
At (for Multiple and Exactly) Enter the spacing (in points) between selected lines.
3Click OK.
Add line breaks to paragraphs
A manual line break ends the current line and aligns the text on the next line.
1Open the topic in the Design Editor. Click where you want the line break.
2Select Insert > Line Break. Alternatively, press Shift + Enter.
Borders, backgrounds, color, and sound
Applying formatting without styles creates inline styles. Inline styles override style sheets.
Add or edit borders and backgrounds in topics
1Open a topic. Select the topic or topic elements, such as paragraphs or table cells.
2Select Format > Borders And Shading.
3Click the Borders or Shading tab.
4Specify border or shading options. Click OK.
5Click the Save All button .
More Help topics
“Add or edit borders or backgrounds in style sheets” on page 163
Add borders to images
1In the Design Editor, double-click the image.
2Click the Image tab. Click Borders.
3Set border options.
4Click OK.
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More Help topics
“Add or edit borders or backgrounds in style sheets” on page 163
Remove borders or backgrounds
1Open a topic.
2Select the item with the border or shading.
3Do one or more of the following:
•In the toolbar, click the Border Type button and select the option for no border.
•In the toolbar, click the Fill Color button and select None.
•Select Format > Borders And Shading. Click the Borders or Shading tab. Set the border to None or the fill color
to Transparent. To remove a background image, remove the image name from the Image box in the Pattern area.
Add or delete horizontal lines
Add a horizontal line
You can insert a GIF image of a horizontal line or use the following procedures to add and change lines.
1Open the topic in the Design view, and click where you want to add the line.
2Select Insert > HTML > Horizontal Line.
3Select line options.
•To change line length, enter a value in Width.
•To change line thickness, enter a value in Height. (The lower the number, the narrower the line.)
•To specify alignment, select a line position.
•To change line color, click Custom and select a color.
•To add margins, click Margins and choose options.
•To add a border, click Border and choose options.
Delete a horizontal line
Select the line and click the Delete button .
Modify colors
1Select Format > Colors.
2Click New. Type a name for the color.
3Click Modify. Do one or more of the following:
•Click a basic color swatch.
•Click the color spectrum box and the vertical color bar to adjust the amount of black and white in the color.
•Specify values for Hue, Saturation, and Luminosity. Enter values from 0 to 255.
•Specify values for Red, Green, and Blue. Enter values from 0 to 255.
•Drag the slider to adjust the luminosity.
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•Select Snap To Safe to change the selected color to the closest web-safe color.
Remove colors
Note: Before you remove a color, reformat any text using it.
1Select Format > Colors.
2Select the color to remove.
3Click Delete.
Add sound to topics
1From the Topic List pod, select one or more topics.
2Click the Properties button.
3Click the Appearance tab.
4In the Background Sound box, enter the name of the sound file. The following formats are supported:
.au Used on UNIX systems. Supported by Microsoft Windows and HTML Help.
.mid, .rmi Musical Instrument Digital Interface. Standard for synthesized sound from electronic instruments.
.wav The native sound format for Windows.
5In the Sound Loop Count box, enter the number of times to play the sound file.
Tables
About tables
In RoboHelp for HTML, you can create tables to organize complex data in a simplified format. You can organize
various elements in a table, segregate them using different colors, or draw patterns for easy identification of different
elements in a group.
Table styles allow you to choose different formats for tables. Styles can define header rows and columns, first or last
rows, repeatable groups of rows or columns, margins within cells, and so on. Using Table properties, you can set
margins in a table, define width and height of various cells and select different table styles. In addition to using the
predefined table styles in RoboHelp for HTML, you can create your own table styles to display for different kinds of
data. For example, you can have simple tables showing salary components or tables displaying the sum of salary
components, tax deductions including tax saving investments. You can have some global table styles, which can be
used across multiple topics.
You can import tables from FrameMaker and Word documents and map their table styles to RoboHelp table styles or
retain the original styles from other formats.
You can add text in tables. You can add cross-references, images, hypertext links to the content in a table. You can
apply conditional build tags to rows or columns to hide or show them in certain outputs. For example, you can have a
table describing features for each of the RoboHelp outputs. You can apply a conditional build tag on each column
listing the features for the specific output and display only if you generate that output.
Support for mini TOCs and breadcrumbs in Tables make them more useful for displaying content in an organized and
user-friendly fashion.
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Workflow for creating a table
1Insert a table using the toolbar or the Table menu. Then select the number of rows and columns in the table grid.
See “Insert tables” on page 143.
2Select a global style to apply on the table. You can also create your own table styles using the Format > Styles option.
Note: If you do not select a table style, a default table style is applied to the table.
See “Table styles” on page 158.
3Change the table properties in the Table properties dialog box. You can set the margins, align cells in the table, and
apply shading and borders to the table.
See “Edit tables” on page 144.
Insert tables
You can insert a table anywhere in a topic or a master page, including headers and footers. You can also insert a table
within a table. You can apply different table properties to the inserted table to display complex data.
Insert a basic table
1Click where you want the table.
2Choose View > Toolbars > Tables And Borders.
3In the toolbar, click the Insert Table button .
4On the table grid, drag to determine the columns and rows to add.
5Click to insert the table.
Insert a custom table
1Click where you want to add the table.
2Select Table > Insert > Table.
3Specify the number of rows and columns.
4Select a table template, or select a custom style from CSS Styles.
5Click OK.
To add a line below a table, click inside the lower-right cell of the table. When the cursor is blinking, press the Right
or Down Arrow. Press Enter to begin a new line.
Inserting tables within tables
When you insert a table within a table, the second table resides in a single cell within the first table. You can change
the table properties individually to differentiate the information.
The second table is 100% of the width of the cell in which you insert it. You can change this setting after you insert it.
Copy and paste tables
You can cut, copy, and paste tables.
1Select the dotted outline around the table. Boxes around the table indicate that it is selected.
2Right-click. Select Copy, or select Cut to move the table.
3Right-click the destination. Select Paste.
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To add a line below a table, click inside the lower-right cell of the table. When the cursor is blinking, press the Right
or Down Arrow. Press Enter to begin a new line.
Edit tables
For a demonstration of table editing, see the Table manipulation section of the Easy ways to create and manage tables
and table styling video.
Insert table rows or columns
•Click in a table. Select Table > Insert > Row or Column.
•To insert multiple rows or columns, select multiple cells in the table. Select Table > Insert > Row or Column.
•Select rows or columns. Copy or cut the selection, and paste it at the new location.
•Remove tables or parts of a table. To remove a table, row, a column or a cell, select and right-click. Select Delete
[object].
Note: You can also cut, copy, and paste rows, columns, and cells within the same table or other tables.
Edit table properties
1Click a table.
2Select Table > Table Properties.
3Set options.
Set autofit table properties
1Click a table.
2Select Table > Autofit.
3Select a command:
Autofit To Contents Sets the column width to the width of the column contents.
Autofit To Window Sets the column width such that the width of the table is equal to the width of the window.
Fixed Column Width Sets the column width to a fixed size.
Edit cell properties
To edit cell properties, you can place your cursor inside the table and click Table > Table Properties > Cell tab.
•You can enter the amount of space between cells. If a CSS table style has the cell spacing set or row or column
formatting done, this option is not enabled in Table Properties > Cell.
•Select the vertical alignment of the text within an individual cell.
Note: Setting the alignment and cell spacing using the Cell tab applies to all cells in the table.
Edit spacing within cells
Define the amount of space between the cell contents and its inside edges. Add extra padding to prevent your tables
from looking crowded.
1Select one or more cells to modify.
2Click Format > Borders and Shading.
3Click Borders tab. Click Padding.
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4In the Top, Bottom, Left, and Right boxes, enter a value.
5Click OK twice to apply changes.
Note: The Margins option sets the spacing around the table.
Merge or split table cells
1Select the cells to merge or split.
2Select Table > Merge Cells or Table > Split Cells.
You can split a cell into numerous rows and columns to create a table.
More Help topics
“Table styles” on page 158
Lists
Indent lists
❖Select the list items to indent. Do one of the following:
•Click Decrease Indent and Increase Indent in the toolbar.
Note: You can also press Shift+Tab and Tab to decrease and increase indent.
•From the Format menu, select Paragraph. Type a number in Left or Right.
•(Multilevel list) On the ruler, drag the markers to set the spacing between the number or letter and the list item.
Apply bullet styles
Note: When you format lists using the toolbar or Format menu, inline styles are created. Style sheets aren’t affected.
Specify an inline bullet style
1Open the topic in the Design Editor.
2Select text.
3From the Format menu, select Lists > Bullets And Numbering.
4Do one of the following:
•Select a bullet style.
•To create a custom bullet, click Browse. Select a GIF file. Click OK. The file is added to Baggage Files.
Create a bullet style for a style sheet
1Open the topic to customize a bullet style.
2From the Format menu, select Styles.
3In List, select All Styles.
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4From Available In, select an external or embedded style sheet.
5From the Styles list, select a style and click the Create New Style button .
6Under Style Type, select Paragraph Style.
7Type a name for the new style. The name can contain letters and numbers only and cannot begin with a number.
8Under Style For Following Paragraph, select (No Change).
9Click Format and specify settings.
Match bullet color to text
Match color using an inline style
❖Select the bulleted list and choose Format > Font.
The bullet and text color become inline instead of being associated with a style.
Match color using a style sheet
1Place your cursor in the Design Editor, and select Format > Styles.
2From the Style list, select the style, and click the Create New Style button .
3Under Style Type, select Paragraph Style.
4Type a name for the new style. The name can contain letters and numbers only and cannot begin with a number.
5Under Style For Following Paragraph, select a style.
Paragraph styles apply to entire paragraphs and affect the font, spacing between lines, numbering, borders and
shading, and DHTML effects.
6Select Format > Font.
7Select a color.
8Click OK twice.
9Select the text that you want to format. Click Bulleted List.
10 From the Styles list, select the style you created.
Remove bullets and numbering
1Select the bulleted or numbered list items.
2From the Format menu, select List > Bullets And Numbering.
3Click the option for no bullets.
You can also use the Create a Bulleted List, Create a Numbered List, and Create a Multilevel List buttons in the
toolbar to remove formatting.
Apply a numbering format
Note: When you format lists using the toolbar or the Format menu, inline styles are created. Style sheets aren’t affected.
1Open the topic in the Design Editor.
2Select the numbered list.
3From the Format menu, select List > Bullets And Numbering.
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4Click the Numbered tab. Select a numbering format.
Add a paragraph within a list
Use this procedure to insert paragraphs between numbered or bulleted items in a list.
1Click at the end of the line to insert a paragraph over it.
2Press Shift + Enter.
3To end the line break and restart the numbering or bullets, press Enter.
4(Optional) Drag the ruler at the top of the Design Editor to indent the paragraph.
Stop and start lists by clicking the Numbered List button in the toolbar.
Restart or continue numbering or lettering
After you insert a nested list, you can adjust numbering or lettering of the container list.
1Click in the line where the new numbering or lettering sequence begins.
2Select Format > List > Bullets And Numbering.
3Select the Numbered tab.
4In Restart Numbering At, enter the start number.
For an alphabetical list, type the numeric equivalent for the start letter. For example, type 4 for the letter D.
5Click OK.
Headers, footers, and page breaks
Headers and footers
You can create headers or footers in topics or master pages.
If you edit or remove headers/footers, topics and master pages are affected as follows:
In a topic The changes apply to the topic.
In a master page The changes apply to all topics associated with the template.
In a topic associated with a master page You can choose whether to apply the changes to the current topic or to the
master page and all associated topics.
Create or edit headers and footers
1Open the topic or master page.
2Select View > Header or Footer.
3Type the content for the header or footer. Text-only pop-ups are not supported.
4(Optional) To add or edit margins, borders, color, or an image, right-click in the header or footer, and select Header
Properties or Footer Properties.
Note: Any image file you select is added to the Baggage Files folder and is included in the project when you generate it.
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5Click outside the header or footer.
6Click the Save All button.
Remove headers and footers
1Open the topic or master page containing the header or footer.
2Click the Header button or the Footer button.
3Right-click in the header or footer, and select Remove Header or Remove Footer.
4Click the Save All button.
Insert page breaks
Insert page breaks in topics to start new pages in the Printed Documentation output.
1Open the topic in the Design Editor. Click where you want the page break.
2Select Insert > Page Break. Alternatively, press Ctrl + Enter.
Text boxes
Insert text boxes in topics
Notes:
•Select Positioning from the View menu.
•Text can flow around a text box.
•If users have Internet Explorer 4.0 or later, you can apply Dynamic HTML effects to a paragraph by placing the
paragraph in a text box.
Insert a text box
1Click where you want to insert the text box.
2Select Insert > HTML > Text Box.
3(Optional) Right-click the text box and click Text Box Properties. Modify the properties.
4Click in the text box to enter text or insert an image or other element.
Insert a positioned text box
Precisely position information on the page, allowing other elements to flow behind the text box.
1Select Insert > HTML > Positioned Text Box.
2Select the positioned text box and drag it where you want it.
3Right-click the positioned text box and select Positioned Text Box Properties. Adjust the properties.
Layer positioned text boxes
Layer positioned text boxes and specify their display order by applying Dynamic HTML (DHTML) effects.
1Select the text box for the bottom layer.
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2Select View > Toolbars > Positioning.
3From the Z menu, select 1.
4Repeat for additional text boxes.
Layered text boxes
Change text box properties
1Right-click the text box. Select Text Box Properties or Positioned Text Box Properties.
2Change the properties.
Remove text boxes from a topic
1Select the text box.
2In the toolbar, click the Delete button.
User-defined variables
User-defined variables store static global information that can be used repeatedly in your project, making information
portable and simple to update. When you modify a variable or value, every occurrence of that variable or value is
updated across the project. The User Defined Variables pod (available from View > Pods) lists all the user-defined
variables in a project.
You can import documents with variables into a project.
Note: When you upgrade from previous versions of RoboHelp, variable values are converted to HTML text, and these
variable values appear in the Default Variable Set.
Create a user-defined variable
For global variables, ensure that all required variables exist.
1Do one of the following:
•Select View > Pods > User Defined Variables.
•Right-click a word in the topic. Select Add To > User Defined Variable.
2Enter a variable name and value.
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Variable names can contain only alphanumeric characters, underscores, and hyphens, and can't exceed 255
characters. A variable value can be blank.
3Click OK. The variable is inserted.
Press Ctrl+F9, and then specify the variable name within the curly brackets that appear in the topic. Double-click the
variable to specify its value in the Variable dialog box.
Note: You can create variables only in Default Variable Set, but you can modify the variable value in other variable sets.
Create a variable set
Variable sets enable you to modify values of various user-defined variables and use them in different outputs.
Default Variable Set is the master variable set. When you insert a variable, the variable is taken from Default Variable Set.
You can create different variable sets in the User Defined Variables pod to override the values of variables in Default
Variable Set and use them in different outputs. To use a variable set other than Default Variable Set, select the variable
set in the Content pane of layout properties.
1Click the Add/Edit Variable Set icon.
2Click Add and specify a name for the new variable set.
3Click OK.
Note: You can edit and delete a variable set in the Variable Set dialog box by clicking the respective buttons.
Edit a user-defined variable
1In the User Defined Variables pod, select a user-defined variable from the Default Variable Set.
2Do one of the following:
•Right-click and select Edit.
•Select and edit its value in the User Defined Variables editor.
•From the Edit menu, select Edit [variable name].
3(Optional) Select a different variable set.
4Modify the value.
5Click OK.
Note: You can format a user-defined variable in the User Defined Variables editor. The Design and HTML buttons in
the editor allow you to toggle between Design Editor and HTML Editor.
Format a user-defined variable
You can format variable values in the User Defined Variables editor. You can also achieve the following using Design
Editor:
•Insert images, hypertext links, and multimedia files in the variable values.
•Apply conditional build tags to the values.
•Perform a spell-check on the variable values.
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Insert a user-defined variable
You can drag a user-defined variable from the User Defined Variables pod to the desired location in a topic open in
Design Editor. If the list of variables is long, specify the variable name or value to search the variable. You can also
insert variables using the follow steps:
1Place the insertion point at the desired location in a topic.
2Select Insert > User Defined Variable.
3Select a variable and click OK.
Specify the variable name or value to search the variable. As you type your search string, RoboHelp narrows down the
variable list.
View properties of a user-defined variable
1In the User Defined Variables pod, select Default Variable Set.
2Select a variable.
3Do one of the following:
•Right-click and select Properties.
•Select Edit > Properties.
4View details (Variable Name, Variable Set, Variable Value, Description, and Used In Topics).
5Click OK.
Delete a user-defined variable
1In the User Defined Variables pod, select Default Variable Set.
2Right-click a user-defined variable, and select Delete.
3Select one of the following options:
Delete Variable And Its References Delete the variable and its references across the topics, TOC, index, SSL, and
templates. No warning is shown before the deletion.
Note: Use the Variables report to locate the variables you want to remove.
Delete Only The Variable Delete the value of a variable locally. Deleting a user-defined variable in the TOC does
not remove it from the index.
Note: If the variable value is overridden in the Single Source layouts file, it is removed from the variable list in the
Single Source layouts dialog box.
Delete Variable And Replace With Actual Content Delete the variable across the topics, TOC, index, SSL, and
templates. The formatting rules for the variable remain the same.
Rename a user-defined variable
When you rename a user-defined variable, all instances of the variable are updated across all the variable sets, the
topics, templates, TOC, index, and SSL.
Note: You can’t modify saved variable names.
1Select View > Pods > User Defined Variables. The User Defined Variables pod appears.
2Right-click a variable and select Rename.
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3In the Variable Name field, enter a name.
4In the Variable Value field, modify the value.
5Click OK.
Single-source with snippets
A snippet is an element that you can single-source and reuse in various locations. It can be a paragraph of text, a code
listing, an object such as an image, or an entire topic unto itself. When you create a snippet, RoboHelp adds it to the
Snippet pod as a file with the .hts extension. If you change a snippet, it is automatically updated in all topics that share
it. Snippets can contain images, variables, and conditional text tags. When shared in a topic, they retain inline text
formatting. CSS formatting changes according to the CSS applied in the topic containing snippet.
The Snippet pod shows a preview of all the snippets on their individual selection. Right-click in the Snippet pod to
enable and disable Preview mode. Drag snippets from the pod to a topic or from Windows Explorer to the Snippet
pod. You can also select one or multiple snippets and then copy, duplicate, or delete them.
Note: You can generate reports on unused snippets and delete the snippets not in use.
You can drag and drop snippets from the Snippet pod to the Resource Manager to export them to the target folder.
The exported snippet exists at a global level and is visible to every user. Drag a snippet from the Resource Manager pod
to the Snippet pod and RoboHelp imports the selected snippet file and its associated files to the project.
Note: You can drag and drop a snippet in the Design Editor to edit its contents.
More Help topics
“Managing resources” on page 123
Create and manage snippets
•To create a snippet from scratch, select File > New > Snippet. Specify a category name (if you don’t specify a
category name, RoboHelp adds the snippet to the Default category).
•To create a snippet from existing content, select text. Right-click and select Add To > Snippets. Specify a category
name (if you don’t specify a category name, RoboHelp adds the snippet to the Default category).
•To view snippet properties, right-click the snippet in the Snippets pod. You can also see which topics share that
snippet.
•To copy a snippet, right-click a snippet in the Snippets pod and select Copy from the context menu.
•To import a snippet, select File > Import > Snippet and navigate to the source folder.
•To export a snippet, select it in the Snippets pod, click in the toolbar, and navigate to the destination folder.
•To insert a variable in a snippet, insert the pointer and drag a variable from the User Defined Variables pod.
•To preview a snippet, right-click a snippet in the Snippets pod and select Show Preview.
Insert a snippet in a topic
1Open a topic.
2Do one of the following:
•From the Object toolbar, click Insert Snippet .
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•From the Snippet pod, select a snippet and drag and drop it into the topic.
•Select Insert > Snippet. Select a snippet from the list in the dialog box and click OK.
Note: Right-click a snippet in the Resource Manager and select Add to Project to add the snippet to the project.
Insert a snippet in a drop-down text editor
1Open a topic.
2Select some text to expand.
3Select DHTML > Create Drop-down Hotspot And Text.
4Drag a snippet from the Snippet pod and drop it in the Drop-down Text editor.
Note: You can preview the topic and click the DHTML applied text. The snippet appears in the drop-down text.
Applying conditional build tags to a snippet
Use the Conditional Build Tags pod or right-click to apply conditional text on an entire snippet or a part of it. The
preview option also lets you apply a conditional tag on selected text, code, or an image. You can exclude or include a
conditional build tag from the output.
Inserting variables in snippets
Choose a variable from the User Defined Variables pod or right-click in a topic and choose Insert User Defined
Variable. The snippet shows the variable value at the insertion point.
Convert a snippet to text
Convert an inserted snippet to embedded text. RoboHelp does not update the embedded text if the snippet is updated.
1Click the snippet in the topic.
2Right-click and select Convert To HTML Text.
Delete a snippet
1In the Snippets pod, select the snippet you want to delete and click Delete Selected Item.
2Select one of the following options:
Delete The Snippet And Its References Delete the snippet and its references across the topics, TOC, index, SSL, and
templates. No warning is shown before the deletion.
Note: Use the Snippets report to locate the variables you want to remove.
Delete Only The Snippet Delete the contents of the snippet locally. For example, selecting a snippet in a TOC and
deleting it with this option selected does not remove the contents of the snippet from the index.
Delete Snippet And Replace References With Actual Content Delete the snippet and replace the references in the
project with the contents.
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Reference
META tags default editor
Click Yes to make RoboHelp Design Editor the default editor for topics without META tags. Click No to retain the
current editor. The topic then opens in the selected editor.
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Chapter 6: Styles and style sheets
Style types
You can manage style sheets at the project level and apply styles at the topic level. Master pages provide the layout of
a topic and help control the styling. These types of styles are available:
Inline styles A block of text and its formatting within an HTML file (topic) formatted directly in the Design Editor. If
you link the file to a style sheet, inline styles override styles in the style sheet and embedded styles.
Embedded styles Style definitions saved in an HTML file (topic). If you link the file to a style sheet, embedded styles
override the styles in the style sheet. You can create a character style or a paragraph style.
Styles in cascading style sheets (CSS) Style definitions stored in a CSS file. You can create a character style, a paragraph
style, a list style, a multilevel list style, and a table style.
After you convert a WinHelp project to an HTML-based project, styles are available as follows:
Project created from an HPJ file You can create styles that use the same formatting as styles in Word templates. These
styles are saved in style sheets that are attached to the HTML topics. If you do not want style sheets, translate the Word
formatting into inline styles in the HTML topics.
Project created from an HLP file Preformatted style sheets are available to apply to HTML topics. Topics are formatted
to use the default HTML styles.
More Help topics
“Master pages” on page 115
Manage style sheets
Link a style sheet to topics or master pages
You can associate one style sheet with any number of HTML topics, including a topic in Design view, multiple topics,
or a new topic.
If you create a style sheet in a project and apply it to a new topic, all topics you create later use the new style sheet. Link
a topic to another one, if necessary.
1From the Topic List, select one or more topics.
2Click the Properties icon in the toolbar. Click the Appearance tab.
3Select a style sheet. If needed, click the Browse button to navigate to a style sheet, or click New to create a style
sheet.
4(Optional) Edit the style sheet:
Edit Add, modify, or remove styles in the style sheet.
Background Sound Add a sound clip that plays when the topic opens in the viewer or browser.
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Sound Loop Count Define the number of times the sound clip plays when the topic is opened. Select Infinite to play
the sound continuously while the topic is open.
5Click OK.
Note: Use this same procedure to link a style sheet to a topic in Design Editor.
More Help topics
“Applying a master page or CSS at the time of generation” on page 119
Unlink a style sheet from topics or master pages
After you unlink a style sheet from a topic, the style sheet formatting is removed from the topic.
1From the Topic List, select one or more topics.
2Click the Properties icon in the toolbar. Click the Appearance tab.
3Select None in the list of style sheets, or click the browse button to select a different style sheet to apply.
4Click OK.
Create a style sheet
The new style sheet (default.css) is the default until you create a style sheet or link another style sheet to a new topic.
1Click the Style Sheet button . If necessary, select View > Toolbars > Formatting to view the toolbar.
2Select New.
3In Name, type a filename and include the .css extension.
4In Folder, select a location.
5(Optional) To base your new style sheet on an existing one, select Copy Styles From. Select a style sheet.
6Click Create, create new styles, and click OK.
Create a style sheet and topic simultaneously
1Select File > New > Topic. Click the Appearance tab.
2Click New.
3Enter a filename and include the .css extension.
4Create or edit predefined styles in the Styles dialog box.
5Click OK.
Export a style sheet
1Select the Design Editor.
2Select Format > Export Styles.
3Browse to where you want to export the style sheet.
If necessary, rename the style sheet, keeping the .css filename extension.
Note: This feature is applicable only for styles applied in a topic and not at a project level.
4Click Save.
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Note: You can export topic-specific inline styles only.
Create styles for style sheets
Create a style in the Styles dialog box
1In the Project Manager pod, right-click the style sheet where you want to create the style, and click Edit.
2Click New and select a style type, for example, Paragraph style. By default, the new style is created with a default
name such as Style1.
3In the Styles box, change the default name of the style. Do not use special characters or spaces in the name.
Note: If you use special characters, RoboHelp prompts you to fix the name. Some browsers cannot read styles with
names containing special characters.
4Select options in the Formatting section of the Styles dialog box. Changes appear in the Paragraph Preview section.
5(Optional) To set additional values, click Format, and select an option:
Font Select font families, size, and attributes, such as bold or italics.
Paragraph Set up indents, line spacing, and alignment.
Borders And Shading Use the Borders tab to set border types, color, line thickness, and spacing. Use the Shading
tab to set background color and image options.
DHTML Effects Select which dynamic HTML effect to include and when to include it.
Note: If you modify a style to include a Dynamic HTML effect, resave topics attached to the style sheet. Select Tools >
Update DHTML Effects In Topics. When you resave the files linked to the style sheet, topics authored in third-party
editors are converted to RoboHelp HTML. Special HTML tags are added to support specific Help features in the
program.
Create a style using the Styles And Formatting pod
1To open the Styles And Formatting pod, open a topic and select Format > Styles.
2Click the Create New Style button in the Styles And Formatting toolbar, and select a style type, such as List Style.
3Type the style name and click OK.
4Select font and formatting options, and click OK.
More Help topics
“Styles And Formatting pod” on page 19
Create a style using the Design Editor
1In the Design Editor, select some text in the topic.
2Apply a format, such as bold.
3With the text still highlighted, type a style name in the Style list in the toolbar and press Enter.
4Click Create.
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Table styles
With Style Editor, you can create and customize table styles according to your requirements. Applying a table style
instead of inline formatting helps you add standard and easy-to-maintain tables. If you modify a table style, all tables
using that style also change.
You can modify the appearance of existing tables by applying a style. RoboHelp asks you if you want to remove inline
formatting also.
For tips and workarounds related to customizing tables, see the Table section in Peter Grainge’s RoboHelp tour.
Global table styles
You can select predefined styles for a table. These styles are available globally and can be used across projects to define
different tables. Global table styles are present at C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Application
Data\Adobe\RoboHTML\[version]\Templates\Tables. For Windows Vista®, global table styles are present at
C:\users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\RoboHTML\[version]\Templates\Tables.
Note: If you delete the Tables folder from the suggested location, the global table styles are still visible in the Global Styles
list. You can always recover the styles from C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp
[version]\RoboHTML\Gallery\Tables.
In addition to the predefined global styles, you can copy table styles from a project folder and paste at C:\Documents
and Settings\[user name]\Application Data\Adobe\RoboHTML\[version]\Templates\Tables. These table styles are
available globally for all the projects.
Click the Apply Global Table Style icon on the Tables And Borders toolbar to apply a style on the table.
Apply table styles
To apply a table style on an existing table, do the following:
1Select an existing table in a topic.
2Click the Apply Global Table Style icon on the Tables And Borders toolbar to apply a style on the table.
3In the Select Table Style dialog box, select Clean Table Inline Formatting. Selecting Clean Table Inline Formatting
removes any inline styles used in the table.
4Select a style from the Available Styles list or select a global table style (table template).
5Click OK.
Note: You can double-click a style in the Table Style dialog box to apply it to a table.
Create and manage table styles
Besides using global table styles (table templates) and predefined table styles in the CSS, you can create custom table
styles to ensure consistent table layouts, borders, alignment, shading, and fonts. You can vary characteristics such as
the colors, fonts, bold, italics, and alignments applied to rows and columns.
John Daigle demonstrates some easy ways to create and manage tables and table styling.
Create table styles
1Select Format > Styles.
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2Click Create New Style and select Table Style.
3Name the new table style and click OK.
4Apply formatting to the whole table, first or last column or row, or a group of rows or columns. From the Apply
Formatting To list, select the columns or rows to format. For example, you can make the background of the first
row blue and the background of first column yellow.
5Select font, size, and color.
6Select border and border color.
7Click Apply. The new style appears in the CSS Styles list of the Table Styles dialog box. Select this style to create
tables with the same style later.
Notes:
•Click the Apply Global Table Style icon on the Tables And Borders toolbar to apply a style to the table.
•Based on the sequence of changes, in the first and last cell of a row, the row color overrides the column color.
The appearance of a table is the result of several classes, such as Table, TR, and TD. RoboHelp applies these subclasses
to the respective table item when you apply a table class. Therefore, if you want to change a table style through code or
script, write a class attribute (class=”myTableClass”) in the table tag. RoboHelp applies all the table patterns for the
remaining items of the table in Design Editor.
Apply conditional build tags to tables
Conditional build tags let you exclude content from output.
1Select a row, column, table, or text in a table.
2Select Format > Apply Conditional Build Tags > New/Multiple.
3Select tags. Click OK.
List styles
About list styles
RoboHelp provides three types of lists: HTML lists, advanced lists, and autonumbered lists. Advanced lists can be
either single level or multilevel lists. You can define HTML list styling under List Styles and Advanced lists under
Multilevel List Styles. Define autonumbered lists under Paragraph Styles.
HTML lists All the ordered <ol> and unordered <ul> lists come under HTML lists.
Advanced lists Creates a hierarchical or outline list, such as numbered heading styles, with numbering such as 1, 1.1,
1.1.1, and so on. Like simple numbered lists, hierarchical numbered lists and the accompanying paragraph styles share
the same formatting. The multilevel lists set up complex nested steps, such as steps, step results, substeps, and so on.
Multilevel lists define only the numbering properties. Multilevel lists do not have their formatting until they are linked
to paragraph styles.
For an example of how to create a multilevel list based on a supplied style (list template), see the Outline Numbering
section in Peter Grainge's RoboHelp tour.
Autonumbered lists Autonumbered lists are linked to paragraph styles. To autonumber a paragraph, you can apply
autonumbering to it. To number figures or tables sequentially, define a simple numbered list format, such as Figure
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Number or Table Number. In simple numbered lists, the paragraph style and numbering styles share the same font,
font size, font weight, and font color.
For a video introduction by John Daigle, see Easy ways to create lists and autonumbering on the Adobe RoboHelp
video tutorials page.
Create HTML lists
1Right-click List Style in the Styles dialog box.
2Click New.
3Name the new list.
4Select a font, font size, or a color for the new list style.
5Click the Create A Numbered List button to create a numbered list or the Create A Bulleted List button to create a
bulleted list.
6(Optional) Select other formatting options in the Formatting section of the Style editor.
Note: To edit a list style, select different formatting options in the Formatting section of the Style editor and preview them
in the Preview section.
Create multilevel lists
1Do one of the following:
•On the Style And Formatting pod, click Create New Style, and select Multilevel List Style. Then type a name for
the new multilevel list, and click OK.
•Right-click a multilevel list style in the Style And Formatting pod, and select Edit.
2Select a list level from the Apply Formatting To menu. List Preview displays the hierarchical order of the selected
level.
3(For multilevel lists only) Select the paragraph style to apply to the current list level.
4Select a predefined list style from the List Style pop-up menu, or click New to create a list style. For example, you
can have a sequenced list style such as Months, and you can have a sequence of all 12 months added to this sequence.
5You can prefix a sequence or a multilevel list. To prefix a list style, enter text or numbers to prefix in the Edit Style
box. To specify the level to prefix, select the level from the Insert Level menu. You can add a prefix to the level in
the Edit Style box by separating the level and prefix with a separator such as a dot (.) or an angle bracket (>).
6Apply formatting to the list style:
•Font, font size, color, highlight color, bold, italic, and underline
•List indention, space between list prefix, and accompanying paragraph text
For more information about the numbering behavior, indentation and margin control, or prefix formats, see
www.adobe.com/go/learn_rh_blog_multilist_en.
Create an autonumbering style
Autonumbering is linked to Paragraph styles. You can autonumber a paragraph style and apply it as a numbered list
style.
1Do one of the following:
•Select a paragraph style in the Styles dialog box.
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•Create a paragraph style.
2Click the Autonumber button .
3(Optional) Select Inherit Numbering Property From Multilevel List to inherit the multilevel list style to apply
autonumbering. Select the multilevel list style from the List Class pop-up menu and select the level to apply
autonumbering. Click OK.
4Enter a prefix for the new autonumbering style in the Format text box.
5Select a predefined numbering option from the Numbering pop-up menu or select New to create a sequenced
autonumbering style.
For more detailed information, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_rh_blog_autonumber_en.
Create a sequencing prefix
You can create custom sequencing prefixes to assign to Advanced lists.
1In the Styles dialog box, click New.
2In the Create/Edit Custom Sequence dialog box, click the plus sign to create a sequence.
3Enter a unique sequence name such as Months and click OK.
4Select the font for the sequence from the Sequence Font pop-up menu and click Add.
5Click the Edit Sequence box and type the sequence that you want. For example, January, February, and so on. After
you enter January, click Add to add February, and so on.
For more information about custom sequencing, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_rh_blog_multilist_en.
Edit a sequencing prefix
1In the Styles dialog box, click New.
2Select the sequence from the Sequence pop-up menu, and do one of the following:
•To edit a sequence entry, select the entry in the Edit Sequence list, and click Edit. Make your edits in the Edit
Sequence box.
•To delete a sequence entry, select the entry in the Edit Sequence list, and click Delete.
•To reorder the sequence, delete entries and reenter them in the desired order.
Delete a custom sequence
1In the Styles dialog box, click New.
2Select the sequence. Click the plus sign.
3Click Yes to confirm. Then click OK.
Apply styles
After you link a CSS file, an external style sheet, or embedded styles to a topic, you can apply styles.
1In the Design view, do one of the following:
•Select the text to format.
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•Click inside the paragraph to format. For multiple paragraphs, select the paragraphs.
2In the Styles And Formatting pod, double-click a style.
•Character styles apply to selected blocks of text and impact fonts and DHTML effects.
•Paragraph styles apply to entire paragraphs and impact fonts, spacing between lines, numbering, borders and
shading, and DHTML effects.
•Table styles apply to the content in the tables.
•List styles apply to all numbering and bullet styles.
•Multilevel list styles apply to hierarchical lists.
To remove a character style, select the text and select a different style from the Style list. To remove a paragraph style,
select the style None.
Edit styles in CSS files
When you edit styles in a CSS file, all topics that are linked to the file are updated.
Important: You cannot use the Undo command to undo changes to a CSS file. Edit the CSS file to revert to a previous
style.
Edit a style using the Styles dialog box
1In the Project Manager pod, right-click the CSS file. Click Edit.
2Deselect Hide Inherited Styles.
3From Available In, select a style sheet.
4In the Styles box, select a style.
5Click Format, and select the attributes.
6(Optional) Select formatting options from the Formatting section.
7Click OK.
Edit a style using the Styles And Formatting pod
1Select a style in the Styles And Formatting pod.
2Click Edit Selected Item.
3In the Styles dialog box, select formatting options.
4Click OK.
To prevent a user-defined color from displaying in the browser background, set the Background Text style to a white
background. This style is for normal topic text, such as headings and paragraphs. It controls the default settings for
background images, background colors, and borders.
Delete styles from style sheets
1In the Project Manager pod, right-click the style sheet containing the style to remove, and click Edit.
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2If Hide Inherited Styles is selected, deselect it to see available styles.
3From the Available In menu, select the style sheet name. For embedded styles, select the topic name.
4From the Style menu, select the style to remove.
To delete custom formatting from a default style, select the style.
5Click Delete.
6Click Yes at the prompt.
Note: To remove a style from the style sheet or the Formatting toolbar, select None from the Styles menu.
Use color and images
Change text and link colors in a style sheet
RoboHelp incorporates changes you make to a CSS file into every topic the CSS file is linked to. You cannot undo
changes to a CSS file.
Using the WebHelp Skin Editor, you can change the color of text in the TOC, index, and Search panels for WebHelp
and WebHelp Pro.
1In the Project Manager pod, right-click the CSS file. Select Edit.
2Deselect Hide Inherited Styles.
3From Available In, select a CSS file.
4In the Styles box, select Character.
5Expand Character Style, and select a link or text style from these options, among others:
Background + Text (Body) In the default style sheet, body text (normal text). This style is for text, tables, and
headings in topics. This style also controls the default settings for background images, background colors, and
borders.
Hyperlink (Unvisited) Hyperlink (Visited) Hyperlink (Active) The selected hypertext link.
6Select Format > Font.
7Under Font Color, select a color. Click OK.
More Help topics
“Create styles for style sheets” on page 157
“Skins” on page 334
Add or edit borders or backgrounds in style sheets
1In the Project Manager pod, right-click the style sheet where you want to edit borders or backgrounds, and click
Edit.
2Deselect Hide Inherited Styles.
3From Available In, select a CSS file.
4Under Other in the Styles box, select Background + Text (Body).
5Select Format, and then select Borders And Shading.
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6Click the Border or Shading tab, define the borders or backgrounds, and click OK.
Note: Any image file used for borders or backgrounds is added to the project Baggage Files folder and is included in the
output you generate.
More Help topics
“Add or edit borders and backgrounds in topics” on page 140
Inline styles
Apply or edit inline styles
1In the Design Editor, select the block of text to format.
2Do one of the following:
•Select a formatting option from the toolbar.
•From the Format menu, select the desired formatting from the Font, Paragraph, Bullets And Numbering,
Borders And Shading, or Topic Borders And Shading options.
Remove inline styles from text
1In the Design Editor, select the block of text with the inline style.
2In the toolbar, click the options menu next to the Styles box.
Options menu
3Select Default Paragraph Font.
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Chapter 7: TOCs, indexes, glossaries
TOCs
TOC basics
About TOCs
The table of contents is a hierarchy of the folders, topics, and any subfolders in Project Manager. RoboHelp creates
books from custom folders and pages from the topics in these folders. Any topics not saved in custom folders appear
as pages at the first level in the table of contents.
You can reorder books and pages after you create the table of contents.
Create TOCs
Automatically create a table of contents based on the chapter layout defined in the Project Manager pod. If you
automatically create a table of contents, books and pages are sorted alphabetically.
1In Project Manager, right-click the Table of Contents folder, and select New Table Of Contents.
If the project has many topics, collapse the Project Files folder first to view the Table Of Contents folder.
2Specify a name for the TOC.
3(Optional) Select Copy Existing Table of Contents and browse for an existing TOC file (.hhc) to create the TOC
from an available TOC.
4Click OK. RoboHelp opens the Table Of Contents pod.
5In the Table Of Contents pod, click the Auto-Create TOC button .
6Select an option in the Auto-Create TOC dialog box:
Delete Current TOC Before Creating New Removes books and pages before automatically creating the table of
contents. If this option is deselected, existing books and pages are included in the table of contents.
Create TOC Pages For Mid-Topic Links Creates pages in the table of contents based on bookmarks. RoboHelp
makes the topic that contains the bookmark into a book and all bookmarks into pages.
7Click OK.
Note: In Microsoft HTML Help projects, you synchronize the table of contents in window properties. Folder names and
filenames, including those for topics, must use underscores rather than spaces.
More Help topics
“Reorder TOC books and pages” on page 167
“Define chapter layout” on page 35
Print TOCs
1Click the Table Of Contents pod.
2In the toolbar, click Print.
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3From the pop-up menu, select the information to print.
Overview Print all book and page titles.
Detailed Print all book and page titles, the topic titles linked to each, and the folders in which the topics are located.
4Click Properties or Page Setup to specify print options.
Create TOC books and pages
Version-control projects may have more options.
Create TOC books
1Open the Table Of Contents pod by double-clicking the required TOC in Project Manager.
2In the toolbar, click the New TOC Book button .
3In the Book Title box, type the name to appear in the table of contents.
4Click OK.
Note: A book must include at least one page for it to appear in the output.
Create TOC books and pages with targeted links
You can link books and pages in a table of contents to content that you specify. When a user clicks a book or page icon,
the linked content appears in the Topic pane. You can link to topics, websites, and so on.
1In the Table Of Contents pod, do one of the following:
•Click the New TOC Book button . Select Book With Link.
•Click the New TOC Page button .
2Under Book (or Page) Destination, specify a destination:
•Select an item in the list. If needed, select from the pop-up menu and navigate to the item. You can link to items
in other projects.
•To create a topic, click New Topic. Type a title, change the filename if needed, and select a master page. Link a
book or page to it.
3Click OK.
Create TOC books from pages
1In the Table Of Contents pod, right-click a page.
2 Select Create Book From Page.
A book is created with the same title as the page. The page is placed inside the new book.
Create TOC pages by dragging
1Open the Table Of Contents pod and the Topic List pod.
2In the Topic List pod, select one or more topics.
3Drag the topics into the Table Of Contents pod.
Note: Titles of topics dragged into the Table Of Contents pod are based on the topic titles. To rename a topic title, right-
click it and select Rename.
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Create TOC books and pages with user-defined variables
1In the Table Of Contents pod, right-click and select New > Book or Page.
2From the Available Variables menu, select a variable. Click Add. The variable is listed in the Page Title box.
3(Optional) In the Page Title box, add a prefix or suffix to the variable. For example, add the prefix “Adobe” to the
variable “RoboHelp.”
4From the Existing Topics list, select a topic for the new page.
5Click OK. The book or page appears in the table of contents. Its title displays the user-defined variable with the text
you added.
To view or change the variable applied to a TOC item, right-click the item and select Properties.
Edit TOC books and pages
Rename TOC books and pages
Note: If you rename a TOC page, the topic title linked to the page isn’t affected. Similarly, if you change a topic title, the
name of the TOC page isn’t affected. Rename the TOC page separately, if desired.
1In the Table Of Contents pod, right-click a book or page. Select Rename.
2Type the new name. Press Enter.
You can also rename a book or page by changing its properties.
Reorder TOC books and pages
1In the Table Of Contents pod, select a book or page.
2Do one of the following:
•Drag the item to a different location.
•Click arrows in the toolbar to move the item.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Remove TOC books or pages
If you remove a page from the table of contents, the topic it links to is not deleted.
1In the Table Of Contents pod, select a book or page icon.
2In the toolbar, click the Delete button.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Change properties for TOC books or pages
Rename a book or page, or edit a destination, window frame, or custom icon.
1In the Table Of Contents pod, right-click a book or page. Select Properties.
2Make changes on the General and Advanced tabs.
Note: The primary layout controls the properties of books and pages. For example, you can add custom icons for books
and pages only if the primary layout is Microsoft HTML Help.
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3Click OK.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Manage TOCs
Manage TOCs with reports
RoboHelp provides several reports to help you manage tables of contents and resolve errors.
❖Select Tools > Reports > [report name].
You can save, print, copy, and mail reports.
Table Of Contents report
This report displays the hierarchy of books and pages in a table of contents. You can view parts of a table of contents
by selecting a specific folder from the Folder list. If you change topic titles or filenames, you can compare them with
the titles used in the books and pages.
Choose from these report formats:
Detailed Includes titles of books and pages, names of topics that are linked to them, and names of folders in which
files are located.
Overview Includes titles of books and pages and names of topics linked to them.
Use this report as a project outline.
Topic Properties report
Customize this report to display any of these items:
•Topic titles
•Filenames
•Folder names
•Books and pages that reference topics
Topic Reference report
This report tracks references to the topics in a project, including books and pages in the table of contents that are
targeted to topics.
Unreferenced Topics report
This report tracks topics in a project that aren’t used in the table of contents, the index, or navigation components.
Broken Links report
This report displays the broken links in a project, grouped by file.
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Identify and fix broken TOC links
If books or pages have broken links, they appear in the Table Of Contents pod with a red X.
1Select Tools > Resolve Broken Links.
References To Selected Topic Shows all references to the missing topic. The Open Book icon indicates broken
TOC references.
All Missing Topics Displays topics missing from the project.
2To remove a TOC item, select it under References To Selected Topic, and click Delete.
More Help topics
“Fix broken links” on page 197
Multiple TOCs
About multiple TOCs
You can create multiple tables of contents for a single project. You can use this feature for single-source publishing.
For example, you can create separate tables of contents for a project that contains multiple languages or outputs for
different audiences.
Note: To set a TOC as default, right-click a TOC in the Project Manager pod and select Set As Default.
If you merge subprojects into a master project, the tables of contents of the subprojects are available in the master
project.
Move books and pages to TOCs
1In the Project Manager pod, double-click tables of contents in the Table Of Contents folder.
2Drag books and pages from one Table Of Contents pod to another.
Create multiple TOCs for a project
1Do one of the following:
•In the Project Manager pod, right-click the Table Of Contents folder. Select New Table Of Contents.
•Click the Create/View Table Of Contents button . In the Select TOC dialog box, click New.
2Type a name.
3(Optional) Select Copy Existing Table Of Contents to base the new table of contents on an existing one. Click the
browse button
to locate the HHC file in the project folder, and select it.
4Click OK.
By default, an empty table of contents with the same name as of the project appears in the Table Of Contents folder.
Note: Click the Auto-Create TOC button , to automatically create a table of contents.
Merge TOCs
Follow this procedure to merge the tables of contents within a project.
1In the Table Of Contents pod, select the book or page where you want to merge the table of contents.
2Click the Insert TOC Placeholder button . The Insert TOC Placeholder dialog box appears.
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3From the Select Table Of Contents menu, select the table of contents to merge.
4Click OK.
When you generate a layout, select the merged table of contents from the list in the Layout screen of the wizard. The
selected table of contents appears in the output view of the Help.
More Help topics
“Merging Help projects” on page 96
Create browse sequences from TOCs
You can use multiple tables of contents to generate browse sequences.
1Select Tools > Browse Sequence Editor.
2Click Auto-Create Using TOC.
3In the text box, specify how many levels for each book to include in the sequence.
4From the pop-up menu, select the table of contents for the browse sequence.
5Click OK.
Indexes
Index basics
About indexes and keywords
You create an index by adding keywords and associating them with topics. You can spell check an index, and you can
use topic To Do lists to track your work while indexing. Change the capitalization of keywords in the Index pod.
An index can include multiple levels of keywords and cross-references to other keywords. Subkeywords can be listed
under a main keyword or in a Topics Found window. If a main keyword is linked to more than two topics, it needs
subkeywords.
Topic keywords
Topic keywords appear the same as index file (HHK) keywords, but they are stored within individual HTML topics.
The Index Designer identifies topic keywords with a key/page icon
.
When working with topic keywords, consider the following details:
•When you import topics into a project, their keywords are added to the index.
•You can copy topic keywords to other topics and create index file keywords from them.
•You can use topic keywords with Keyword Link controls.
•If you remove a topic from a project, its keywords remain in the index in bold (indicating they are not linked to a
topic). The keywords don’t appear in the index until you link them to other topics.
•Topic keywords can link only to local HTML topics. The topic can appear only in the default Help window.
•Topic keywords cannot cross-reference (link to) other keywords in the index. Create the cross-reference using an
index file keyword.
•Topic keywords are sorted in the index in alphabetical order. You cannot reorder the keywords.
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Additional details for HTML Help projects
•You can merge topic keywords from multiple CHM files into a master project.
•If you add index controls to topics, the index file (HHK) for the control displays only index file keywords.
Additional details for WinHelp projects
•When you convert a WinHelp project (HPJ) file to a RoboHelp project, the keywords in the WinHelp topics are
saved as keywords in the index file.
Index file keywords
Index file keywords are saved in the project index file (HHK) rather than in the code of individual HTML topics. The
Index Designer identifies index file keywords with a key icon
. You can create and maintain multiple indexes for a
project.
When working with index file keywords, consider the following details:
•You can use index file keywords with all supported output types and with Keyword Link controls.
•Index file keywords can cross-reference (link to) other index file keywords.
•Index file keywords can link to local HTML topics, multimedia files, baggage files, bookmarks, and URLs.
Depending on the Help format, a topic can appear in the default Help window, a custom window, or a frame.
•If you aren’t creating a binary index, and the project contains no topic keywords, you can sort the keywords in any
order.
•When you remove a topic from the project, index file keywords remain in the index if other topics use them. You
can remove or retain the keywords, regardless of whether other topics use them.
•You can merge index files with other projects. For HTML Help, binary indexes are required to merge projects.
Keywords in binary indexes are sorted alphabetically and cannot be reordered.
•If you import topics into a project, assign index file keywords separately. Index file keywords aren’t included with
topics, as are topic keywords.
•When you remove an index file keyword from an index, the keyword is also removed from topics that were assigned
to it.
•If you remove a topic from a project, and you don’t remove references to the index file keywords it uses, the
keywords are marked unused. (The exception is if other topics use them.) If these keywords aren’t used by other
keywords, the project includes broken links.
Specify keyword types for a project
A project can include index file keywords, topic keywords, or both. To specify the type to work with, change the project
settings.
1Select File > Project Settings.
2Click the General tab.
3In Add New Keywords To, specify the keyword type.
•To add index file keywords, select Index File (HHK).
•To add topic keywords, select Topics.
4Click OK.
New keywords use the type specified until you change the setting.
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Notes:
•When you add a keyword to an index, it is automatically added to the index (HHK) or topic (HTM) files.
•Index file keywords use the key icon . Topic keywords use the page icon .
Print indexes
1Click the Index pod.
2From the pop-up menu, select the items to print.
3In the toolbar, click Print.
4Click Properties and Page Setup to specify print options.
Use the Index report or the See Also report to print customizable keyword lists.
Add and link index keywords
•If you add the same keyword to an index using different capitalization, the Index Designer adds the keywords as
one entry, based on the first entry.
•If the index includes index file keywords and topic keywords that are identical, the keywords are merged when you
generate the project. In the Index tab, they appear as one keyword. (In the Index Designer, they appear as separate
keywords.)
•When you convert a WinHelp project (HPJ file) into a RoboHelp project (XPJ file), the keywords in the WinHelp
topics are saved as keywords in the index file.
More Help topics
“Create an index automatically” on page 177
Add index keywords using the toolbar
1In the Index pod, do one of the following:
•To add a keyword, click the New Index Keyword button .
•To add a subkeyword, select a parent keyword from the list. Click the New Index Subkeyword button .
2Type the keyword in the text box. Press Enter.
The keyword is added to the index. It appears in bold, indicating that it is not yet linked to topics.
To quickly add a keyword and subkeywords, skip step 1 and type the keyword and the subkeywords separated by
\ and click Add Keyword.
3Select View > Pods > Topic List. The Topic List pod appears.
4To link the keyword to topics, drag topics from the Topic List pod to the lower panel in the Index pod.
The linked keyword changes from bold to plain text.
Add index keywords based on a topic title
1Open the Index pod.
2Select View > Pods > Topic List.
3In the Topic List pod, select a topic.
A question mark icon indicates that a topic is not added to the index.
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4Drag the topic into the upper pane of the Index Designer.
The keyword name is based on the topic title. You can rename it.
Add index keywords using topic properties
1In the Topic List or Project Manager pod, select a topic.
2Click the Properties button .
3In the Topic Properties dialog box, select the Index tab.
4In the text box, type a keyword. To add a subkeyword, type the main keyword, a backslash, and the subkeyword.
5Click Add.
Add index keywords by selecting topic text
1Double-click a topic to open it in the Design view.
2Select text to use as a keyword.
3Right-click the text, and select Add To > Index Keyword > [index].
Copy index keywords
You can copy index keywords between topics. After copying, you can customize them to work with individual topics.
1In the Topic List pod, right-click a topic and select the Properties button .
2Click the Index tab.
3Click Add Existing.
On the left, a list of all keywords in the project appears. On the right, a list of all keywords for the current topic
appears. If the topic is not yet indexed, no keywords appear.
4Copy the index keywords to the topic:
•To copy a single keyword, select it on the left and click the single arrow button.
•To copy all keywords, click the double arrow button.
5Click OK. The keywords are linked to the topic.
To modify index keywords you copy, select a keyword. Enter text under Index Keywords. Click Replace.
Select an index keyword destination
You can link keywords to various destinations. When a user clicks the keyword, the destination opens in the topic pane.
1In the Index pod, select a keyword.
2Under Topics For, right-click a keyword topic.
3Select Properties.
4Under Existing Topics, specify a destination and click OK.
•Select an item in the list. If needed, select from the pop-up menu and navigate to the item. You can link to items
in other projects.
•To create a topic as an index keyword topic, click New Topic. Type a title, change the filename if needed, and
select a master page.
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•To link to another type of destination, click the Link To pop-up menu and select a destination type. Type the
identifying URL, e-mail address, FTP address, or baggage filename for the destination type.
Notes:
•The Name and Link To fields are disabled when you specify topic keywords. With topic keywords, a keyword can
link only to the topic in which it is stored. It uses the topic title as the name.
•Find Topic locates a topic within the project to add an index keyword topic or modify its properties.
Create index keywords with user-defined variables
User-defined variables let you create multiple versions of an index keyword.
1In the Index pod, right-click a keyword. Select Properties.
2From the Available Variables menu, select a variable. Click Add.
The variable is listed in the Index Keyword box.
3(Optional) In the Index Keyword box, add a prefix or suffix to the variable. For example, add the prefix “Adobe” to
the variable “RoboHelp.”
4From the Topics list, select a topic to link this new keyword to.
5Click OK.
Cross-reference index keywords
You can cross-reference index keywords so that when users select the cross-referenced keyword in the index, an
alternate keyword appears. The user can select it to display the topic.
You can cross-reference only index file keywords.
1In the Index pod, add a keyword to cross-reference. (This keyword links to the alternate keyword).
2Right-click a keyword. Select Properties.
3Select Cross-References. From the pop-up menu, select an alternate keyword.
The cross-reference appears in the lower panel of the Index Designer.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Edit index keywords
Move and sort index keywords
When you move an index keyword, its subkeywords are moved.
Topic keywords are automatically sorted first numerically and then alphabetically.
❖In the Index pod, do any of the following:
•Select a keyword. Click an arrow button in the toolbar. A button is unavailable if the action isn’t allowed.
•Drag the keyword.
•Right-click a keyword. Select Sort > [sort option].
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Note: The Sort command is unavailable with a binary index. The sort function is enabled only when the primary
layout is HTML Help and the Index is set to Index File with no Binary Index. In all other layouts, the index remains
sorted but for HTML output, the sorting of the index can be changed. Sorting enables the up and down keys on
Index Pod.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Rename keywords for a project
This procedure renames keywords in the index and topic keywords.
1In the Index pod, right-click a keyword. Select Rename.
2Type the new keyword in the text box.
Rename keywords for a topic
To rename a topic keyword referenced by a specific topic, change the topic properties. If other topics use the same
keyword, the original keyword remains in the index. Only the topic you change is updated.
1In the Topic List pod, select a topic.
2Click the Properties button .
3Click the Index tab. Select a keyword.
4Type the new keyword in the text box.
5Click Replace.
Change the capitalization of a keyword
1In the Index Designer, select a keyword.
2On the Index Designer toolbar, click the Lowercase or Uppercase button.
Remove index keywords from the Index pod
If you remove a keyword from the Index pod, it’s removed from all topics that were linked to it.
1In the Index pod, select a keyword.
2In the toolbar, click Delete.
Unused keywords in the index are not referenced by other topics. They appear in bold in the Index pod. You can
automatically remove them.
Remove index keywords from topics
If you remove a keyword from a topic, only the topic you change is affected. Other topics that reference the keyword
are still linked to it.
1In the Topic List pod, select a topic.
2Click the Properties button .
3Click the Index tab.
4Select a keyword from the list.
5Click Delete.
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Manage indexes
Manage indexes with reports
RoboHelp provides reports to use in managing indexes, such as the Index and Unused Index Keywords reports. The
Index report lets you choose options to define how the report displays information. You can display all the keywords,
a list of keywords with their related topics, or a list of topics and their related keywords.
The Unused Index Keywords report lists keywords that topics do not reference. These keywords reside in the index
file. Use this report to identify keywords to remove or to associate with topics.
You can save, copy, print, and mail reports.
1Select Tools > Reports.
2Select a report, such as Index, and view the results.
3Click Close.
Identify and fix broken references for keyword topics
1In the Project Manager pod, open the Broken Links folder.
Missing topics are listed. They appear with a red X.
2Right-click a missing topic. Select Properties.
Keywords that reference the missing topic appear with a key icon . You can remove or relink the topic reference
in the Index pod.
Remove topic references from keywords
Note: If you remove all topics from the keyword, the Index pod displays the keyword in bold text to indicate that it is
unreferenced.
If you select a keyword in the Index pod, the lower panel displays all the topics that reference it. You can remove any
topic from this panel to remove the keyword from the topic. The name of the topic that is no longer in the project that
references the selected keyword is displayed. If you remove the topic from this panel, the broken link is removed and
the index file is updated.
1In the Index pod, select a keyword.
The lower panel of the Index pod lists the topics that reference the keyword.
2Select a topic. In the toolbar, click the Delete button .
Remove unused index keywords
Unused keywords aren’t associated with topics. The Index pod displays unused index keywords in bold. Unused
keywords don’t appear in the index.
The index keeps unused keywords after you remove topics that reference them. This way, you can assign the keywords
to other topics without having to read them.
Note: This procedure doesn’t remove keywords that have one or more subkeywords.
❖In the Index pod, select a keyword. In the toolbar, click the Delete button .
Select Tools > Reports > Unused Index Keywords to identify unused keywords.
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Apply conditional build tags to an index
1In the Index pod, select a keyword.
2Click Format > Apply Conditional Build Tag > New/Multiple.
3Select tags or click Check All.
4Click OK.
Automatic indexing with the Smart Index wizard
Create an index automatically
Use the Smart Index wizard to search the content of topics. Select from suggested keywords.
Note: Close third-party files before running the Smart Index wizard.
1Select Tools > Smart Index Wizard.
2Select the search criteria.
Find New And Existing Index Keywords Add keywords based on topic content and existing index entries.
Add Existing Index Keywords To Topic(s) Search topics for keywords already used and link the keywords to the
topics.
Use Custom Search Settings Select Settings, and set custom search options. In the Smart Index Settings dialog box,
you can define an effective language to find index keywords. For example, if you define the project language as
French and the paragraph language is English, the Smart Index uses English dictionary to identify keywords for the
paragraph.
Note: This option is applicable for English language only.
In the Settings area of the Smart Index Settings dialog box, you can select options to include as keywords in the
index. For example, capitalize or mixed words, phrases, words in a phrase or words not in the dictionary.
In the Other Settings area, you can select options to exclude as keywords from the index. For example, select verbs
or adverbs to exclude and include adjectives or nouns as keywords.
3Select items to search for index keywords.
4To specify words or phrases to ignore, select Always Ignore or select Phrases. Edit, add, or delete entries.
5To capitalize the first letter of the keyword, select Capitalize All New Index Keywords. (You can change the case
later in the Index pod.)
6Click Next.
7Select Confirm Adding Index Keywords For Each Topic.
To add keywords without confirmation, select Automatically Add Index Keywords For All Topics, and click Finish.
8(Optional) Select filter options for the search.
Folder Search topics in a specified folder.
Status Search topics by status.
Check Only New Topics (That Have Not Been Smart Indexed) Search only non-indexed topics.
9Click Next. Suggested keywords appear for the first topic.
10 Select, deselect, rename, or remove keywords.
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To skip to the next topic, click Skip. Click Options to add verbs, synonyms, and existing index keywords.
Note: The Sentences Containing box shows the suggested keyword in the context where it is found. The Info field
indicates whether the selected keyword is new or existing.
11 Click Next, and click Close in the Results dialog box.
The new keywords appear in the Index pod.
Notes:
•You can change the case of keywords and subkeywords.
•You can link keywords to destinations other than topics.
•Index keywords are different from See Also keywords.
Specify keywords to ignore
You can create a list of words or phrases that the Smart Index wizard ignores. This list is the Always Ignore list.
When the Smart Index wizard searches topics, it checks the Always Ignore list. If it finds an exact match, it ignores that
match as a potential keyword.
1Select Tools > Smart Index Wizard.
2Click Always Ignore.
3Do one of the following:
•To add a word, click New and enter text.
•To edit a word, select it. Click Edit and enter text.
•To delete a word, select it. Click Delete.
The list is stored as a WLF file in the project folder.
Note: The words and phrases that you enter are not case sensitive unless they are uppercase words or mixed-case words.
In these instances, the Smart Index wizard must find an exact match before suggesting a new keyword.
More Help topics
“Change project settings” on page 33
Specify common words to ignore
You can create a list of common words (such as a) that the Smart Index wizard ignores. This list is the Stop list.
The Stop list can be only 512 characters long. Every word in the Stop list contains one added unseen character. If the
character limit is reached mid-word, the entire word is not compiled.
1Select Tools > Smart Index Wizard.
2Click Always Ignore.
3Click the Stop List tab.
4Do one of the following:
•To add a word, click New and enter text.
•To edit a word, select it. Click Edit and enter text.
•To delete a word, select it. Click Delete.
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The list is stored as an STP file in the project folder.
Version-control projects may have more options.
More Help topics
“Change project settings” on page 33
Specify custom phrases
For greater control over the index keywords (words and phrases) suggested by the Smart Index wizard, create a custom
phrase list. This list of keywords is unique to the project. For example, you can include product names.
When the Smart Index wizard searches topics, it checks the phrase list. If it finds a match in a topic that is not a
keyword in the topic, it suggests the item as a keyword.
1Select Tools > Smart Index Wizard.
2Click Phrases.
3Click New.
•To add a phrase, click New and enter text.
•To edit a phrase, select it. Click Edit and enter text.
•To delete a phrase, select it. Click Delete.
The list is stored as a PHR file in the project folder. You can edit this file in a text editor, such as Windows Notepad.
Note: The words and phrases that you enter are not case sensitive unless they are uppercase words or mixed-case words.
In these instances, the Smart Index wizard must find an exact match before suggesting a new keyword.
Look up synonyms for indexing
Note: This option is available only in English.
1Select Tools > Smart Index Wizard.
2Click Next twice.
3Select a keyword.
4Click Options. Select Synonyms.
The keyword appears in the Word box.
5(Optional) Click Antonyms to see antonyms for the keyword.
6Under Categories, select the best match for the word.
7Under Synonyms, select a word to add as a keyword. Click Add To Topic.
8Click Close.
To view synonyms and antonyms for additional words, type in the Word box and click Look Up.
Version-control projects may have more options.
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Multiple indexes
Create multiple indexes
You can create multiple indexes in the same project. New indexes are added to the Index folder. With multiple indexes,
you can right-click any index and select Set As Default to set the index as default index. You can right-click an index
and select Rename to rename the index as well.
You can copy and drag keywords across multiple indexes.
1Do one of the following:
•In the Project Manager pod, right-click the Index folder. Select New Index.
•Click the Create/View Index File button . Click New.
2Type a name in the text box.
3(Optional) To copy an existing index, select Copy Existing Index. Click the browse button to navigate to the
index.
4Click OK.
Merge indexes
Follow this procedure to merge the indexes within a project.
1In the Project Manager pod, open the Index folder.
2Double-click an index.
3In the Index pod, select a keyword where you want to insert the merged index.
4Click the Insert Index Placeholder button .
5From the Select Index menu, select the index to insert.
6Click OK.
The merged index appears with the New Index icon .
7Double-click the icon, and click View.
The merged index appears in the Index pod.
More Help topics
“Automatic indexing with the Smart Index wizard” on page 177
“Create binary indexes (HTML Help)” on page 181
“TOCs and indexes in Microsoft HTML Help” on page 180
“Merging Help projects” on page 96
TOCs and indexes in Microsoft HTML Help
Assign custom TOC icons (HTML Help)
1In the Table Of Contents pod, right-click a book or page. Select Properties.
2Click the Advanced tab.
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Under Image, Auto indicates that the book or page uses the standard icon.
3From the pop-up menu, select an icon.
You can assign other icons to books and pages after you add the bitmap file (BMP) to your project.
4(Optional) Select Mark As New to display the standard icon with a red star. The star indicates to users that the TOC
item contains new information.
5Click OK.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Note: The Table Of Contents pod displays all books and pages with the standard icons regardless of the selection you make
at the Advanced tab. After you generate the project, you can view icons in the Contents pane.
Create binary contents files (HTML Help)
Use binary contents files for large projects to reduce opening time.
Important: Do not merge projects that use binary contents files.
1In the Project Manager pod, double-click a table of contents in the Table Of Contents folder. The Table Of Contents
pod appears.
2Select View > Pods > Single Source Layouts.
3Expand the Single Source Layouts folder.
4Right-click a layout. Select Properties.
5Click Edit.
6Click the TOC Styles tab.
7Select Binary TOC.
8Click OK.
9Generate the project.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Create binary indexes (HTML Help)
Microsoft HTML Help projects require binary indexes in certain cases:
•When projects have topic keywords. Topic keywords are saved in the HTML files that reference them.
•When HTML projects are merged. When you merge projects, each CHM file remains in its own project, but
keywords from each index file are combined into the master project. Distribute each CHM file along with the
master CHM file.
1Make sure that Microsoft HTML Help is the primary layout.
2Select File > Project Settings.
3In the General tab, select Binary Index.
4Click OK.
5Add topic keywords (marked with a key icon ).
6Merge subprojects if needed.
7Generate and view the project.
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Version-control projects may have more options.
More Help topics
“Merging Help projects” on page 96
“Generate, view, and publish output” on page 291
Customize a TOC (HTML Help)
Select a custom font for displaying book and page titles, and synchronize books and pages with topic content. Use
raised or sunken edges to give a three-dimensional look.
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click a layout for HTML Help output.
2Select Properties.
3Click Edit next to Advanced Settings.
4Click the TOC Styles tab.
5Set style options:
Border Add a border around the table of contents.
Dialog Frame Add a frame around the table of contents.
Plus/Minus Squares Display plus and minus icons that open and close books.
Always Show Selection Display the topic selected from the Contents tab (even if this tab is not the left-pane focus).
Folders Instead Of Books Display folder icons instead of book icons.
Single-Click To Open Book Enable books to open with one click.
Raised Edge or Sunken Edge Create a three-dimensional appearance.
Lines Between Items Add lines between books and pages.
Lines From Root Displays lines connecting books and pages starting at root.
6Specify a font.
7Set window, frame, and other options:
•To display the topic in a custom window, select the window name from Default Window.
•To display the topic in a custom frame, select the frameset name from Default Frame.
•To use custom book and page icons, select a BMP file from Custom Image File. Make sure that you include the
image path, such as C:\Program Files\Adobe RoboHelp [version]\My.bmp.
Note: For custom book and page icons, create an icon strip. See the MSDN Library on the Microsoft website.
8Click OK.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Note: The binary TOC option is recommended only for large Help systems. It requires compiled HTML Help and doesn’t
support customization or external TOC files.
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Customize an index (HTML Help)
The index type for the HTML Help project determines the index properties:
Index file keywords For index file keywords in non-binary indexes, you can customize the keyword fonts. Click the
Index tab in the HTML Help viewer.
Merged indexes If merging indexes from CHM files, select the Binary Index option.
Topic keywords If your index includes topic keywords, create a binary index.
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click a layout for HTML Help output.
2Select Properties.
3Click Edit.
4Click the Index tab. Set properties:
Default Window Select the custom window to display topics. Custom windows can link only to index file keywords.
Default Frame Select a custom frame to display topics. Custom frames can link only to index file keywords.
Select Font Select a font name and size.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Add TOC controls (HTML Help)
When a user opens a topic, the table of contents appears.
If a topic is in a subfolder, copy the contents of the file into the subfolder before adding the control.
1Open a topic in the Design view.
2Click where you want to add the table of contents.
3Select Insert > HTML Help Controls > Table Of Contents. The Contents control appears in the Design Editor.
4To test the control, generate the project. The Table Of Contents control displays the same table of contents as in the
final output.
Version-control projects may have more options.
You can link other contents files in your project. Copy the HHC file into the project if you want to select the HHC file
with the TOC control.
Add index controls (HTML Help)
If your project does not support a tri-pane design, you can add an index control to a topic to make the index file
available. The index appears when the topic is opened with the index control.
1If the topic is in a subfolder, copy the index file (HHK) to the subfolder.
2In the Design Editor, open the topic with the control.
3Click where you want to add the index.
4Select Insert > HTML Help Controls > Index.
The index control appears.
To test the index control, compile the project. The index control displays the same index as in the final output.
Version-control projects may have more options.
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You can use other index files in your project. Copy the HHK file and associated files (topics, images, multimedia) to
select the HHK file with the index control.
Link keywords and TOC items to custom windows and frames (HTML Help)
Custom windows can display context-sensitive Help and links from index keywords, TOC books, and TOC pages.
1Create a custom window or frame.
2Do one of the following:
•In the Table Of Contents pod, right-click a book or page. Select Properties.
•In the Index pod, right-click an index file keyword. Select Properties.
3Click the Advanced tab.
4From the Window pop-up menu, select a custom window.
5From the Frame pop-up menu, select a custom frame.
6Click OK.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Note: Microsoft HTML Help doesn’t support links to custom windows from the topic, only links to pop-ups.
More Help topics
“Link to a pop-up” on page 192
“Automatic indexing with the Smart Index wizard” on page 177
Glossaries
Create glossary terms
1In the Project Manager pod, double-click a glossary in the Glossary folder.
2In the Glossary pod, type a term in the Term box.
3Click the Add Term button (plus sign) or press Enter.
The term appears in bold, indicating that it doesn’t have a definition.
4In the Definition For panel, type a definition.
You cannot use formatted text, tabs, or returns.
For terms and definitions to appear within topics, add expanding glossary hotspots.
5If needed, enable the Glossary tab in the single-source layout wizard so that it appears in the output. Add at least
one term and its definition to enable the glossary checkbox in the single-source layout wizard.
Note: (Microsoft HTML Help) When you distribute the final output, include an HHActiveX.DLL file with the CHM file.
This DLL file is the ActiveX® control that supports online glossaries. This file must be copied to and registered on end-user
Windows systems.
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Import glossary terms and definitions
Before importing a glossary file (GLO), print a detailed report of both glossaries. The reports can help you determine
which terms exist in both glossaries and compare definitions.
1In the Project Manager pod, select a glossary in the Glossary folder.
2Select File > Import > Glossary.
3Click the browse button to navigate to a GLO file.
4Do one or more of the following:
•For definitions in the external glossary to overwrite matching terms, select Replace Existing Glossary
Definitions.
•Select one or more terms in the Terms In Imported Glossary list. Click Add.
•To import all terms, click Add All .
5Click OK.
Test and print glossaries
Test the glossary in the output
1Make sure that the Glossary pod is enabled.
2Generate a layout.
3Click View Result.
4Click Glossary.
5Select terms and view their definitions.
Print a glossary
1Click the Glossary pod.
2In the toolbar, click Print.
3From the pop-up menu, select the information to print.
Overview Print all terms.
Detailed Print all terms and definitions.
4Click Properties and Page Setup to specify print options.
5Click OK.
Remove terms from the glossary
Removing terms doesn’t remove expanding glossary hotspots. Remove hotspots separately.
1In the Project Manager pod, double-click a glossary in the Glossary folder.
2In the Glossary pod, select a term from the list.
3In the toolbar, click Delete.
More Help topics
“Glossary hotspots” on page 187
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Change glossary definitions
Note: If you change a definition that is used as an expanding glossary hotspot, update the project by running the Glossary
Hotspot wizard.
1In the Glossary pod, select the term to change.
2Edit the definition text.
Create multiple glossaries
You can create multiple glossaries in the same project. New glossaries are added to the Glossary folder.
You can copy and drag terms across multiple glossaries.
Note: You cannot delete the default glossary.
1Do one of the following:
•In the Project Manager pod, right-click the Glossary folder. Select New Glossary.
•Click the Create/View Glossary File button . Click New.
2Type a name in the text box.
3(Optional) To copy an existing glossary, select Copy Existing Glossary. Click the browse button to navigate to
the glossary.
Click the Start Glossary Hotspot Wizard button in the toolbar to mark existing glossary terms in topics.
Merge glossaries
1 In the Project Manager pod, open the Glossary folder.
2Double-click a glossary.
3Click the Import Glossary button .
4Click the folder button . Select the glossary to merge. Click Open.
5If needed, deselect Replace Existing Glossary Definitions.
Select this option to replace existing definitions in the glossary with definitions from the merged glossary.
6Select terms from the imported glossary list. Click the single right arrow to merge them. Click the double right
arrow to merge all terms.
Note: Select terms in the current project list and click the Left Arrows to deselect terms selected for merging.
7Click OK.
The merged glossary terms appear in the Glossary pod.
More Help topics
“Glossary hotspots” on page 187
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Glossary hotspots
About expanding glossary hotspots
The Glossary Hotspot wizard finds glossary terms within topics and marks them in the topics. You can mark all terms
to convert to expanding hotspot when you generate or preview output.
Notes:
•Expanding glossary hotspots require Internet Explorer 4.0 or later. If they are used in a style, they require Internet
Explorer 5.0 or later. Netscape Navigator doesn’t support expanding glossary hotspots.
•The Glossary panel is not supported in Oracle Help. Definitions appear inline instead of in a hotspot.
•The glossary appears in the printed documentation and appears at the end of the page.
•Control the hotspot appearance by modifying the glossary term and character style in the Styles editor (accessible
from the Stylesheets button in the Product Manager pod).
Add expanding glossary hotspots
❖Do one of the following:
•Drag a term from the Glossary pod into a topic.
Use this method if the term doesn’t occur in the topic, or if the term isn’t in an ideal place to expand.
•In the Glossary pod, click the Glossary Hotspot Wizard button .
The Glossary Hotspot wizard finds glossary terms within topics and marks them in the topics. You can mark all
terms to convert to expanding hotspot when you generate or preview output.
Preview a hotspot by double-clicking it in the Design Editor.
Update expanding glossary hotspots
The Glossary Hotspot wizard inserts markers for the terms defined in the selected glossary. It doesn’t insert definitions
for terms in the topic. When you generate a preview or output, RoboHelp adds definitions for the terms. As a result,
topics always have the updated definitions for marked terms.
1Click Tools > Glossary Hotspot Wizard.
2Select options. In the Select Term menu, select an individual term or all terms.
Confirm Marking Terms For Each Topic Select to choose which terms in topics are marked to expand as glossary
hotspots.
Automatically Mark Terms For All Topics Tell the Glossary Hotspot wizard to mark all glossary terms it finds in
topics to expand to glossary hotspots.
Case-Sensitive Makes search case sensitive.
Mark Only The First Instance Of Term In Topic And Unmark Subsequent Instances Select this option to turn the first
marked instance of a term into an expanding glossary hotspot when you preview or generate output.
3Click Next.
Select a term to mark in a chapter.
4To assign the new definition to the term, select the box next to the term that does not match.
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5Click Next. Repeat steps for each topic that the Glossary Hotspot wizard displays.
6Click Finish.
Test expanding glossary hotspots
1In the Topic List pod, right-click the topic containing the hotspot.
2Click View.
3Click the glossary term in the topic.
4Click the term again to close the hotspot.
Unmarking expanding glossary hotspots
Unmark hotspots using the Glossary Hotspot wizard
1Select Tools > Glossary Hotspot Wizard.
2Select Confirm Adding Definitions For Each Topic.
3Select a folder and status to search.
4From the Select Term menu, select the term to remove.
5Click Next.
6As each topic appears, deselect the check boxes to remove expanding glossary hotspots.
7Click Finish.
Unmark hotspots in Design view
1Open the topic in the Design view. Select the term.
2Right-click and select Remove Expanding Text.
You can click the definitions of marked glossary terms in the Glossary Definition Viewer but you cannot edit the term
definition.
Note: When you upgrade a glossary from an older version, all the local changes are lost.
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Chapter 8: Linking and navigation
Navigation basics
Navigation options
The following navigation options are available for use in Help projects.
Hypertext links Open the link destination.
Pop-ups Display an HTML topic in a pop-up window rather than in the default viewer. Pop-ups can be linked only to
another HTML topic or to bookmarks.
Link controls Clickable objects that open a list of related topics. Types of link controls are See Also, Related Topics, or
Keyword Links.
Breadcrumbs These links appear on a Help page and outline the position of the page in the table of contents, or the
directory structure of the project.
Browse sequences The sequence of a series of topics. You define the order of topics in the sequence.
Searches Find topics that contain search keywords. The search results appear as links in the Search tab of the
navigation pane. The search keywords are highlighted in the topic pane.
In-topic navigation bars Navigation bars added to a layout using WebHelp as the output type.
Expanding hotspots, drop-down hotspots, and twisties Text links that expand to display additional information, but
not other topics. These hotspots are available in browsers that support Dynamic HTML (DHTML).
Text-only pop-up A window that displays only text, not topics or web pages. Text-only pop-ups are useful for
definitions or details. Unlike regular pop-ups, a text-only pop-up resides in the topic that contains it. It’s not a separate
topic.
Image maps An image in an HTML topic that contains graphical links to other topics. Clickable areas in the image are
hotspots.
Image links A link in an image that takes users to a destination or opens a pop-up. Creating image links is like creating
text links.
Bookmarks A link that takes users to a specific place in a topic.
WinHelp topic control (Microsoft HTML Help only) A clickable object that opens a WinHelp system.
You specify many of these features through settings in the Properties > Navigation dialog box for the specific layout:
Show Navigation Pane Link In Topics Select to include a link to the navigation pane in topics that are opened through
the context-sensitive Help calls.
Add Breadcrumbs Links Select to add breadcrumbs in the topic pages.
Show Merged TOC In Child Project Select to view the merged TOC in the child project.
Format Click to change the format of breadcrumbs.
Show Context In Search Result (WebHelp, FlashHelp) Select to display the context of topics in search results.
Enable Highlight Search Result Select to highlight the search results in Topics. Select the color to highlight the search
results.
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Add About Box Set up information that appears in a dynamic window when users click the image in the main toolbar.
Example of About box
Browse Sequences Create browse sequences before enabling them.
Detail Change the text displayed for the in-topic navigation bar elements.
Search Input Field In Toolbar Include a search field in the main toolbar.
Synchronize Table Of Contents Synchronize the TOC with the topic in the right pane so that users see where they are
in the structure.
•To synchronize the TOC automatically, click the pop-up menu and select Automatically.
•To add a button that users can click to synchronize the TOC, click the pop-up menu and select Manually.
Note: If you use custom skins, provide a button icon in the WebHelp Skin Editor.
About breadcrumbs
Breadcrumbs are navigational links displayed in web pages of the Help system. These links outline the position of the
page in the table of contents or the directory structure of the project. You can define breadcrumbs in a master page or
a topic. They can also be configured at run time to appear on the top or bottom of a page.
The user can click a portion of the breadcrumb trail to go directly to a page. For example, if the trail is Home >
Installation > Hardware Requirements, the user can click Installation to go directly to the Installation page.
Breadcrumbs are displayed in merged projects. The breadcrumb trail for a page in a merged project shows the position
of the page with respect to the merged project and the master project.
For example, suppose the master project MultiCuisine contains the project AsianCuisine. AsianCuisine in turn
contains the project JapaneseRecipes. The breadcrumb trail for the topic “Common Japanese Ingredients” is as follows:
Home > MultiCusine > AsianCuisine > JapaneseRecipes
Breadcrumbs are generated only in WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, FlashHelp Pro, HTML Help, and AIR Help.
For all other layouts, breadcrumbs are not generated, even if placeholders are present.
Add breadcrumbs to topics
1Select View > Pods > Single Source Layouts.
2Double-click the WebHelp/WebHelp Pro/FlashHelp/FlashHelp Pro layout, and do the following:
•(WebHelp) In the Navigation pane, select Add Breadcrumbs Links, and click Format.
•(WebHelp Pro/FlashHelp/FlashHelp Pro) Click Next. Select Add Breadcrumbs Links and click Format.
3In the Layout area, select the placement and alignment for the breadcrumbs.
4In the Text area, select or specify a name for the link to the main Help page, which appears on every topic page.
5Select a separator for the Breadcrumbs.
6Type a label that precedes the breadcrumbs trail. For example, you can add the static text "You are here" before the
breadcrumb trail.
7Preview the layout and formatting of breadcrumbs in the Preview pod.
8Select a background color.
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9(Optional) Select Use Topic Level Format to use the default format settings.
10 (Optional) Click Format to change the default font settings.
11 Click OK, and then click Finish.
In the generated WebHelp, all the topic pages show a breadcrumb trail reflecting the TOC hierarchy.
More Help topics
“Insert a placeholder” on page 117
Create text links
You can create links with most items you see in the Project Manager and TOC Composer. These items include topics,
bookmarks, URLs, baggage files, newsgroups, FTP sites, files (such as PDF) associated with other programs, and
remote topics.
Use Design Editor to create text links
1In the Design Editor, select the insertion point for the link.
2Click the Insert Hyperlink button .
3Select an option from the Link To menu. Specify the source location in the box.
4If Display In Frame is selected, select an option from the pop-up menu.
Display In Frame If the destination is a frame, this option defines the frameset for displaying the destination
content. You can select the frame type or enter custom frame information. This option is unavailable for linking to
topics.
Display In Auto-sizing Popup Displays the destination topic in a pop-up window rather than in the viewer or
browser. The window size adjusts to the content. If you have a long topic, use a custom-sized pop-up.
Display In Custom-sized Popup Displays the destination topic in a pop-up window. To manually size the window,
type a number in the Width and Height fields. If the text goes beyond the pop-up's height or width, the pop-up
includes scroll bars. This option is available only for linking to topics.
5Add tool tip text to appear when you hover over the link.
6Select a local topic, bookmark, frame, or URL that exists in your project as the link destination. To filter the list,
click the triangle.
Drag to create links
1In Design Editor, select the item in the topic for the hotspot. Select text, an image, or a multimedia object.
2In the Project Manager pod, open the folder containing the destination item (such as a URL in the URLs folder, or
a topic in a custom folder).
3Locate and select the destination item.
4(Optional) Click the TOC tab to display the TOC Composer or the Project tab to display the Project Manager.
5Drag the destination item from the Project Manager pod or Topics List pod onto the selected item in the Design
Editor.
Note: Topics with information types are not supported as links.
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More Help topics
“Image maps” on page 211
Link to a pop-up
You can create a link that displays an HTML topic in a pop-up rather than in the default browser or viewer. A pop-up
supports HTML formatting, images, Dynamic HTML, link controls, and other HTML features of the destination topic.
When a user clicks the link, the pop-up opens and sizes to fit either the content of the topic or dimensions that you
specify.
A pop-up can be used only to link to a topic or bookmark within the project.
1In the Design Editor, place the cursor where you want a link, or select text or an image to define a hotspot.
2In the toolbar, click the Insert Popup button .
3Select Hyperlink Options.
4Select a size option. If you choose Custom-Sized Pop-up, enter values in points in the Height and Width boxes.
5Under Select Destination (File Or URL), select a topic , bookmark , or frameset.
6Click OK.
Note: A link within a pop-up to another pop-up doesn't work in the HTML Help viewer or in Internet Explorer.
Exclude pop-ups from full-text searches
1Create a small HTML Help project to contain the pop-up topics.
2Generate the project to create a CHM file.
3Link to the pop-up topics in the second CHM file. (Do not merge the two Help systems.)
4Distribute both CHM files to users.
More Help topics
“Text-only pop-ups” on page 202
Bookmarks
Use bookmarks to create incremental links within a topic. You can link to a bookmark from within the topic itself;
from any other topic in your project; or from an index entry, TOC entry, or image map. The Bookmark icon
appears next to bookmarked objects. To view bookmarks from the Project Manager, click the plus sign next to a
topic.
Create bookmarks
1Click left of the location for the bookmark.
2Do one of the following:
•Click the Insert Bookmark icon .
•Select Insert > Bookmark.
3Enter a name, without spaces, using any combination of letters and numbers.
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After you save the topic, bookmark icons appear indented under topics listed in the Project Manager pod and next to
topics in the Topics List pod.
Create links to bookmarks
1Open the destination for the link. To create a link within a topic, create a bookmark in the topic.
2In the Design Editor, select the link location and then click the Insert Hyperlink button .
3Under Select Destination (File Or URL), select the bookmark to link to.
4Click the View icon to test the link.
Note: Bookmarks are grouped with their topics.
Rename bookmarks
1Open the topic with a bookmark. Select the bookmark, right-click it, and select Bookmark [bookmark name]
Properties.
2Edit the name and click OK.
3Unassign and reassign the map ID for the renamed bookmark.
4If the bookmark is used in context-sensitive Help, edit the map ID.
Locate bookmarks
1Open a topic in the Design Editor.
2Select Edit > Go To Bookmark.
3Select a bookmark to locate.
4Click Go To.
Remove bookmarks
1Remove all links to the bookmark.
2Select the bookmark icon in the topic. In the toolbar, click the Delete button.
More Help topics
“Edit a map ID” on page 229
Link images and multimedia
Add links to multimedia clips
You can include links to image, video, sound, and other multimedia files.
1In the Design Editor, place the cursor where you want the link, or select text or an image to create a hotspot for the
link.
2Click the Insert Hyperlink button .
3In Link To, click the triangle button and select Multimedia.
4Select the file to link. Click Open.
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Add links from images and multimedia
Topics can include multimedia as links, sound or video clips, local or external HTML topics, bookmarks, web or FTP
sites, e-mail, or newsgroups.
1In the Design Editor, click the multimedia object or the image to link.
2Click the Insert Hyperlink button .
•To link from multimedia, in Link To, click the triangle button and select Multimedia.
•To link from images, select the destination. Images can contain only one link.
Link from a sound or video object in the topic by right-clicking the object and selecting Insert Hyperlink.
External links
Link to external topics (Microsoft HTML Help projects)
1In the Design Editor, select a link location.
2Click the Insert Hyperlink button .
3In Link To, click the triangle button to select Remote Topic.
Link to external files
1Choose a link location in the Design Editor.
2Enter text.
3Highlight the text and click the Insert Hyperlink button .
4Click the triangle button next to Link To and then select File.
5Browse to a file, open it, and copy it into the project folder.
6Generate the file to test links to external topics.
WebHelp projects The external file must be distributed in the WebHelp folder.
Microsoft HTML Help projects The external file must be distributed with the CHM file.
Note: The external CHM file must be in the same folder as the project CHM file.
Link to WinHelp topics (Microsoft HTML Help projects)
Add WinHelp topic controls to link to a topic in a WinHelp file from an HTML topic.
1In the Design Editor, click a location for the control.
2Select Insert > HTML Help Controls > WinHelp Topic.
3Set the button options.
4Click Next. Select the WinHelp file and topic.
5Click Next. Set font options for the button label.
6Click Finish.
7To test the project, generate it.
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Link to e-mail addresses, FTP sites, newsgroups, and web addresses
1In the Design Editor, choose a location for the link or select text or an image to define a hotspot.
2Click the Insert Hyperlink button .
3In Link To, click the triangle button and then do any of the following:
•To link to e-mail, select Email.
•To link to FTP sites or newsgroups, select FTP or Usenet News.
•To link to intranets or websites, select Web Address.
Link View
Use Link view to view and navigate project links.
Navigate in the Link View pod
The icon in the center of the Link View pod represents the current topic. Lines on either side of the icon represent
inbound and outbound links. Each line is color coded to denote the type of link.
1Select View > Pods > Link View. Link View appears as a document in the Doc Pad.
2Select the pod (workflow pane) from which to drag topics. Do any of the following:
•To display topics from the Project Manager, select View > Pods > Project Manager.
•To display topics from the TOC Composer, select View > Pods > TOC.
•To display topics from the Index Designer, select View > Pods > Index.
3Select a topic from Topics For, and then drag it into the center of Link View. Click the previous and next buttons
to view the connected links.
4To view another topic's links, in Link View, drag a topic on top of the one in the center of the group to display all
links to and from it.
Change the appearance of links in the Link View pod
Change icon sizes
1Select View > Pods > Link View.
2Click the Use Small Icon button .
Note: The tool tip text indicates the action you can perform on the icons.
Set Link View scroll features
1Select View > Pods > Link View.
2Do any of the following:
•To scroll the topic with the linked topics, click the Keep Topic Elastic button .
•To scroll hyperlinks only, click the Keep Topic Centered button .
•For large projects, click the Display Limited Links button .
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Set options in the Link View pod
Click the icons to see different types of links.
•The current topic is in the center and has a blue border.
•Inbound links appear on the left.
•Outbound links appear on the right.
Define use of the Link View window.
Icon Size Sets the size of the icons used to display topics. You can use small or large icons.
Center Topic Placement Positions the center with inbound and outbound links.
Move Center Topic With View Positions the topic to scroll with the links in the window.
Keep Center Topic Centered Keeps the center topic stationary while links move with the scroll bar.
Link maintenance and repair
Update and remove links
Open the topic containing the link. Do any of the following:
•To update the link, right-click the link, select Hyperlink Properties, and make changes.
•To remove a link, right-click the link and select Remove Hyperlink.
•To remove the link and the text, select the text and press Delete.
Manage broken links
To identify broken links, use the Broken Links folder in the Project Manager. It displays the names of deleted or
missing topics that are referenced in a project.
❖Select these options from the Tools menu to identify and fix broken links:
Show Topic Links Displays a topic in Link View.
Show Topic References Identifies references for one topic. Use this option to determine whether the topic is
referenced in a TOC or index and whether other topics link to it.
Enable BugHunter For context-sensitive topics in Microsoft HTML Help systems. Use this option to diagnose
problems that can occur when linking HTML Help systems to Windows applications.
Resolve Broken Links Identifies missing or deleted topics that caused broken links. Use this option to determine
where the broken links originate and to restore topic links.
Edit Topic References Lets you look up references for topics in a project. Use this option to determine where
references originate and to modify them.
Edit External Topic References Identifies external topics (such as remote links or URLs) that are referenced in a
project. Use this option to modify or remove them from the project.
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Fix broken links
❖Select Tools > Resolve Broken Links > References To Selected Topic.
•To fix a link, first select a link. Then click Edit, and edit or remove the hyperlink.
•To fix a TOC item, index keyword, or image map, first select the item. Then click Edit, and select a valid
destination to repair the broken link.
•To remove TOC entries, select the TOC item and click Delete. The book or page is removed from the table of
contents.
Note: If you use version control in a multi-author environment, some files might link to topics that have been moved,
renamed, or removed by another author. If you don't have the latest version of the files, they appear as broken links.
Identify and update topic references
Identify topic references
1Select Tools > Edit Topic References.
2From the Topics List pod or the Project Manager pod, select a topic.
•To show references for a single topic, right-click the topic and select Show > Topic References.
•To show references for all topics in the project, select Tools > Edit Topic References. On the right, select a topic.
The left view shows all topic references.
Update topic references
❖Select Tools > Edit Topic References.
•To fix broken links, in References To Selected Topic, select the link to repair. Click Edit or remove the link.
•To fix or remove TOC items and entries, in References To Selected Topic, select the TOC item. Click Edit and
select a destination, or click Delete.
More Help topics
“Change an image map” on page 211
Identify and update external topic references
1Select Tools > Edit External Topic References.
2Do any of the following:
•To identify external references, select the topic.
•To fix broken links, in References To Selected Topic, select the link. Click Edit and make changes.
•To fix or remove TOC items and entries, in References To Selected Topic, select the item. Click Edit and select
a destination, or click Delete.
Note: You cannot change index keywords from this dialog box.
More Help topics
“Fix broken links” on page 197
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View and test hyperlinks
View hyperlinks and identify browse sequences
In the Design Editor, right-click and select Show Topic Links. Or, use the procedure that follows.
1Select View > Pods > Link View. The Link View pod appears.
2Drag topics from the Project Manager pod into the Link View pod.
3Click the Project Manager pod.
4Open the HTML Files (Topics) folder or a custom folder, and select a topic to view.
5Drag the topic into the Link View pod over the center Link View icon .
6Release the mouse button to display links.
Test links in a topic
1Select View > Pods > Topic List. The Topic List pod appears.
2Right-click the topic and select View.
3Click links to test them.
More Help topics
“Browse sequences” on page 205
Link controls
About link controls
Link controls are navigational alternatives to the TOC and index. A link control works like a link and can appear as
text, a button, or an image.
Note: When you update a topic, make sure that its link controls are up-to-date. Deleting a topic or changing a topic title,
topic content, or filename can affect link controls.
Link controls function in the following ways:
•Direct users to related topics and information. Link controls can save users time spent searching.
•Organize information for different kinds of users.
•Manage topic content by keeping information needed by multiple topics in a single topic and providing access to
it from several places with link controls.
•Manage topic layout by inserting link controls as objects rather than as long lines of links.
Types of link controls
Related Topics Displays a list of topics that you specify. You change the related topics list by topic, according to user
need. Related Topics controls require more maintenance than other link controls. If you add or remove topics, make
sure that you add or remove the topics in each Related Topics control.
See Also Displays a list of topics that you group into a logical category. All topics assigned to identical See Also
keywords appear in a list when users click See Also. See Also controls require less maintenance than other controls
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because you define the group of topics in one location (not in each topic). Make sure that you update the See Also
control when you add or remove topics. Automatic updates occur in each topic containing the control.
Keyword Links Controls that let you use index keywords for navigation within topics. Indexes group related topics
based on keywords. When a user clicks an index keyword, an associated topic list appears. If you add or remove an
index keyword in the index or in topic properties, the control updates within each topic that contains it. Keyword Link
controls are usable with main-level, or parent-index keywords.
Keyword link properties
Assign index file keywords and topic keywords from the index file to Keyword Link controls.
Keywords In Project Display all keywords available for the control.
Keywords In Control Display keywords assigned to the control.
Add Select the keyword from Keywords In Index. Select Add.
Delete Select the keyword from Keywords In Control. Select Delete.
For HTML Help projects:
Set Remote Keywords Use keywords from other CHM files.
Note: While similar to the Related Topics control, the See Also control has the added feature of being able to leave out of
its list, the topic where it is placed. In addition, it can be automatically updated in each topic containing the control. This
means that the control can be copy/pasted among associated topics.
Add Related Topics controls
Changes you make to titles or filenames are not applied to the Related Topics control.
1In the Design Editor, click a location for the control.
2Click the Insert > Related Topics.
3
Choose an option to show related topics as a button, which can be a label or an image, or to show related topics as text.
4From Topics In Project, select a topic and click Add. Continue to add all topics you want to appear as related topics.
Note: The URL box displays the location of the topic file linked, and Title shows the title of the topic page.
5(Optional) Click Change to update the topic name in Related Topics.
6Choose options to display in a Topics found dialog or in a pop-up menu.
7Select an option to display the selected topic in a frame or new window.
8Select display and font options.
9Click Finish and then click the View button to test.
Note: (Microsoft HTML Help) If the topic contains a Related Topics control, the links might not work properly because
of a known Microsoft HTML Help bug. Consider using See Also controls, Keyword Link controls, or standard HTML
links.
Related Topics wizard
Use the Related Topics wizard to change how a link for a Keyword Link or Related Topics control appears: as a button
with text or an image, as plain text, or as a hidden control that works with scripts.
Button Defines how a control appears in a topic.
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Label Displays a control as a square gray button with black text. The text in the box displays on the button. You can
edit the label.
Image Displays a control as an image. The image filename appears in the box below this option. (You can't add a text
label to an image or edit the label in RoboHelp.) To select an image, click the Browse button
, and then select an
image from the dialog box. Save the image as a Windows bitmap (BMP) and icon (ICO) file.
Text Displays a control as a text link (Example: More information).
Hidden (For Scripts) Hides the control. Used for a topic to which you add a script. The control isn't visible in the topic.
Work with a developer to configure a script.
(HTML Help Projects Only) If No Topics Are Associated With Any Of The Keywords, Disable The Button If you create a
Keyword Link control and then remove all the keywords assigned to the control, the control is disabled when a user
opens the topic.
Choose Topic From Defines how the list of topics is displayed when a user clicks a link control.
Topics Found dialog Displays the list of topics in a Topics Found dialog box. The topic appears when a user selects a
topic and then clicks Display.
Popup Menu Displays the list of topics in a pop-up menu. Users select a topic to open it.
Frame Specifies a frame in which to display a topic when the keyword is clicked. Custom framesets appear in the list.
For HTML Help projects using See Also or Keyword Link controls:
If no topics are associated with any of the specified keywords, disable the button Disables the control if there are no
topics associated with the control keywords. For example, if you create a Keyword Link control and then remove all
the keywords assigned to the control, the control is disabled when users open the topic.
Create, assign, and add See Also keywords and controls
Create and assign See Also keywords
1Do one of the following:
•Double-click the See Also folder in the Project Manager pod. The See Also pod appears.
•Type the See Also keyword in the text box. Click the plus sign.
•Click the Add New See Also Keyword button icon. Type the new keyword and press Enter.
The keyword appears in bold, indicating that no topics are associated with it.
2To assign topics to the See Also keyword, click the Topic List pod and do one of the following:
•To add the keyword to multiple topics, select a topic, drag it into the lower pod, and repeat for all topics you
want to assign.
•To add the keyword to individual topics, click the Topic List pod, select a topic, click the Properties button ,
and select See Also. Type the keyword to assign to the topic and click Add.
3Add a See Also control to the new keyword.
See Also pod
New See Also Keyword Create a See Also keyword.
Add Keyword Add the See Also keyword entered in the box.
New Keyword Topic Assign a keyword topic.
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Find Topic Find topics based on search criteria.
Set See Also Keywords in the See Also wizard
The See Also wizard appears when you try to insert a See Also control in a topic (Insert > See Also).
See Also Keywords In Project Display a list of all available See Also keywords.
Add Select the name from See Also Keywords In Project to add.
Delete Select the name from See Also Keywords In Control to delete.
See Also Keywords In Control Display See Also keywords assigned to the control.
For HTML Help projects:
Set Remote See Also Keywords Use See Also keywords from other CHM files.
Set keywords in a remote CHM file
Note: HTML projects only.
The CHM file is copied to the project folder. Keywords are referenced only from the CHM file.
CHM File Name Enter the remote CHM file to reference.
❖Click the Browse button to browse for remote CHM files.
Keyword Enter the keyword to reference. Type the name exactly as it is used in the CHM file.
Add Add a keyword to Remote Keywords In Control.
Delete Remove keyword from Remote Keywords In Control.
Remote Keywords In Control Display the keywords insert.
Set See Also keywords in a remote CHM file
Note: HTML projects only.
Use See Also keywords in the Help project that are used in other CHM files. The CHM file is copied to the project
folder. See Also keywords are not copied.
CHM File Name The remote CHM file
Browse button Click to browse to the remote CHM file.
See Also Keyword Type the name of the See Also keyword exactly as it is used in the CHM file.
Add Add the See Also keyword to the Remote See Also keywords in the control field.
Delete Remove the See Also keyword from the Remote See Also keywords in the control field.
Remote See Also Keywords In Control Display the See Also keywords to insert into the control.
Add See Also controls
1Create See Also keywords.
2In the Design Editor, click a location for the control.
3Click Insert Help Control .
4Select See Also.
5Select the link options.
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6Under See Also Keywords In Project, select a See Also keyword.
7Click Add. Repeat for all keywords you want to add. Click Next.
8Select display and font options.
9Click Finish. To test the control, generate the project.
Change, reuse, or remove link controls
❖In the Design Editor, open a topic containing the link control.
•To change a control, double-click the control and change its properties.
•To reuse a control, right-click the control and select Copy. Right-click in the destination topic and select Paste.
•To remove a control, select the control and click Delete .
Text-only pop-ups
Work with text-only pop-ups
Text-only pop-ups are short text passages, such as definitions, that appear when a user clicks a linked term. You can
insert a text-only pop-up anywhere except in topic headers and footers. For longer text passages, or if you need
graphics, use a regular pop-up.
More Help topics
“Link to a pop-up” on page 192
Create text-only pop-ups
1In the Design Editor, select the text.
2From the Insert menu, select Text-Only Popup.
3Type the pop-up text directly into the window.
Edit text-only pop-ups
1Right-click the text-only pop-up and select Text Popup Properties.
•To edit the text, type in the Popup Text box.
•To edit background color, fonts, and margins, click in the appropriate box and make the changes. Your
selections apply to text-only pop-ups you create in the future.
2To test, click the View button and select the text-only pop-up.
Remove text-only pop-ups
❖Right-click the pop-up and click Remove Text Popup.
Test text-only pop-ups
Test before generating
1From the Design Editor, open the topic containing the text-only pop-up.
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2Click the View button .
3Click the text-only pop-up.
Test after generating
1Click the View Primary Layout icon . If you are prompted to generate, click Yes.
2Navigate to the topic containing the text-only pop-up.
3Click the text-only pop-up.
RoboHelp search basics
When you enter a search term in the Search box, RoboHelp displays a list of topics containing that term. The topic list
sometimes provides context, depending on output type. When you view the topic, RoboHelp highlights the search
term. RoboHelp search supports these features:
Keywords You can assign a keyword to a topic that does not contain that word. For example, you can assign the
keyword "formatting" to a topic about fonts, styles, and point sizes. If you enter "formatting" as a search term,
RoboHelp displays that topic even though it doesn't contain the word "formatting." When ranking search results,
RoboHelp gives more weight to keywords than to search terms found in the body of a topic.
Note: Keyword search is not available in Microsoft HTML Help (CHM).
Synonyms Define synonyms to allow for variations in search terms. For example, you can define "cursor," "pointer,"
and "mouse" as synonymous terms. If the search term is "mouse," RoboHelp returns all topics containing the word
"cursor," with that term highlighted.
Excluding topics from search You can exclude entire topics from search by selecting the Exclude From Search option
in topic properties.
Note: Exclude From Search is not available in Microsoft HTML Help (CHM).
Excluding unreferenced topics from search The Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output option in layout
properties ensures that search results are displayed only from topics that are referenced in the following project
components:
•TOC
•Index
•Browse sequences
•Default topic
•CSH map IDs
•See Also keywords
•Related Topics keywords
•Hyperlinks
Excluding unreferenced baggage files from search The Exclude Unreferenced Baggage Files From Search option
ensures that search results display baggage files only if they are referenced from topics through hyperlinks and the
index and TOC selected in layout properties. If the Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output option is selected,
RoboHelp considers only referenced topics; otherwise, it considers all topics in the project.
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Multiple language search RoboHelp search supports multiple languages at the project, topic, and paragraph level. For
example, suppose you search for a German word in an English topic with an embedded German paragraph. If
RoboHelp finds the German word, it displays the English topic with the German word highlighted.
Substring search (WebHelp/Pro, FlashHelp/Pro) If you enable this feature, a search for "log" returns topics containing
the words "catalog" and "logarithm." Substring search takes longer than whole-string search.
Note: In merged projects, substring search works when enabled in both the master project and child projects.
Phrase search To search for a phrase, enter it in quotation marks in the search box. If the search term is "color swatch,"
RoboHelp returns all topics with the phrase "color swatch".
Boolean operators in search (WebHelp) You can narrow down the scope of search by combining search terms using
the Boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT.
Customizable search results list (WebHelp/Pro) By default, ten search results appear at a time. In these two outputs,
the Search pane contains an option for the maximum number of search results to show in a list.
Topic context in search list By default, the search results list shows the first 60 characters of each topic to give context.
You can disable the display of context by using the SSL dialog box.
Note: Only WebHelp/Pro and FlashHelp/Pro support context in Help results. In Flash Help/Pro, the context appears as
a tool tip.
Search Office and PDF files (WebHelp/Pro, FlashHelp/Pro) You can search for baggage files (such as PDF, Word, and
Excel files) in published output. To appear in search results, these baggage files must be referenced in a topic through
a hyperlink.
Note: You must have iFilter for Microsoft and PDF installed on to enable baggage file search.
Rank search results You can rank search results based on their relevance. For example, if a word appears in the title of
a topic, its rank is higher than the word in the keyword list. A topic with the word appearing in heading 1 ranks higher
than the word appearing in heading 2 and is displayed first in the search results.
Hide Rank column in search results For WebHelp and WebHelp Pro output, you can hide the Rank column in search
results to allocate more space for displaying search results. The Hide Rank Column In Search Results option is
available in the Search tab of WebHelp layout properties. See “Set options for generating WebHelp” on page 292 and
“Set options for generating WebHelp Pro or FlashHelp Pro” on page 298.
External content search
External content search enables authors to display content from specified URLs based on terms that users are likely to
search. You can create a list of URLs related to a project and, for each URL, provide a set of search terms, a title, and,
a description. When a user's search query contains any of these search terms, RoboHelp returns the title and
description of the corresponding URL in the search results. When the user clicks it, the contents are displayed in the
Topic Pane.The URL returned in search results has the same rank as the keyword specified in topics.
Set up and manage external content search
1In the Project Set-up pod, right-click External Content Search.
2Use the following options to set up and manage external content search:
Edit Click Add and specify a URL, a title, search terms (separated by a comma, space, or semicolon), and a
description in the editable row. Click Add to add another row. Click Save to save the entries in the
SearchOptions.xml file in the project folder.
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Import Click Import and select the SearchOptions.xml file from a project to import the external content search
settings of that project into the current project.
Export Click Export and select a folder to export the SearchOptions.xml file. Exporting the SearchOptions.xml file
from one project to another is useful when two projects need to allow searching similar external content.
Explore Click Explore to locate the SearchOptions.xml file in Windows Explorer. You can open the file in a text
editor and make changes.
Enable external content search
You can enable external content search in the following layoutsSSLs:
•WebHelp
•FlashHelp
•Adobe AIR
•WebHelp Pro
•FlashHelp Pro
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click the layout in which you want to generate output and select Properties.
2Depending on the layout, do the following:
•(Adobe AIR) Click View and select Enable External Content Search.
•(WebHelp) Click Search and select Enable External Content Search.
•(WebHelp Pro) Select Enable External Content Search.
•(FlashHelp and FlashHelp Pro) Click Next and select Enable External Content Search.
Browse sequences
Create or edit browse sequences
Use browse sequences to provide a path for your readers to move through a series of topics. When working with
browse sequences, keep in mind the following:
•You cannot include HTML files or external topics from other Help systems in browse sequences.
•A single topic can belong to multiple browse sequences.
•Each type of Help displays browse sequences differently. In WebHelp layouts, you can enable or disable browse
sequences at a project level. In both WebHelp and Adobe AIR layouts, you can select the browse sequences that you
want to display. If the layout defines content categories, you can select browse sequences for each content category.
For information about how to enable or disable browse sequences and select them for content categories, see
“Configure the Adobe AIR layout” on page 284 and “Set options for generating WebHelp” on page 292.
Create browse sequences automatically
An automatically created browse sequence replaces existing browse sequences.
1Create the table of contents.
2Select Tools > Browse Sequence Editor.
3Click Auto-Create Using TOC.
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4Enter the number of levels from the TOC hierarchy that you want to include in the browse sequence, and click OK.
5Click OK. If the Enable Browse Sequence dialog box appears, click Yes.
Create browse sequences manually
1Select Tools > Browse Sequence Editor.
2Click New and then name the browse sequence.
3From Available Topics, select the folder containing the topics you’re adding.
4Add topics to the browse sequence.
•To move a single topic, select the topic and click Add, or click the Add Browse Sequence button to move it.
•To move a group of topics, select the folder containing the topics and click the Add All Browse Sequence
button
.
5Click OK. If the Enable Browse Sequence dialog box appears, click Yes.
Remove a topic from a browse sequence
❖From the Browse Sequence list, select the topic and click Remove.
Rename or remove a browse sequence
From the Browse Sequence list, select the browse sequence.
•To remove it, click Remove.
•To rename it, click Rename and enter the new name.
View and test browse sequences
Identify topics associated with browse sequences
1Select Tools > Browse Sequence Editor.
2Under Browse Sequences, click the plus sign next to each browse sequence to display the topics.
Test browse sequences
Topics that belong to multiple sequences appear within the browse sequence that is listed first in Link View.
1Select View > Pods > Link View. The Link View pod appears.
2Click the Project Manager tab.
3In the Project Manager, open the HTML Files folder and select a topic.
4Drag the topic into the Link View pod.
When a yellow line appears around the Link View icon , release the mouse button to display links to and from
the topic.
If the topic is part of a browse sequence, the Previous and Next buttons appear above and below it.
5Click the Previous and Next buttons to test the browse sequence.
View sequences for a single topic
1Select a topic.
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2Click the Properties button .
3Click the Advanced tab.
Test browse sequences in a browser or view
1Verify that browse sequences are enabled.
2Click the Generate button to generate.
3Click View Result and click through the browse sequence.
Identify the browse sequences a topic is assigned to
1Open a topic in the Design Editor.
2Click the Properties button.
3Click the Advanced tab.
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Chapter 9: Multimedia and special effects
Images
Image basics
Image file formats
GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) An 8-bit color format that can display 256 colors and is useful for images with a
limited range of color. GIF images support the transparent attribute. They are best for grayscale photographs, cartoons,
small icons, buttons, bars, lines, and bullets. They can be interlaced and animated.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group) JPEG format is commonly used to display photographs and other
continuous-tone images in HTML documents. If you use images with 256 colors or more, use JPEG format. JPEG files
have either a .jpeg or .jpg filename extension.
BMP (Windows Bitmap) The standard bitmap image format intended for Windows, used in WinHelp applications.
Bitmap images support up to 24-bit color. When you import WinHelp projects into HTML, the bitmaps are converted
into GIF or JPG format. You can use bitmaps and icon formats (ICO files) when you add link controls or HTML Help
controls (custom buttons.)
MRB (Multi-Resolution Bitmap) A Windows Help image format that contains an image saved in different screen
resolutions in a single file. The program imports these files from WinHelp projects and converts them into GIF images.
WMF (Windows Metafile) A vector graphics format intended for Windows systems. WMF files are commonly used as
clip art for word-processing applications. The program imports these files from WinHelp projects and converts them
into GIF images.
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) A bitmap image format like GIF. The most recent versions of Netscape Navigator
and Microsoft Internet Explorer support PNG.
Tips:
•Create a stationery watermark effect by displaying background colors and images from the Borders And Shading
dialog box.
•When you select an image, the Cable Drum button appears . Use it to link topic items (such as images, text, and
tables) with another topic item, and assign a Dynamic HTML effect to the connection.
•When you import a Microsoft Word file or an HTML file, all images are imported with the file (images must be in
anchored frames.)
Note: If you generate WebHelp Pro or WebHelp output, use GIF or JPEG files.
Locate images
Use the Graphics Locator to scan hard drives and folders for image files, view thumbnails, and copy files.
1In the Toolbox pod, double-click the Graphics Locator .
2Select the graphic file format to search for.
3Enter the path for the search or browse to a new location.
4Click Search.
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Copy an image
1In the Toolbox pod, double-click the Graphics Locator button .
2Select an image from the Image Files list.
3Browse to a destination.
4Click Copy File.
View an image
To view an image, you associate the filename extension with an application:
1In the Project view, select the Images folder.
2Right-click an image.
3Click View.
4Select Tools > Options.
5Click the Associations tab.
6Click Add next to File Associations. Enter a filename extension.
7Click Select. Browse to the application to use for editing and viewing the file type.
Add an image to a topic
You can insert files with the following filename extensions: .gif, .jpeg, .jpg, or .bmp.
Note: For Web-based Help, use GIF or JPEG files.
1In the Design Editor, select a location for the image.
2In the toolbar, click the Insert Image button .
3Do either of the following:
•Click the Browse button to browse to a file.
•If the image file is in the project, select a folder from the Images In Project Folders pop-up menu. Select All
Folders to see all images in the project.
4Click OK.
Tips:
•For an image used in the project, drag it from the Project Manager\Images folder into the topic.
•To add predefined images, click the Gallery tab in the Image dialog box, select a category, and select the image. To
add it to the project, click OK.
•You can paste screen captures into the Design Editor without using a third-party image-editing tool. The images
are saved as either GIF or JPEG files. Press Alt + PrtScr to capture the active screen.
Add a RoboScreenCapture image to a topic
Simultaneously create and add images.
1Move the cursor to a desired location in the Design Editor of a topic.
2Click the Insert ScreenCapture button on the Object toolbar. The Insert ScreenCapture dialog box appears.
3Enter a filename for the new image.
4Select a file format.
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5Click OK. RoboScreenCapture opens and RoboHelp is minimized.
6Select Capture > Active Window or any desired capture. The new image appears in the blank area.
7Click Save .
8Close RoboScreenCapture. The Image dialog box of RoboHelp for HTML appears.
9(Optional) Resize the image or place borders around it.
10 Click OK.
Remove an image from a topic
•To remove an image from a topic, in the Design Editor, select the image. Click the Delete button. The image
remains in the Images folder.
•To remove an image from a project, delete the file from all topics. The image is removed from the Images folder.
Edit an image in RoboHelp
1In the Design Editor, select the image to edit.
2Do one of the following:
•In the toolbar, click the Edit Selected Image button .
•Select Edit > Edit item.
•In the Project Manager pod, right-click an image name. Select Edit.
3Set options:
Text Wrapping Select the alignment of the image with the surrounding text.
Note: If text wrapping occurs around an image, then the image cannot be aligned. If text wrapping is set to None, then
the image, or the line it is on, can be aligned.
Screen Tip Enter text to display when the user hovers the cursor over the image.
Size Click to set the dimensions of the image in pixels. In the Size dialog box, select Maintain Aspect Ratio to
maintain the height to width proportion.
Margins Click to specify the space between the image and the text. You can specify the same width for the margin
on all sides or a different width for left, right, top, and bottom margins.
Borders Click to add a border to the image and specify a style.
Edit an image with RoboScreenCapture
1In the Design Editor, select the image to edit.
2Do one of the following:
•Select Edit > Edit With RoboScreenCapture.
•Right-click and select Edit with RoboScreenCapture.
•Click the Edit with RoboScreenCapture button in the Objects toolbar.
3Edit the image.
4Click Save.
Note: See RoboScreenCapture Help for more information.
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Image maps
Create an image map
1In the Design Editor, open a topic containing an image.
2Right-click the image. Select Insert Image Map.
3Select Rectangle, Circle, or Polygon.
The cursor becomes a cross hair .
4Draw a clickable area within the image border.
5In Link To, click the triangle pop-up menu . Select a file under Select Destination (File Or URL) or another
destination.
6In Screen Tip Text, enter text to display when users hover the mouse over the image map.
7Click OK.
The Project Manager saves the image map with the image in the Images folder. A plus sign at the left side of the
Image button indicates an image map: . Click the plus sign to see a list of all hotspots in the image map.
Hotspot links appear with the Hotspot icon .
8To test, click the View button in the toolbar. Click the hotspot.
Change an image map
1In the Design Editor, open the topic containing the image map.
2Double-click the hotspot.
3In Link To, click the triangle pop-up menu . Select a file under Select Destination (File Or URL) or another
destination.
4Select OK. If prompted, select OK to copy the file into the project.
5To test, click the View button in the toolbar. Click the hotspot.
More Help topics
“Create text links” on page 191
“Link to a pop-up” on page 192
Adobe Captivate demos
Follow these procedures to launch Adobe Captivate to create demos and insert them in the project. After you insert an
Adobe Captivate SWF, you can update the SWF by opening the source from within RoboHelp.
Create an Adobe Captivate demo
1Click the Project Manager tab. Place the cursor on the folder.
2Select File > New, and choose Adobe Captivate Demo.
3In the Topic Title box, type a host topic name.
4In the File Name box, type a filename with the extension .htm.
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5Click OK.
6Create the demo.
7Save the demo and close Captivate.
8To test the demo, select or open the host topic, and click View .
9Open the host topic and add additional information, such as a header, footer, background color, or title text.
Note: You cannot access RoboHelp while Adobe Captivate is open.
Insert an Adobe Captivate demo
You can link to the demo topic from other topics in the project, from books and pages in the TOC, and from index
keywords. When users click the link, the demo starts.
1In RoboHelp, open the topic where you want to insert the demo.
2Place the cursor where you want to insert the demo.
3From the Insert menu, select Adobe Captivate Demo. The Adobe Captivate Demo dialog box appears:
•If the demo SWF file is already in the project, select it from the Multimedia In Project Folders list.
•If the file is outside the project folder, click the Browse button , navigate to the SWF file, and click Open. At
the prompt, click Yes to copy the file to the project folder.
4Click OK. An object in the topic indicates where the file was placed.
5To test the demo, click View .
Edit an Adobe Captivate demo
1Open the topic containing the Adobe Captivate demo, or in the Project Manager, expand the Multimedia folder.
2Right-click the demo. Select Edit.
3Make the changes.
4Close Adobe Captivate.
Note: When you preview an Adobe Captivate demo in RoboHelp, a prompt may ask you to update the file in the project.
This prompt appears if you saved the Adobe Captivate demo outside RoboHelp to the default Adobe Captivate location.
(The default location is C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\My Documents\My Adobe Captivate Projects\.)
Update the file to apply the changes made outside RoboHelp.
Multimedia
Add multimedia
1Select a location for the sound or video. An object or image indicates the multimedia location.
2Select Insert > Multimedia/Demo.
•To add a new file, click the Browse button , and navigate to the file. Double-click it. Select Yes.
•To add an existing file, select it from the Multimedia In Project Folders list.
3Set options:
Screen Tip Replaces the multimedia file with a text label if users disable multimedia in their browsers.
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4Click OK.
5Create a link to the multimedia file near the object with a note prompting users to select the link if they cannot
access the multimedia file.
6To test, click the View button in the toolbar.
Note: Some file formats do not work properly in compiled Microsoft HTML Help files.
The following are the allowed multimedia file types:
•Video Files: *.avi, *.asf, *.asx, *.mpg, *.mpeg, *.mpg4, *.mpe, *.mov, *.qt, *.ra, *.rm, *.rpm, *.wmv, *.wvx
•MPEG Video Files: *.mpg, *.mpeg, *.mpg4, *.mpe
•Windows Media Files: *.avi, *.asf, *.asx, *.wma, *.wmv, *.wax, *.wvx
•Quick Time Files: *.qt, *.mov
•Real Files: *.ra, *.rm, *.rpm
•Audio Files: *.asf, *.asx, *.mp3, *.mp4, *.wav, *.au, *.mid, *.rmi, *.ra, *.rm, *.wma, *.wax
•Flash Files: *.swf
•Flash Video Files: *.flv, *.f4v
•Adobe Captivate Files: *.swf
If you use the multimedia file in other topics, add it by dragging the file from the Multimedia folder.
Note: Multimedia content might have dependencies such as Flash or video/audio players that you need to install before
you can view or hear them.
Change multimedia
1Double-click the multimedia object. The Multimedia dialog box appears.
2Make the changes.
3Click OK.
4To test, click the View button in the toolbar.
Remove multimedia from topics
1Click to select the multimedia object.
2Click the Delete button. .
Click Undo to restore a multimedia object you removed.
Dynamic HTML and special effects
Dynamic HTML (DHTML) combines the capabilities of multimedia and scripting to create visual and 3D effects. The
effects you insert perform an action or move in response to user input (such as a mouse click). Keep in mind the
following details when working with DHTML:
•Mouse rollover effects include Drop Shadow, Font Change, Glow, and Rock 'n Roll.
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•Page-load, page-click, or trigger activation effects include Blur, Elastic, Fade In/Fade Out, Flip
Horizontally/Vertically, Fly In/Out, Gray, Show/Hide, Spiral, and Rock 'n Roll.
•Some effects can be combined.
•For best results, use DHTML with Internet Explorer 5.0 and later.
•Dynamic effects in styles are not supported in W3C-compliant output. If you validate the code for W3C
compliance, the report can indicate errors.
Note: HTML files support DHTML effects in IE and non-IE browsers, but XHTML does not support all instances of
DHTML effects.
More Help topics
“W3C compliance” on page 131
DHTML basics
Add DHTML effects to a topic
1Open a topic in the Design Editor and select an element. Do one of the following:
•Select text.
•For paragraph-based effects, click inside the paragraph.
•For positioned boxes, select the text box so you see gray boxes on its edges.
2Select DHTML > Insert/Edit Dynamic HTML Effects.
3From the When list, select the event for initiating the effect.
4From the What list, select the effect you want to apply.
5From the Settings list, adjust the properties.
The DHTML effect appears with light gray hash marks .
To ensure that you apply the effect to the correct topic, use the Design tag list.
Apply DHTML effects to multiple paragraphs
1In the topic, click where you want the text box.
2Select Insert > HTML > Text Box.
3Right-click the box, and select Text Box Properties. Set properties.
4Type text in the box.
5Click to select the box.
6Select DHTML > Insert/Edit Dynamic HTML Effects.
7From the When list, select the event for initiating the effect.
8From the What list, select the effect you want to apply.
9From the Settings list, adjust the properties.
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Update DHTML effects in a topic
Update Dynamic HTML (DHTML) effects by resaving topics in either of these two situations:
•You add or modify a style to include a Dynamic HTML effect. In this case, resave all topics attached to the style
sheet so that they include code for creating the effect.
•You’re able to open a project in a version of RoboHelp earlier than version 8.0.
You can resave the topics at the prompt or update them later by clicking the Design tab and selecting Tools > Update
DHTML In Topics.
Change or remove DHTML effects
1Open the topic in the Design Editor.
2Do one of the following:
•Select the topic with the effect that you want to change. Select DHTML > Insert/Edit Dynamic HTML Effects.
•Select the element to remove, and then select DHTML > Remove Dynamic HTML Effects.
The ePub output does not support DHTML effects. To exclude DHTML effects from the ePub output, you can use
CBTs.
More Help topics
“Apply conditional build tags to content” on page 221
“Generate output in the ePub format” on page 305
Dynamic hotspots
About DHTML hotspots
DHTML hotspots display information when clicked.
Expanding hotspot When clicked, displays additional text next to the hotspot.
Drop-down hotspot When clicked, displays additional information below the hotspot.
Add DHTML hotspots
1Open the topic in the Design view. Select the text to use as the hotspot.
2Do one of the following:
•For expanding hotspots, select DHTML > Create Expanding Hotspot And Text. In the Expanding Text Editor,
type the text to appear in the hotspot. Click outside the window to close the editor.
•For drop-down hotspots, select DHTML > Create Drop-Down Hotspot And Text. Enter text or images in the
drop-down box. Click outside the Drop-down Text Editor.
3Click the View button to test.
Format DHTML hotspots differently from surrounding text to make them noticeable to readers.
Remove hotspots
Note: Content inside a hotspot is removed when you remove the hotspot.
❖Right-click a hotspot. Select Remove Expanding/Drop-Down Text.
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Change formatting of DHTML hotspots
Change the formatting in a single topic or change for all topics using a style sheet. For multiple style sheets, modify
each style sheet attached to the topics that use hotspots.
1Select Format > Styles.
2Do one of the following:
•To change formatting in a single topic, choose Available In and select the name of the topic to change.
•To change formatting in all topics using a style sheet, choose Available In and select the external style sheet.
3Under Styles, select the hotspot style to change.
4Click Modify.
5Click Format and select the attributes to change.
6Click OK. Click Close.
Triggers and targets
About triggers and targets
Triggers are text or images that have a special DHTML effect applied. When users click text or an image that's assigned
a trigger, a target appears. To open DHTML effects using triggers, first assign a trigger to text or an image. Then
connect the trigger to a target and assign a DHTML effect. When working with triggers and targets, keep in mind the
following details:
•Triggers and targets must reside in the same topic.
•To indicate that an item is clickable, change the font color and underline, or add text to an image.
Trigger and target images
Assign a trigger to text or images
1Select the text or image to assign as the trigger.
2Select DHTML > Make Trigger. A cable drum icon appears. Hash marks shade the text.
3Connect the trigger to an image or text.
Connect triggers to text
1Select the text to use as the target.
2Select DHTML > Insert/Edit Dynamic HTML Effects.
3Under When, select 1st Trigger Activation.
4Select What (the effect that occurs the first time the user clicks the trigger), and then select property settings.
5Select 2nd Trigger Activation and set the properties.
6Click OK. A plug icon appears next to the text, indicating that it is a target.
7Click the trigger and drag to connect the trigger to the target text. To connect the trigger to multiple text targets,
hold down the Shift key and click the trigger. Continue to hold the Shift key and drag the mouse to the next target
text.
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Connect triggers to images
1Click the trigger image once to display the green cable drum icon .
2Click the cable drum icon and drag to connect the image to the target image. A green line shows the connection
between the trigger and target.
3From the menu, select a DHTML effect.
4To connect to another target, hold the Shift key and click the trigger again. Continue to hold the Shift key and drag
to the next image.
5From the menu, select a DHTML effect for the target image.
Removing triggers
❖Right-click the topic item assigned to a trigger and select Remove DHTML Trigger.
Marquees
Add marquees
A marquee is a moving text message.
•To place a marquee around existing topic content, select the topic content and set marquee properties.
•To set marquee properties first, click the marquee destination in the topic. Set marquee properties, and enter the
marquee content.
Note: XHTML does not support Marquees.
Set or change marquee properties
1Select Insert > HTML > Marquee.
2Right-click the marquee, select Marquee Properties, and specify or change marquee properties.
•In Amount, select the rate at which the marquee moves. Higher number indicates faster speed.
•In Delay, select the duration in milliseconds for display.
•In Behavior, specify how the marquee moves.
Scroll The marquee moves continuously across the window.
Slide The marquee slides across the screen.
Alternate The marquee bounces from the starting direction to the opposite window border.
•
In Repeat, specify repetitions of the marquee. Select Continuously to repeat the marquee as long as the topic is open.
3Click the View button to test.
Delete marquees
1Place the cursor on the marquee boundary.
2Click the left mouse button.
3Click Delete .
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HTML comments in topics
Insert an HTML comment
1Open a topic in Design Editor.
2In Design view, insert the cursor and select Insert > HTML > Comments.
3In the Comment Editor, type your comment using the following format:
<!--a comment -->
4Click OK.
View an HTML comment
1Open a topic in Design view or HTML view.
2Select View > Show > Comments.
Comments appear as green callouts in Design view and as green text in HTML view.
3(Design view) Move the cursor over the callout. The comment appears in a text pop-up note.
Iframes
Use iframes (inline frames) to insert PDF files or HTML files within an HTML topic. If you want to show a PDF file
or an accessible URL link in an HTML page, you can insert an iframe and display the required files within the selected
HTML page.
Insert an iframe
1Select Insert > HTML > IFrame.
2Double-click the iframe.
3Specify a name. Click the browse button to select a URL, HTML file, or PDF file to link.
4(Optional) Click the Border tab to set border options.
5Click OK.
Note: You can view the inserted file in the preview as well as in the generated Help.
Edit an iframe
•Double-click the iframe to change the name, the linked item, or the border.
•Drag the frame handles to resize the frame.
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Chapter 10: Conditional text
Conditional text basics
Conditional text lets you generate subsets of the content within a project for various purposes or audiences. You can
create conditional build tags to exclude content from output, and then assign those tags to topics or elements within
topics.
Customize printed output
Online documentation often contains elements that are not useful in a printed manual, such as text describing online
features. You can tag these elements as conditional text and exclude them from the output. If the manual is a subset of
the online documentation, you can apply a conditional build tag to the topics and topic content to include. Then apply
another tag to the other elements. When you generate the project, you can exclude the online-only tag.
Target custom content to specific audiences
Sometimes topics pertain to products, experience levels, or types of users. Using conditional text, you can reduce the
amount of information you deliver to each group. You can also eliminate notes explaining small differences between
products.
Deliver versions of an application
To deliver demo, trial, and shareware versions of the application, you can omit topics in each version.
Design and test conditional text
1Determine the types of output needed, such as printed manuals or online tutorials; consider current and future
requirements. Determine whether versions for different skill levels are required.
2Determine which conditional build tags to apply to each output type. All untagged components are included in the
output. Determine whether to apply multiple tags to topics, for varied output types. For example, to deliver a
manual for testers of beta software, tag the beta-specific topics with a tag such as Beta. Tag the other topics with a
tag such as Printed. Then you can include beta-related topics first, and exclude them later.
3Use the Topic Properties report or the Conditional Build Tag report to review the tags applied to each topic.
4Determine whether to apply a conditional build tag to the entire topic or to one or more areas within a topic. For
example, if you are creating a printed manual, exclude text that mentions an online glossary.
5Decide on tag names and colors, especially if the project is large and requires multiple output types. Define tag
names that describe the output, such as Print or Online. Tag colors help you differentiate conditional text areas
within a topic.
6When updating a project, determine whether to delete content that is made obsolete by single-sourcing and
conditional output. For example, a project contains text (such as “for advanced users”) or images that explain which
content applies to which users. You can delete these elements or use conditional text to hide them in the output.
7Determine which TOCs or pages of a TOC to include in the output, as you apply each tag.
8Determine which indexes to include in the output. You can create multiple indexes in a project and include each
one in the appropriate output.
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9Test the conditional tags by generating the output and viewing the results. Exclude combinations of tags you
applied to topics, TOCs, or indexes. You can also preview topics, without generating, to experiment with
conditional areas.
More Help topics
“Preview conditional text areas” on page 222
Workflow to implement conditional text
1Create a conditional build tag.
2Apply the tag to a combination of topics, topic content, TOCs, and indexes.
3Define the tags to exclude from and include with the output.
4Define the conditional build expression to include or exclude tagged topics.
The expression uses Boolean logic operators (OR, AND, NOT) to form phrases that exclude content marked with
a tag.
5Generate the output.
Managing links to excluded topics
If you exclude content from output, broken links can occur in topics that reference the excluded content. RoboHelp
manages most of these links as described in the following table.
Conditional build tags
Create a conditional build tag
1Open a topic in Design Editor.
2Select Format > Apply Conditional Build Tag > New/Multiple.
3Click New. Type a name for the tag.
4Assign a color to the tag by clicking the Build Tag Color button . In the color box, click a color to select it, or
click Custom Color to define a new color. If you do not assign a color to the icon, RoboHelp assigns a unique color
to the icon by default.
Note: Two default tags are provided in all new projects: Online and Print. You can change their color, rename them, or
apply them to topics or topic content.
Type of link Result
Browse sequence An excluded topic doesn’t appear in the browse sequence
Image maps If an image with an image map is excluded from output, the image map is removed.
Index An index keyword that is linked to a topic that is excluded doesn’t appear in the Index pane.
Link control A link control (such as a Related Topic or Keyword Link) that references an excluded topic doesn’t
display the topic.
Table of contents A TOC book or page that is linked to an excluded topic doesn’t appear in the Contents pane.
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Apply conditional build tags to content
Content that has a conditional build tag applied appears with diagonal hash marks in the color specified for the tag. If
a project is generated using a conditional build tag expression, the topic doesn’t display the content to which the tag
applies. The color of the diagonal hashing differentiates tagged areas. For a folder, no hash marks appear. You can
display hash marks for topics inside a folder.
Notes:
•Remove text references to excluded topics, such as links. Hotspots are not active for excluded topics.
•You can apply a conditional build tag to topics in the TOC pod.
•Show or hide conditional text by choosing View > Show > Conditional Areas.
Verifying tags applied to topics
The Used area of the Conditional Build Tag Properties dialog box lists the topics using a tag. The Level column shows
how a tag is applied:
<Topic> Applied to a topic.
<Content> Applied to topic content.
<Both> Applied to both topic and content.
The File column lists the file containing the tagged information.
❖Right-click a conditional build tag in the Conditional Build Tag pod and click Properties.
Apply conditional build tags to a topic
1Select View > Pods > Topic List. Select the topic.
2Click Format > Apply Conditional Build Tag, and select a tag.
Apply conditional build tags to multiple topics
1Select View > Pods > Topic List.
2Select multiple topics.
3Click the Properties icon in the Project toolbar, and then click Advanced.
4In the Conditional Build Tags (Topic Level Tags) pod, select a tag. Click OK.
Apply conditional build tags to topic content
1Open a topic in the Design Editor.
2Select topic content.
3Click Format > Apply Conditional Build Tag.
4Select a tag and click OK.
Apply multiple conditional tags to topic content
1Open a topic in the Design Editor.
2Select topic content.
3Click Format > Apply Conditional Build Tag > New/Multiple.
4Select tags or click Check All. Click OK.
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Apply conditional build tags to a folder, index, or TOC
1Do one of the following:
•To apply tags to a folder, select a folder in the Project Manager pod.
•To apply tags to an index, click the Index folder in the Project Manager pod. Select a keyword or subkeyword.
•To apply tags to a TOC, click the Table of Contents folder in the Project Manager pod. Select a book or a page.
If you apply tags to the entire TOC, the TOC is unavailable in the output. If you apply them only to pages in the
TOC, the TOC is available. The tagged pages are not.
2Click Format > Apply Conditional Build Tag > New/Multiple.
3Select tags or click Check All. Click OK.
Apply conditional build tags to placeholders
❖Do one of the following:
•Select a placeholder placed in a master page and select Format > Apply Conditional Build Tag > [new tag].
•Right-click a placeholder in the master page and select Apply Conditional Build Tag > [new tag].
Note: You can apply conditional build tags on snippet instances as well but not on snippets.
Preview conditional text areas
To check the format of a topic with a conditional text area, preview it using a conditional build tag expression you have
already defined. You can also define a conditional build tag expression while previewing the topic.
1Open a topic in the Design Editor.
2Select View > View Item.
3Do one of the following:
•To preview an existing expression, choose it from the Conditional Build Tag Expression menu.
•To define and preview a new expression, click Define, and select tags to exclude from the output. Click OK.
To remove the conditional build tag expression from the preview, select None from the Conditional Build Tag
Expression menu.
Hide and view conditional text
Items with conditional build tags applied appear in the Design Editor with diagonal hatching in the color specified for
the tag.
Conditional text is always visible in the Design Editor, but you can hide the diagonal hatching.
❖In View > Show > Conditional Areas, do one of the following:
•To hide the conditional text, deselect the option.
•To show the conditional text, select the option.
Remove conditional build tags
1Do one of the following:
•To remove conditional build tags from a topic, select one or more topics in the HTML files folder of the Project
Manager pod.
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•To remove conditional build tags from topic content, open a topic in the Design Editor. Select topic content.
•To remove conditional build tags from a TOC, click in the TOC pod. Select one or more books or pages.
•To remove conditional build tags from an index, click in the Index pod. Select a keyword or subkeyword.
2Click Format > Apply Conditional Build Tag > New/Multiple.
3Deselect tags or click Clear All. Then click OK.
4To remove conditional build tags from a project, click Project. Expand the Conditional Build Tags folder, click a
tag, and select Delete. Then click OK.
Before removing a conditional build tag from a project, run a project report to determine the topics affected.
Rename conditional build tags
1Right-click a tag in the Conditional Build Tags pod.
2Select Rename, and enter a new name in the box.
3Press Enter. Topics using this tag are updated with the new name.
Make sure that the conditional build expression is updated with the new build tag name before you regenerate the
project.
Conditional build tag expressions
Define conditional build tag expressions
An expression is a set of instructions. Expressions specify topics to include or exclude from the output. You can define
a basic expression that excludes tags, or a complex expression with Boolean operators, such as AND, OR, NOT.
Users cannot access topics or TOCs that are excluded from output. Index keywords and TOC entries do not appear.
RoboHelp removes links to the topic and removes the topic from link controls. It removes links to bookmarks inside
areas tagged as excluded. Tags applied to topic content do not affect TOC, index, or link controls.
Make sure that you have a single-source layout in which to store the expression. If needed, create a layout or modify a
default layout.
You can bypass build tags and generate output including all topics in the project whether build tags have been applied
or not. Select None in the Conditional Build Tag list, in the Options wizard, while generating the project.
1Create a conditional build tag. Apply it to topics or topic content.
2In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click a layout and select Properties.
3Click Define, and define a basic or advanced expression.
4Click Save.
Remove a conditional build tag expression
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click a layout, and select Properties.
2In the Conditional Build Expression list, select None. Then click Save.
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Advanced conditional build tag expressions
If you define advanced conditional build tag expressions using Boolean operators, use these guidelines for customizing
output. You can also let the program create them for you using the basic method.
Note: Topics and topic text to which you have applied no conditional build tag are included in the output.
Desired Result Action
All topics to which one tag has been applied Use the tag name. For example: Tag1
All topics to which multiple tags have been applied Use AND with the tag names. For example: Tag2 AND Tag3
All topics to which any combination of tags has been applied Use OR with the tag names. For example: Tag3 OR Tag4
All topics except those topics to which one tag has been applied Use NOT with the tag name. For example: NOT Tag2
All topics except those topics to which multiple tags have been
applied
Use NOT in combination with AND with the tag names. For example:
NOT Tag1 AND NOT Tag2 AND NOT Tag4
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Chapter 11: Context-sensitive Help
About context-sensitive Help
A context-sensitive Help (CSH) topic provides information about the user interface of an application relative to the
task a user performs. For example, CSH topics provide details about fields and controls in dialog boxes, descriptions
of windows or screen objects, and explanations of messages. The user accesses a CSH topic by pressing F1, clicking a
Help button, selecting from a menu, or clicking a question-mark icon.
The process of creating and implementing context-sensitive Help typically involves the content author and the
application developer. To specify context-sensitive topics, the author creates map IDs and map files. When a user
accesses context-sensitive Help, a map number and Help file name are sent to the Help engine. The engine matches the
map number to a topic ID and an HTM filename so that the correct topic appears.
The final step in the process is to test the context-sensitive Help. RoboHelp HTML provides several tools you can use
in addition to testing context-sensitive Help in the application.
Window-level topic Describes windows, dialog boxes, and messages in an application. Each window-level topic is in
HTM format and stored in a file with the extension .htm. It can contain text formatting, links, images, and other
features. These topics are more detailed than field-level topics because they describe the user interface components.
Users access these topics by pressing F1, clicking Help buttons, and selecting from menus.
If a custom window is not included with the application Help, context-sensitive topics appear in the HTML Help
viewer.
Field-level (What's This?) topic (WinHelp and Microsoft HTML Help projects) Briefly describes a field. A user
accesses the topic by clicking a question-mark icon, and then clicking a field in a dialog box. In RoboHelp, field-level
topics are called What’s This? topics.
Note: WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, FlashHelp Pro, and AIR Help do not support What’s This Help. WebHelp
window support is available only with the context-sensitive Help API (Application Programming Interface).
Airplane Help Offline Help unsupported by an Internet connection. To use RH_ShowHelp, associate the offline Help
system with the function RH_AssociateOfflineHelp. This step tells the function how to operate if no Internet
connection is available. Individual calls to RH_ShowHelp must specify offline Help. Both RH_ShowHelp and
RH_AssociateOfflineHelp are in the support files. Use airplane Help to provide back-up Help when an Internet
connection fails.
Note: RH_ShowHelp is a programming function that a developer uses to display a help topic using rules found in
RoboHelp's CSH API.
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Author and developer roles in creating context-
sensitive Help
On the Authoring home page of Peter Grainge’s website, you can find information about four methods of calling
WebHelp:
•Using URLs
•Using map IDs
•Using map IDs in merged WebHelp
•Using topic IDs
Map files and map IDs
About map numbers, map files, and map IDs
Map number A numeric value associated with a topic ID. Map numbers and topic IDs are saved in map files. Map
numbers are used with applications to specify a topic for calling context-sensitive Help. Whether application
developers use map numbers, topics IDs, or both depends on the programming language they use.
Map file A text file containing topic IDs and map numbers. You associate map IDs and map files with topics. As
author, if you receive a map file from your developer, assign a map ID from the map file. If you manually create a map
file, either auto-generate or manually create the map ID. A project can include multiple map files. Map files use the
extensions .h, .hh, and .hm. The default map file is BSSCDefault.h.
Map ID A string that pairs a topic ID with a map number. For example:
#define ID_SetupScreen 101
•ID_SetupScreen is the topic ID.
•101 is the map number.
•ID_SetupScreen 101 is the Map ID.
Author Developer
Writes the Help topics that describe how to use application
components such as windows, dialog boxes, fields, and controls.
Builds the components (windows, dialogs, fields, controls) that make
up the application.
Imports map files and assigns map IDs to each context-sensitive Help
topic. Communicates to the developer any unclear assignments or
changes in assignments.
or
Creates map files and assigns map IDs to each context-sensitive Help
topic. Exports map files to the development environment when
complete and notifies the developer of any changes.
Generates the map files that contain the map IDs and gives them to
the author.
or
Obtains map files that contain the map IDs from the author.
Generates the project to include the context-sensitive Help topics
with the output.
Writes code that calls the correct Help topics from within the
application (based on map IDs included in the map files).
Tests the context-sensitive topics in the application. Repairs errors in
the Help system.
Notifies the author when changes are made to the application (or map
files) so that the Help project can be updated and regenerated. Repairs
errors in the application code.
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An Icon indicates the status of a map ID:
•Blue icons indicate that map IDs match topics.
•Yellow icons indicate that map IDs do not match any topics.
•Locked icons (blue or yellow) indicate that the map ID is in a map file that is locked. It cannot be assigned or
unassigned.
Create map IDs, auto-generate map IDs, or import map files to use map IDs. A unique map ID must be assigned to
each topic ID. Assign a map ID to a Help topic to display the Help topic in context-sensitive Help.
Mapping table A mechanism that maps fields and controls in dialog boxes to map numbers. The mapping table is
programmed into the application to provide context-sensitive Help functionality.
Managing map files
Create a map file
Map files are text files that include a map ID list. Map filenames use the .h extension. When creating filenames, use
underscores instead of spaces, and avoid using these illegal characters: \ / : * ? < > | # ", $, &, [ ]
Authors or developers can create the map file. If the developer creates the map file, the author then imports it.
Note: RoboHelp also supports dynamic context-sensitive mapping of dialog boxes and topics. This approach eliminates
the need for technical authors to manually keep track of map IDs. See “Dynamic editing of context-sensitive topics” on
page 232.
You can lock a map file to make it read-only.
1Open the Project Set-up pod.
2Expand the Context-Sensitive Help folder.
3Right-click the Map Files folder.
4Choose New Map File.
5Enter a name.
6Click OK. The file is added to the Map Files folder.
Note: Obsolete files potentially contain map numbers used for updated files.
Import a map file
1Do one of the following:
•Click File > Import > Map File.
•Expand the context-sensitive Help folder in the Project Set-up pod.
2Navigate to the map file. Make sure that it’s unlocked.
3Double-click the map file to add it to the project Map Files folder.
Export a map file
1In the Project Set-up pod, expand the Context-Sensitive Help folder.
2Right-click the Map Files folder.
3Select Export Map Files.
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4Select the programming languages to save the map files to.
5Specify a location for the map file. Click OK.
When you export a map file, the original file remains in your project.
Lock or unlock a map file
Locked map files are read-only files. Do not add, remove, or change map IDs in locked map files. Do not modify the
file if Remove Unused Map IDs is selected. If you do, you can possibly lose changes in the files. Imported map files are
locked by default.
1Select View > Pods > Project Set-up.
2Expand the Map Files folder (or a custom folder in the Map Files folder).
3Right-click the map file.
4Select Properties.
5Select the Locked option. To unlock the file, deselect the Locked option.
6Click Close.
Remove an obsolete map file
Obsolete map files sometimes contain map numbers used for updated files. These map numbers can dynamically call
a wrong topic. Delete unused map files to prevent this issue.
1Open the Project Set-up pod.
2Expand the Context-Sensitive Help folder.
3Expand the Map Files folder.
4Select the map file.
5Click Delete.
Remove an unused map ID
Your map files must be unlocked to use this option. To remove unused map IDs:
•Expand the Context-Sensitive Help folder in the Project Set-up pod.
•Right-click the Map Files folder.
•Select Edit.
•Do the following:
Map Files Select the map files from which to remove unused map IDs.
Select All Click to remove unused map IDs from all map files.
Clear All Click to deselect all map files and not remove unused map IDs.
Managing map IDs
Create a map ID
1Open the Project Set-up pod.
2Expand the Context-Sensitive Help folder.
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3Expand the Map Files folder.
4Double-click All Map IDs.
5In Map File, click the Down Arrow and select a map file to store the map ID.
6Click the Create/Edit Map ID button .
7In Topic ID, type a word or phrase to identify the topic.
8In Map Number, type a number.
Note: You can create individual map IDs per topic or auto-generate using the Auto Map button. See “Auto-generate
a map ID” on page 230
Edit a map ID
You can assign or unassign topic map IDs, create new map IDs and files, and automatically map (auto-map) IDs. You
can sort the topics by column.
1Open the Project Set-up pod.
2Expand the Context-Sensitive Help folder.
3Right-click the Map Files folder.
4Select Edit Map IDs.
5Choose from the following options:
Map File List available map files (including imported map files).
<All Map Files> Display all map IDs.
<Project Map File> Display map IDs in the default map file BSSCDdefault.h. The map IDs for deselected map files
reside in BSSCDefault.h.
Map file icon Click to open the New Map File dialog box and create a custom map file. Map numbers for custom
map files are numbered automatically.
Map # Display the map number of the topic ID. Map numbers reside in map files (.h, .hh, .hm).
Topic Display the topic assigned to the map ID.
Hide Used IDs Show unassigned map IDs.
New icon Create a map ID. The ID is appended to the map file selected in Map File.
Edit icon Edit the selected map ID.
Delete Remove the selected map ID. Before removing the ID, click Unassign to prevent a broken link to the topic.
Options Customize topic auto-mapping.
Assign Assign the selected topic to the selected topic ID. This button is available when a topic is selected on the right
and a map ID is selected on the left.
Unassign Disassociate the map ID from the topic on the right.
Auto Map Assign a map ID in the custom or default map file (BSSCDefault.h). Select a map file and a topic. Click Auto
Map. This button is available only when you select <Project Map File> or a custom map file. If you auto-map a map
ID and a map file is not selected, the map ID resides in the default map file (BSSCDefault.h).
•The program assigns the topic title or filename as the topic ID and assigns a map number. Click Options to
customize auto-mapping.
•You cannot assign multiple topics to a map ID. You can assign multiple map IDs to a topic.
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Topic Lists the project topics. To filter the list, click the triangle . Select All Folders, Top Level Folder, or a custom
folder.
•Properties icon Show all topic IDs assigned to the topic.
•Preview icon Display the topic.
Note: If you assign a map ID to a bookmark, you see a misleading error message indicating that the file does not exist.
Disregard the warning. The topic does exist.
Reassign a map ID
Update the map ID if the Help topic doesn’t open, if the wrong topic opens, or if the developer changed the application
that in way that affects the map IDs.
1Select a map file under Map IDs in the Edit Map IDs dialog box.
2Click Create/Edit Map ID.
3Do one of the following:
•Reassign the map ID. Under Map ID, select the map ID. Click Unassign. Select another topic and click Assign.
•Change the topic ID or map number. Double-click the map ID and change the desired value.
Auto-generate a map ID
You can generate map IDs using a custom map file or the default map file (BSSCDefault.h). Before you generate map
files, check with the developer to determine naming conventions.
1In the Project Set-up pod, expand the Context-Sensitive Help folder.
2Expand the Map Files folder.
3Double-click All Map IDs.
4In Map File, click the triangle button.
5Select a map file.
6Set options for naming and numbering map IDs. By default, the application assigns the topic title or filename as the
topic ID and assigns a map number.
7In the Topic field, select the topic.
8Click Auto Map to create a map ID.
9If necessary, double-click the map file to edit it.
10 Provide a copy of the map file to the developer.
Generate a map ID
The IDs reside in the map file you select from the Edit Map IDs dialog box.
❖Click Options in the Edit Map IDs dialog box.
Prefix Map IDs With Select to enter a value at the beginning of each map ID.
Make Uppercase Select for uppercase auto-generated map IDs.
Start Numbering With Select to enter a starting number for map numbers.
Notes:
•Setting these options does not affect existing map IDs.
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•By default, the application assigns the topic title or filename as the topic ID and assigns a map number.
•Auto-generating map IDs is available when you select <Project Map File> or a custom map file. If you auto-map a
map ID and do not select a map file, the map ID resides in the default map file (BSSCDefault.h).
•You cannot assign multiple topics to a map ID. You can assign multiple map IDs to one topic.
Assign a map ID to a topic
Note: RoboHelp also supports dynamic context-sensitive mapping of dialog boxes and topics. This approach eliminates
the need for technical authors to manually keep track of map IDs. See “Dynamic editing of context-sensitive topics” on
page 232.
1Open the Project Set-up pod.
2Expand the Context-Sensitive Help folder.
3Expand the Map Files folder.
4Double-click All Map IDs.
5In Map File, click the Down Arrow and select the map file that contains the map ID.
6Select the map ID to assign.
7Select the topic.
8Click Assign.
9Click Close.
10 Generate the project.
11 Test the window-level topics with the application.
Unassign a map ID
1Open the topic.
2Click the Properties button .
3Click the Advanced tab.
4Click Assigned Map IDs.
5Select the map ID to unassign.
6Click Edit Map IDs.
7Click Unassign.
8Click Close.
9Generate the project.
10 Test the window-level topics with the application.
Note: If you assign map IDs to bookmarks and remove the bookmarks from the topics, manually unassign map IDs from
the bookmarks.
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Dynamic editing of context-sensitive topics
RoboHelp supports dynamic editing of the context-sensitive topic associated with an application dialog box. If no
topic is associated with the dialog box, you can either dynamically map an existing topic with the dialog box or create
a new topic and then map it with the dialog box.
Note: To use this feature, you must open the application from within RoboHelp. Also, the application must implement
context-sensitive help using the RoboHelp 9 Context-Sensitive Help API. Currently, only C++ APIs on Windows are
supported.
Usage scenarios
Mapping dialog boxes with Help topics requires close collaboration between developers and technical authors.
Normally, developers define map IDs for dialog boxes in the code and communicate them to technical authors.
Technical authors then manually associate the map IDs with Help topics.
Dynamic context-sensitive mapping of dialog boxes and topics eliminates the need for technical authors to manually
keep track of map IDs. Instead, technical authors can open the application and associate the relevant Help topic
dynamically with a dialog box.
This feature also greatly facilitates Help integration testing and troubleshooting. Technical authors can readily test
whether all dialog boxes are mapped to the correct Help topics. When a mismatch is found, they can quickly fix it and
associate the dialog box with the correct Help topic.
Map an application dialog box with a topic
1Open the Help project for the application in RoboHelp.
2Click File > Context-Sensitive Help > Open Application.
3Browse and select the executable file (.exe) for the application. Click Open.
4Once the application has launched, browse to an application dialog box with context-sensitive Help mapping. Press
F1 or click the Help button.
5In the CSH Options dialog box in RoboHelp, select a map file from the Project Map File pop-up menu.
Note: The CSH Options dialog box appears only if you launched the application from within RoboHelp using File >
Context-Sensitive Help > Open Application.
6Do one of the following:
•If you want to map an existing topic in the RoboHelp project with the dialog box, select Map To Selected Topic
and select a topic for the mapping from the right pane.
•If you want to create a new topic and map it with the dialog box, select Map To New Topic.
•If you want to edit the contents of the topic currently mapped with the dialog box, select Edit Mapped Topic.
•If you want to remove the current mapping between the dialog box and a Help topic, select Remove Mapping.
7Click OK.
Information for developers
The API shares parameters with HTML Help and WinHelp. You can create custom dialog boxes.
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Note: "Custom dialog boxes" refers to the feature that the projects using these APIs have to create their own dialog boxes
based on their requirements.
Call your Help projects with the function RH_ShowHelp. The source code for this function is contained in the support
files which you import into your development project. Languages supported are Visual Basic, C/C++, JavaScript, and
Java. The files are in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp [version]\CSH API. The files are:
•CSH API\RoboHelp_CSH.vb (Visual Basic)
•CSH API\RoboHelp_CSH.cpp (C/C++, dependent on the .h)
•CSH API\RoboHelp_CSH.h (C/C++, dependent on the .cpp)
•CSH API\RoboHelp_CSH.js (Web pages - HTML/JavaScript)
•CSH API\RoboHelp_CSH.java (Java applications)
RH_ShowHelp has four parameters as shown in the following table:
Program Help for Visual Basic applications
This information is for developers connecting context-sensitive Help topics to Visual Basic applications.
1Open the project in Visual Basic.
2If the map files were created in RoboHelp, ask the Help system author to export the map files from RoboHelp to
Visual Basic.
3Include RoboHelp_CSH.vb with your project. The function RH_ShowHelp is defined in RoboHelp_CSH.vb.
4Add a reference to the Microsoft Internet Controls.
5To launch the Help system, call RH_ShowHelp with uCommand set to HH_DISPLAY_INDEX, HH_DISPLAY_SEARCH, or
HH_DISPLAY_TOC and dwData set to "0".
6Set the value of the Help source parameter (according to the Output type) in a string variable called
StrPathAndWindow as follows:
Parameter Description
hParent Handle to calling dialog HTML Help Only: This parameter closes the Help dialog when the calling window is
closed.
a_pszHelpFile Help Source (depends on the Output type)
For Webhelp/FlashHelp: "Path to project start page"
For Webhelp Pro: "http://<ServerName>/roboapi.asp"
For HTML Help: "Path to .CHM file". To specify a dialog, use ">WindowName" at the end of the parameter.
uCommand Constants:
HH_DISPLAY_INDEX Displays Index pane and default topic.
HH_DISPLAY_SEARCH Displays Search pane and default topic.
HH_DISPLAY_TOC Displays Contents pane and default topic.
HH_HELP_CONTEXT Opens topic associated with map ID in dwData parameter.
dwData To obtain the map ID, export the map file for the programming language. Use HH_HELP_CONTEXT in the
uCommand parameter.
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Note: In the following examples, the API shares the same parameters regardless of output type. The only change made
is the location of the Help file.
WebHelp/FlashHelp Stores the full path to the start page and a dialog name in a string variable called
StrPathAndWindow. An example of this string is "C:\Program
Files\MyApplication\WebHelp\MyStartPage.htm>MyWindow.”
WebHelp Pro Stores the full path to the server and a window name in a string variable called StrPathAndWindow.
Check with the web administrator to determine whether the project name is required. (The project name is
required if the Auto-Merge option in the RoboHelp Server Configuration Manager is set to Off.)
An example of this string is http://<servername>/robohelp/rest/search?project=<project-
name>&quesn=<search-query>
HTML Help Stores the full path to the CHM file and a dialog name in a string variable called StrPathAndWindow.
An example of this string is “C:\Program Files\MyApplication\MyHelp.chm>MyWindow.”
Do not hard-code the string variable StrPathAndWindow.
7To call a Help topic, call the function RH_ShowHelp with a_pszHelpFile set to StrPathAndWindow, uCommand set
to HH_HELP_CONTEXT, and dwData set to the map ID of the topic.
RH_ShowHelp syntax
RH_ShowHelp syntax
RH_ShowHelp(hParent As Long, a_pszHelpFile As String, uCommand As Long, dwData as Long) As
Boolean
Example:
To open the topic mapped to number 1:
Public cshObject as new RoboHelp_CSH .RH_ShowHelp Me.HWND, StrPathAndWindow,
cshObject.HH_HELP_CONTEXT, 1;
Notes:
•In WebHelp Pro projects, the new context-sensitive Help API is supported only with RoboHelp Server.
•Create one global RoboHelp_CSH object to use for all context-sensitive Help calls.
Airplane Help for Visual Basic applications
If using Airplane Help, associate offline Help before making function calls.
Syntax
Public Function RH_AssociateOfflineHelp(pszPrimaryHelpSource As String, pszBackupHelpSource As
String) As Boolean
Example
strOnline = "http:// www.mycompany.com/roboapi.asp?project=myproject"
strOffline = "C:\Program Files\My App\WebHelp\StartPage.htm"
Public cshObject as new RoboHelp_CSH ' Should be global object
cshObject. RH_AssociateOfflineHelp strOnline, strOffline
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Program Help for Visual C++ applications
This information is for developers connecting context-sensitive Help topics to C++ applications.
1Open the project in the C++ IDE.
2Add RoboHelp_CSH.cpp and RoboHelp_CSH.h to the project.
3Link the wininet.lib and hhctrl.lib libraries to the application. Look for the hhctrl.lib library in the CSH API
subfolder of the installation folder.
4If you are using Microsoft Visual C++ with MFC, set the RoboHelp_CSH.cpp file so that it doesn’t use precompiled
headers.
Prevent RoboHelp_CSH.cpp from using precompiled headers
Visual Studio 6
1Select Project > Settings.
2Select Robohelp_Csh.Cpp.
3On the C/C tab, change Category to Precompiled Headers.
4Select Not Using Precompiled Headers.
5Click OK.
Visual Studio .NET
1Right-click Robohelp_Csh.Cpp. Select Properties.
2In the C/C folder, select Precompiled Headers.
3Select Not Using Precompiled Headers.
Function calls from Visual C++ applications
Note: Connect context-sensitive WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, FlashHelp Pro, or HTML Help topics to Visual C++
applications.
Note: You can call the context-sensitive help from other languages too. Visual C++ is given as an example here.
RH_ShowHelp syntax
int RH_ShowHelp(HWND hParent, const char * a_pszHelpFile, unsigned int uCommand, DWORD dwData)
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RH_OpenHelpTopic Syntax
Call "RH_OpenHelpTopic” function to open a Help Topic in WebHelp or FlashHelp.
int RH_OpenHelpTopic(const TCHAR * a_pszHelpMainPage,
const TCHAR * a_pszTopicRelPath);
To open to the default topic, make a Help call that sets uCommand to HH_DISPLAY_INDEX, HH_DISPLAY_SEARCH, or
HH_DISPLAY_TOC, and dwData to "0". In WebHelp Pro systems, default window settings for default navigation
buttons override the HH_DISPLAY constant.
Call a context-sensitive Help function for AIR Help
Note: The AIR Help API is provided for many languages including JAVA, VC.NET, CS.NET, VB, VB.NET. The following
example shows how to invoke the AIR Help API using Visual C++.
Call RH_AIR_ShowHelp function to show AIR Help Application.
int RH_AIR_ShowHelp(const TCHAR * a_pszViewerPath,
const TCHAR * a_pszHelpId,
const TCHAR * a_pszWindowName,
unsigned long ulMapNum,
const TCHAR * a_pszMapId,
const TCHAR * a_pszTopicURL);
Parameter Data type Description
hParent HWND Handle to calling the dialog box HTML Help Only: Close the Help dialog
box with the calling window.
a_pszHelpFile const char * Help source For Webhelp/FlashHelp: "Path to project start page" For
Webhelp Pro: "http://[ServerName]/roboapi.asp"
* For HTML Help: "Path to .CHM file"
To specify a dialog box, use ">WindowName" at the end of this parameter.
uCommand unsigned int Constants:
HH_DISPLAY_INDEX Displays Index pane and default topic.
HH_DISPLAY_SEARCH Displays Search pane and default topic.
HH_DISPLAY_TOC Displays Contents pane and default topic.
HH_HELP_CONTEXT Opens topic associated with map ID in dwData
parameter.
dwData DWORD To obtain the map ID, export the map file for the programming language.
Use HH_HELP_CONTEXT in the uCommand parameter.
Parameter Data type Description
a_pszHelpMainPage const char * Help source For Webhelp/FlashHelp: "Path to project start page" . To
specify a window, append ">WindowName" at the end Path to the project
start page.
a_pszTopicRelPath const char * Relative path of the topic corresponding to the main page.
Parameter Data Type Description
a_pszViewerPath const char * Path to the installation directory of AIR Help Application.
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The return value is 0 for a successful result and non-zero if any error occurs.
RH_GetAIRAppPath
Call RH_GetAIRAppPath function to get AIR Help Application.
TCHAR * RH_GetAIRAppPath(const TCHAR * a_pszAppId,
const TCHAR * a_pszPublisherId);
The return value path of the AIR application. The user can call the function free() to free up the memory.
Note: Data Type can also be const wchar * for Unicode enabled applications.
Call a context-sensitive function for WebHelp, FlashHelp, or FlashHelp Pro
The following example assumes the full path to the WebHelp/FlashHelp start page and a dialog box name are stored
in a string variable called StrPathAndWindow. An example of this string is “C:\\Program
Files\\MyApplication\WebHelp\MyStartPage.htm>MyWindow.” Do not hard-code this string.
Note: Export the map files to the location.
Example:
To open the topic mapped as number 1:
RH_ShowHelp(GetSafeHwnd(), strPathAndWindow, HH_HELP_CONTEXT, (DWORD)1);
Note: If using airplane Help, associate the offline Help before making calls.
a_ pszHelpId const char * (Optional) ID of help content to be viewed in Viewer. It is specified in
.helpcfg file.
a_pszWindowName const char * (Optional) Customized output window name.
ulMapNum unsigned long Context-sensitive map number
a_pszMapId const char * (Optional) Context-sensitive map ID. If specified it takes priority and
ulMapNum is ignored.
a_pszTopicURL const char * (Optional) URL of the topic to appear. If specified, this parameter takes
priority over ulMapNum and a_pszMapId.
Parameter Data Type Description
a_pszAppId const char * Help app ID, specified in RoboHelp during AIR generation.
a_pszPublisherId const char * ID corresponding to the digital certificate used for signing the AIR
application.
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Call a context-sensitive function for WebHelp Pro
1Call the function.
The following example assumes the full path to the server and a window name are stored in a string variable called
StrPathAndWindow. The project name is required if the Auto-Merge option is set to Off. The value of this string
is http://<servername>/robohelp/rest/search?project=<project-name>&quesn=<search-query> for
getting the URL for a given keyword.
For getting the context-sensitive information, the URLs are
http://servername>/robohelp/rest/robowindow?wtype=ctx
&context=<id>[&area=<area_of_publishing>&type=project_type>]
or
http://servername>/robohelp/rest/robowindow?wtype=prj&window=<windowname>[&area=<area_of_p
ublishing>&type=<project_type>]
Note: Export the map files to the location.
Example:
To open the topic mapped to number 1:
RH_ShowHelp(GetSafeHwnd(), strPathAndWindow, HH_HELP_CONTEXT, (DWORD)1);
2Run and test the Help call.
Note: If using airplane Help, associate the offline Help before making calls.
Call a context-sensitive function for HTML Help
1Call the function.
The following example assumes the CHM file and a window name are stored in a string variable called
StrPathAndWindow. The value of this string indicates the path to the CHM file, such as C:\Program
Files\MyApplication\MyHelp.chm>MyWindow.
Example:
To open the topic mapped as number 1:
RH_ShowHelp(GetSafeHwnd(), strPathAndWindow, HH_HELP_CONTEXT, (DWORD)1);
2Run and test the Help call.
Notes:
•If using airplane Help, associate the offline Help before making calls.
•In WebHelp Pro projects, the Help API is supported only with RoboHelp Server or RoboEngine 3.0 or later.
Overriding the default MFC Help Handler
This topic is for Visual C++ developers who create MFC-based applications.
•As stated in the RoboHelp_CSH.h header file, the wininet.lib and hhctrl.lib libraries must be linked into the
application. The hhctrl.lib library can be in the CSH API folder in the RoboHelp installation folder.
•Include the RoboHelp_CSH.cpp file in your project.
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•To use the RoboHelp API instead of the default MFC Help handler, override the WinHelp function in your
mainframe class. By default, Visual Studio calls this class CMainFrame, and you can use the class wizard inside
Visual Studio to create the function override.
•After overriding the function and including RoboHelp_CSH.h, replace the contents of the function with this code.
(Set the path to your Help file properly. The example shows RoboHelp Server-based Help.)
Note: Modify the path to server-based Help according to your project. In this example, the path applies to RoboHelp
Server Help. See the rest of the API documentation to determine parameter values for each command and specify
secondary windows for context-sensitive Help calls.
CWaitCursor wait;
if (IsFrameWnd()) {
// CFrameWnd windows should be allowed to exit help mode first
CFrameWnd* pFrameWnd = (CFrameWnd*)this;
pFrameWnd->ExitHelpMode();
}
// cancel any tracking modes
SendMessage(WM_CANCELMODE);
SendMessageToDescendants(WM_CANCELMODE, 0, 0, TRUE, TRUE);
// must use top level parent (for the case where m_hWnd is in DLL)
CWnd* pWnd = GetTopLevelParent();
pWnd->SendMessage(WM_CANCELMODE);
pWnd->SendMessageToDescendants(WM_CANCELMODE, 0, 0, TRUE, TRUE);
// attempt to cancel capture
HWND hWndCapture = ::GetCapture();
if (hWndCapture != NULL)
::SendMessage(hWndCapture, WM_CANCELMODE, 0, 0);
// Set the path to server-based help
CString csOnlineHelpPath = _T("http://myserver/RoboAPI.asp");
// Translate the nCmd from WinHelp commands to RoboHelp commands
unsigned int nRHCmd;
switch (nCmd) {
case HELP_CONTEXT: nRHCmd = HH_HELP_CONTEXT; break;
case HELP_CONTENTS: nRHCmd = HH_DISPLAY_TOC; break;
case HELP_CONTEXTMENU: nRHCmd = HH_TP_HELP_CONTEXTMENU; break;
case HELP_WM_HELP: nRHCmd = HH_TP_HELP_WM_HELP; break;
case HELP_FINDER: nRHCmd = HH_HELP_FINDER; break;
default: nRHCmd = nCmd; break;
}
// finally, run the RoboHelp Help engine
if (!RH_ShowHelp(pWnd->m_hWnd, csOnlineHelpPath, nCmd, dwData))
AfxMessageBox(AFX_IDP_FAILED_TO_LAUNCH_HELP);
Visual C++ developers using Visual Studio .NET
•As stated in the RoboHelp_CSH.h header file, the wininet.lib and htmlhelp.lib libraries must be linked into the
application.
•Include the RoboHelp_CSH.cpp file in your project.
•To use the RoboHelp API instead of using the default MFC Help handler, override the HtmlHelp function in your
mainframe class. By default, Visual Studio calls this class CMainFrame, and you can use the class wizard inside
Visual Studio to create the function override.
•After overriding the function and including RoboHelp_CSH.h, replace the contents of the function with the
following code. (Set the path to your Help file accordingly. The example shows server-based Help.)
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CWaitCursor wait;
// Get the path to the Help system
CWinApp* pApp = AfxGetApp();
ASSERT_VALID(pApp);
// Set the path to server-based help
CString csOnlineHelpPath = _T("http://RoboHelp Server:port/robohelp/server");
PrepareForHelp();
// must use top level parent (for the case where m_hWnd is in DLL)
CWnd* pWnd = GetTopLevelParent();
// finally, run the RoboHelp Help engine
if (!RH_ShowHelp(pWnd->m_hWnd, csOnlineHelpPath, nCmd, dwData))
AfxMessageBox(AFX_IDP_FAILED_TO_LAUNCH_HELP);
Note: In WebHelp Pro projects, the new context-sensitive Help API is supported only with RoboHelp Server or
RoboEngine 3.0 or later.
Airplane Help for C++ applications
Syntax
void RH_AssociateOfflineHelp(const char * a_pszPrimaryHelpSource, const char *
a_pszBackupHelpSource)
Example
m_sOnline = "http://www.mycompany.com/roboapi.asp?project=myproject";
m_sOffline = "C:\Program Files\My App\WebHelp\StartPage.htm";
RH_AssociateOfflineHelp(m_sOnline, m_sOffline);
Note: To specify different window names for online and offline Help, you can map windows to RH_AssociateOfflineHelp.
Follow this example for Visual Basic:
strOnline = "http://www.mycompany.com/roboapi.asp?project=myproject>RemoteWindow1"
strOffline = "C:\Program Files\My App\MyHelp.chm>LocalWindow1"
Public cshObject as new RoboHelp_CSH ' Should be global object
cshObject. RH_AssociateOfflineHelp strOnline, strOffline
strOnline = "http://www.mycompany.com/roboapi.asp?project=myproject>RemoteWindow2"
strOffline = "C:\Program Files\My App\MyHelp.chm>LocalWindow2"
cshObject. RH_AssociateOfflineHelp strOnline, strOffline
Note: WebHelp Pro context-sensitive Help API is supported only with RoboHelp Server or RoboEngine 3.0 or later.
Program Help for Java applications
This information is for developers connecting context-sensitive Help topics to Java applications.
1Open the project in your Java IDE (integrated development environment).
2Add RoboHelp_csh.java to the project.
3Call the function defined in RoboHelp_csh.java using any needed parameters.
Note: Airplane Help is not supported in the Java API.
Function calls from Java applications
In the following examples, the API shares the same parameters regardless of output type. The only change made is the
location of the Help file.
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public static boolean RH_ShowHelp(int hParent, String a_pszHelpFile, int uCommand, int
dwData)
To launch the Help system (open to the default topic), make a Help call that sets uCommand to HH_DISPLAY_INDEX,
HH_DISPLAY_SEARCH, or HH_DISPLAY_TOC, and dwData to "0". In WebHelp Pro systems, default window settings for
default navigation button override the HH_DISPLAY constant (however, the Help system still opens to the default topic).
Call a context-sensitive function for WebHelp, FlashHelp, or FlashHelp Pro
1Call the function.
RoboHelp_CSH.RH_ShowHelp(0, StrPathAndWindow, RoboHelp_csh.HH_HELP_CONTEXT, 1);
Where the full path to the WebHelp/FlashHelp start page and a window name (optional) are stored in
StrPathAndWindow. (Never hard code this string.)
Note: "Do not hard-code" here suggests that it should be left as a variable which should be taken as input from the user
in order for the code to be reusable, for opening different help files.
2Run the application and test the Help call.
Call a context-sensitive function for WebHelp Pro
1Call the function.
RoboHelp_CSH.RH_ShowHelp(0, StrPathAndWindow, RoboHelp_csh.HH_HELP_CONTEXT, 1);
Where the full path to the RoboHelp server and a dialog box name (optional) are stored in StrPathAndWindow.
(The project name is required if the Auto-Merge option is set to Off in the RoboEngine Configuration Manager.)
Examples of this value are “http://RoboHelp Server:port/robohelp/server” or “http://RoboHelp
Server:port/robohelp/server?project=MyProject>MyWindow.”
To open the topic mapped as number 1:
RoboHelp_CSH.RH_ShowHelp(0, StrPathAndWindow, RoboHelp_csh.HH_HELP_CONTEXT, 1);
2Run the application and test the Help call.
Parameter Data Type Description
hParent int Reserved for future versions. Use 0.
a_pszHelpFile String Help source For Webhelp/FlashHelp: "<Path to project start page>" For
WebHelp Pro: "http://[ServerName]/roboapi.asp"
*Optional: Specify dialogs using ">WindowName" at the end of this
parameter
uCommand int Constants:
HH_DISPLAY_INDEX Displays Index pane and default topic.
HH_DISPLAY_SEARCH Displays Search pane and default topic.
HH_DISPLAY_TOC Displays Contents pane and default topic.
HH_HELP_CONTEXT Opens topic associated with map ID in dwData
parameter.
dwData int Topic map ID (defined in Edit Map IDs in RoboHelp). To obtain the map ID,
export the map file for your language (use HH_HELP_CONTEXT in the
uCommand parameter).
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Program Help for web pages
This information is for developers connecting context-sensitive Help topics to web pages.
1Talk to the Help author to determine the following:
•Who provides the map numbers.
•If the project has context-sensitive Help.
•Where the Help system resides (locally or on a server).
2Open your web pages.
3Link the pages to RoboHelp_csh.js.
4Call the function contained in RoboHelp_csh.js wherever you call Help from the website.
Program Help for web pages (WebHelp/Pro)
Use the context-sensitive Help support files. These files allow developers to call built-in functionality.
The example below shows one way to declare a JavaScript function that displays a secondary dialog. The ShowHelp
function shows the specified topic in a custom window with the attributes defined by the strHelpOptions variable.
var strHelpOptions = "location=no";
strHelpOptions += ",toolbar=no";
strHelpOptions += ",menubar=yes";
strHelpOptions += ",status=yes";
strHelpOptions += ",scrollbars=yes";
strHelpOptions += ",resizable=yes";
strHelpOptions += ",top=0";
strHelpOptions += ",left=0";
strHelpOptions += ",width=400";
strHelpOptions += ",height=400";
function ShowHelp(strUrl)
{
window.open(strUrl, "Help", strHelpOptions);
}
To use ShowHelp, place the above script between the </HEAD> and <BODY> tags in the HTML file. Include an
anchor tag like the following where users can get help:
Help!
This tag makes a hyperlink with the text Help! When an end user clicks the hyperlink, widget.htm opens in a secondary
browser.
Function calls from web pages
Note: This information is for developers connecting context-sensitive WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, or FlashHelp
Pro topics to web pages.
In the following examples, the API shares the same parameters regardless of output type. The only change made is the
location of the Help file.
RH_ShowHelp syntax
function RH_ShowHelp(hParent, a_pszHelpFile, uCommand, dwData)
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RH_OpenHelpTopic Syntax
Call the "RH_OpenHelpTopic" function to open a WebHelp/FlashHelp topic.
function RH_OpenHelpTopic(a_pszHelpMainPage, a_pszRelTopicUrl)
To launch the entire Help system (open to the default topic), make a Help call that sets uCommand to
HH_DISPLAY_INDEX, HH_DISPLAY_SEARCH, or HH_DISPLAY_TOC, and dwData to "0". In WebHelp Pro systems,
default window settings for default navigation buttons override the HH_DISPLAY constant.
Call a context-sensitive function for WebHelp Pro
1Call the following API for getting the context-sensitive information from the server.
The following example assumes that you have stored the full path to your RoboHelp server and a window name
(optional) in a string variable called StrPathAndWindow. The project name is required if the Auto-Merge option
is set to Off in the RoboEngine Configuration Manager. Examples of the value of this string are “http://RoboHelp
Server:port/robohelp/server” or “http://RoboHelp Server:port/robohelp/server?project=MyProject>MyWindow.”
Note: Ask your technical writer which windows to call. Also, if the writer creates the map files, ask the writer to export
the map files to the location.
For example:
To open the topic mapped as number 1:
<p>Click for Help (map number 1)</p>
2Run the application and test the Help call.
Note: In WebHelp Pro projects, the new context-sensitive Help API is supported only in RoboEngine 3.0 or later.
Parameter Data Type Description
hParent var Reserved for future versions of API. Use "0."
a_pszHelpFile var Help source For WebHelp: "<Path to project start page>" (Can be local or
on a server) For WebHelp Pro: "http://[server name]/roboapi.asp"
*Optional: To specify a window, use ">WindowName" at the end of this
parameter
uCommand var Constants:
HH_DISPLAY_INDEX Displays Index pane and default topic.
HH_DISPLAY_SEARCH Displays Search pane and default topic.
HH_DISPLAY_TOC Displays Contents pane and default topic.
HH_HELP_CONTEXT Opens topic associated with map ID in dwData
parameter.
dwData var Map ID of the topic displayed. To obtain the map ID, the author can export
the map file for a programming language using HH_HELP_CONTEXT in the
uCommand parameter.
Parameter Data Type Description
a_pszHelpMainPage var Help source for WebHelp/FlashHelp: "Path to project start page". To
specify a window, append ">WindowName" at the end Path to the project
start page.
a_pszRelTopicUrl var Relative path of the topic corresponding to the main page.
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Call a context-sensitive function for WebHelp or FlashHelp
1Call the following API for getting the context-sensitive information from the server.
http://servername>/robohelp/rest/robowindow?wtype=ctx&context=<MAP ID>
For example:
To open the topic mapped as number 1, change the <MAP ID> with 1.
2Run the application and test the Help call.
Program Help for .NET
.NET basics
Supports all forms of RoboHelp Server with .NET development:
•Creates web services, WebForms, and WinForms.
•Provides comprehensive support for .NET Framework.
•Operates as a self-contained .NET web service.
•Provides APIs to support Help development in Visual C .NET, C# .NET, Visual Basic .NET, and ASP .NET.
•Ensures that existing context-sensitive Help supports .NET requirements.
RoboHelp Server with .NET is designed to create applications for desktops, intranets, or the Internet and to support
the development of these applications.
Create server-based Help within the .NET environment and generate real-time analysis of end-user activity in a Help
system. Use with Visual C .NET, ASP .NET, Visual Basic .NET, or C# .NET to integrate Help systems.
Context-sensitive Help support files for .NET
Support files for programming context-sensitive Help allow you to import code and enter variables instead of writing the
code. The context-sensitive Help API for .NET supports Visual C++ .NET, ASP .NET, Visual Basic .NET, and C# .NET.
The API shares parameters with HTML Help and WinHelp. Custom windows are supported. Context-sensitive Help
works without any modifications.
Import file for the corresponding language from the respective folders at:
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp 9\CSH API
C# .NET
C# .NET is an object-oriented language that enables C and C++ programmers to transition to the new .NET
environment while providing integration with existing applications. Components can be converted into XML and run
using any language on any operating system.
ASP .NET
ASP .NET is part of the .NET Framework for building web applications and XML web services. ASP .NET pages use a
compiled, event-driven programming model to generate markup such as HTML, WML, or XML. It allows the
separation of application logic and user interface. You can use any .NET language, such as Visual Basic .NET or C#
.NET, to create ASP .NET pages and AS P.NET XML web services files containing server-side logic.
Make a Help call
Use the context-sensitive Help code samples that Adobe provides.
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Make sure that context-sensitive Help function calls specify the online Help in the individual calls to RH_Showhelp.
When a remote Help call is made, the online version of the Help system appears. If connecting to the Internet is not
possible, offline Help appears.
Call context-sensitive Help for WebHelp or FlashHelp from C# .NET
1Include the RoboHelp_CSH.cs file in the project.
2Call the RH_ShowLocalHelp (hParent, strtHelpURL, strWndName, nCommand, nData)function.
Call context-sensitive Help for WebHelp Pro or FlashHelp Pro from C# .NET
1Open VisualStudio.
2Do one of the following:
•Select File > New > Project.
•Open a C# .NET project.
3Add a button named Help.
4Navigate to the context-sensitive Help supporting files in C:\Program Files\[RoboHelp Install Folder]\CSH
API\CS.NET.
5Copy the RoboHelp_CSH.cs file.
6Paste the files to the C# .NET project.
7Right-click the Reference folder. Select Add Reference.
8Select .Net tab > System.Web.Services.Dll.
9Click OK.
10 Right-click the Reference folder. Select Add Reference.
11 Select
c:\windows\system32\msxml2.dll
Parameter Data Type Description
hParent Object Handle of the parent window.
strHelpURL String Help source for WebHelp; specifies the path to the project start page.
strWndName String Name of the window to be opened.
nCommand Int Class constants.
OptionConstants.CSH_DISPLAY_CONTEXT Opens the topic associated
with the map ID in the nData parameter
OptionConstants.CSH_DISPLAY_TOC Displays the Contents pane and
the default topic
OptionConstants.CSH_DISPLAY_INDEX Displays the Index pane and
the default topic
OptionConstants.CSH_DISPLAY_SEARCH Displays the Search pane
and the default topic
nData Int Displays the map ID of the topic. To obtain the map ID, you can export the map file
for a programming language using OptionConstants.CSH_DISPLAY_CONTEXT in
nCommand.
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12 Select OK.
13 Double-click the Help button.
14 Copy C# .NET context-sensitive Help example code and paste into the code.
15 Add using RoboHelpAPI to the top of the document.
16 To test, compile, and run the project, select the Help button.
Call context-sensitive Help for WebHelp or FlashHelp from ASP .NET
1Include the RoboHelp_CSH.cs file in the project.
2Call the RH_ShowLocalHelp (hParent, strtHelpURL, strWndName, nCommand, nData)function.
Call context-sensitive Help for WebHelp Pro or FlashHelp Pro from ASP .NET
1Open VisualStudio .NET.
2Do one of the following:
•Select File > New > Project.
•Open an ASP.NET project.
3Navigate to the context-sensitive Help supporting files in C:\Program Files\[RoboHelp Install Folder]\CSH
API\ASP.NET.
4Copy the RoboHelp_CSH.cs file.
5Paste the supporting files to the ASP.NET project.
6Right-click the Reference folder. Select Add Reference.
7Select .Net tab > System.Web.Services.Dll.
8Click OK.
9Add a button in the application.
Parameter Data Type Description
hParent Object Handle of the parent window.
strHelpURL String Help source for WebHelp; specifies the path to the project start page.
strWndName String Name of the window to be opened.
nCommand Int Class constants.
OptionConstants.CSH_DISPLAY_CONTEXT Opens the topic associated
with the map ID in the nData parameter
OptionConstants.CSH_DISPLAY_TOC Displays the Contents pane and
the default topic
OptionConstants.CSH_DISPLAY_INDEX Displays the Index pane and
the default topic
OptionConstants.CSH_DISPLAY_SEARCH Displays the Search pane
and the default topic
nData Int Displays the map ID of the topic. To obtain the map ID, you can export the map file
for a programming language using OptionConstants.CSH_DISPLAY_CONTEXT in
nCommand.
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10 Double-click the button.
11 Copy the ASP.NET context-sensitive Help example code. Paste it into the code.
12 In the code, add using RoboHelpAPI.
13 To test, compile and run the project. Select the Help button.
Call context-sensitive Help for WebHelp or FlashHelp from Visual Basic .NET
1Include the RoboHelp_CSH.vb file in the project.
2Call the RH_ShowLocalHelp (hParent, strtHelpURL, strWndName, nCommand, nData)function.
Call context-sensitive Help for WebHelp Pro or FlashHelp Pro from Visual Basic .NET
1Open VisualStudio.NET.
2Do one of the following:
•Select File > New > Project.
•Open a Visual Basic .NET project.
3Navigate to the context-sensitive Help files for ASP .NET in C:\Program Files\[RoboHelp Install Folder]\CSH
API\VB.NET.
4Copy the RoboHelp_CSH.vb file.
5Paste the supporting files to the ASP .NET project.
6Right-click the Reference folder. Select Add Reference.
7Select .Net tab > System.Web.Services.Dll.
8Click OK.
9Right-click the Reference. Select Add Reference.
10 Select:
msxml2.dll
11 Select OK.
12 Add a button in the application.
Parameter Data Type Description
hParent Object Handle of the parent window.
strHelpURL String Help source for WebHelp; specifies the path to the project start page.
strWndName String Name of the window to be opened.
nCommand Int Class constants.
CSH_DISPLAY_CONTEXT Opens the topic associated with the map ID
in the nData parameter
CSH_DISPLAY_TOC Displays the Contents pane and the default topic
CSH_DISPLAY_INDEX Displays the Index pane and the default topic
CSH_DISPLAY_SEARCH Displays the Search pane and the default topic
nData Int Displays the map ID of the topic. To obtain the map ID, you can export the map file
for a programming language using CSH_DISPLAY_CONTEXT in nCommand.
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13 Double-click the button.
14 Copy the Visual Basic .NET context-sensitive Help example code and paste it into the code.
15 To test, compile and run the project. Select the Help button.
Locate the RoboHelp Server with .NET samples
1Select Start > Programs > Robohelp Office Pro For .Net Development Kit.
2Select the sample for the application language.
Specify the URL (WebHelp Pro)
1In code samples, find the string with the name:
m_strServer
2Assign the server address to m_strServer:
http://server.com/robohelp/rest
3Specify a project name.
m_strProject = P1
4Specify the window name in the variable m_strParamValue.
Note: STRPRIMARY specifies the primary Help system and STRBACKUP specifies local Help. For Visual Basic .NET,
Visual C++ .NET, and C# .NET the application is on the client, allowing both online and offline Help systems. For ASP
.NET, all information is on a Web server. Specify a WebHelp Pro online Help system as a primary Help system and a
WebHelp online Help system as a backup.
Web services provided in RoboHelp Server with .NET
RoboHelp Server provides the following two services using the REST web services.
Robowindow Requests the server to get the window properties and context Help URL. See code details.
Search Performs the sentence search and returns results. See code details.
Steps without using support files
WebHelp Pro
WebHelp Pro is an uncompiled output type that is RoboHelp Server-based and supports standard Help features (such
as TOC, index, and search). A browser is not required to view the output. In addition, WebHelp Pro provides end-user
feedback reports on how people are using your system and other features available only with RoboHelp Server.
WebHelp Pro projects require RoboHelp Server for context-sensitive Help.
Name Language
RoboHelp Server CSH.NET VC Sample Visual C++ .NET
RoboHelp CSH.NET VB Sample Visual Basic .NET
RoboHelp CSH.NET C# Sample C# .NET
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Display content
An ASP file is included for viewing content. The default hyperlink is http://<RoboHelp Server>/Roboapi.Asp. You can
pass a parameter to the ASP file:
•project=Project_Name
•context=MapNumber
•url=URL
For example:
•This URL displays default content from the server: http://<RoboHelp Server>/Roboapi.Asp
•This URL displays the project_name project (merged with any other projects): http://<RoboHelp
Server>/robohelp/rest/search?project=<project-name>&quesn=<search-query>
•This URL displays content for map number 101: http://<RoboHelp Server>/
/robohelp/rest/robowindow?wtype=ctx&context=<id>&project=<project name>
Advanced window control
When opening context-sensitive WebHelp Pro from a browser, use the context-sensitive Help API and support files.
WebHelp
Context-sensitive Help for Visual Basic applications
Use this information to connect context-sensitive WebHelp or WebHelp Pro topics to Visual Basic applications.
The sample code here uses a function called Showhelp that opens a local or remote topic regardless of the browser type.
The ShowHelp function has two parameters: strTopic takes a URL or local filename as a value, and bIsLocal takes
a Boolean value. It indicates whether the first parameter is a local filename (TRUE) or remote URL (FALSE). If the file
is local, ShowHelp tells the browser to find the file in the Help subfolder of the application folder.
Public Function ShowHelp(strTopic As String, _
bIsLocal As Boolean) As Boolean
Dim strDir As String
If bIsLocal Then
' Get registry entry pointing to Help
strDir = App.Path + "\Help\"
End If
' Launch topic
Dim hinst As Long
hinst = ShellExecute(Me.hwnd, vbNullString, _
strTopic, vbNullString, _
strDir, SW_SHOWNORMAL)
' Handle less than 32 indicates failure
ShowHelp = hinst > 32
End Function
To call ShellExecute , declare the function. For example:
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Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib _
"shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, _
ByVal lpOperation As String, _
ByVal lpFile As String, _
ByVal lpParameters As String, _
ByVal lpDirectory As String, _
ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long
The ShowHelp function requires an explicit filename or URL. But for context-sensitive Help, it is better to code the
application to use context IDs rather than explicit topic names. Use the following sample function, ShowHelpContext,
which maps integer context IDs to topic name strings, then calls ShowHelp to launch the topic.
Public Function ShowHelpContext(nContextId As Integer) As Boolean
Dim strTopic As String
Dim bIsLocal As Boolean
bIsLocal = True
Select Case nContextId
Case HH_GADGET_DIALOG
strTopic = "gadget.htm"
Case HH_WHATSIT_DIALOG
strTopic = "whatsit.htm"
Case HH_WIDGET_DIALOG
strTopic = "widget.htm"
Case HH_TECH_SUPPORT:
strTopic = "http://www.mycompany.com"
bIsLocal = False
Case Else
strTopic = "unknown-context.htm"
End Select
ShowHelpContext = ShowHelp(strTopic, bIsLocal)
End Function
..............................................................................................................................................
Using ShowHelpContext makes maintaining context-sensitive Help much easier because, if a topic name changes,
only one function must be modified. Declare context IDs (for example, HH_GADGET_DIALOG) as constants that can be
shared among the program modules that use context-sensitive WebHelp or WebHelp Pro.
Const HH_GADGET_DIALOG As Integer = 1
Const HH_WHATSIT_DIALOG As Integer = 2
Const HH_WIDGET_DIALOG As Integer = 3
Const HH_TECH_SUPPORT As Integer = 4
Connect context-sensitive WebHelp and WebHelp Pro topics to Visual C++ applications
Note: This information is for developers who must connect context-sensitive WebHelp and WebHelp Pro topics to Visual
C++ applications.
The sample code provided here uses a function called ShowHelp that opens a local or remote topic regardless of the
browser type.
The ShowHelp function has two parameters: szTopic takes a URL or local filename as a value, and bIsLocal takes a
Boolean value. It indicates whether the first parameter is a local filename (TRUE) or remote URL (FALSE). If the file is
local, ShowHelp tells the browser to find the file in the Help subfolder of the application folder.
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BOOL ShowHelp(LPCTSTR szTopic, BOOL bIsLocal)
{
TCHAR szDir[MAX_PATH] = "";
if (bIsLocal)
{
// Get directory of application
DWORD dw = GetModuleFileName(AfxGetInstanceHandle(), szDir, MAX_PATH);
TCHAR* pchEnd = _tcsrchr(szDir, '\\') + 1;
ASSERT_POINTER(pchEnd, TCHAR);
*pchEnd = '\0';
// Append subfolder name
_tcscat(szDir, _T("Help"));
}
// Open topic
HINSTANCE hinst = ShellExecute(NULL, //no parent hwnd
NULL, // open
szTopic, // topic file or URL
NULL, // no parameters
szDir, // folder containing file
SW_SHOWNORMAL); // yes, show it
// handle less than 32 indicates failure
return hinst > (HINSTANCE)32;
}
.......................................................................................................................................
The ShowHelp function requires an explicit filename or URL. But for context-sensitive Help, it is better to code the
application to use context IDs rather than explicit topic names. Use the following sample function, ShowHelpContext,
which maps integer context IDs to topic name strings, then calls ShowHelp to open the topic.
BOOL ShowHelpContext(int nContextId)
{
CString strTopic;
BOOL bIsLocal = TRUE;
switch (nContextId)
{
case HH_GADGET_DIALOG:
strTopic = _T("gadget.htm");
break;
case HH_WHATSIT_DIALOG:
strTopic = _T("whatsit.htm");
break;
case HH_WIDGET_DIALOG:
strTopic = _T("widget.htm");
break;
case HH_TECH_SUPPORT:
strTopic = _T("http://www.mycompany.com");
bIsLocal = FALSE;
break;
default:
strTopic = _T("unknown-context.htm");
break;
}
return ShowHelp(strTopic, bIsLocal);
}
...........................................................................................................................................
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Using ShowHelpContext makes maintaining context-sensitive Help much easier because if a topic name changes, only
one function has to be modified. The context IDs (for example, HH_GADGET_DIALOG) should be declared in a
header file that can be shared among the program modules that use context-sensitive WebHelp or WebHelp Pro. This
can be the same file where the prototypes for ShowHelp and ShowHelpContext are defined.
Programming HTML Help in applications
Note: Microsoft HTML Help projects only.
Window-level Help for Windows applications
•To call a topic using a map number, make a call to the HTML Help API using the following syntax:
HWND HtmlHelp(Window(), "c:\path\helpfile.chm", HH_HELP_CONTEXT, Number);
•To call a topic using a filename, make a call to the HTML Help API using the following syntax:
HWND HtmlHelp (Dialog(), "c:\path\helpfile.chm", HH_DISPLAY_TOPIC, "topicfile.htm");
What’s This? Help for Windows applications
The method for programming What’s This? Help depends on the way the context-sensitive Help was created.
•If the Help was created in RoboHelp as text-only topic files, see your software development kit for details.
•If the Help was created in What’s This? Help Composer, see “Create What's This? Help” on page 259.
Note: For more information, see the HTML Help API Reference at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/ms670068(VS.85).aspx.
Window-level Help for non-Windows platforms
•Use WebHelp to display context-sensitive Help topics for C++ and Visual Basic applications, Java applications, and
Web pages. For more information, see “WebHelp” on page 249.
•Use JavaHelp to display context-sensitive Help topics for Java applications. For more information, see “Create
context-sensitive JavaHelp” on page 254.
•Use Oracle Help to display context-sensitive Help topics for Java applications, or applications written in other
programming languages. For more information, see “Create context-sensitive Oracle Help” on page 255.
Note: If you must use your HTML Help output as a backup to a WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, or FlashHelp Pro
system that is on a server, use Adobe's airplane Help.
Context-sensitive HTML Help function call
Sample code:
HtmlHelp(hWnd, /*Window handle of program or dialog*/
"CSHHelp.chm", /*Name of the CHM file*/
HH_HELP_CONTEXT,
dwMapNumber); /*Map number from map file*/
HtmlHelp(hWnd Program or dialog box window handle. A window handle identifies a window so the HTML Help
engine discovers what application is performing the action.
CSHHelp.chm Compiled HTML help file. It includes context-sensitive help. Give the developer this file for use with
the application.
HH_HELP_CONTEXT This is the command sent to the HTML Help engine for window-level Help. (A command such
as HH_TP_HELP_WM_HELP is used for What's This? Help.)
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Dwmapnumber A map number from the map file.
Troubleshoot window-level Help
Note: Microsoft HTML Help projects only.
Problem Wrong Help topic opens.
Error message Command: HH_HELP_CONTEXT
Processing C:\Project Folder\HelpProject.chm
Map Number: 2750
File: Folder_Name\Topic_Name.htm
Cause Incorrect map ID.
Resolution Update the map ID.
Generate the project and retest.
OR:
Cause Wrong or outdated map file.
Resolution Ensure everyone is using the correct map file.
If the correct map file is used, unassign the map ID for the topic.
Remove the old map file and import the new map file.
Assign new map IDs.
Generate and retest.
Problem Topic is not displayed.
Error message 1. No message
2. Command: HH_HELP_CONTEXT
Result: HH_HELP_CONTEXT called without a [Map] section
3. Command: HH_HELP_CONTEXT
Processing C:\Folder Name\Project_Name.chm
Result: Cannot find 180010 in C:\Folder Name\Project_Name.chm
Cause No assigned map ID.
Resolution If the map file does not exist, the message "HH_HELP_CONTEXT called without a [Map] section"
appears.
For developer-supplied map files, import the map file. Assign the map IDs.
If the message "Cannot find 180010 in C:\Folder Name\Project_Name.chm" displays, update the
map ID.
Generate and retest.
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Create context-sensitive JavaHelp
Use the context-sensitive Help API and support files to call built-in functionality, rather than creating functions to
display topics.
Context-sensitive JavaHelp requires custom code from your developer.
A printed copy of the .JHM file may help your developer.
Problem Topic does not appear or wrong topic appears.
Error message 1. Command: HH_HELP_CONTEXT
Processing C:\Project Folder\Project_Name.chm
Map Number: 1
File: Folder_Name\Topic_Name.htm
2. Command: HH_HELP_CONTEXT
Processing C:\Project Folder\Project_Name.chm
Result: Cannot find 180010 in C:\Project Folder\Project_Name.chm
Cause Wrong map number used in the call.
Resolution Print the Map IDs report and give it to the developer.
Use this file to correct map number assignments.
Problem Topic appears in wrong dialog box.
Error message "HTML Help Author" opens and displays, "The window name 'window' passed to HH_GET_WIN_TYPE
has not been specified."
Cause Wrong dialog name used in the call or author did not inform the developer that a custom window
was created for the topics.
Resolution Ensure the developer knows about the custom dialog.
Generate and retest after the application updates.
Problem Topic is not displayed.
Error message 1. Message is not displayed
2. Command: HH_HELP_CONTEXT
Result: HH_HELP_CONTEXT called without a [Map] section
Cause Map file or map number is missing.
Resolution For developer-supplied map file, restore or update the map file.
Generate the and retest.
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Example:
public class ContextHelp
{
private HelpSet hs;
private HelpBroker hb;
public boolean ShowHelp(String strTopic, String strHelpSet){
if (hb == null) {
ClassLoader loader = getClass().getClassLoader();
URL url;
try {
url = HelpSet.findHelpSet(loader, strHelpSet);
hs = new HelpSet(loader, url);
}
catch (Exception e) {
return false;
}
hb = hs.createHelpBroker();
}
hb.setCurrentID(strTopic);
hb.setDisplayed(true);
return true;
}
}
Test context-sensitive JavaHelp
Testing context-sensitive JavaHelp involves authors and developers.
Compress The Project Compile the project and create a .JAR file. Give the .JAR to your developer.
Test Context-Sensitive Topics Test topics in the application to ensure they appear in the correct dialogs and windows.
Resolve Errors Work with your developer to solve any problems.
Create context-sensitive Oracle Help
Note: This information is for developers who need to connect context-sensitive Oracle Help topics to applications.
The context-sensitive Help API and support files let you call built-in functionality instead of having to create the
functions to display topics.
Oracle Help supports context-sensitive Help, but your developer must write and customize the code to make it work.
A working example of a Java application with context-sensitive Help is shown below. To run the example:
1Ensure that you have the Oracle Help for Java components and the Sun Java 2 SDK or later.
2Copy and paste the code below into a file called CSHDemo.java.
3Compile the file (for example, javac CSHDemo.java).
4
Run the Java applet (for example, java .cSHDemo <Oracle Help Helpset file>). The Oracle Help helpset file
parameter is the fully-qualified path to the helpset file. As an example, if you create an Oracle Help helpset file named
"sample.hs" and saved it in "C:\myFiles," the command to run this application with your helpset file would be:
java CSHDemo C:\myFiles\Sample.hs
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Sample context-sensitive Java application
/*********************************************************************************
* Oracle Help Context-Sensitive Help Sample Application
*
* This application is intended to demonstrate a few methods for invoking
* context-sensitive Help with Oracle Help.
*
* USAGE: CSHSample <full path to helpset file>
*
*********************************************************************************/
import oracle.help.Help;
import oracle.help.CSHManager;
import oracle.help.library.Book;
import oracle.help.library.helpset.HelpSet;
import oracle.help.navigator.Navigator;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.net.URL;
public class CSHSample extends Frame implements ActionListener
{
private Help helpObj;
private Book bookObj;
private CSHManager contextManager;
private MenuItem exitMenu;
private MenuItem contentsMenu;
private MenuItem searchMenu;
private MenuItem indexMenu;
// Constants set to TopicIDs from map file for Helpset passed in
// via command line.
public static final String LABEL = "what_is_a_label_htm";
public static final String FIELD = "what_is_a_text_field_htm";
public static void main(String[] args)
{
if (args.length != 1) {
System.err.println("Usage: CSHSample <full path to helpset file>");
System.exit(1);
}
Book bookObj = null;
String filename = args[0];
// Expects filename format to be: "file:/[<drive>:/]dir/<helpset_file>"
// e.g., "file:/c:/myPath/myHelp.hs"
if (filename.charAt(0) == '/')
filename = "file:" + filename;
else
filename = "file:/" + filename;
try {
bookObj = (Book) new HelpSet(new URL(filename));
}
catch (Exception e) {
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System.err.println("CSHSample Error: " + e.getMessage());
System.exit(1);
}
CSHSample sampApp = new CSHSample(bookObj);
sampApp.setVisible(true);
}
// Class Constructor
public CSHSample(Book bookObj)
{
super("CSH Sample Application");
setResizable(false);
setSize(300, 200);
// Create Help Objects
try {
helpObj = new Help(false, false);
contextManager = new CSHManager(helpObj);
contextManager.addBook(bookObj, true);
}
catch (Exception e) {
System.err.println("CSHSample:: Failed While Creating Help object");
e.printStackTrace();
System.exit(1);
}
/********************************************************************
* Add UI Components
*******************************************************************/
MenuBar menubar = new MenuBar();
Menu filemenu = new Menu("File");
exitMenu = new MenuItem("Exit");
filemenu.add(exitMenu);
exitMenu.addActionListener(this);
menubar.add(filemenu);
Menu helpmenu = new Menu("Help");
contentsMenu = new MenuItem("Help Contents");
contentsMenu.addActionListener(this);
helpmenu.add(contentsMenu);
indexMenu = new MenuItem("Topic Index");
indexMenu.addActionListener(this);
helpmenu.add(indexMenu);
searchMenu = new MenuItem("Full Text Search");
searchMenu.addActionListener(this);
helpmenu.add(searchMenu);
menubar.add(helpmenu);
setMenuBar(menubar);
Panel mainPanel = new Panel();
add(mainPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
// Add label
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Label label = new Label("Country:", Label.LEFT);
mainPanel.add(label);
// Set context help for component. TopicID = LABEL
// Pass the component with the associated TopicID to the CSHManager Object
contextManager.addComponent(label, LABEL, true, true);
// Add TextField
TextField field = new TextField(15);
mainPanel.add(field);
// Set context help for component. TopicID = FIELD
// Pass the component with the associated TopicID to the CSHManager Object
contextManager.addComponent(field, FIELD, true, true);
/********************************************************************
* End: Add UI Components
*******************************************************************/
addWindowListener(
new WindowAdapter()
{
public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e)
{
setVisible(false);
System.exit(0);
}
}
);
}
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
Object source = e.getSource();
if (source == exitMenu) {
setVisible(false);
System.exit(0);
}
else if (source == contentsMenu) {
// Show Help; Display Contents tab
Navigator[] navs = contextManager.getAllNavigators();
if (navs != null)
contextManager.showNavigatorWindow(navs[0]);
}
else if (source == indexMenu) {
// Show Help; Display Index tab
Navigator[] navs = contextManager.getAllNavigators();
if (navs != null)
contextManager.showNavigatorWindow(navs[1]);
}
else if (source == searchMenu) {
// Show Help; Display Search tab
Navigator[] navs = contextManager.getAllNavigators();
if (navs != null)
contextManager.showNavigatorWindow(navs[2]);
}
}
}
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Note: Oracle Help uses topic IDs (in a map file) to make context-sensitive Help calls. You can change the topic ID by
editing the topic's META tag.
What’s This? Help
About the What's This? Help Composer tool
The What's This? Help Composer tool installs with RoboHelp. It supports both WinHelp authored in RoboHelp for
Word and Microsoft HTML Help.
This tool scans applications and generates projects. It reads program files and creates context-sensitive Help topics for
all controls and fields in dialog boxes. It can add suggested text to each Help topic to save authoring time.
Supported files for Microsoft HTML Help:
•Program files (EXE)
•Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL)
•ActiveX controls (OCX)
You can add context-sensitive Help to any RoboHelp project. The result is a single text-only file (Context.txt) that
contains text used for each context-sensitive Help topic that you create.
What's This? Help and Microsoft HTML Help
Creating a What's This? Help project for Microsoft HTML Help does the following:
•Creates a Context.txt file, which contains the context-sensitive topics.
•Attaches the Context.txt file to the project.
•Stores the Context.txt file in a database, updated when you edit the topics.
•Saves Dialog.cid and Context.h files (contain topic IDs) in the project folder. The developer uses these files.
•Stores the Context.txt file in the What's This? Help Files folder, in the Context-Sensitive Help folder. Double-click
the Context.txt file to open the What's This? Help Composer for editing.
Note: Deleting any of these files from Project Manager removes the What's This? Help project from your HTML Help
project.
Use What's This? Help Composer for context-sensitive Help
•Open the HTML Help project, then select this file to open it in What's This? Help Composer.
•
Compiling the HTML Help project also complies the context-sensitive topics into your project, as part of the CHM file.
•See What's This? Help Composer's online Help system.
Create What's This? Help
1Open the RoboHelp project.
2Select File > New > What's This? Help Project.
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3Select an application. This is the name of the executable file (.exe), dynamic link library (.dll), or ActiveX control
(.ocx).
4Click Browse. In Files Of Type, select the file format.
5Navigate to the folder that contains the application. Double-click the application file to select it.
6Click Next. The name and location of the project file appear.
All What's This? Help Composer projects are titled "Context.txt" and are saved in the same folder as the HTML
Help project.
7Click Next. The names of all files containing dialog boxes for the application appear. These files are in the same
folder as the application (or they are called by the application). The files listed are included in the What's This? Help
project. You can remove unwanted files. If you are unsure about what files to use, consult your application
developer.
8Click Next. What's This? Help Composer can generate Help topics for default buttons such as OK and Cancel.
9To include these topics, select Yes, Create Default Help Text For This Project.
10 Click Finish.
The application's files are scanned and a database of information is generated. After a few moments, the new project
opens in What's This Help Composer and a summary report appears. You can view this report, copy it to the
Windows clipboard, and print it.
11 When you finish working with the summary report, click OK.
All the components of the dialog boxes and windows are identified in the Dialog Boxes pane. You can start
authoring What's This? Help topics.
12 To return to RoboHelp and work on the HTML Help topics, save the What's This? Help project and close the
program.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Tips:
•To work on the What's This? Help topics, open the Help project in RoboHelp, and then open What's This? Help.
•Before you start a What's This? Help project, consult your developer to determine details that might affect the
application files and the way you author topics.
Import What's This? Help projects
You can import existing What's This? Help projects intended for C and C++ applications into your Microsoft HTML
Help projects. You can use only one What's This? Help project with an HTML Help project.
1Open the RoboHelp project.
2Select File > Import > What's This? Help Project.
3Navigate to the What's This? Help project file's (.chj) folder. Double-click to import it.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Notes:
•All What's This? Help project files are saved in the project folder.
•To update What's This? Help topics, edit the Context.txt file. This file is in the Project Manager, in the Text-Only
Topic Files folder (in the Context-Sensitive Help folder). This file cannot be renamed.
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•To open your project in What's This? Help Composer, double-click the Context.txt file.
Open What's This? Help projects
1Open the project in RoboHelp.
2Select View > Pods > Project Set-up.
3Select Edit > What's This? Help Project. The project opens in What's This? Help Composer.
Note: Only HTML Help systems that are intended for C or C++ applications are supported by What's This? Help
Composer.
Remove What's This? Help from a project
1Open the HTML Help project.
2Select View > Pods > Project Set-up. The Project Set-up pod appears.
3Open the Context-Sensitive Help folder.
4Open the Text-Only Topics folder.
5Select Context.Txt (the What's This? Help file).
6Click Delete .
Version-control projects may have more options.
Note: You can restore a What's This? Help file. The What's This? Help project file (.CHJ) remains in your project folder,
and you can import it into your project to create a CONTEXT.TXT file. See Importing What's This? Help projects into
HTML Help projects.
Test What's This? Help with BugHunter
Note: BugHunter is for use with Microsoft HTML Help projects only.
1Before testing, verify that the following requirements are met:
•The application used with the Help topics is available on the authoring system.
•What's This? Help topics exist in the HTML Help project (CHM file).
•The application is programmed to use HTML Help.
•A copy of the map file is available for use in testing.
2Generate the HTML Help project so all the What's This? Help topics are included in the CHM file. Copy the file
into the same folder as the application.
3Select Tools > Enable BugHunter.
4Start the application and open a dialog box to test.
5Click the question mark icon and click a field or control.
Test HTML Help API
Test map numbers and window-level topics with map IDs in Microsoft HTML Help projects. To run the test, you must
have access to the application. To recompile the CHM file after using this tool, close the program and reopen the
project.
Select A Compiled HTML Help File Specifies the HTML Help (CHM) file to use.
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Command Test a map number or a topic. HH_DISPLAY_TOPIC requires the relative path and filename in the HTML
File field.
Dialog (Optional) Identifies the custom window for topic content. Use only if you have a custom window for
displaying window-level Help topics.
HTML File The HTML file to test for with HH_Display_Topic.
Map Number The map number to test for HH_Help_Context.
Troubleshoot What's This? Help
Note: Microsoft HTML Help projects only.
Before you test What's This? Help with BugHunter, right-click in the BugHunter pane and select Options > Display
Options. Deselect Only Window-Level Help Messages.
Problem Topic does not appear.
Error message No message
Cause Author did not create a text-only topic (for a field or control in a dialog).
Resolution Create a text-only topic for the field or control in the dialog box.
For developer-supplied map files, import the file first, then create text-only topics.
Compile the project. Retest using the updated CHM file.
Problem The wrong What's This? Help topic appears in a field or control.
Error message Command: HH_TP_HELP_WM_HELP?HH_TP_HELP_CONTEXT_MENU
Processing: Project_Name.chm
Control ID: 1174
Help ID: 1003
File: Folder_Name/FileName.TXT
Cause Developer incorrectly handled a message that requests What's This? Help.
Resolution Provide the Map IDs report to the developer.
Text-only topics are indicated by Text-only Popup MapID.
Compile the project. Retest using the updated CHM file.
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Maintaining text-only topics (Microsoft HTML Help
projects)
When changes are made to the application, update your text-only topics to reflect these changes. (If you use What's
This? Help Composer, most of these maintenance issues apply.)
Changes in the application affect the following:
•The map files used in your project.
•The content in your text-only topics that explain how to use the application's features.
•The text-only topic files (.TXT) you create for What's This? Help.
Problem The wrong topic or no topic appears.
Error message No message
or
Command: HH_TP_HELP_WM_HELP?HH_TP_HELP_CONTEXT_MENU
Processing: Project_Name.chm
Control ID: 1174
Help ID: 1003
File: Folder_Name/FileName.TXT
Cause A map number in the map file is missing its matching topic ID.
or
A topic ID is matched to the wrong topic.
Resolution If the problem is caused by a missing topic ID, correct the map file.
If the developer supplies the map file, update the map file.
For an auto-generated map file: Open the Context-Sensitive Text-Only Topics dialog box. Select the
map number. Enter the topic ID. Click Add/Update.
If the problem is caused by a topic ID matched to the wrong topic, remove the text-only topic. Create
one for the topic ID.
Compile the project. Retest using the updated CHM file.
Type of Change Action
Obsolete features (dialog boxes, message boxes, and windows are
removed from the application).
Remove the text-only topics from the text-only files (.txt).
Updated and improved features (a dialog box is changed to
include new controls, some fields are removed).
Edit the content of the text-only topics so they accurately explain
how to use the features or if fields were removed from dialog
boxes.
New features (for example, new dialog boxes are added). Create new text-only topics.
New map files (for new features). Import the map files into the project before creating the text-only
topics.
Updated map files (for new or existing features). Update the existing map file by removing the obsolete map file
and importing the updated one.
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Notes:
•If you are creating text-only topics and window-level topics, avoid using the same map file for both.
•Each time you update your context-sensitive Help, test all topics that have been changed or added.
Working with text-only topics
Create text-only topics
When creating text-only topic files for Microsoft HTML Help, you create topics and write content in the same dialog
box. If using map files from your developer, import them before you begin.
1Select View > Pods > Project Set-up. The Project Set-up pod appears.
2Open the Context-Sensitive Help folder.
3Right-click the What's This? Help Files folder. Select Create/Import Text-Only Topic File.
4In File Name, enter a name for the topic file. If you imported a map file, use its name (Pizza.h and Pizza.txt).
5Click Open.
6Select a topic ID for the first topic to create:
•When auto-creating a map file In Topic ID, enter the topic ID.
•When importing a map file, select the topic ID from the list.
Sample of Topic ID entries
7In Topic Text, enter topic content. This text appears in a popup when users request help for the field or control:
Sample of Topic Text
❖Click Add/Update.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Tips:
•Topics or added code are not needed for OK, Cancel, Save, Open, and other buttons associated with Windows
dialogs.
•HTML Help projects can include multiple .txt files.
Edit text-only topics
1Select View > Pods > Project Set-up. The Project Set-up pod appears.
2Open the Context-Sensitive Help and What's This? Help Files folders.
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3Double-click the topic file (.TXT).
4Select the topic from the Topic ID list.
5Edit the text in Topic Text.
6Click Add/Update.
Version-control projects may have more options.
You can edit map numbers in this dialog.
Test text-only topics
Testing text-only topics requires access to the application.
•If you auto-generated map files, give these files to your developer.
•When done testing, compile the Help. Provide your developer with the CHM file.
•Install the latest version of the application, including the latest CHM file.
•If installing the latest application from a network or CD, replace the existing CHM file with the new copy when you
compile. Copy the CHM file into the folder with the application EXE file.
•Print a Map IDs report as a checklist for testing dialog boxes. Print the text-only topics file that matches topic IDs
to topics.
Tips:
•Use BugHunter to test application calls.
•Use the Duplicate Map IDs to resolve problems with repeated map numbers.
Remove text-only topics
You can remove text-only topics in Microsoft HTML Help projects when changes to dialog box controls and fields
affect context-sensitive Help.
1Select View > Pods > Project Set-up. The Project Set-up pod appears.
2Open the Context-Sensitive Help and What's This? Help Files folders.
3Double-click the topic file (.txt).
4Select the topic to remove.
5Click Delete.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Tips:
•If your developer provides updated map files, replace them before removing the topic.
•Removing text-only topics leaves the topic ID and map number in the map file. You can remove unused Map IDs
if you no longer need them.
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Remove text-only topic files
Remove text-only topic files (.txt) from Microsoft HTML Help projects when you no longer need them.
1Select View > Pods > Project Set-up. The Project Set-up pod appears.
2Open the Context-Sensitive Help and What's This? Help Files folders.
3Select the topic file (.txt).
4Click Delete.
5Open the Map Files folder.
6Select the map file (.H) associated with the removed .txt file.
7Click Delete. The topic file and its map file are deleted.
Version-control projects may have more options.
Testing context-sensitive Help
Test with the Context-Sensitive Help tool
The Context-Sensitive Help tool simulates Help calls from an application.
1In the Toolbox pod, double-click CSH Test.
2Do one of the following:
•To test server-based Help, select Online.
•To test local Help, select Offline.
3Do one of the following:
•For server-based Help, enter the server location and project name by using the following syntax for FlashHelp Pro:
http://RoboHelp Server/robohelp/server?project=MyProject&area=area-name&type=flashhelp
For WebHelp Pro, use the following syntax:
http://RoboHelp Server/robohelp/server?project=MyProject&area=area-name&ver=1
•For local Help, click the Browse button, and select a Help file.
4(Optional) Enter a window name.
5Click the map file icon and select a map file.
6Click the triangle and select a map number.
7Click Show Help.
If Help is working correctly, the topic associated with the map number appears.
Test with BugHunter for HTML Help
Note: Microsoft HTML Help projects only.
BugHunter is a troubleshooting tool to test context-sensitive Help topics and diagnose problems. During testing,
BugHunter captures and displays calls that the application makes.
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Note: Before you start using BugHunter, you must launch Html Help Workshop once. To launch Html Help Workshop,
double-click the hhw.exe file in the Html Help Workshop install folder.
Use BugHunter for the following tasks:
•Test Help buttons, F1 Help, or What's This? Help.
•Track the causes of errors.
•Copy data to the clipboard or annotate it and save it in a text file.
•Discover why the wrong topic appears.
•Determine if a particular map number is used.
•Determine if a window-level Help topic has a map ID assigned.
Start and close BugHunter
1Select View > Pods > BugHunter.
2Do one of the following:
•To start capturing data, right-click inside the pane and select Enable BugHunter.
The output dialog box displays capture data while the program is enabled. When you activate Help in an
application's dialog box, messages from BugHunter appear in the output window. Right-click in the pane to
copy, annotate, or save the data.
•To clear the pane, right-click inside it and select Clear All. Data remains in the pane until you clear it.
•To stop capturing data, right-click inside the pane and deselect Disable BugHunter.
Interpret BugHunter data
BugHunter data resembles this example:
C:\APPLICATION FOLDER\HELP_FILE.CHM, Custom Folder\Help_Topic_Name.htm, HH_HELP_CONTEXT,
10253, Topic launched
Multiple lines of data resemble this example:
Project: C:\APP FOLDER\HELP_FILE.CHM
File: Custom Folder\Help _Topic_Name.htm
Command: HH_HELP_CONTEXT
Map Number: 10253
Result: Topic launched
Interpret the data as follows:
Project Application location. Filename of the HTML Help that contains the called Help topic.
File Folder and subfolders where the .htm topic exists.
Command The command name sent to HTML Help.
10253 Map number.
Result Activity summary. “Topic launched” indicates that the topic map ID matches the application code.
Customize the BugHunter pane
❖Right-click inside the BugHunter pane and click Options.
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View map numbers in hex format
1Select Tools > Options. Click the BugHunter tab.
2In Display options, select Map Numbers In Hex.
Test in the application
To test context-sensitive Help in the application, follow these guidelines:
•If you auto-generated map IDs in RoboHelp, export the map files and provide them to the developer. Update the
application to use the map IDs, if it doesn’t already.
•Generate the project. Provide the output files to the developer.
•If you designed a custom window for displaying window-level topics, inform the developer. The application
requires coding to display topics this way.
•Install the latest version of the application, or access the Web application. If you install the latest build of the
application from a network drive or CD, you can replace the output file with the new copy each time you generate.
Put the output files in the same folder as the application EXE file.
•Print the Map IDs report. Use it as a checklist for testing dialog boxes.
•In the application, click Help or press F1 to verify that the correct Help topic opens in each dialog box.
•Update any map IDs that did not work and check the following:
•Ensure that the correct map ID is assigned.
•Ensure that the topic has a window assigned to it.
•Generate the project to retest edited topics.
Context-sensitive Help terms
ALI file A project file that is automatically created in the project folder when you add, update, or remove map IDs. It
shows the topic ID/topic match (for example: ID_ABCForm=ABC.htm).
CHM file The file created when an author compiles a Microsoft HTML Help project. All the files in the project,
including context-sensitive Help topics and map files, are compressed and saved in this file.
Header file A developer's term used to see map files. Developers create header files, which are text files containing a
list of topic IDs and their corresponding map numbers. Header files use the .h, .hh, or .hm extension. When a
developer provides the author with header files, the author needs to import the files into the project.
HHCTRL.OCX (Microsoft HTML Help projects) The Microsoft ActiveX control that contains the HtmlHelp()
application programming interfaces. Developers ensure that HHCTRL.OCX is invoked when users request Help.
HH_HELP_CONTEXT (Microsoft HTML Help projects) Using this HTML Help API command, calls can be made to the
application using the map number.
HTML Help API (Microsoft HTML Help projects) The application programming interface for Microsoft HTML Help
that allows a Help window from an application to display. The HTML Help API contains commands for developers to
specify the type, style, and position of Help windows.
HTML Help translator (Microsoft HTML Help projects) A mechanism in Microsoft HTML Help that looks up
context-sensitive Help topics when users request help in applications.
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HTML Help viewer (Microsoft HTML Help projects) The default window used to display compiled Microsoft HTML
Help (CHM files). Authors can also design a separate custom window to display context-sensitive Help topics.
Prefix Characters affixed to the beginning of topic IDs (for example, in the topic ID, Idd_Mytopicid, "IDD_" is the
prefix). Development tools that generate map files use a default prefix. When you generate map files in RoboHelp, you
can specify a prefix. Prefixes are not mandatory, but they are useful for organizing topic IDs.
RH ShowHelp RoboHelp API function used to call context-sensitive Help topics. You can call this function for
WebHelp Pro, WebHelp, and HTML Help.
Support files (WebHelp and WebHelp Pro projects) Adobe provides support files that allow developers to import
code and enter variables. Each supported language has a corresponding support file with functions to use for calling
WebHelp Pro or WebHelp projects and displaying individual topics for context-sensitive Help.
Reference
BugHunter tab of the Options dialog box (HTML Help)
Display options
Window-Level Help Messages captures messages only for window-level Help.
Clear this option to test What's This? Help.
Map Numbers In Hex Displays map numbers in hexadecimal notation rather than decimal format.
Each Message On A Single Line Displays output on a single line. Multiple lines organize the data by the type of
information.
Example (single line)
C:\APPLICATION FOLDER\HELP_FILE.CHM, Custom Folder\Help_Topic_Name.htm, HH_HELP_CONTEXT,
10253, Topic launched
Example (multiple lines)
Project: C:\APPLICATION FOLDER\HELP_FILE.CHM
File: Custom Folder\Help_Topic_Name.htm
Command: HH_HELP_CONTEXT
Map Number: 10253
Result: Topic launched
Color options
Select the color for displaying Help, error messages, prompts, annotations, and the window background color.
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Chapter 12: Generating Help and printed
documents
Single sourcing basics
About single-source layouts
Single-source layouts act as templates for different versions of the project output. RoboHelp provides single-source
layouts for each output type.
Typically, when generating a different version of the project (such as an online tutorial), you use different settings for
the output. You can save these settings in single-source layouts. After creating the layout and defining output settings,
generate, view, or publish output whenever needed, singly or in batches.
Layouts save settings and preferences for each version of the project, helping to ensure consistency. Conditional tags
and conditional build expressions let you create different output for different versions of a project.
More Help topics
“Work with layout types” on page 272
Specify the primary layout
A primary layout is the default layout that you set for the work environment. It lets you generate output without
specifying additional options. The primary layout contains settings for the output type with which it is associated. It
controls project windows, the table of contents properties, and other project entities.
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click a layout.
2Select Set As Primary Layout.
The primary layout is labeled in the Single Source Layouts pod.
Note: If you create new windows, the window type is based on the default layout. For more information, see this article.
Create and edit single-source layouts
Create or duplicate single-source layouts
A duplicate layout retains the settings of the original.
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, do one of the following:
•To create a layout, click the Create Layout button .
•To duplicate a layout, click the Duplicate Layout button .
2In the Layout Name box, type a name.
3For a new layout, select an output type from the pop-up menu.
Note: You cannot change the output type of a duplicated layout.
4Click OK.
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5For a new layout, set options in the Properties dialog box that appears. Click Save.
Edit single-source layouts
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click the layout.
2Select Properties.
3Set options. Click Save.
Note: You cannot change the Output Type of a layout. Create a layout instead.
Rename a single-source layout
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click the layout.
2Select Rename.
3Enter the name.
More Help topics
“Work with layout types” on page 272
“Generate, view, and publish output” on page 291
Remove single-source layouts
Removing a layout does not affect other parts of a project.
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click the single-source layout. It cannot be the primary layout.
2Select Delete.
About excluding unreferenced topics from output
A project meant for single sourcing can include topics that are not relevant in all types of output generated from the
project. For example, a project with multiple TOCs includes topics that are not relevant to the output that you generate
based on a single TOC. In such a case, excluding unreferenced topics from the output ensures that users find only the
relevant topics in navigation and search.
RoboHelp considers a topic unreferenced if the topic is not referenced by the following project components:
•TOC
•Index
•Browse sequences
•Default topic
•CSH map IDs
•See Also keywords
•Related Topics keywords
The Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output option is available in Adobe AIR, WebHelp, WebHelp Pro,
FlashHelp, FlashHelp Pro, Microsoft HTML Help, XML Output, Oracle Help, and JavaHelp layouts.
More Help topics
“Generate output” on page 292
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Work with layout types
WebHelp layout
About WebHelp
WebHelp is an uncompiled output type that ensures that users can view web-based or desktop application Help in any
browser and platform. It supports standard Help features and provides customizing capabilities.
You can author content in another HTML editor, such as Adobe Dreamweaver, and still take advantage of the
WebHelp navigational and organizational Help features.
WebHelp also provides client project merging and a context-sensitive Help API.
For older browsers that don’t support DHTML (used to display the navigation pane), WebHelp displays the navigation
pane using another supported format.
Differences between WebHelp and Microsoft HTML Help
Mac OS limitations for WebHelp
•Mac OS filenames have a 32-character limit.
•Output is displayed as HTML lists instead of DHTML.
•BMP image files don’t appear properly.
Add or remove search highlights in WebHelp
In a WebHelp system, search results are highlighted by default in the displayed topics. You can set the highlight color
according to your preferences.
Note: WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, and FlashHelp Pro projects use the same procedure to enable Search highlight.
1Double-click the WebHelp layout.
2Click Navigation.
3Select or deselect Enable Highlight Search Result.
4When search result highlighting is enabled, click the color picker box and select a highlight color of your choice
from the pop-up menu.
Creating Section 508-compliant WebHelp
Section 508-compliant output facilitates Help access for users with visual, hearing, or mobility impairments.
WebHelp Microsoft HTML Help
Supported by a web browser Relies on Microsoft HTML Help engine for support
Uncompiled set of output files Compiled and compressed (CHM file)
Runs on any platform Requires 32-bit Windows platforms
Ideally suited for server-based distribution Workarounds required for server-based distribution
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Text-to-speech utilities read the contents of the active window, available options, or text you type. These utilities and
screen review aids translate onscreen text to speech or to a dynamic, refreshable, Braille display. This technology can
provide keyboard assistance or shortcuts, captions for speech and sound, and visual warnings such as flashing toolbars.
Consider the following when you create Section 508-compliant WebHelp:
•WebHelp systems generated with the Section 508 option open in all supported browsers. However, view output
with Internet Explorer to ensure compliance.
•For master projects generated using pure HTML or Section 508-compliant WebHelp, the subprojects are available
only from the TOC if you merge WebHelp systems. They are not available from the index or full-text search.
Subprojects appear as a book in the TOC. When users click the subproject TOC book, the subproject opens in a
new browser window.
WebHelp features that support Section 508 compliance
•A Section 508 Compliant option that provides alternative text for images, dynamic elements, frames, forms, and so
on. Visually impaired users using assistive software can hear where they are in the output and what they are
selecting.
•Alternative text is provided for images of TOC books, pages, and the plus/minus icons, TOC/Search/Index tabs or
panes, navigation buttons, and buttons from design-time controls.
•Other elements with alternative text include expanding and drop-down text, triggers and targets, and pop-up
menus.
•Navigation frames that assistive software can read.
•Generation of HTML tables so that assistive software can identify row and column headers.
•Online forms that assistive software can read.
•Output that more than one mode of operation and information retrieval can use. For example, mobility-impaired
users can use the keyboard or mouse. No features require auditory, visual, or mobility ability alone.
Guidelines to ensure Section 508 compliance in Help systems
•WebHelp is compliant for framesets and navigation. Make sure that other elements in topics are compliant.
•If the Help system contains form buttons or multimedia elements, such as images and audio, provide visual
equivalents, such as screen tips so that assistive software can read from the screen.
•Construct information with multiple methods of access to accommodate disabilities. Offer information in color in
an alternative way that doesn’t use color.
•Use basic external style sheets so that documents are readable if the style sheet is unavailable.
•If a web page uses applets, include a link to the location where users can download the appropriate reader.
•Document keyboard shortcuts and other methods of accessibility.
•Do not use HTML Help controls.
More Help topics
“Generate, view, and publish output” on page 291
“Microsoft HTML Help layout” on page 276
“Create custom skins for WebHelp and WebHelp Pro projects” on page 337
“Merging Help projects” on page 96
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WebHelp Pro and FlashHelp Pro layouts
About WebHelp Pro and FlashHelp Pro
WebHelp Pro and FlashHelp Pro layouts deliver server-based output for web and applications. To publish this output
to a server, RoboHelp Server must be installed.
WebHelp Pro is an uncompiled output type that supports standard Help features.
You create WebHelp Pro or FlashHelp Pro projects in RoboHelp, authoring content, adding features, and customizing
the appearance. When you're ready to view and test the output, generate the project. RoboHelp creates output files in
a single folder within the project folder.
RoboHelp Server-based Help offers these advantages:
Increased speed The Contents, Index, and Search tabs appear more quickly.
Usage information logged in a database Access the database to improve applications.
Runtime project merging Merge multiple projects at runtime or when accessing the Help system from a server.
Window properties Server access accommodates Toolbar, Menu, Location Bar, and Status Bar options. To set these
tool properties, double-click a window in the Windows folder of the Project Set-up pod.
About RoboHelp Server
RoboHelp Server lets you create, deliver, and measure web-based Help systems. It stores information about how users
navigate and interact with the Help system and produces reports. RoboHelp Server hosts and displays any content you
create with RoboHelp.
RoboHelp Server interaction with Help-building components
Convert desktop Help to WebHelp Pro
1Contact the server administrator or IT department to ensure that RoboHelp Server is installed and to learn its
name.
2Find the path or location of RoboHelp Server and specify it in the project.
3Open the project in RoboHelp. Set WebHelp Pro as the output.
4Connect to the server by publishing the project files.
Authoring Tool
Project A Project B Project C
RoboHelp Server
Servlet Container
Web Server
Users
Database
IIS / Apache HTTP Server
Apache Tomcat
MS Access
Oracle
MS SQL Server
RoboHelp HTML
Reports
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5To access the server, enter its domain name in the browser address bar. Ask the server administrator for the URL.
6View the output. To view reports, click the Usage Reports tab in the program window. Click Connect Now.
More Help topics
“Specify the primary layout” on page 270
“View output” on page 307
“Publish output” on page 309
FlashHelp layout
About FlashHelp
FlashHelp solves DHTML limitations for browsers and platforms and high-security firewall issues. Users need only
Flash Player 8 or later and a web browser to view the Help system. Nearly all browsers have Flash Player installed.
Flash Player is free and can be downloaded from www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer.
FlashHelp supports the traditional tri-pane Help system layout (toolbar on top, navigation at left, content at right). It
can also generate Help systems in a vertical orientation that minimizes the required screen area by stacking the
navigation above the Help content.
FlashHelp consists of these layers:
Presentation Layer Uses Adobe Flash for its platform-neutrality and configurability.
Navigation Layer Uses XML data structures to define and control elements such as the table of contents, index,
glossary, and full-text search.
Content Layer Uses HTML and related technologies to render content with full fidelity.
A skin is required for the FlashHelp output. Use the default RoboHelp skin, specify a skin from the gallery, or create a
custom skin with the Skin Development Kit (SDK) provided with RoboHelp.
More Help topics
“Skins” on page 334
Project source files for FlashHelp
Note: When distributing HTML Help systems, include the CHM file, and all linked secondary CHM files, HLP files, and
CNT files.
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Project source files (generated at the top level of the project folder)
Other project files (created when building and generating a project)
Microsoft HTML Help layout
About Microsoft HTML Help
Microsoft HTML Help is an online Help standard based on HTML.
HTML uses tags to mark elements, such as text and graphics, in a document with display instructions. HTML Help
includes HTML documents (HTM files) for the topics, along with project source files. You use RoboHelp to add
features such as links, a table of contents, an index, special effects, and related topics buttons.
You distribute a compressed file (CHM) to users that they view in the HTML Help viewer.
The main components of HTML Help include the following:
HTML Help ActiveX control Supports navigation features such as the table of contents, index, and link controls (related
topics and keyword links). It also supports HTML Help controls: WinHelp topic links, startup screens, and close
window controls.
Layout engine Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 and later supply the required components for HTML Help support.
HTML Help viewer Displays compiled HTML Help (CHM file). It uses components of the Internet Explorer browser
while displaying content in its proprietary window interface.
Filename extension Description
*.chm
(HTML Help only)
Compressed output for compiled HTML Help, used to view the Help system.
CHM files added as subprojects to a master project must also be in the same folder as the master
project.
CONTEXT.txt
(HTML Help only)
Text-only topics file added to context-sensitive Help in the What's This? Help Composer.
*.fhs Information about FlashHelp skins.
*.hlp
(HTML Help only)
WinHelp file compiled if the project includes links to WinHelp topics. Not included in the CHM file
and must be shipped separately. (For WinHelp 4, also distribute the .cnt file.)
*.hhp Created when generating a CHM file.
*.htt Topic template file.
*.htm, *.html Topic content.
*.skn
(WebHelp, WebHelp Pro only)
Information about WebHelp or WebHelp Pro skins.
*.txt
Log file
(HTML Help only)
Project compilation log.
*.txt
Text-only topics
Text-only file for context-sensitive Help topics (What's This? Help), included in the compiled CHM file.
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Compressed HTML A collection of all files in the project in a single CHM file that occupies less disk space and is faster
to load. You can ship this compiled file with an application or distribute it to users as a stand-alone online document.
Generating Microsoft HTML Help
The RoboHelp Help compiler processes all source files into a distributable format, which can then be tested or
distributed.
You can generate the output at any stage in the project.
Compiler Messages
The compiler displays messages, statistics, and compiling errors during generation. If the compiler finds problems
with the source files, error messages appear:
Notes Conditions that probably do not cause a serious problem in the output. Note numbers range from 1000
through 2999.
Warnings Conditions that result in defective output. For example, if the compiler cannot locate an image, it displays
a warning and continues generating. Warning numbers range from 3000 through 4999.
Errors Conditions that stop the compiler. You can't generate the output until you correct the error. Error numbers
range from 5000 through 6999.
Internal Errors Errors caused by the HTML Help Workshop program. Internal error numbers are 7000 and greater.
Link TOC books or pages to custom windows (Microsoft HTML Help)
1Right-click a topic in the TOC pod, select New > Book or Page, and click the Advanced tab.
2Specify the options for displaying the TOC book or page:
Window Specify the custom window in which the topic is displayed.
Frame Specify the frame in which the topic is displayed. Custom framesets appear in this list.
Comment TOC comments are not visible to users.
Image Select custom icons for displaying the book or page in the TOC. Click the pop-up menu and press the
Down Arrow key to move through the list of available icons. Select different icons for the closed book state and the
open book state.
Note: Generate and view the Contents tab in the HTML Help viewer to display custom icons.
Mark As New Displays a red star with the TOC book or page icon to indicate new items to end users. The standard
icons look like the following:
• New book
• New page
Use Information Types This option is only available when Book With Link is selected on the General tab. Select it
to use a TOC book or page with information types.
Information Types Click Add to select topics for the information type. Click Edit to change an information type,
and click Remove to delete an information type.
Types Display book or page information types.
3Click OK.
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Extract CHM files
You can extract source files from a compiled Microsoft HTML Help file (CHM).
1In the Toolbox pod, double-click HTML Help Studio.
2Select File > Open, and then select a CHM file. Click Open.
3Do either of the following:
•To extract an individual file or folder, select it and click the Extract button .
•To extract all files, click the Extract button. Select All Files.
4Specify a destination for Extract To.
5Click Extract.
Rename CHM files
The CHM filename is based on the project filename (.xpj).
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click HTML Help. Select Properties.
2In Output Folder And Filename, type a name for the file, including the .chm extension.
3Click Save.
The CHM file is renamed the next time you generate Help.
Find HTML Help files and components
1In the Toolbox pod, double-click Find HTML Help Files or Find HTML Help Components.
2Click Search.
To rearrange or resize columns, drag their headings or separator bars.
Replace CHM files
1In the Toolbox pod, double-click HTML Help Registration.
The Name column lists CHM files that are currently registered on the authoring system.
2Select the CHM file to replace.
3Click Edit.
4Click the browse button and navigate to the replacement CHM file.
5Select the file, and click Open. Click OK.
Note: Replacing a CHM file does not affect how users view the Help project.
Register or unregister CHM files
Sometimes compiled Microsoft HTML Help files (CHM) are registered if they are used with applications. You register
CHM files on the authoring system. Registering the files doesn't affect how users view the Help project after it's
distributed.
❖In the Toolbox pod, double-click HTML Help Registration.
•To register a CHM file, click Register. Navigate to the CHM file, and click Open. Click OK.
•To unregister a CHM file, select it and click Unregister. Click OK.
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JavaHelp layout
About JavaHelp
JavaHelp is a compressed output type that works with applications written in the Java programming language.
JavaHelp and Java applications run on various platforms.
RoboHelp provides support for the JavaHelp format and automatically creates all Java-based Help features and the
HTML-based features such as HTML content and hypertext links. You can also leverage existing WinHelp and HTML
projects to create JavaHelp systems. A file compression feature is available for distributing the JavaHelp system.
JavaHelp is a compressed file (JAR file) or a set of files used to run a Help system for a Java application. RoboHelp
copies all the files to distribute into the JavaHelp folder, or into a JAR file if you choose to compile Help.
Authoring requirements
•Sun Java 2 SDK or later
• JavaHelp 1.1.3 or later
User requirements
•Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.2.1 or later
•JavaHelp 1.1.3 or later
Generate JavaHelp output
Generating JavaHelp saves the source files in the project subfolder JavaHelp (default).
When you generate JavaHelp files, RoboHelp can translate Related Topics controls into controls specifically for
JavaHelp.
1Place the Bsscjhrc.jar file in the application extensions folder, or in the class path passed to the Java Virtual Machine
(Java.exe).
2Incorporate related topics controls in the topics.
3Generate the output.
Note: If question marks appear instead of Related Topics controls, the Bsscjhrc.jar file is not in the correct location.
More Help topics
“Generate output” on page 292
Merge JavaHelp projects
❖Add a reference to an external HelpSet file (.hs) when you generate the output.
Adding the reference merges all elements in the external HelpSet file with the existing project.
Note: You can add external navigation views (TOC, index, search) as remote views. However, adding the reference to an
external HS file adds all views, with other project files, to the existing project.
JavaHelp limitations
Capitalization Supports all caps and small caps.
Custom colors Some custom colors don’t appear accurately in the JavaHelp viewer.
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Expanding glossary hotspot definitions Appear inline.
Fonts Fonts are automatically set to JavaHelp default fonts. Font size is unsupported.
Forms Only simple forms appear properly in the JavaHelp viewer.
Framesets Unsupported.
HTML files generated by Word 2000 or later Unsupported.
HTML Help controls Supports WinHelp topic, Shortcut, Table of Contents, Index, Splash Screen, Close Window, and
HHCTRL Version.
Images Don’t appear consistently in compressed JavaHelp. Background images and image maps are unsupported.
Links Supports links to e-mail addresses, FTP sites, and external files.
Lists Only simple bulleted or numbered lists appear properly in the JavaHelp viewer.
Multimedia Supports sound files, such as WAV or MIDI, and video files, such as AVI.
Paragraph alignment Supports tags, such as P align=”center”.
Plain text Supports non-HTML files.
Pop-up links The pop-up note window does not have a bottom border if the entire pop-up note is contained within
the content frame. This limitation does not apply to text-only pop-up notes.
Special effects Supports ActiveX controls, DHTML, JavaScript, startup screens, and Visual Basic scripts.
Style sheets Support for partial cascading style sheets is provided with JavaHelp 1.1. (External style sheets work
correctly.) You can use level 1 cascading style sheets with the Sun Java 2 JDK or later, or Swing 1.1.1 with Sun Java 2
JDK or later.
Table attributes The following attributes are unsupported:
•Values set in the initial tag (TABLE) of a table override cell width specifications.
•The table width attribute (TABLE WIDTH) functions when specified in absolute pixels, but not in percentages.
•When used within the TABLE tag, the background color attribute (BGCOLOR) does not function.
•When used within the TABLE tag, the break tag (BR) causes the table cell to expand by the number of BR tags used.
Note: This feature is supported in JavaHelp 1.1.3 and later.
•Table alignment cannot be set precisely.
Text animations and effects Unsupported.
Oracle Help layout
About Oracle Help
Oracle Help is an output type that works with applications written in Java or any other programming language.
Oracle Help is a compressed file (.jar) or a set of files used to run a Help system for an application. When you generate
Oracle Help, the files to distribute are created in a single output folder.
Authoring requirements
•Oracle Help components, version 3.2.2, or 4.1.2 or later
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Note: Version 3.2.2 is built using the Oracle internal Java GUI tool kit called EWT. Version 4.1.2 is built using Java
Foundation Classes. The functionality, APIs, and supported file formats are the same in both versions. To build
applications using JFC, or to build custom navigators for the Help project, use version 4.1.2 or later. If developers are
using Oracle products, use version 3.2.2.
•Sun Java 2 SDK or later
•Java Runtime Environment (JRE), version 1.2.1 or later
Oracle Help includes the Oracle Help components, the Oracle Help viewer, and API documentation for developers.
User requirements
•Oracle Help components (version 3.2.2, or 4.1.2 or later)
•The Oracle Help project (as either a compiled JAR file or a folder containing individual source files)
•Sun Java SDK (version 2 or later) or Java Runtime Environment (version 1.2.1 or later)
Note: When compiling Oracle Help, make sure to set the encoding type to utf-8 (-Dfile.encoding=UTF8) while calling the
java compiler command. This ensures that the help is properly generated and can be displayed on all systems.
Update topic IDs for Oracle Help
Oracle Help uses topic IDs (in a map file) to make context-sensitive Help calls. You can change the topic ID by editing
the topic meta tag.
1Open the topic in the HTML Editor.
2In the meta tag area, insert the new topic ID in the NewTopicID tag.
Notes:
•If two topics have the same topic title, the latter is assigned another ID when you generate. For example, TopicID
becomes TopicID1.
•If two topics have the same topic ID meta tag, a warning is displayed in the Output View pod when you generate.
•If a topic has no title or meta tag specifying the topic ID, RoboHelp creates a topic ID based on the filename.
Set the topic window for Oracle Help
Specify a window in which topics appear by editing the topic meta tag in the Design Editor. If you specify no window,
the default window is used.
1Open the topic in the HTML Editor.
2Edit the meta tag.
meta name = "window-type" content = ["window name"]
Oracle Help remote views
Oracle Help uses views to define the contents of the Navigator left pane: TOC, keyword index, and full-text search.
You can also add remote views to Oracle Help projects. A remote view is an external table of contents, index, or full-
text search database. Use remote views if you are merging smaller projects into one master project. You can specify
that a remote view remain in its own tab, or merge with an existing view. By default, Oracle Help merges all views
having the same engine, type, and label.
Oracle Help makes an important distinction between labels and titles:
Labels Assigned to tabs.
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Titles Assigned to top-level books or nodes in the TOC.
Merge Oracle Help projects
❖Add a reference to an external HelpSet file (with the .hs extension) when you generate Oracle Help.
Adding a reference to an external HS file adds all views, with other project files, to the existing project.
Oracle Help indexes
One level of indenting is supported. Users can search for keywords in the list. As keywords are selected, topics are listed
in the lower pane. Double-clicking a topic in the lower pane displays its content in the topic window on the right.
You can import external indexes and merge them using Oracle Help remote views. You can create separate tabs for
each index or you can merge them.
Example of an Oracle Help index
Oracle Help full-text search
Oracle Help displays search results by relevance, not alphabetically. You can import full-text search databases from
other projects using Oracle Help remote views.
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Example of an Oracle Help full-text search
Oracle Help limitations
Not all limitations apply to every Oracle Help project.
Capitalization Supports all caps and small caps.
Expanding glossary hotspot definitions Appear inline.
Fonts Limited font support.
Glossary pane Unsupported if you use Glossary Designer.
HTML Help controls Supports WinHelp topic, Shortcut, Table of Contents, Index, Splash Screen, Close Window, and
HHCTRL Version.
Links Supports links to e-mail addresses, FTP sites, and external files.
Lists Only simple bulleted or numbered lists appear properly in the Oracle Help viewer.
Multimedia Supports sound files, such as WAV or MIDI, and video files, such as AVI.
Plain text Supports non-HTML files.
Special effects Supports ActiveX controls, DHTML, JavaScript, startup screens, and Visual Basic scripts.
Unsupported DHTML appears as plain text in generated Oracle Help projects.
Text animations and effects Unsupported.
XML layout
RoboHelp uses handlers to convert XML to HTML and import XML files into topics. Handlers can also export topics
or even entire projects as XML. You can create or customize XML handlers using the HDF Editor.
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The following predefined handler files are available:
Import DocBook As Topics Imports the selected DocBook files as HTML topics.
Import XHTML (*.XML) Imports the selected XHTML files as HTML topics.
Import XML (CSS/XSL) If the selected XML file has an associated style sheet (CSS or XSL file), this handler imports the
XML file as an HTML topic, including formatting. If the selected XML file lacks an associated style sheet, this handler
converts the XML file to an HTML file without formatting. This import option also provides advanced import options.
You can import the XML file as text flow or tree flow or select a customized CSS or XSL file.
Note: If all the HDF files (and therefore handlers) have been deleted, you cannot access the XML import or output
functionality. Use the XML Handler Manager to import an HDF file containing a handler or reinstall RoboHelp to enable
this functionality.
More Help topics
“Set options for generating XML output” on page 304
“Import XML files” on page 83
Adobe AIR layout
You use the Adobe AIR layout to generate Help as an Adobe AIR application, browser-based Help (with the theme
and skin of an Adobe AIR application), or a packaged data file that can be viewed in an AIR Help viewer.
Adobe AIR is a cross-platform runtime for building and deploying applications that connect the desktop to the web.
Note: On Linux, the AIR Runtime is not supported after Version 2.6. AIR Help will still run on Linux using Version 2.6.
For a list of benefits of generating output in the Adobe AIR layout, see “About output types” on page 28.
For more information about Help applications using Adobe AIR, see
www.adobe.com/go/learn_rh_article_airhelp_en.
Configure the Adobe AIR layout
You configure the Adobe AIR layout from the Adobe AIR option in the Single Source Layouts pod. In the Adobe AIR
dialog box, you can select the output type, configure the installer settings, and define how the Help content is presented
to the users.
❖Select Adobe AIR from the Single Source Layouts pod and do one of the following:
•Right-click and select Properties from the context menu.
•Select Edit > Properties.
More Help topics
“Merging Help projects” on page 96
“Distribute Adobe AIR output” on page 321
“Hosting updates for AIR Help” on page 312
“Create custom skins for Adobe AIR projects” on page 336
“Review and collaboration in AIR Help” on page 352
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Select Help output
You can select one of the four output options for Adobe AIR:
❖In the General tab of the Adobe AIR dialog box, select the output type:
Adobe AIR Application Generates Adobe AIR output as embedded Help. The Help system is created as a single AIR
application installer. You can install the AIR application locally or distribute it to your users. Users can update their
installed Help system based on Adobe AIR whenever an update is available on the web. For more information about
autoupdates, see the AutoUpdating section in the Adobe AIR Help article by Peter Grainge.
Note: You need JRE 1.6 or higher installed on your system to install the Adobe AIR application.
Browser Based Help Generates browser-based Help as an Adobe Flex application that you can use as online or
embedded Help. You can upload this output to the server with specific configurations. Users can view this Help
using a browser with Adobe Flash plug-in 9.0 or later installed.
Note: Browser-based Help does not support Adobe AIR application features such as commenting, favorites, resources,
RSS, and auto-update.
AIR Application And Browser Based Help Generates the Help system in two formats simultaneously: Adobe AIR
application and browser-based Help. You can view the AIR application after installing it on your computer. You
can view the browser-based Help by uploading it to a server. The two Help systems are independent of each other.
Help Content Only Generates the Help system as a data file (RHA) that you can view in a Help viewer. Use the Help
Viewer wizard in RoboHelp to create a Help viewer. To view multiple files in a single view, you can write the
location of all those files in a HelpConfig file.
Note: For the syntax of the HelpConfig file, see “Create and locate a Help content configuration file” on page 309.
For a step-by-step description of how to merge the output of multiple projects into a single .air file, see
www.adobe.com/go/learn_rh_merge_rha_en .
Configure Help settings
❖In the General tab of the Adobe AIR dialog box, set the following.
Output Location of AIR File Click Browse to select a folder for the Help application installer (AIR file) and specify
a name. By defa-ult, RoboHelp names the Help application installer by appending .air to your project name.
Output Location of Start Page (Browser-based Help Only) Specify the first page to display in browser-based Help.
Help Title Specify a title for your Help application. This title appears in the title bar of the Help and in Program
Files.
Version Specify a version number for the generated Help application. Typically, you set 1.0 as the version number
for the initial release of your Help application, and increment the version number for subsequent releases. The
incremental version numbers help your users identify updated Help content in their local installations.
Help ID Specify a unique identifier for the Help application. The Help ID can be alphanumeric and include periods
and hyphens.
Note: When you deliver updated Help, change only the version number. The installed AIR Help uses the combination
of Help ID and Version to identify whether a later version of Help is available.
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Configure the Help application installer
You configure the settings for the Help application installer.
❖In the General tab of the Adobe AIR dialog box, set the following under the Installer Settings group:
Digital Certificate A digital signature ensures that the Help system (or its updates) has not been altered or
corrupted since it was created. All Adobe AIR applications require a digital signature and can't be installed without
one. If your organization has purchased one from a certificate authority, click Browse to select it. Otherwise, click
Create to create a self-signed (and reusable) certificate. See “Create a self-signed digital certificate” on page 291.
Password Enter the password assigned to the digital certificate.
Include Timestamp Select to include a timestamp on the digital certificate. The timestamp provides information on
how long the certificate is valid.
Program Menu Folder Specify the program menu folder name. For example, on Windows, the string that you
specify is appended to form the path Start > Programs > [program menu folder name] > [Help system title].
Create content categories
Create content categories to publish the output as a package of user-centric Help systems (for example, a package of
Help systems for different user roles, geographies, products, or platforms).
End users view the output as an integrated package of Help systems and have the flexibility to select the Help system
they want to access from a drop-down list. Each Help system has its own TOC, index, browse sequences, and search.
❖In the Content Categories tab of the Adobe AIR dialog box, do the following:
•To create a content category, click New and specify a name.
•To rename a content category, select the category. Click Rename and specify another name.
•To delete a content category, select the category and click Delete. Click Yes to confirm.
•
To change the order of the content categories in the drop-down list from which users select, use Up or Down keys.
•To specify a content category as the default catgory, click Set As Default.
Configure content
You configure the presentation of content in the Help application. If you’ve created content categories, configure the
presentation of content for each category.
❖In the Content tab of the Adobe AIR dialog box, set the following for each content category:
Content Title Specify a title for the content category. The title appears in a drop-down list and helps users to
navigate to a content category.
Note: If you’ve not created content categories, skip this field. RoboHelp uses the title you specified in Help Settings in
the General tab.
Table Of Contents Select the TOC to be displayed in the generated Help. See “TOCs” on page 165.
Index Select the index to be displayed in the generated Help. See “Indexes” on page 170.
Glossary Select the glossary to be displayed in the generated Help. See “Glossaries” on page 184.
Variables Set Select a variable set to override the default variable set in the generated Help. See “User-defined
variables” on page 149.
Default Topic The topic that appears when Help opens. By default, the first topic in the table of contents is the
default topic.
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Language Specify the output language for the layout if the language is different from the language of the project.
RoboHelp uses this language setting for the UI strings and language-related UI elements in the preview and
generated output.
Encoding Specify the character encoding format if the web server to which you’re publishing has character
encoding different from UTF-8.
Map Files Specify the map files that contain topic IDs associated with map IDs to provide context-sensitive Help.
Browse Sequences Select the browse sequences for this content category.
Conditional Build Expression Specify a conditional build expression to apply to the output. See “Conditional build
tag expressions” on page 223.
Apply To All Topics Specify whether to apply a master page or a CSS to all the topics. If you do not select the Apply
To All option, the master pages associated with individual topics become effective. If no master pages are applied
to topics, they are generated as is. See “Applying a master page or CSS at the time of generation” on page 119
Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project but is
not the default topic in the layout or is not referenced from the selected TOC, index, or browse sequence, or any
referenced topic.
Note: RoboHelp displays the unreferenced topics that are excluded from the output in the Output View pod.
Exclude Unreferenced Baggage Files From Search Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project
but is not referenced from the selected TOC or any referenced topic (if Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output
is selected). If Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output is deselected, RoboHelp excludes baggage files that are
unreferenced from any topic in the project.
Set the Help viewer window and branding options
Appearance settings define the appearance for the Help viewer window.
❖In the Adobe AIR dialog box, select the Template group and set the following:
Template Select a template from the pop-up menu.
Skin Select a skin from the pop-up menu. Alternatively, click Gallery to select a skin from the skins available for
the selected template. You can preview a skin before selecting it.
Copyright Specify the entity that owns the copyright of the Help application. This entity is usually the name of the
company publishing the Help content. The copyright notice appears in the About box (Help > About).
Description Specify a description for the Help. The description appears in the About box (Help > About).
Favicon
(Browser-based Help) Specify an icon to associate with the Help system. The icon appears in the browser tab.
Width and Height Set the width and height of the Help window.
Specify Branding options Click to specify an icon for your Help system in different sizes and specify other branding
options.
The following sizes are used by the operating system to display the Help system icon in predefined locations, such
as the title bar, the taskbar, and the About box:
•128x128
•48x48
•32x32
•16x16
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If you do not specify your own icon, the operating system defaults are used. For best results, provide an image for
each of the specified sizes. In addition, make sure that the icons look presentable in both 16- and 32-bit color modes.
Icon files must be in the PNG format.
You can also display your company logo in the top-right corner of the Help application and copyright information
or any brand-related information in the status bar. The image size for the logo is 32x32.
Template for the Help application
Choose the template that you want to use for your Help application. You can select one of the following three
templates:
Note: Templates are not applicable if you selected the Help Content Only output type.
Classic Help The Classic Help template divides the page into a top pane, left pane, and a content pane.
Multi Tab Accordion The Multi Tab Accordion template divides the page into a top pane, left pane, and a content pane.
Uni Pane The Uni Pane template divides the page into a top pane and a content pane.
All the templates have different appearance and navigation options. They also have some common features. These
features are support for TOC, index, glossary, search, print, and the Content pane. The following table shows the
differences among three types of templates:
Note: Press F11 to show or hide the left and top panes.
You can choose any of the templates to use in the Help system and preview it before generating it.
Note: You can customize a template. By default, all the available options for content display and navigation in a template
are selected.
Configure content presentation
You configure how the Help application behaves when a user uses it.
❖In the Adobe AIR dialog box, select the View group, and set the following:
Enable Highlight Search Results Select to enable highlighting of search results. Topics that match the search criteria
appear with the search term highlighted. Click the Text pop-up menu to set the highlight color.
Enable Substring Search Select to have search results include not only the exact search string but also text in which
the string is embedded. For example, a search for “log” returns topics containing the words “catalog” and
“logarithm.” A substring search takes longer than a whole-string search.
Hide Rank Column In Search Results Select to not display the Rank column in search results.
Show Context In Search Results Select to have the search results displayed along with the first few lines of the topic.
Features Classic Help Multi Tab Accordion Uni Pane
How do I
See “Browse sequences” on
page 205.
Yes No No
Search Yes Yes Yes
Search results that show context No Yes Yes
Showing/hiding the left pane Yes Yes No
Viewing status bar Yes Yes Yes
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Enable External Content Search Select to display content from identified URLs outside the Help system. For
information about how to specify URLs and associate them with search terms, see “External content search” on
page 204.
Enable Auto Update Enables the AIR application to synchronize the AIR file installed on a desktop with the current
content on the network drive or an HTTP server location. Do one of the following:
•Content updates within your network Select File from the Type menu and click Browse to select the folder and
file with the content updates.
•Content updates outside your network Select HTTP from the Type menu and enter the URL of the XML file
that contains the updates to the Help contents.
The Auto-update feature helps your users update the Help application whenever an update is available. You can
send the auto-update in the form of an XML file or host it on a web server. See “Hosting updates for AIR Help” on
page 312.
•Add Click to specify Mac OS and Linux locations to update the installed Help if you are hosting the XML file
on a local or network drive.
Add Resources Select and click the Add button to add external links that appear in the Favorites group in the Help
application.
You can add resources such as technical support pages, knowledgebase articles, RSS feeds, and related websites.
Show Online Content
Specify a server URL from where the viewer picks up the online Help. This option is
applicable only if you select the output type as Adobe AIR Application or AIR Application And Browser Based Help.
Note: If you select this option, make sure that you publish browser-based Help to the location pointed by the server
URL. Otherwise, the AIR application shows offline content.
Configure collaboration
Collaboration settings are available for Adobe AIR Application only.
❖In the Adobe AIR dialog box, select the Collaboration group, and set the following:
Enable Topic Rating Enables users to rate any topic on a scale of 0-5 stars.
Enable Commenting Select to enable commenting.
Enable Comment Moderation Select to allow acceptance or rejection of comments by authorized users
(moderators).
Note: When you distribute the output, make sure that you share the moderator password. See “Distribute Adobe AIR
output” on page 321.
Set Location For Comments And Topic Ratings Depending on whether you want a trust-based system or user
authentication, select one of the following options:
•Select Network Folder. Click Browse to choose the shared network folder where the comments will be stored.
Click Add to add locations on Mac and Linux systems if required. See “URL formats for Windows, Mac, and
Linux” on page 323.
Specify the password that moderators need to provide to access the moderation dashboard.
Select Pending or Accepted to specify how you want to handle unmoderated comments. If you select Pending,
unmoderated comments are not displayed to users.
Storing comments in a shared network folder is suitable in trust-based work environments, where shared
reviews by internal stakeholders are part of the content development process.
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•Select RoboHelp Server and specify the server URL.
Storing comments on RoboHelp Server enables you to authenticate users before allowing them to view or post
comments.
Configuration File Path Specify the path and name of the file that stores the configuration for comment syncing
and auto-update. When the AIR application is distributed, users can copy the default configuration file from the
!SSL folder of the project to the location specified in the configuration file path and modify the default settings
according to their preferences. For example, they can disable commenting or change the location of storing
comments.
You can enter the path in any of the following formats:
•A relative path (relative to the install folder)
•An absolute location, such as a shared network drive or a file location in the user drive
•A web URL pointing to the location where you’ve posted the XML file
Configure a server to host browser-based Help
You can directly upload the generated browser-based Help to a server. Consult your system administrator for
information about which server to use.
Note: Server configuration is not applicable if your output type is Adobe AIR Application.
1Select Server in the Adobe AIR dialog box.
2Click New. Specify the following options in the New Destination dialog box:
Descriptive Name Name for the server to publish the Help system to. For example, if you are publishing a Help
system for internal review, enter “Internal Review Server.”
Connection Protocols Select the protocol for connecting to the server or the sharing platform. Select FTP, HTTP,
File System, or SharePoint.
These are the FTP server connection details:
•Hostname Enter the host name of the FTP server.
•Port Enter the port number. Typically, FTP connections use the default port, 21.
•User ID and Password If your FTP server requires user authentication, enter the user ID and password that your
system administrator provided for you.
•Anonymous User Select Anonymous User if your FTP server allows anonymous FTP. You do not require a user
ID and password for connecting to the FTP server.
Specify these details for the HTTP server connection:
•Host Name Enter the host name of the server.
•Server Directory Enter the directory on the HTTP server to place the Help system contents. Some HTTP servers
require a trailing slash (/) at the end of the path.
Select File System and enter the destination path if you have access to a network path where you can directly upload
your Help system contents.
For the File System server connection, specify the destination path.
For the Microsoft SharePoint server connection, specify the SharePoint directory path. If the SharePoint site path
is mapped as a network drive on the system or added in network paths, you can use the browse button to select the
network path.
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3Set the following options:
Check For Deleted Files Check for files that have been deleted from the destination.
Prompt Before Overwriting Files Receive a warning before overwriting files on the server.
Republish All Republish all files to the destination, overwriting existing files on the server.
Note: If you are setting options for a master project, and a copy of the subproject is in the output folder, ensure that
Republish All is not selected.
4To publish Help, click Save And Generate.
Notes:
•For merged Help systems, publish individual projects to the same location. Do not use Republish All in the master
project.
•Set layout options once and automatically generate the primary layout by selecting the Generate button.
•Generate or publish multiple layouts in a batch.
•If the output is corrupt, check if any topic file has the & character. Rename the topic and regenerate the output.
•For a list of video formats supported in Adobe AIR output, see http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/402/kb402866.html .
Create a self-signed digital certificate
You can create a digital certificate to test or privately distribute the Adobe AIR Help application. However, if you
distribute Help through your website, be sure to procure a digital certificate from a certificate authority (CA), such as
Thawte or VeriSign. Use the digital certificate to sign the Help system.
Digital certificates from certificate authorities can be verified through the web. They assure end-users that the Help
application installer is genuine and free from malware. See www.adobe.com/go/learn_air_digital_certificate for more
information.
1Click Create near the Digital Certificate label.
2In the Create Self-Signed Digital Certificate dialog box, enter the following details:
Publisher Name Specify the name of the publisher. Usually, it is the name of your company. If you are creating a
Help application based on Adobe AIR for another company, specify the name of your client. Optionally, you can
specify the organizational unit and organization name.
Country Select the country of the publisher.
Type Select the encryption standard for the digital certificate. The 2048-RSA standard provides stronger
encryption than the 1024-RSA standard.
Save As Click Browse to select a folder and save the digital certificate that you created. Self-signed digital
certificates are saved with a .p12 extension.
Generate, view, and publish output
Generate output to view it and test links, browse sequences, and other elements. Generating output also updates files
containing information about the project and the output files.
Publishing the output (WebHelp and FlashHelp only) places the output files or folders at a specified location. The
location can be a website, the local hard drive, or a network folder.
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You can use a combination of WebHelp and WebHelp Pro output or Adobe AIR Application and Browser Based Help
output to deliver Airplane Help, which is a popular name for integrated offline/online Help. Read this article to find
out how to implement Airplane Help with WebHelp and WebHelp Pro output.
Delivering Airplane Help with Adobe AIR Application and Browser Based Help output is easier. Make sure that you
select the Show Online Content option and publish Browser Based Help output to the location pointed by the server
URL that you’ve specified. See “Configure the Adobe AIR layout” on page 284.
Generate output
You generate output to your local hard drive. When you generate a layout output for the first time, a new subfolder is
created for the generated output files. It is in the project folder under \!SSL!\[layout name].
Note: Each time you generate output, RoboHelp deletes the output folder files created in the last session. If you add or
hand-code files in the output subfolder, copy them to another location before you generate output.
1In the Single Source Layouts Pod, right-click the layout. Select Generate.
2Set options according to the layout type.
3Click Finish.
Tips for optimal project generation
•Work locally, not from a network.
RoboHelp must access all of the files in your project when generating the output. If a project consists of thousands
of files, even a minor delay caused by network traffic compounds as RoboHelp attempts to access each file. These
delays can adversely affect the generation times.
•Exclude the project folder from virus scan.
Note: Turning off virus-scanning software increases speed but is not recommended for security reasons.
•Ensure that your system has sufficient memory.
More Help topics
“Navigation options” on page 189
“User-defined variables” on page 149
Set options for generating WebHelp
1In the General tab of the WebHelp Settings dialog box, set the following options:
Title Bar Specify the title you want to display in the title bar.
Favicon Specify an icon to associate with the Help system. The icon appears in the browser tab.
Output Folder And Start Page Specifies a location and start page for the Help files. To choose a location for the
output folder, click the browse button
. To select a start page other than the default for the Help project, enter
it using the .htm extension. The start page is a frameset for Help content to which file developers link when calling
the Help system from an application.
Use Lowercase File Names Create filenames that use only lowercase letters. This option is recommended for UNIX
users.
Note: Don’t select this option for merged projects. Links to topics in other projects will convert to lowercase, whereas
the topic filenames will remain the same. The mixed cases create broken links on UNIX.
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2In the Content Categories tab, create content categories to publish the output as a package of user-centric Help
systems (for example, a package of Help systems for different user roles, geographies, products, or platforms).
End users view the output as an integrated package of Help systems and have the flexibility to select the Help system
they want to access from a drop-down list. Each Help system has its own TOC, browse sequences, index, and search.
•To create a content category, click New and specify a name.
•To rename a content category, select the category. Click Rename and specify another name.
•To delete a content category, select the category and click Delete. Click Yes to confirm.
•
To change the order of the content categories in the drop-down list from which users select, use Up or Down keys.
•To specify a content category as the default catgory, click Set As Default.
3In the Content tab, set the following options for each content category:
Content Title Specify a title for the content category. The title appears in a drop-down list and helps users to
navigate to a content category.
Note: If you’ve not created content categories, skip this field. RoboHelp uses the title you specified in Help Settings in
the General tab.
Table Of Contents Select the TOC to be displayed in the generated Help. See “TOCs” on page 165.
Index Select the index to be displayed in the generated Help. See “Indexes” on page 170.
Glossary Select the glossary to be displayed in the generated Help. See “Glossaries” on page 184.
Variable Set Select a variable set to override the default variable set in the generated Help. See “User-defined
variables” on page 149.
Default Topic The topic that appears when Help opens. By default, the first topic in the table of contents is the
default topic.
Language Specify the output language for the layout if the language is different from the language of the project.
RoboHelp uses this language setting for the UI strings and language-related UI elements in the preview and
generated output.
Encoding Specify the character encoding format if the web server to which you’re publishing has character
encoding different from UTF-8.
Map Files Specify the map files that contain topic IDs associated with map IDs to provide context-sensitive Help.
Browse Sequences Select the browse sequences to display.
Conditional Build Expression If you have conditional tags in the project, click Define to specify conditional build
expressions. See “Conditional build tag expressions” on page 223.
Apply To All Topics Select this option to apply master pages or CSS at the project level:
•Master Page The selected master page overrides the settings of all the individual topics with or without a master
page applied to them in the project. The CSS and layout of the master page override the CSS and appearance of all
the topics. If the selected master page does not have a header or footer, no topic displays a header or footer
irrespective of if it had one header or footer defined.
•CSS The master pages associated with individual topics become effective. The selected CSS overrides all the
topics and their CSS irrespective of whether they are associated with a master page or not.
See “Applying a master page or CSS at the time of generation” on page 119.
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Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project but is
not the default topic in the layout or is not referenced from the selected TOC, index, or browse sequence, or any
referenced topic.
Note: RoboHelp displays the unreferenced topics that are excluded from the output in the Output View pod.
Exclude Unreferenced Baggage Files From Search Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project
but is not referenced from the selected TOC or any referenced topic (if Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output
is selected). If Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output is deselected, RoboHelp excludes baggage files that are
unreferenced from any topic in the project.
4In the Navigation tab, set the following options:
Skin Selection (Optional) Browse to a skin in the project, or click Gallery to select one from the Skins Gallery.
Apply skins to customize the colors, buttons, text, fonts, and icons in the output.
Note: The Skin option is disabled if you select the Section 508 Compliant Output option. Use the Traditional Style -
No Skin option.
In-Topic Navigation This option is enabled if you have selected the Traditional Style - No Skin option. Click Edit
to access options to include or exclude Show/Hide buttons for the Navigation pane and to include or exclude
browse sequences in topics.
W3C Compliant Topics For W3C-compliant topics, this option passes the topics through an HTML validator.
Note: Dynamic effects in styles aren’t supported in W3C-compliant output.
Add Mark Of The Web Mark of the Web is a comment in the HTML markup for a web page. Internet Explorer 6
and later reference this comment to determine the security zone for the page on the user’s computer. Select this
option to avoid having Internet Explorer block the output.
Note: Before merging projects, ensure that the Mark Of The Web option is either selected or deselected for the projects.
Section 508 Compliant Output Select to deliver Section 508-compliant WebHelp. Output cannot include skins or
other features such as DHTML.
Optimize Speed For Select the option by which most users access Help. XML formats reduce load times by
downloading only the data immediately needed. For example, the Contents pane fills quickly by initially
downloading only enough data to fill the pane. The rest is downloaded in time for the user to move down the list.
•Web Site (Internet) Select if access is from a website. Assumes slower connections, uses data in smaller pieces,
and requires more WebHelp files.
•Local PC or Intranet (Internal Network) Select if access is from an intranet or a local computer. Assumes
faster connection, uses data in larger pieces, and requires fewer WebHelp files.
Preferred Format Specify how WebHelp handles Dynamic HTML (DHTML) and how end users access Help. The
option you choose depends on user environment, such as the types of browsers and firewalls used.
•DHTML > Pure HTML Uses Dynamic HTML when supported, pure HTML otherwise. If users have firewalls that
block Java applets, select DHTML > Pure HTML, which eliminates Java applets from Help.
•Pure HTML Displays Help using list-based, pure HTML in all browsers. However, Pure HTML reduces
navigation functions.
Toolbar Buttons Select navigation toolbar buttons to appear in the left pane.
Synchronize Table Of Contents Synchronize the TOC with the topic in the right pane so that users see where they
are in the structure.
•To synchronize the TOC automatically, click the pop-up menu and select Automatically.
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•To add a button that users can click to synchronize the TOC, click the pop-up menu and select Manually.
Note: If you use custom skins, provide a button icon in the WebHelp Skin Editor.
Add Breadcrumbs Links Select to add breadcrumbs in the topic pages.
Format Click to change the format of breadcrumbs.
Enable Browse Sequence Specify whether the output should display browse sequences.
Show Navigation Pane Link In Topics Select to include a link to the navigation pane in topics that are opened
through the context-sensitive Help calls.
Show Merged TOC In Child Project Select to view the merged TOC in the child project.
Search Input Field In Toolbar Include a search field in the main toolbar.
Add About Box Set up information that appears in a dynamic window when users click the image in the main
toolbar.
Example of About box
5In the Search tab, set the following options:
Enable Substring Search If you enable this feature, a search for "log" returns topics containing the words "catalog"
and "logarithm." Substring search takes longer than whole-string search.
Enable Highlighting In Search Results Select to enable highlighting of search results. From the pop-up menu, select
a color for the highlight.
Enable External Content Search Select to display content from identified URLs outside the Help system. For
information about how to specify URLs and associate them with search terms, see “External content search” on
page 204.
Show Context In Search Results Select to have the search results displayed along with the first few lines of the topic.
Hide Rank Column In Search Results Select to not display the Rank column in search results.
6In the Publish tab, set the following options, and then click Save And Generate.
Servers Specify a server location for the output. To publish to a SharePoint site, click New and select SharePoint.
Enter the UNC path of the folder on the SharePoint site (If the folder is mapped as a network drive, click Browse
to select the drive).
Options Specify how to handle changes to files in the output:
•Check For Deleted Files If selected, RoboHelp HTML checks for files that have been deleted from the
destination location and republishes them.
•Prompt Before Overwriting Files If selected, RoboHelp prompts you before overwriting files.
•Republish All Select to republish all files to the destination target. For master projects with a copy of the
subproject in the subfolder, do not select Republish All. You then avoid overwriting output files already published
to the same location.
Note: If you change the destination to a new host, specify the user ID and password and save the password in the
registry, if necessary.
More Help topics
“Dynamic HTML and special effects” on page 213
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Set options for generating FlashHelp
In addition to the standard generate options, set the following FlashHelp options, as necessary:
1Set the following options, and then click Next.
Title Bar Specify the title you want to display in the title bar.
Favicon Specify an icon to associate with the Help system. The icon appears in the browser tab.
Output Folder And Start Page Specifies a location and start page for the Help files. To choose a location for the
output folder, click the folder button
. To select a start page other than the default for the Help project, enter it
using the .htm extension. The start page is a frameset for Help content to which file developers link when calling
the Help system from an application.
Use Lowercase File Names Select if you want to create filenames that use only lowercase letters. This option is
recommended for UNIX users.
Note: Don’t select this option for merged projects. Links to topics in other projects will convert to lowercase, whereas
the topic filenames will remain the same. The mixed cases create broken links on UNIX.
Conditional Build Expression If you have conditional tags in the project, click Define to specify conditional build
expressions.
Skin Choose from the skins in the project, or click Gallery to select one from the Skins Gallery. Skins let you
customize the output by changing the colors, buttons, text, fonts, and icons. A skin is required for FlashHelp output.
Note: The Skin option is disabled if you select the Section 508 Compliant Output option. Use the Traditional Style -
No Skin option.
Table Of Contents Select a table of contents to display in the generated Help.
Index Select an index to display in the generated Help.
Glossary Select a glossary to display in the generated Help.
Variables Select a variable set to override the default variable set values in the generated Help.
Language Specify the output language for the layout if the language is different from the language of the project.
RoboHelp uses this language setting for the UI strings and language-related UI elements in the preview and
generated output.
Encoding Specify the character encoding format if the web server to which you’re publishing has character
encoding different from UTF-8.
Default Topic The topic that appears when Help opens. Click Select to specify a topic. By default, the first topic in
the table of contents is the default topic.
Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project but is
not the default topic in the layout or is not referenced from the selected TOC, index, or browse sequence, or any
referenced topic.
Note: RoboHelp displays the unreferenced topics that are excluded from the output in the Output View pod.
Exclude Unreferenced Baggage Files From Search Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project
but is not referenced from the selected TOC or any referenced topic (if Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output
is selected). If Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output is deselected, RoboHelp excludes baggage files that are
unreferenced from any topic in the project.
W3C Compliant Topics For W3C-compliant topics, this option passes the topics through an HTML validator.
Note: Dynamic effects in styles aren’t supported in W3C-compliant output.
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Add Mark Of The Web Mark of the Web is a comment in the HTML markup for a web page. Internet Explorer 6
and later reference this comment to determine the security zone for the page on the user’s computer. Select this
option to avoid having Internet Explorer block the output.
Note: Before merging projects, ensure that the Mark Of The Web option is either selected or deselected for the projects.
Auto-Manage Flash Security RoboHelp automatically adds the output path to the local-trusted sandbox for Flash
Player for the machine to ensure compatibility with Flash security features.
Apply To All Topics Select this option to apply master pages or CSS at the project level:
•Master Page The selected master page overrides the settings of all the individual topics with or without a master
page applied to them in the project. The CSS and layout of the master page override the CSS and appearance of all
the topics. For example, if the selected master page doesn’t have a header or footer, topics won’t either.
•CSS The master pages associated with individual topics become effective. The selected CSS overrides all the
topics and their CSS irrespective of whether they are associated with a master page or not.
Optimize Speed For Select the option by which most users access Help. XML formats reduce load times by
downloading only the data immediately needed. For example, the Contents pane fills quickly by initially
downloading only enough data to fill the pane. The rest is downloaded in time for the user to move down the list.
•Web Site (Internet) Select if access is from a website. Assumes slower connections, uses data in smaller pieces,
and requires more WebHelp files.
•Local PC or Intranet (Internal Network) Select if access is from an intranet or a local computer. Assumes
faster connection, uses data in larger pieces, and requires fewer WebHelp files.
2Set the following options, and then click Next.
Toolbar buttons Select items to include as toolbar buttons. Click Up or Down to reorder buttons, and click Set As
Default to specify the default button.
Navigation Select the navigation items you want to include in the output.
Additional Options Select the following options as desired:
•Browse Sequences Enables support of browse sequences if you created them. The window contains Previous
and Next buttons. Use skins to customize the browse sequences.
•Search Input Field In Toolbar Adds the Search button to the toolbar. Use skins to customize the Search Input
Field.
•Synchronize Table Of Contents Indicates in the table of contents the location of the viewed topic.
•Add About Box Click Add to specify information that appears in an About window that the user opens from the
main toolbar.
Search Options Specify search options for the generated Help:
•Enable Highlight Search Result Select to enable highlighting of search results. From the pop-up menu, select a
color for the highlight.
•Show Context In Search Result Select to have the search results displayed along with the first few lines of the
topic.
•Enable Substring Search If you enable this feature, a search for "log" returns topics containing the words
"catalog" and "logarithm." Substring search takes longer than whole-string search.
•Enable External Content Search Select to display content from identified URLs outside the Help system. For
information about how to specify URLs and associate them with search terms, see “External content search” on
page 204.
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3Set the following options, and then click Save And Generate.
Server Specify a server location for the output. To publish to a SharePoint site, click New and select SharePoint.
Enter the UNC path of the folder on the SharePoint site (If the folder is mapped as a network drive, click Browse
to select the drive).
Options Specify how to handle changes to files in the output:
•Check For Deleted Files If selected, RoboHelp HTML checks for files that have been deleted from the
destination location and republishes them.
•Prompt Before Overwriting Files If selected, RoboHelp prompts you before overwriting files.
•Republish All Select to republish all files to the destination target. For master projects with a copy of the
subproject in the subfolder, do not select Republish All. You then avoid overwriting output files already published
to the same location.
Note: If you change the destination to a new host, specify the user ID and password and save the password in the
registry, if necessary.
Notes:
•If you generate a project using an earlier version of a Skin Gallery skin, click Yes to cancel the generation and then
update the skin. If you click No, you can generate using the skin, but without new FlashHelp features.
•To update the skin, download the skin again from Community Help, see the SDK documentation, or contact the
Flash developer.
Set options for generating WebHelp Pro or FlashHelp Pro
1Set the following options, and then click Next.
Note: The order of some options varies according to the type of output you generate.
Project Name Differentiates multiple versions of a project on a server, if you merge projects.
Favicon Specify an icon to associate with the Help system. The icon appears in the browser tab.
Output Folder And Start Page Specifies a location and start page for the Help files. To choose a location for the
output folder, click the folder button
. To select a start page other than the default for the Help project, enter it
using the .htm extension. The start page is a frameset for Help content to which file developers link when calling
the Help system from an application.
Conditional Build Expression If you have conditional tags in the project, click Define to specify conditional build
expressions.
Skin Choose from the skins in the project, or click Gallery to select one from the Skins Gallery. Skins let you
customize the output by changing the colors, buttons, text, fonts, and icons. A skin is required for FlashHelp output.
Note: The Skin option is disabled if you select the Section 508 Compliant Output option. Use the Traditional Style -
No Skin option.
Table Of Contents Select a table of contents to display in the generated Help.
Index Select an index to display in the generated Help.
Glossary Select a glossary to display in the generated Help.
Variables Select a variable set to override the default variable set values in the generated Help.
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Language Specify the output language for the layout if the language is different from the language of the project.
RoboHelp uses this language setting for the UI strings and language-related UI elements in the preview and
generated output.
Encoding Specify the character encoding format if the web server to which you’re publishing has character
encoding different from UTF-8.
Default Topic The topic that appears when Help opens. Click Select to specify a topic. By default, the first topic in
the table of contents is the default topic.
Default Window The container in which the Help displays. By default, the Help system opens in the user default
browser window.
Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project but is
not the default topic in the layout or is not referenced from the selected TOC, index, or browse sequence, or any
referenced topic.
Note: RoboHelp displays the unreferenced topics that are excluded from the output in the Output View pod.
Exclude Unreferenced Baggage Files From Search Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project
but is not referenced from the selected TOC or any referenced topic (if Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output
is selected). If Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output is deselected, RoboHelp excludes baggage files that are
unreferenced from any topic in the project.
Apply To All Topics Select this option to apply master pages or CSS at the project level:
•Master Page The selected master page overrides the settings of all the individual topics with or without a master
page applied to them in the project. The CSS and layout of the master page override the CSS and appearance of all
the topics. If the selected master page does not have a header or footer, no topic displays a header or footer
irrespective of if it had one header or footer defined.
•CSS The master pages associated with individual topics become effective. The selected CSS overrides all the
topics and their CSS irrespective of whether they are associated with a master page or not.
2Set the following options, and then click Next.
Enable External Content Search Select to display content from identified URLs outside the Help system. For
information about how to specify URLs and associate them with search terms, see “External content search” on
page 204.
Enable Highlight Search Result Select to enable highlighting of search results. From the pop-up menu, select a color
for the highlight.
Show Context In Search Result Select to have the search results displayed along with the first few lines of the topic.
Hide Rank Column In Search Results (WebHelp Pro) Select to not display the Rank column in search results.
W3C Compliant Topics For W3C-compliant topics, this option passes the topics through an HTML validator.
Note: Dynamic effects in styles aren’t supported in W3C-compliant output.
Add Mark Of The Web Mark of the Web is a comment in the HTML markup for a web page. Internet Explorer 6
and later reference this comment to determine the security zone for the page on the user’s computer. Select this
option to avoid having Internet Explorer block the output.
Note: Before merging projects, ensure that the Mark Of The Web option is either selected or deselected for the projects.
Add About Box Click Add to specify information that appears in an About window that the user opens from the
main toolbar.
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Auto-Manage Flash Security (FlashHelp Pro) If selected, the generated output path is copied to the local-trusted
sandbox of Flash Player. Because of security changes in Flash 7 and later, place SWF files in the trusted security
sandbox of Flash Player. RoboHelp maintains the RoboHelp[version].cfg file in the FlashPlayerTrust folder.
Note: Dynamic effects in styles are not supported in W3C-compliant output.
Show Print Button In Skin (FlashHelp Pro) Displays the Print button in the output.
Show Navigation Pane Link In Topics Includes a link to the navigation pane in topics opened through context-
sensitive Help.
Add Breadcrumbs Links Select to add breadcrumbs in the topic pages.
3Set the following options, and then click Save And Generate.
Servers Specify a server location for the output. Enter Servername:port/context-name/server or
https://Servername:port/context-name/server depending on the protocol you want to use. RoboHelp uses
the http protocol by default.
Options Specify how to handle changes to files in the output:
•Check For Deleted Files If selected, RoboHelp HTML checks for files that have been deleted from the
destination location and republishes them.
•Prompt Before Overwriting Files If selected, RoboHelp prompts you before overwriting files.
•Republish All Select to republish all files to the destination target. For master projects with a copy of the
subproject in the subfolder, do not select Republish All. You then avoid overwriting output files already published
to the same location.
Note: If you change the destination to a new host, specify the user ID and password and save the password in the
registry, if necessary.
Set options for generating Microsoft HTML Help
❖Set the following options, and then click Save And Generate.
Select Output Folder And File Name Specifies a location and start page for the Help files. To choose a location for
the output folder, click the browse button
. To select a start page other than the default for the Help project,
enter it using the .chm extension.
Conditional Build Expression If you have conditional tags in the project, click Define to specify conditional build
expressions.
Table Of Contents Select a table of contents to display in the generated Help.
Index Select an index to display in the generated Help.
Glossary Select a glossary to display in the generated Help.
Variables Select a variable set to override the default variable set values in the generated Help.
Language Specify the output language for the layout if the language is different from the language of the project.
RoboHelp uses this language setting for the UI strings and language-related UI elements in the preview and
generated output.
Default Topic The topic that appears when Help opens. Click Select to specify a topic. By default, the first topic in
the table of contents is the default topic.
Default Window The container in which the Help displays. By default, the Help system opens in the user default
browser window.
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Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project but is
not the default topic in the layout or is not referenced from the selected TOC, index, or browse sequence, or any
referenced topic.
Note: RoboHelp displays the unreferenced topics that are excluded from the output in the Output View pod.
Add Breadcrumbs Links Select to add breadcrumbs in the topic pages.
Optimize CHM File Size Reduces the size of the CHM file.
Advanced Settings Click to specify custom styles for the table of contents and index.
Apply To All Topics Select this option to apply formatting at the project level:
•Master Page The selected master page overrides the settings of all the individual topics with or without a master
page applied to them in the project. The CSS and layout of the master page override the CSS and appearance of all
the topics. For example, if the selected master page doesn’t have a header or footer, topics won’t either.
•CSS The master pages associated with individual topics become effective. The selected CSS overrides all the
topics and their CSS irrespective of whether they are associated with a master page or not.
Set options for generating Oracle Help
1Set the following options, and then click Next.
Select Output Folder And Filename Name and location of output files.
Use Lowercase Filenames Recommended for UNIX users or users accessing files on a UNIX server.
Conditional Build Expression Click Define to specify conditional build expressions.
Default Topic Click Select to select a topic to display when the Help opens.
Navigation Pane Specify the tabs that appear in the Help navigation pane.
In-Topic Navigation Bar Options for the navigation bar.
Output Specify the type of Oracle Help output:
•Uncompressed Oracle Help With Source Files Generates HS files and individual source files.
•Compressed Oracle Help Generates JAR and HS files.
•Compressed Oracle Help With Source Files Generates JAR and HS files, and individual source files.
Note: Generating Oracle Help source files empties the Oracle Help output folder.
Table Of Contents Select the table of contents to display in the output.
Index Select the index to display in the output.
Variables Select a variable set to override the default variable set values in the generated Help.
Language Specify the output language for the layout if the language is different from the language of the project.
RoboHelp uses this language setting for the UI strings and language-related UI elements in the preview and
generated output.
Encoding Specify the character encoding format if the web server to which you’re publishing has character
encoding different from UTF-8.
Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project but is
not the default topic in the layout or is not referenced from the selected TOC, index, or browse sequence, or any
referenced topic.
Note: RoboHelp displays the unreferenced topics that are excluded from the output in the Output View pod.
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Apply To All Topics Select this option to apply formatting at the project level:
•Master Page The selected master page overrides the settings of all the individual topics with or without a master
page applied to them in the project. The CSS and layout of the master page override the CSS and appearance of all
the topics. For example, if the selected master page doesn’t have a header or footer, topics won’t either.
•CSS The master pages associated with individual topics become effective. The selected CSS overrides all the
topics and their CSS irrespective of whether they are associated with a master page or not.
2Set the following options, and then click Next:
Label Text displayed when the mouse hovers over the view name. Leave empty to use default text.
Image Click the browse button to select an image to use in the toolbar.
3Set the following options, and then click Next:
Title (Optional) Specify text that appears in the viewer. Leave the boxes empty to use default text (Contents, Index,
Full-Text Search).
Image Click the browse button to select an image that appears next to the table of contents title.
4Click Add to specify a remote view for the TOC, index and Search. Enter view properties, and then click Next:
General tab Set the following options:
•Name (Optional) A unique name for the remote view.
•Type Remote view type: TOCNavigator, KeywordNavigator, or SearchNavigator. Oracle Help merges views
with identical labels and view types.
•Engine Format of the data file for the view.
•Data File Path (filename or URL) to the remote view.
Optional tab Set the following options:
•Text Specify the tab label and view title. Leave the boxes empty to use the default text (Contents, Index, Full-
Text Search).
•Image Click the browse button to select an image to use in the toolbar.
Map Reference tab Click the browse button to add a pointer to the map file for the remote view.
5To merge an external HelpSet file (.hs) with the project, specify the path in SubHelp Sets, and click Add.
6Click Save And Generate.
7If the JavaHelp JDK Requirement dialog box appears, select one of the following options:
Note: This dialog box appears if Sun Java 2 JDK or later isn’t installed.
Generate without Full-text Search Click to generate output without full-text search functionality.
Locate Java SDK Install Folder Click to browse to the Java JDK install folder. Click Network to locate and map the
folder on a network drive.
Set options for generating JavaHelp Help
1Set the following options, and then click Save And Generate.
Select Output Folder And Filename Name and location of output files.
Use Lowercase Filenames Recommended for UNIX users or users accessing files on a UNIX server.
Conditional Build Expression Click Define to specify conditional build expressions.
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Default Topic Click Select to select a topic to display when Help opens.
In-Topic Navigation Bar Specify options for the navigation bar.
Table Of Contents Select a table of contents to display in the output.
Index Select an index to display in the output.
Glossary Select a glossary to display in the output.
Variables Select a variable set to override the default variable set values in the generated Help.
Language Specify the output language for the layout if the language is different from the language of the project.
RoboHelp uses this language setting for the UI strings and language-related UI elements in the preview and
generated output.
Encoding Specify the character encoding format if the web server to which you’re publishing has character
encoding different from UTF-8.
Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project but is
not the default topic in the layout or is not referenced from the selected TOC, index, or browse sequence, or any
referenced topic.
Note: RoboHelp displays the unreferenced topics that are excluded from the output in the Output View pod.
Version Specify the JavaHelp version.
Compress Select from the following options:
•Uncompressed JavaHelp With Source Files Generates HS files and individual source files.
•Compressed JavaHelp JAR Generates JAR and HS files.
•Compressed JavaHelp With Source Files Generates JAR and HS files, and individual source files.
Note: Generating JavaHelp source files empties the JavaHelp output folder.
Apply To All Topics Select this option to apply formatting at the project level:
•Master Page The selected master page overrides the settings of all the individual topics with or without a master
page applied to them in the project. The CSS and layout of the master page override the CSS and appearance of all
the topics. If the selected master page does not have a header or footer, no topic displays a header or footer
irrespective of if it had one header or footer defined.
•CSS The master pages associated with individual topics become effective. The selected CSS overrides all the
topics and their CSS irrespective of whether they are associated with a master page or not.
Advanced Navigation view properties and merging options.
2If the JavaHelp JDK Requirement dialog box appears, select one of the following options:
Note: This dialog box appears if Sun Java 2 JDK or later isn’t installed.
Generate without Full-text Search Click to generate output without full-text search functionality. The JavaHelp
SubHelpSets dialog box appears.
Merge an external JavaHelp HelpSet (HS file) into the project.
•Subhelp sets Enter the full path (filename or URL) to the HelpSet (.hs) file.
•Add Add the specified HS file.
•Update Change the location of a SubHelpSet file already added. Highlight the file, change the path in the
SubHelpSet box, and click Update.
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•Remove Delete the selected SubHelpSet file.
Locate Java SDK Install Folder Click to browse to the Java JDK install folder. Click Network to locate and map the
folder on a network drive.
You can define the viewer class for a given MIME type by specifying the following information.
Type Enter the MIME type.
Class Enter a Java class for viewing the MIME type.
Set options for generating XML output
❖Set the following options, and then click Save And Generate.
Select Output Folder And File Name Name and location of output files.
Conditional Build Expression Click Define to specify conditional build expressions.
Select Export Handler Advanced options include the following:
•Export Project To DocBook Exports the entire XML project to DocBook format.
•Export Topics To DocBook Exports only the topics to DocBook format.
•Export Project To XHTML Exports the XML project to XHTML format. All topics are converted to XHTML files.
For DocBook options, click Advanced to set additional options:
•Content Only Exports only the meaningful content (text and data) contained in the project or topic. No
DHTML effects are included.
•Full-Featured Export Exports the entire project or topic contents (text and data and their related display
format). All DHTML effects are included.
Table Of Contents Select a table of contents to display in the output.
Index Select an index to display in the output.
Glossary Select a glossary to display in the output.
Variables Select a variable set to override the default variable set values in the generated Help.
Encoding Specify the character encoding format if the web server to which you’re publishing has character
encoding different from UTF-8.
Exclude Unreferenced Topics From Output Select this option to exclude any topic that exists in the project but is
not the default topic in the layout or is not referenced from the selected TOC, index, or browse sequence, or any
referenced topic.
Note: RoboHelp displays the unreferenced topics that are excluded from the output in the Output View pod.
Apply To All Topics Select this option to apply formatting at the project level:
•Master Page The selected master page overrides the settings of all the individual topics with or without a master
page applied to them in the project. The CSS and layout of the master page override the CSS and appearance of all
the topics. For example, if the selected master page doesn’t have a header or footer, topics won’t either.
•CSS The master pages associated with individual topics become effective. The selected CSS overrides all the
topics and their CSS irrespective of whether they are associated with a master page or not.
More Help topics
“XML layout” on page 283
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Generate EclipseHelp
EclipseHelp contains a bunch of HTML files with an XML-based TOC and a plugin.xml file. Eclipse uses the plugin
file to display the Help from Help > Help Contents.
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Generate > EclipseHelp.
•Select Tools > Scripts > EclipseHelp Generator.
2Select the folder where you want to store the EclipseHelp output.
3Specify the following information:
Title A title for the output. By default, RoboHelp displays the project name.
Provider Name The name of the company.
Version The version number of the output.
ID A unique ID for the output.
4 Click Generate.
Generate output in the ePub format
The ePub format helps you to distribute content to mobile devices, eBook readers, and tablets. Adobe Digital Editions,
Calibre, and the ePub Reader plug-in with Mozilla Firefox are some ePub readers.
Adobe Digital Editions reader software is free and can be downloaded from the Digital Editions product site.
RoboHelp creates a single .epub file containing the XHTML-based content. The exported file includes the JPEG
thumbnail image that you specify for the cover page of the document (see “Run the ePub Generator script” on
page 306). This thumbnail is used to depict the book in the Digital Editions Reader library view.
More Help topics
“Apply conditional build tags to content” on page 221
ePub resources
Read this articleby Neil Perlin to get an overview of ePub, RoboHelp’s support for ePub, and some best practices.
For a list of top features of ePub, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_rh_blog_epub_en.
For more information on the ePub format, see www.idpf.org.
For guidelines for creating well-formed and well-formatted ePub documents, refer to
www.adobe.com/go/learn_rh_epub_best_practices_en (Best Practices Guide in ePub format).
See the blog Digital Editions for information about Digital Editions.
Prepare for generating the ePub output
1Download a zip executable for Windows from http://stahlforce.com/dev/zip.exe.
2Review your project content and apply CBTs to content not supported by the ePub format (such as drop-down or
expanded text).
3Create the TOC for the ePub output.
4In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click XML Output and select New Layout. Specify a name and click OK.
5Select the TOC you created for the ePub output.
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Note: The ePub output does not support indexes and glossaries.
6Select or define the conditional build expression.
7Click Save.
The sample projects available in your installation (accessible from the Starter pod) contain layouts that are configured
for ePub output. Check the settings of these layouts.
Run the ePub Generator script
1Do one of the following:
•Select File > Generate > ePub Output.
•Select Tools > Scripts > ePub Generator.
2Specify a location to store the ePub output.
3Select the XML layout that contains the settings for the output.
4In the Metadata tab, specify metadata to conform to the Open Packaging Format (OPF) specification:
Title A title for the output. By default, RoboHelp displays the project name.
Author(s) (Optional) The name of the author. To specify multiple author names, use comma as the separator.
Publisher (Optional) The name of the entity responsible for making the output available, for example, the author
or the organization.
Tag(s) (Optional) The keywords to associate with the content.
Rights (Optional) A statement about rights, for example, a copyright notice.
Description (Optional) A description of the content.
ISBN (Optional) An identifier conforming to the ISBN specification.
Publish Date The date of publishing the output. Follow the format specified in Date and Time Formats.
Language The language in which the content is written. For information about the format, see Dublin Core
Metadata Element Set.
5In the Cover Page tab, browse and select the image you want to display on the cover page of the ePub output.
6In the Zip Location tab, specify the location of the zip executable for Windows.
Note: If zip.exe is not available on your computer, click Open In Browser to download zip.exe for Windows.
7 Select Open ePub In Default Application.
8 Click Generate.
Batch-generate output
Batch-generating output eliminates the need to wait for each output to finish processing before starting the next one.
You can publish output from different layouts to different locations. Batch-processing saves time if you use conditional
build tags to test, view, or distribute different outputs.
Layouts are processed in the order they appear in the Batch Generate dialog box.
Important: During generation, RoboHelp deletes the output folder files created in the last session. If you add or hand-
code files in the output subfolder, copy them to another location before generating the output.
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click a layout.
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2Select Batch Generate.
3Select the layouts for the outputs to generate.
4Click Generate or Publish.
Notes:
•Generating WebHelp or WebHelp Pro requires a browser.
•To generate printed Word documents for the first time, enable macros in Word.
•Publish is available only if destinations for the selected WebHelp layouts are defined.
•Check the status of a generation in the Batch Generate dialog box. For a status of Failed, check the compiler
messages in the lower pane to resolve the problem. For WinHelp projects, generate the project in the Layout wizard
and use Error wizard to locate the problem.
•View published WebHelp or WebHelp Pro output from the server to see changes and server-dependent features.
View output
❖Do one of the following:
•If the output is already generated, in the Single-Source Layouts pod, right-click the layout and select View. If
prompted, click Yes to regenerate the output before you view it.
•If you have generated the layout, click View Result. After viewing, you can click Done, or publish the output to
the location specified in the layout by clicking Publish.
•First publish the master project and view the master project from the published location to see the merged
system. To publish the project, click Publish.
Note: If the Publish button is disabled, add a destination in the Publish dialog box when generating or editing.
View WebHelp, WebHelp Pro and FlashHelp Pro output
To preview a WebHelp Pro or FlashHelp Pro project locally without publishing to the Adobe RoboHelp Server, open
it in a web browser. You can’t preview the index, table of contents, links, and browse sequences locally.
You also can test the published project, including all server-dependent features, by viewing it from the server.
View the project in the browser to test links, images, browse sequences, and other elements.
Note: Chrome security settings do not allow loading HTML pages from a local disk. To view output in Chrome, launch
Chrome from the command line in access file allowed mode (Chrome.exe -allow-file-access-from-files).
View WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, and FlashHelp Pro remotely
1Open the project, and ensure that the appropriate layout is the primary layout.
2Select File > View > Primary Layout From Server.
View WebHelp, WebHelp Pro and FlashHelp Pro locally
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click the layout. Do one of the following:
•To view the output in the default browser, select View. If prompted, click Yes if you want to update the output.
Otherwise click No.
•To view the output in a selected browser, select View With and choose one of the browsers installed on your
computer.
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Different browsers render CSS-based content differently. Multibrowser support for previewing topics and
project output helps you test whether the content appears correctly in commonly used browsers.
2If a Limitations dialog box appears, click OK. The dialog box lists features that you cannot view without being
connected to a server, such as the Search button and Windows properties.
The project opens in the default browser.
Important: If the topics contain links to PDFs, make sure that Adobe® Acrobat® 10 is installed on your computer.
Previewing any PDF in Acrobat 9 or earlier versions might not work correctly.
To view a merged Help system from the master project local copy, copy the subproject WebHelp files to the master
project mergedProject\[project name] folder. Right-click the layout in the Single Source Layouts pod. Select View. Do
not use the Republish All option in the master project.
View compiled Microsoft HTML Help
1In the Single Source Layout pod, right-click Microsoft HTML Help.
2If prompted, click Yes if you want to update the output. Otherwise click No.
Note: To see inbound and outbound links by topic, select View > Pods > Link View.
More Help topics
“View topics and design elements” on page 114
Help Viewer Wizard
Help Viewer Wizard enables you to generate an AIR Help viewer (AIR file) and installer, define the content
appearance, and specify other settings.
Generate an AIR Help viewer
1Select View > Pods > Toolbox.
2Double-click to start Help Viewer Wizard.
3Specify the required information.
Note: Just select the path for the file and enter any name as the file name.
4Specify a version number and an ID.
5Create a self-signed digital certificate. See “Create a self-signed digital certificate” on page 291.
6Click Finish.
Copy the Help content file
❖Copy the Help content file (RHA) to your computer. It can be in any location, but the installer needs to remember
the location.
See “Select Help output” on page 285 for information about how an RHA file is generated.
Install the Help application
The AIR Help viewer is an AIR file that installs the Help application.
1Go to the C:/Program Files/[folder name].
2Double-click the AIR file.
3Go to the same folder and double-click the EXE file.
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Create and locate a Help content configuration file
The AIR Help viewer must be associated with the Help content file to display content in the selected format. Create an
XML file with a .helpcfg extension to associate the RHA file with the AIR Help viewer. Save the file at the same location
as the installed AIR file. The AIR Help viewer uses the .helpcfg file to locate the path to the Help content file and then
displays the Help content.
Repeat the XML code for every Help file that you want to display with the Help viewer.
For example, an XML file that contains the Help content configuration contains the following line of code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<contents>
<data id="" label="" onlineurl="" offlineurl=""/>
</contents>
Note: The name of the .helpcfg file can be set to any name. The name does not need to match the name of the .air or .exe
file in the installation folder.
Publish output
You can publish output for WebHelp and FlashHelp projects. After you specify an output location, publish the output
whenever needed. Publish multiple versions of a project (including to multiple locations) using batch-processing.
You can select to publish only the files that changed since they were last published.
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click the layout and select Properties.
2Do the following:
•(WebHelp) Click Publish.
•(FlashHelp) Click Next until the Publish dialog box appears.
3Specify a publishing destination by doing one of the following:
•Select or edit an existing destination from the Servers box, set options as necessary, and click Save.
Check For Deleted Files If selected, RoboHelp HTML checks for files that have been deleted from the
destination location and republishes them.
Prompt Before Overwriting Files If selected, RoboHelp prompts you before overwriting files.
Republish All Select to republish all files to the destination target. For master projects with a copy of the
subproject in the subfolder, do not select Republish All. You then avoid overwriting output files already
published to the same location.
Attribute name Attribute value
ID The unique string that distinguishes a Help data file from other Help data files in the viewer. You can
use this ID to call the CSH API or to start the AIR Help viewer.
label The label for Help content when the Help viewer contains multiple Help data files. The Help viewer
displays this string in the selected Help content.
onlineurl The online URL of the Help content that is hosted on a server.
offlineurl The offline location of the Help file if locally installed Help is available.
useoffline Optional setting. If you set this attribute to “true,” the AIR Help viewer picks offline Help content
when you launch the Help application. If no offline Help is available, then you don’t need this
attribute in the Help content configuration file.
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Note: If you change the destination to a new host, specify the user ID and password and save the password in the
registry, if necessary.
•To specify a new destination, click New. Type a descriptive name and set options as necessary. Click OK.
Connection Protocols Specify the type of transfer protocol to use to reach the new destination. Select File System
to publish files to a local or network drive. For FrontPage Enabled, first install and customize Microsoft
FrontPage and its server extensions. For the Microsoft SharePoint server connection, specify the SharePoint
directory path. If the SharePoint site path is mapped as a network drive on the system or added in network paths,
you can use the browse button to select the network path.
Merging Help Systems To publish a subproject to the MergedProjects folder, specify the following information:
•In Host Name, enter the IP address or URL.
•In Web Name, type the name of a web on the server (or the empty string for the root web).
•In Server Directory, enter the path to the master project: /.../[master project]/MergedProjects/[subproject].
This path resides on the server after the master project is published.
Options Options depend on the selected connection protocol.
•Server Name Server on which to publish files. You can use an IP address.
•User ID Specifies the user ID to connect to the host.
•Password Specifies the password for the user ID. The network system administrator can provide this
information.
•Save Password Saves the password so you do not need to enter it when you publish the files. (Saving the
password enters the password into the registry. It is not encrypted.)
•Port Port to use when connecting to the host.
•Anonymous User Publishes the files as an anonymous user that does not require a password. If you supply a
password or other anonymous information such as an e-mail address, deselect this option. Type Anonymous
in the user ID box, and type a password in the Password box.
•Server Directory Specifies the destination directory on the server. The default is a forward slash.
•Web Name The name of a FrontPage Web on the server selected in Host Name. (No initial slash is required
for subwebs.)
Note: Web Name is used only if FrontPage Server Extensions are installed on the server. Otherwise, the files are
published to the server directory specified using FTP://.
•Destination Path (HTTP protocol) Path to the location to publish the files.
4In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click the layout, and select Publish. If prompted, choose whether to generate
and include changes before publishing.
5Click Close.
View the output from the server to see changes and server-dependent features.
Generate and publish output from the command prompt
Command-line generation publishes layouts without opening RoboHelp, or automatically in a scheduled batch.
Command-line and batch generation and publishing can occur simultaneously.
Note: To access the command prompt from within RoboHelp, click Start > Programs > Adobe RoboHelp [version]> Tools
> RoboHelp Command Prompt.
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Open the application from the command prompt
1At the command prompt, enter the command in the following format:
rhcl myproject\myproject.xpj
2Access the output files in the default output folder.
Generate layouts from the command prompt
•To generate a single layout to the default output folder (!SSL!), enter the command in the following format:
rhcl [project path] [-l] [layout name]
•To generate a single layout to a custom output folder, enter the command in the following format:
rhcl [project path] [-l] [layout name] [-o] [path of custom output folder]
•To generate all layouts to the default output folder (!SSL!), enter the command in the following format:
rhcl [project installation path] [-b]
•To generate all layouts to a custom output folder, enter the command in the following format:
rhcl [full or relative path of the RoboHelp project] [-b]
Publish layouts from the command prompt
❖Enter the command in the following format:
rhcl [project path] [-p] [server name][user name][password]
The server name, user name, and password are optional.
Command prompt options
Commands must start with rhcl and include the project path and name. Enter commands using the following format:
rhcl [-?] [-h] [project path] [-l] [layout name] [-p] [server name:user name:password] [-o]
[output folder path] [-d] [-b] [-g]
Not all options are required when entering a command.
-l Generates a layout. Specify the layout name (for example, -l FlashHelp). The application generates the primary
layout if a layout is not specified.
-p Publishes a layout. Configure all publishing destinations using the New Destination dialog box.
“ Indicates spaces.
-o Sends the output to a folder.
-d Displays layout and publishing destination names at the command prompt.
-b Generates the layouts set for batch generation. Outputs to the output folder for a particular single-source layout.
-h Displays Help.
•rhcl
•rhcl -h
•rhcl -?
-g Specifies a log filename.
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If you specify this option with the rhcl command, rhcl writes the output into the specified log file. The output is not
sent to the console. The specified log filename cannot contain Unicode characters. If a file by this name exists, that file
is overwritten.
Hosting updates for AIR Help
After you publish your initial Adobe AIR application, you can correct and revise the content as needed. By default,
when a user launches the Help application, it displays the online content, so the displayed Help contains your updates.
When you generate a new version of an Adobe AIR application, a Help content configuration file is created along with
the output. This XML file is unique for each version of the Help application. It contains information about the location
of the published Help application, the Help ID, and the version number. Place this XML file with the Help application
installer on the specified shared server location for users. When a user’s installed version checks for updates from this
location, the Help application is updated.
Create and host an update
1Right-click Adobe AIR in the Single Source Layouts pod, and select Properties.
2Specify the updated information for your Help content.
Since you are updating existing Help content, retain the Help title and Help ID of the Help output you configured
earlier, but update the version number.
3In the Adobe AIR dialog box, select the View group and select Enable Auto Update, if it is not enabled already.
4Specify the location of the updated Help content configuration file (XML file) that is hosted on a shared location or
web server.
To distribute Help updates within your network, select the file path. To distribute outside the network, select a web
server location.
5Update any other parameters you require, such as resource tabs.
6Generate the Help output formats.
Post an update
You can post an update for the Adobe AIR application at the specified web server address (HTTP location) or in the
network folder.
❖Generate Help and then post the updated Help application installer and the associated XML file to the web server
or folder.
Distribute the project output
After you create and test the project output, you distribute it to the developer or publisher. The output you deliver
depends on the project. By default, the output for distribution is in the project subfolder. (For Microsoft HTML Help,
the output is compiled into a single CHM file.)
Some RoboHelp tools provide Help functions through DLL and OCX files. Be sure to distribute these files. They must
be included with the installer for the Help system.
DLLs required by a RoboHelp application are listed in application Help. Redistributables are listed in Redistrb.Txt in
the Redist folder in RoboHelp [version] Program Files.
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Note: Add the output to version control to provide accessibility to others.
Distribute WebHelp
For Help systems published to a central location, only the information relevant to the current inquiry is downloaded
to user browsers. The system can also be stored locally.
By default, all WebHelp output files are placed in a project subfolder (!SSL!/WebHelp). The WebHelp folder includes
subfolders. Do not rename or move any of these folders.
•To distribute WebHelp with an application, copy the WebHelp Folder and its contents to a location designated by
the developer. Let the developer know the name of the start page (HTM file).
•To publish WebHelp files to a server, website, or other network location, publish subprojects to the correct folder
in the MergedProjects subfolder.
•When distributing WebHelp as a stand-alone product, copy the WebHelp folder and its contents to a CD, a server,
or any location on user systems. Let users know which start page (HTM file) to select to view the Help system.
Output files in the WebHelp folder
Generating WebHelp creates the following output files in subfolders of the project folder.
Note: Do not import WebHelp-generated HTM files into the project. They are for runtime uses only.
File Description
cshdat_robohelp.htm Data for context-sensitive Help
cshdat_webhelp.htm Legacy support for context-sensitive API
default.css Style sheet
default.skn Default skin
EHLPDHTM.JS JavaScript for advanced functionality such as Dynamic HTML effects
.GIF files Images for skins, navigation, and browse sequences
NewProject.htm Project start page
NewProject.log Lists all necessary files
NewProject_csh.htm Legacy support for context-sensitive API
NewProject_rhc.htm Supports context-sensitive API
webhelp.jar Supports applet-based WebHelp
whestart.ico Internet Explorer Favorites menu icon
whfbody.htm Full-text search lower pane
whfdhtml.htm Full-text search frameset
whfform.htm Full-text search upper pane
whfhost.js JavaScript for full-text search
whform.js Index and full-text search fields
whframes.js Framesets
whgbody.htm Glossary terms
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whgdef.htm Glossary definitions
whgdhtml.htm Manages glossary terms and definitions
whghost.js Supports glossary
whhost.js Lists and loads files in index and glossary
whibody.htm Index lower pane
whidhtml.htm Index frameset
whiform.htm Index upper pane
whihost.js Supports index
whlang.js Language support
whmozemu.js Netscape Navigator functions
whmsg.js Message type definition and structure
whnjs.htm Displayed when JavaScript disabled
whphost.js Determines project contents
whproj.htm Project data
WHPROJ.JS JavaScript that supports WHPROJ.HTM
whproj.xml XML project data
whproxy.js Framework support
whres.xml Applet support (custom fonts and colors)
whskin_banner.htm For logo dialog box- About author (skins)
whskin_blank.htm Internal support file (same as _blank.htm) (skins)
whskin_frmset01.htm Frameset separating navigation pane, navigation bar, and topic (skins)
whskin_frmset010.htm Frameset separating navigation bar and navigation pane (skins)
whskin_info.htm System information page (skins)
whskin_mbars.htm Supports navigation bar (skins)
whskin_papplet.htm Navigation pane for applet (skins)
whskin_pdhtml.htm Navigation pane for Dynamic HTML (skins)
whskin_plist.htm Navigation pane for Pure HTML
whskin_tbars.htm Toolbar (skins)
whst_topics.xml Parses topics during generation
whstart.ico WebHelp icon
whstart.js Supports start page
whstub.js Framework support
whtbar.js Supports navigation bar
whtdhtml.htm TOC body
File Description
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Output files in the Whgdata subfolder
Files in !SSL!\Webhelp\Whgdata are used with Pure HTML WebHelp.
Output files in the Whdata subfolder
Files in !SSL!\Webhelp\Whdata are for DHTML versions of WebHelp on older browsers.
whthost.js Supports TOC
whtopic.js Supports in-topic navigation bar
whutils.js Supports common functions
whver.js Determines browser version
File Description
whexpbar.gif Sets default navigation pane width
whlstf0.htm Full-text search body
whlstfl0.htm Level 2 full-text search letters
whlstg0.htm Glossary terms
whlsti0.htm Index terms
whlstt0.htm Contents (part 2)
whlstt1.htm Contents (part 2)
whnvf30.htm TOC frame
whnvf31.htm Index frame
whnvf32.htm Full-text search frame
whnvf33.htm Glossary frame
whnvl31.htm Level 1 index letters
whnvl32.htm Level 1 full-text search letters
whnvl33.htm Glossary letters
whnvp30.htm TOC navigation pane
whnvp31.htm Index navigation pane
whnvp32.htm Full-text search navigation pane
whnvp33.htm Glossary navigation pane
whnvt30.htm TOC tabs
whnvt31.htm Index tabs
whnvt32.htm Full-text search tabs
whnvt33.htm Glossary tabs
File Description
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Output files in the Whxdata subfolder
Files in !SSL!\Webhelp\Whxdata are used in Java applet and DHTML versions of WebHelp on newer browsers.
File Description
whftdata0.htm Full-text search data - HTML support
whftdata.js Full-text search data - JavaScript supporting WHFDATA0.HTM
whftdata0.xml Full-text search data - XML support
whFull-text search.htm Full-text search index data - HTML support
whFull-text search.js Full-text search index data - JavaScript supporting whFull-text search.htm
whFull-text search.xml Full-text search index data - XML support
whfwdata0.htm Full-text search keywords - HTML support
whfwdata.js Full-text search index data - JavaScript supporting whfwdata0.htm
whfwdata0.xml Full-text search keywords - XML support
whgdata.js Loads glossary term definitions
whGlossary.htm Glossary index data - HTML support
whGlossary.js Glossary index data - JavaScript supporting whGlossary.htm
whGlossary.xml Glossary index data - XML support
whidata0.htm Index data for non-XML browsers
whidata.js JavaScript supporting WHIDATA0.HTM
whidata0.xml Index data - XML version
whidx.htm Index of index data - HTML support
whidx.js Index of index data - JavaScript supporting whidx.htm
whidx.xml Index of index data - XML version
whtdata0.htm TOC data - HTML support
whtdata.js TOC data - JavaScript supporting whtdata0.htm
whtdata0.xml TOC data - XML support
whtoc.htm TOC index of TOC - HTML support
whtoc.js TOC index of TOC - JavaScript supporting whtoc.htm
whtoc.xml TOC index of TOC - XML support
File Description
whftdata0.xml Full-text search data
WHFTS.XML Full-text search index data
WHFWDATA0.XML Full-text search keywords
WHGDATA0.XML Glossary definition data
WHGLO.XML Glossary index data
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Distribute FlashHelp
Users need a browser and Flash Player 8.0 or later to view FlashHelp. If the Help system is stored locally, the.
By default, all FlashHelp output files are placed in a project subfolder (!SSL!/FlashHelp). When you generate
FlashHelp, you can specify the name of the folder where the FlashHelp source files are located, and the name of the
start page.
If the project includes subfolders, the FlashHelp folder includes these subfolders with the files in them. Do not rename
or move any of these folders to keep the project structure intact.
Distribute FlashHelp with an application
❖Copy the FlashHelp Folder and its contents to a location designated by the developer. Let the developer know which
.htm file is the start page.
Publish FlashHelp to a disc, server, or desktop
1Copy the FlashHelp folder and its contents to a disc, server, or local desktop.
2Let users know which start page (.htm file) to select to view the Help system.
Output files for FlashHelp
Output files are created when you use RoboHelp to generate FlashHelp. During project generation, output files are
saved by default in a subfolder named FlashHelp.
Output files in the FlashHelp folder
WHIDATA0.XML Index data
WHIDX.XML Index of index data
WHTDATA0.XML TOC data
WHTOC.XML TOC index of TOC
File Description
cshdat_WEBHELP.htm Legacy support file for context-sensitive API
*.css Style sheet
*.FHS FlashHelp skin file
WF_TOPICS.CSS Style sheet for customized topic scroll bars. Generated based on settings in FlashHelp skin
EHLPDHTM.JS Contains JavaScript functions that RoboHelp uses for advanced functionality such as Dynamic HTML
effects
.GIF files Images for skins, navigation, and browse sequence images
<ProjectName>.htm Project start page
<ProjectName>_csh.htm Legacy support file for context-sensitive API
<ProjectName>_rhc.htm Context-sensitive Help API support file
wf_favicon.ico Icon for Favorites menu in Internet Explorer
File Description
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Output files in the whgdata subfolder
WF_*.HTM FlashHelp run time FLA files
SKIN_*.SWF Skin files
WFRES.XML Localization file (generated from LNG file) that contains all strings loaded into FlashHelp at run time
WHPROJ.XML Project file used by the DHTML version of FlashHelp to load navigation data
whmozemu.js Functions supported in Netscape Navigator
WF_MASTER.JS JavaScript file required for FlashHelp run time
wf_dispatcher.js JavaScript file required for FlashHelp run time
whtopic.js Topic support file (In-topic navigation bar)
whutils.js Utility file for common functions
whver.js Determines browser version
File Description
whexpbar.gif Used to size default navigation pane width
whlstf0.htm Body of full-text search
whlstfl0.htm Letters for full-text search level 2
whlstg0.htm Glossary words list
whlsti0.htm Index words list
whlstt0.htm Contents list part 1
whlstt1.htm Contents list part 2
whnvf30.htm TOC frame
whnvf31.htm Index frame
whnvf32.htm Full-text search frame
whnvf33.htm Glossary frame
whnvl31.htm Index letters level 1
whnvl32.htm Full-text search letters level 1
whnvl33.htm Glossary letters
whnvp30.htm TOC navigation pane
whnvp31.htm Index navigation pane
whnvp32.htm Full-text search navigation pane
whnvp33.htm Glossary navigation pane
whnvt30.htm TOC tabs
File Description
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Output files in the whxdata subfolder
The output files in !Sl!\Flashhelp\whxdata are XML data files used in Java applet and DHTML versions of FlashHelp
running on later browsers.
Note: Do not import FlashHelp-generated HTM output files into the project. They are used for runtime purposes only.
Distribute Microsoft HTML Help
1Distribute the following system Help files to the developer for installation with the program executable (EXE) file.
Or, distribute the files for stand-alone use.
Note: Users can run stand-alone Microsoft HTML Help by double-clicking the CHM file in Windows Explorer.
CHM A single distributed Help system in a single Help file, in addition to any CHM files for subprojects to the
master project. These child CHM files aren’t compiled into the master CHM.
HLP, CNT If the project includes links to topics in a compiled WinHelp file, distribute the HLP and CNT files. They
are not compiled into the master CHM file
DOC, PDF, XLS If the project includes links to external files, distribute the external files. They are not compiled into
the master CHM file unless they are added to the Baggage Files folder.
2The application developer distributes the following support files, depending on the features used in the project and
the versions of Windows that users have.
•Microsoft HTML Help Support Files Built-in components.
•HHActiveX.DLL is an Adobe ActiveX control that provides support for online glossaries and browse sequences.
Install and register the HHActiveX.DLL file on user systems. Copy this file from C:\Program
Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp [version]\RoboHTML into the same folder as the CHM.
whnvt31.htm Index tabs
whnvt32.htm Full-text search tabs
whnvt33.htm Glossary tabs
File Description
whftdata0.xml Full-text search data file
WHFTS.XML Full-text search index data file
WHFWDATA0.XML Full-text search keyword data
WHGDATA0.XML Glossary definitions data file
WHGLO.XML Glossary index data file
WHIDATA0.XML Index data file
WHIDX.XML Index of index data file
WHTDATA0.XML TOC data file
WHTOC.XML TOC index of TOC file
File Description
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•If the Help system includes third-party ActiveX controls, install and register the component support files for the
user systems. Users copy the ActiveX control files into a custom folder, placing the path for the alternate folder
before the .ocx or .dll extension, and then register the files.
Note: The Adobe licensing agreement lets you redistribute Microsoft HTML Help and Internet Explorer files with the
HTML Help output.
Register ActiveX controls
If the project provides ActiveX controls, provide these instructions to users so they can register the controls that you
distribute with the Help system.
1Choose Start > Run.
2
To register the HHActiveX.DLL file, type the following command, specifying the HHActiveX.DLL path, and click OK:
regsvr32 [path] hhactivex.dll
3To register third-party ActiveX controls, type the following command:
regsvr32 [activex_name.dll or activex_name.ocx]
More Help topics
“Create a project” on page 29
“Manage files” on page 36
“ActiveX controls” on page 355
Distribute JavaHelp
Distribute the following files and components:
•If the project is compressed, distribute the JAR file.
•If the project is not compressed, distribute all source files in the output folder.
•JavaHelp 1.1.3 or later components.
•Java Runtime Environment file (JRE), or have users download it from the Sun website.
•If the project contains related topics buttons, distribute the Bsscjhrs.jar file.
Output files for JavaHelp
Output File Description
.HS HelpSet file. Points to a set of map files and defines associated navigational views (TOC, index, and
search).
.JAR Compressed JavaHelp file (optional) containing all project output.
default.css Default cascading style sheet file applied to all project topics.
projectname_ndx.xml Index file describing content and layout for the index view.
projectname_map.xml Map file associating Help topic IDs to HTML files with relevant content, and Window Types. Used in
the API for context-sensitive calls, TOC, and index.
projectname_toc.xml TOC file describing content and layout for the TOC view.
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Distribute Oracle Help
When you generate the output, you can compress all source files into a single JAR file. The JAR file is used for software
application Help, and for distribution as a stand-alone product.
❖Include the following components when you distribute Oracle Help:
•If the project is compressed, the JAR file
•If the project is not compressed, all files and subfolders in the OracleHelp output folder
•JavaHelp 1.1.3 or later components
•Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or Java Development Kit (JDK)
Output files for Oracle Help
Distribute XML output
During generation, CSS, XSL, XML, HTM, and GIF output files are created in a subfolder in the project folder. Other
files include the following:
More Help topics
“View output” on page 307
Distribute Adobe AIR output
Distribution of Adobe AIR output depends on the output type you select.
File Description
.HS HelpSet file. Points to a set of map files and defines associated navigational views (TOC, index, and
search).
.JAR Compressed Oracle Help file (optional) containing all project output.
default.css Default cascading style sheet file applied to all project topics.
Projectnumber_fts.idx Full-text search file containing the full-text search database.
Projectnumber_nd.xml Index file describing content and layout for the index view.
Projectnumber_lnk.xml File containing associative links (See Also controls) to topics associated with See Also keywords.
Projectnumber_map.xml Map file associating Help topic IDs to HTML files with relevant content, and Window Types. Used in
the API for context-sensitive calls, TOC, and index.
Projectnumber_toc.xml TOC file describing content and layout for the TOC view.
Output files In XML_Output folder Description
EHLPDHTM.JS Contains JavaScript functions for advanced functionality
NewProject.htm Project start page
NewProject.log Output file that lists all necessary files
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Configure FlashPlayerTrust to run local browser-based Help
To run browser-based Help from a local drive, the installation folder must be added in the list of trusted folders defined
in the RoboHelp.cfg file in the FlashPlayerTrust folder.
1Select Start > Run.
2Type %appdata%\Macromedia\Flash Player\#Security\FlashPlayerTrust\ and click OK.
3Open the RoboHelp.cfg file in a text editor.
4Add the path to the local folder in which the browser-based Help files are stored.
Moderator password and configuration file path
When you distribute Adobe AIR output, make sure that you share the moderator password and configuration file path
that you specified while generating the output.
Organizations deploying the output need the password to enable moderation and allow moderators access to the
moderator dashboard.
They also need the configuration file path to save the configuration file after configuring comment syncing and auto-
update according to their preferences. If the configuration file path is relative, the same AIR Help file can be installed
in different locations with different configurations.
Configuration file attributes
Organizations deploying AIR Help can now configure commenting and auto-update according to their preferences.
Copy the default configuration file from the !SSL folder of the project to the location specified in the configuration file
path and modify the default settings.
The configuration file contains the following settings:
config topicrating Enables or disables topic rating. Valid values are yes or no.
commentsync: Enables or disables commenting. Valid values are yes or no.
updatecommentlocation: Specifies the path that AIR Help uses to synchronize comments when an OS-specific update
comment location is not specified.
windowsupdatecommentlocation: Specifies the shared location on Windows computers where comments are to be
stored and synced.
Output type File(s) to distribute Required on user computers
Adobe AIR Application AIR (.air) file generated in the output location AIR Runtime
See Adobe AIR Runtime Distribution
Browser Based Help All files generated in the output folder
When distributing browser-based Help as a standalone
Help system, copy the output folder and its contents to a
CD, a server, or any location on user systems. Let users
know the start page (HTM file) to select to view the Help
system.
Flash plug-in 9.0 or later
See Configure FlashPlayerTrust to run
local browser-based Help.
AIR Application And Browser Based
Help
Separately distribute:
AIR (.air) file generated in the output location
All files generated in the output folder
AIR Runtime
Flash plug-in 9.0 or later
Help Content Only RHA (.rha) file generated in the output location AIR Runtime
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macupdatecommentlocation: Specifies the shared location on MAC OS computers where comments are to be stored
and synced.
linuxupdatecommentlocation: Specifies the shared location on Linux computers where comments are to be stored
and synced.
marknewcommentsaspending Specifies if new comments should have the status ‘Pending’ or ‘Accepted’. Valid values
are yes or no.
Note: Pending comments have to be moderated before users can see them.
autoupdate: Enables or disables auto-updating. Valid values are yes or no.
windowsupdatexmllocation: Specifies the location of the auto-update XML file on Windows computers.
macupdatexmllocation: Specifies the location of the auto-update xml file on MAC OS computers.
linuxupdatexmllocation: Specifies the location of the auto-update xml file on Linux computers.
updatexmllocation: Specifies the location of the auto-update xml.
Note: RoboHelp checks for this attribute before checking for the OS-specific updatexmllocation attribute. If this attribute
is present, RoboHelp does not check for OS-specific updatexmllocation attributes.
logoimage: Specifies the location of the image file that will be used to display a logo in AIR Help.
companytext: Specifies the company name that is displayed in the status bar of AIR Help (for example, Powered By
Adobe RoboHelp).
URL formats for Windows, Mac, and Linux
While configuring the Adobe AIR Application collaboration settings, specify the paths in the following formats:
About modifying the status of new comments
Authors set the status of new comments to Pending or Accepted at the time of generating Adobe AIR output.
Users can access the settings.xml file present in the network location for storing and syncing comments and change
the default status of new comments. If the status is set to Pending, new comments have to be moderated. Otherwise,
new comments are accepted without moderation and displayed to users.
Printed documents
About printed documents
Online output and printed documents share source files. Similarly, you can generate PDF files and print documents
from the same source files.
Windows Mac Linux
File on hard disk file:///C:/config.xml file:///Applications/config.xml file:///etc/config.xml
File on network
drive
file:////robohelpserver/config.xml file:///Volumes/robohelpserver/config.xml file:///media/robohelpserver/config.xml
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Organize and customize content
Design a printed document based on only part of the project or the entire project. Determine where topics go in the
document by arranging the pages and books during generation. Base printed document structure on the project TOC
or select topics from custom folders in the Project Manager.
Map project styles to Word
Control how styles are used in printed documents with style mapping. Copy project styles directly to a Word
document. Any applied project style retains the style in Word. You can alternatively skip style mapping and use topic
styles.
Types of Word documents to create
Individual documents Separate Word files for the title page, table of contents, glossary, and index. A separate
document is also created for each root-level book (chapter) and page in the printed table of contents.
Master document An optional document that links to the individual documents. Familiarity with master documents
in Word is recommended. Do not edit this file; it contains only field codes referencing the documents. Do not use a
master document for large manuals.
Single document One Word file containing the title page, TOC, chapters, glossary, and index.
Printed document structure
•Books and pages at the root level of the printed document begin a new chapter.
•Subbooks and pages that are not at the root level of the printed document continue uninterrupted.
•For books that link to pages, the link destination is placed directly after the book in the printed document.
•Pages that link to a destination other than a topic are not available to use in the printed document.
•Organize sections of the printed documentation output in the Section Layout dialog box.
Conversion of online features
RoboHelp converts many common project features. It removes others, including ActiveX controls, borders, Dynamic
HTML, headers and footers, JavaScript, link controls, and topic borders. The following table provides conversion
details for specific features.
Feature Conversion notes
Bullets and numbering Converted (except image bullets).
Conditional build tags Topics and topic content that are excluded with conditional build tags
and expressions are removed.
Drop-down hotspots and expanding hotspots If specified, expanding text and drop-down text appears inline. Map a
style to hotspots so that they look different from the other text.
Expanding glossary hotspots Selecting expanding text and drop-down text in the printed output
converts and displays inline. Map a style to hotspots so that they look
different from the other text.
Font sets Word uses the first font. If the first font does not exist, Word creates a
default font.
Forms Converted to HTML in Word. Third-party forms are removed from
documents.
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Page setup
RoboHelp assigns default page settings to the printed documentation in Microsoft Word.
Body page settings
Starting Page All documents start on an odd-numbered page. If the document ends on an odd-numbered page, a
blank page is added at the end of the document. The blank page lacks a header, footer, or page number.
Headers Headers repeat at the top of each page and are blank on the first page of sections. The name of the document
appears on even-numbered pages, left-justified. The name of the root chapter appears on odd-numbered pages, right-
justified.
Footers Footers repeat at the bottom of each page and contain page numbers. Page numbers are left-justified on even-
numbered pages and right-justified on odd-numbered pages.
Page Numbers Page numbers are located in footers and are generally Arabic (1, 2, 3, and so on). The TOC document
uses lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, and so on).
Additional settings
To create Microsoft Word documents, note the following details for the source files and set them up accordingly.
Title page
•The title page uses settings from the document.
•Specify a default title page when you generate the printed documentation.
•The name of the document (which appears on the title page) is the printed document name you define in the Print
Document General dialog box. This dialog box appears when you double-click the Printed Documentation layout.
•The header and footer are blank.
•The title page contains no page number.
•The title page document uses the style TitlePageTitle that is copied to the Word document.
•The filename is Chapter_{##}_Title_page.doc.
•When you add the file, copy it to the project folder if you want RoboHelp to generate a copy in the output folder.
Table of contents
•The TOC is based on the heading levels of topic titles and the printed document structure hierarchy. You can define
the printed document structure in the Print Document Content dialog box.
Images Specify whether you want to place or embed images. Placed images
are included in an images folder in the output folder. Embed images if
you want to place them within the document. Images can be included
in headings, and then they also appear in the printed TOC.
Marquees Converted as text in Word.
Positioned text boxes Converted and placed at the end of the document or the bottom of
the page.
Shading Fills but not patterns are converted.
Text boxes Converted and resized to fit text only.
Feature Conversion notes
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Note: You can also create a TOC from the Project Manager. Right-click a topic in the TOC pod, and choose Auto-
Create TOC. Topics from the Project Manager are automatically promoted or demoted in heading style depending on
their placement in the printed document structure.
•Most TOCs have multiple levels of headings, showing a hierarchy, or structure, of information to help users find
information more quickly.
•TOC 1 – 9 are the styles used for TOC entries.
•Table Of Contents Page Title is the style used for the title of the TOC.
•Page numbers for the TOC document are lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, and so on).
•The filename is Chapter_00_Table_Of_Contents.doc.
Chapters
•Chapter files contain the topics you specified in the Print Document Content dialog box. Root-level topics and
books create new documents (except if you select the Single Document option when you generate).
•Page numbers for chapter documents are Arabic (1, 2, 3, and so on).
•The filename is Chapter_{##}_{Book or Page Name}.doc.
Glossary
•The glossary is based on the terms and definitions in the project. If no terms and definitions exist in the project, a
glossary document is not generated.
•To convert expanding glossary hotspots, click the Start Glossary Hotspot wizard icon in the Glossary toolbar in the
Glossary pod. You can specify whether definitions are converted to inline text, and whether inline text appears in
the paragraph where the term appeared.
•The glossary document uses three styles that are copied to the Word document:
Glossary Heading The style used for the header letters (A, B, and so on). If the project has a specified language, the
header letters are localized in that language.
Glossary Label The style used for the glossary terms.
Glossary Definition The style used for glossary definitions. Definitions appear on the same line as terms, with a
hanging indent for subsequent lines.
•Page numbers for the glossary document are Arabic (1, 2, 3, and so on).
•By default, the filename is Chapter_{##}_Glossary.doc. ## is the number after the last chapter number.
Index
•The index is based on the keywords and subkeywords in the project. Topic keywords are included only if the
associated topics are generated in the output.
•Index styles are based on the style Index Heading and Index 1-9 in the Word template you select for the printed
documentation.
•By default, the index is indented with two columns. If the project has a specified language, the header letters are
localized in that language.
•Page numbers for the index document are Arabic (1, 2, 3, and so on).
•The filename is Chapter_{##}_Index.doc. ## is the number after the glossary chapter number. If the document
contains no glossary, it is the number after the last chapter number.
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Accessory pages
•An accessory page, such as an acknowledgment, appendix, foreword, or copyright, retains its original formatting.
•The filename is Chapter_{##}_{Document name}.
•When you add the file, you can copy it to the project folder. A copy is also generated in the output folder.
•Add new sections using the Section Layout dialog box.
Images
You can handle images in these ways:
Embed In Documents Keep images within the document. Embedding images creates larger DOC files that are not
dependent on outside image files.
Link To Documents Reference the images outside the document (creates smaller DOC files that reference outside
image files). Image files are copied and stored in the Images folder in the printed document output folder.
Images in heading styles are removed. Change settings to include images in headings.
Organize and customize document content
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, double-click Printed Documentation.
2In Printed Document General, set general options for the printed document.
Name Specify the name of the document. This name is used in the document headers and on the title page.
Location Specify the path for Word documents. PDF documents also are saved to this location. Creates the printed
documentation files under !SSL!\[layout name] in the project folder. Click the Browse button to browse to a
different folder. Click OK.
Note: Printed Word documentation supports both DOC and DOCX formats.
PDF Settings Set PDF properties.
Settings Select options for document files creation.
•Generate Individual Documents Create a separate Word file for each chapter and section of the document. A
chapter is any book or page at the root level of the TOC specified in the Print Document Content dialog box.
•Generate A Single Document Create one Word file that contains the title page, TOC, chapters, glossary, and
index.
Note: If Generate Individual Documents is selected, click Create Master Document to enable viewing of all documents.
•Retain Hyperlinks Select to retain hypertext links.
•Start Each Topic On A New Page Select to create page breaks.
Images Set image options.
•Embed In Documents Keep images within the document.
•Link To Documents Reference the images outside the document. Image files are copied and stored in an Images
folder in the printed document output folder.
By default, images that are included in heading styles are removed. To select to include them, click the Advanced
button and select Images In TOC.
Define Click to specify conditional build expressions.
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Content Select TOC, index, and glossary to display in the generated Help.
Variable Set Select a variable set for the printed document.
Advanced Specify detailed TOC, glossary, and text options.
Note: If you apply inline formatting to a heading, the inline style does not appear in the document unless you select
the Styles in TOC field. Note that the inline style then also appears in the document TOC.
3Click Next.
4In Print Document Content, under Topics, click the pop-up menu to display and select topics.
Show All Topics Displays all topics regardless of conditional build tags.
TOC Displays all topics in TOC
Folder buttons To show topics in the Project Manager pod, select the folder button for a custom folder, a Top Level
Folder, or All Folders. (View topics by title or filename.)
5Under Topics, select the topics to add and design the TOC.
Select Maintain HTML Heading Levels to disable automatic mapping. Heading style levels are retained. If the
printed document structure does not match the structure in the Chapter Layout column, rework it in Word.
Drag and drop topics from the left to the right. The topic icon on the left turns blue to indicate that the topic is
added.
Topics excluded in the General dialog box using conditional build tags have a gray icon in the Chapter Layout
column.
Missing topics are displayed with a broken page icon .
6Under Chapter layout, edit or reorganize the content.
To add a new book, click the New Chapter button. To move a book or page, click the arrow buttons.
Moves an item to a higher level in the TOC.
Moves an item to a lower level in the TOC.
Moves up an item up in the TOC.
Moves an item down in the TOC.
7Click Next to set the section layout for the document.
The Section Layout column displays the default sections. You can remove a section, and add topics or existing
Word documents as new sections. You can also reorder the sections.
Click to remove a section.
Select a topic in the left column and click this icon to add the topic as a section.
Click to add a Word document as a section. Locate the file, select it, and click Open.
Click to edit in Word if the selected section is a Word document. The changes are included in the printed
document.
Use the arrow buttons to position a section in the printed document.
8Do one of the following:
•Select Next to map styles.
•Save changes.
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•Select Finish to generate. When the PrintDoc.dot macro message displays, click Disable Macros to continue.
When the PrintDoc.dot macro message displays, click Disable Macros to continue.
Notes:
•All Microsoft Word documents must be closed.
•Document content changes do not affect TOCs.
•TOCs updated in the TOC Composer do not affect the chapter layout.
•To use the updated TOC, click Remove All. Then click Add All.
Prepare for printed documents
Printed document organization
•Before generating, print a Table of Contents Report. Choose Tools > Reports > Table Of Contents. Place a check
mark next to the topics for the printed document so that you can easily identify them when the document is
generated.
•For large documents (over 700-800 pages), create individual documents. Place more books at the root level in the
printed document structure to create more DOC files. Otherwise, the printed document includes only several large
files.
Styles and formatting
Ensure that both project styles and template styles are ready for generating.
Apply styles to all topic text
When using a Word template for printed documentation, ensure that all topic text has a style applied from an external
style sheet.
Inline formatting does not map to styles in Word and is converted as inline formatting.
Embedded styles do not map into Word. They are converted to inline styles. If any topics use embedded styles, link an
external style sheet to the topic and apply styles to the text.
Apply styles to topic headings
To treat topics as separate sections instead of continuing text, ensure that all topic headings have a Heading Style. Also
place them at the root level of the printed document structure.
If a custom heading does not use the RoboHelp heading style names in the format Heading [number], the topic doesn’t
appear in the TOC. To solve this problem, modify one of the RoboHelp heading styles with settings from the custom
heading style.
Use styles consistently
Printed documentation maps styles in the project to styles in Word.
Apply project styles consistently throughout the topics. For example, instead of applying inline styles, such as bold, to
text, apply a character style that uses bold. Consistency ensures that the printed TOC converts as expected and that
you can update styles globally later, if needed.
Select a template
•Custom template
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•RoboHelp Style Mapping.dot template
•A Word default template
Add new styles to the template
Analyze project styles to see how they map to Word. Create new styles as necessary. Consider the following:
Missing styles After conversion, drop-down and expanding text appears as inline text, for example.
Character styles Styles can be mapped only to template styles of the same type. Create a matching character style
before generating. Mapping is easier when template and project style names match. For example, create Word
character styles.
Conditional text
Define conditional build expressions to exclude topics or topic content from printed documentation. Excluded topics
are denoted with a gray question mark icon
in the Print Document Content dialog box.
More Help topics
“Define conditional build tag expressions” on page 223
Single-source layouts
Use with conditional build tags to customize output and save the settings.
Share style mappings from a printed documentation layout with other authors to ensure consistency. Import style
mappings (ZPL file) into the project, or export mappings to another location.
Mapping styles
Mapped styles
Non-mapped styles are formatted as they appear in the Design Editor. Style maps are saved in a ZPL file.
Heading styles
For heading mapping to occur, a standard HTML heading style must be applied to topic titles. If custom heading styles
aren’t named in the format Heading <number>, they are not treated as headings.
Heading styles are automatically mapped to Word heading styles. To disable automatic mapping, select Maintain
HTML Heading Levels in the Print Document Content dialog box. Heading style levels are retained, regardless of their
position in the Print Document Content dialog box.
RoboHelp considers the RoboHelp project style applied to the heading and the placement of the topic in the printed
TOC hierarchy.
Generating a printed document TOC exactly like the project TOC creates Word documents with identical heading
styles and an identical TOC hierarchy. When the hierarchy of the TOC changes, the automatic process takes over and
assigns heading levels.
•Books and pages at the root level are always Heading 1. If the project heading style is lower (such as a Heading 2),
it is adjusted up.
•Books and pages with Headings 2 – 6 are adjusted according to their level in the printed document structure and
their project heading style. Different project heading styles are adjusted as needed.
•Books and pages with Headings 7 – 9 are automatically mapped to Word Headings 7 – 9 styles.
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•Books that link to pages are treated like topics.
RoboHelp makes these heading adjustments when it creates the printed document TOC.
Paragraph styles Paragraph styles can be mapped only to paragraph styles in Word. They apply to font attributes, line
spacing, numbering, and borders and shading.
Character styles Character styles can be mapped only to character styles in Word. They apply to font attributes.
Multi-level list styles Multi-level list styles in RoboHelp can be mapped only to multi-level list styles in Word. The
individual levels of the multi-level lists are mapped automatically. For example, the style for the level 3 items in the
RoboHelp list are mapped automatically to the style for the level 3 items in the list in Word.
Table styles Table styles in RoboHelp can be mapped only to table styles in Word.
Embedded styles Embedded styles that are not defined in the external style sheet are applied inline in the Word
document. They are not available for global use.
Inline styles Inline styles are applied inline in the Word document and are not available for global use in the template.
Unmapped styles
The following styles aren’t available for mapping:
•Background + Text (BODY). These style settings are applied inline.
•Heading styles.
Unmapped styles denoted by Unassigned - Use Style In Project in the Print Document Appearance dialog box are added
to the Word document. This style has the same attributes as the project style. To access the Print Document
Appearance dialog box, double-click a printed documentation layout in the Single Source Layouts pod, and click Next
three times.
Style naming
Mapped template styles retain the name of the Word template style.
Styles that RoboHelp adds
If title page title, TOC title, and glossary definitions, terms, and headings are defined in the selected Word template,
RoboHelp maps them to the Word document.
Duplicate styles
If the project has multiple style sheets with duplicate style names, the most frequently used style is mapped.
Map styles
1Double-click Printed Documentation in the Single Source Layouts pod, and click Next until Print Document
Appearance appears.
Project styles appear on the left. Matching template styles appear on the right. If a matching style is not found, you
see [Unassigned - Use style in project]. Heading styles, which are mapped automatically, are not listed.
2Under Microsoft Word Template, select a template already in the project or another template option from the pop-
up menu.
(None) Use The Project's CSS Styles Formats from topics, not from a template.
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Use Microsoft Word Templates In the Select Template File dialog box, open a template. Choose copy to the project
folder or overwrite an existing template. Click Yes to enable quick access to the template. To share the template with
other authors and maintain it in one location, click No.
Style Mapping. dot Uses default template.
Browse Lets you select a custom template not yet in the project, or browse to the location of a ZPL file from
another layout. Click Browse Files to browse to the location of the desired template. Select copy to the project folder
or overwrite an existing template.
Note: If the template you select has the same name as one of the default Word templates, _RHT is added to the custom
template name.
3Under Project’s CSS Styles, select a project style to map to a template style. A sample of the selected style is displayed
underneath Preview.
Project’s CSS Styles (All) Displays all styles in the project.
Project’s CSS Styles (Used Only) Displays only the styles used in the project.
Character Preview the font attributes of a style.
Paragraph Preview the font attributes and spacing of a style.
Description Preview a text description of a style.
4Under Microsoft Word Template Styles, select the pop-up menu to display template styles.
Microsoft Word Styles (All) Displays all styles in the template including Word defaults.
Microsoft Word Styles (User Defined) Displays only user-defined styles.
Note: Styles must be mapped to other styles of the same type. For example, character to character, paragraph to
paragraph, table to table, and multi-level list to multi-level list.
5Select a style, and map all desired project styles, selecting them from the pop-up menu of the selected Microsoft
Word style.
6Map all desired project styles.
7Click Finish to generate.
8When the macros message appears, click Always Trust Macros From This Publisher. Then click Enable Macros.
Printed documentation files appear under !SSL!\[layout name] in the project folder.
9 Click View Result to view the output, or click Done.
Microsoft Word opens the document. Depending on the settings selected, the TOC, master document, or a single
document is displayed.
Export style maps
Ensure that the project styles are all mapped to the same Word template styles.
1Open the project.
2Create a printed documentation layout.
3Map the styles. Save the settings.
4In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click the layout containing the style map to export. Select Export
Preferences.
5Browse to the destination for the style map. Click Save.
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Import style maps
Share style maps to ensure that the project styles are all mapped to the same Word template styles.
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, right-click the printed documentation layout. Select Import Preferences.
2Browse to the exported style map (.zpl file).
3Select Open.
•If the template associated with the style map is not in the project, select Yes to copy it to the project folder.
•Select Yes to overwrite the template.
When you generate output, the imported style map is used.
4To edit the style map after it is imported, right-click the layout. Select Properties. Set options and click Next for each
screen of the Properties dialog box.
5Click Save.
Generate PDFs
PDFs retain links, bookmarks, formatting, graphics, fonts, special characters, and colors.
Generate a PDF
1Open the project.
2Click File > Generate > PDF.
Generate a PDF with setup options
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, double-click the printed documentation layout.
2In the Output Format area, select Generate Adobe PDF.
3Click PDF Settings. Set options.
4Select options on each screen to set up the chapter layout, the section layout, and the styles. Click Next to progress
through the screens.
5Click Finish.
6(Optional) Click View Result.
Generate printed documents
You can create printed documentation and single-source layouts, and generate PDF files simultaneously with printed
documents.
If no template is used, every document retains the formatting used inside the topics.
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, double-click the printed documentation layout.
2Select options in the Print Document General dialog box.
3Arrange the document structure in the Print Document Content dialog box.
4Map Microsoft Word styles in the Print Document Appearance dialog box.
5Copy hand-coded or added files to another location before generating the layout.
6Click Finish. Click Disable Macros.
7Click View Result. Select individual documents or a single document in the Print Document General dialog box.
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By default, printed documentation files are created under !SSL!\[layout name] in the project folder. Templates are
saved in the root project folder.
Note: Some list items do not convert properly when generating printed documents with 1500 or more list items without
Microsoft Office 2000 SP-2 or later installed.
Specify default printer options
You can configure the default printer settings from within RoboHelp. The options that are available vary according to
the selected printer.
Note: The settings you specify affect how documents print in other Windows applications.
Settings include:
Paper Size Specifies the size of the paper.
Paper Source Specifies the location of paper in the printer. Options vary according to the printer. Examples of paper
source are upper tray and envelope feed.
Orientation Specifies if the orientation is Portrait or Landscape.
Margins Specifies left, right, top, and bottom margins in inches.
Skins
About skins
Use skins to change the appearance of Adobe AIR, WebHelp, and FlashHelp systems. Skins apply to the left side of a
window and the toolbar across the top of the output. Customize the Help system by changing colors, buttons, fonts,
and icons, and by adding backgrounds and logos.
RoboHelp includes predefined skins in the RoboHelp Skins Gallery.
Edit skins
Follow this procedure to edit WebHelp and AIRHelp skins from within RoboHelp. Changes to skin properties take
effect the next time you generate using the skin. If you localize a project, default skin text is translated using the project
language setting. If you edit skin text, RoboHelp overrides customizations in the LNG file.
Note: FlashHelp skins are edited with FlashHelp Skin Development Kit. See “Customize FlashHelp skins” on page 339.
1In the Project Set-up pod, expand the Skins folder.
2Right-click a skin. Select Edit.
3Depending on the skin type, WebHelp Skin Editor or Adobe AIR Help Skin Editor launches. Set options, as needed.
Note: Some options aren’t available, depending on the output type.
4Click OK.
5Click Update View to view changes in the dialog box. Click Preview to view the changes in a separate window.
Tips:
•Use URL icons for website links, or use folder icons instead of book icons.
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•To use TOC icons that are a different color, browse to the Image Gallery. The gallery is in C:\Program
Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp [version]\ RoboHTML\gallery\images\Books_and_Pages. You can also edit the
image color in a graphics editor.
•When generating a project with custom toolbar items, select the custom button in the Navigation dialog box.
•To remove a button from a skin without deleting the image file, clear the option when you generate the project. Do
not clear it in the WebHelp Skin Editor.
•Additional files, such as image files or JavaScript files for buttons, reside in the Project
Folder\!SkinSubFolder!\<Skin Name>. The skins reside in separate subfolders in the !SkinSubFolder! folder.
•To specify a script that uses other files (such as HTML files or image files), copy these files to the skin subfolder
under !Skinsubfolder!.
More Help topics
“Create custom skins for WebHelp and WebHelp Pro projects” on page 337
“Create custom skins for Adobe AIR projects” on page 336
Add skins to the gallery
Store or reuse skins across projects by adding them to Skins Gallery.
1In the Project Set-up pod, expand the Skins folder.
2Right-click a skin. Select Add To Gallery.
Import skins
When you import Adobe AIR AHS files, WebHelp SKN files, or FlashHelp FHS files, all associated files are added to
the skins subfolder. You can also import a compressed AHZ (for Adobe AIR), ZKN (for WebHelp), or FHZ (for
FlashHelp) file.
1In the Project Set-up pod, right-click the Skins folder. Select Import.
2Navigate to a skin file or a compressed skin file.
3Select the file. Click Open.
4(Optional) Type a name and filename for the skin.
5Click OK.
You can select this skin the next time you generate output.
Export skins
Exporting a skin saves it as a compressed file that contains the skin and its associated files.
1In the Project Set-up pod, expand the Skins folder.
2Right-click a skin. Select Export.
3Navigate to the location for the exported skin. Click Save.
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Delete skins
1Do one of the following:
•To delete a skin from the project, select it in the Skins folder in the Project Set-up pod.
•To delete a skin from the gallery, select the skin in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp
[version]\RoboHTML\Sqskinsext\Gallery.
2Press Delete.
Preview skins
You can preview skins for WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, and FlashHelp Pro projects.
1In the Project Set-up pod, expand the Skins folder. Select a skin.
2In the toolbar, click the View button .
Compile skins
Each template for the Adobe AIR layout has an associated style sheet called exStyle.css. You can locate this file in
[Project folder]\!SkinSubFolder!\[skin name] and directly modify the styles in a text editor.
RoboHelp stores the default exStyle.css file in [Install folder]\AIRHelpExt\skins\[skin name]\SkinTemplate. Refer to
the comments in this file while editing a style sheet.
After you modify the style sheet, compile the CSS file to generate a SWF file.
1In the Project Set-up pod, expand the Skins folder.
2Right-click a skin. Select Compile.
Create custom skins for Adobe AIR projects
Adobe AIR Help Skin Editor helps you create and edit skins for Adobe AIR projects.
1In the Project Set-up pod, right-click the Skins folder. Select New Skin.
2Do one of the following:
•Select Create Skin From Gallery. Click OK. Click the Adobe AIR tab. Select a skin. Click OK.
Note: Adobe AIR project skins are associate with templates. So selecting a skin also means selecting the template
with which the skin is associated.
•Select Create Custom Adobe AIR Skin. Select a template and specify a skin name. Click OK.
3In Adobe AIR Help Skin Editor, fine-tune the palette, the font style, and the icon set.
Fine-tune the palette
Select a palette from the available palettes and fine-tune it by changing the colors of various parts of the template. Use
the Hue, Saturation, and Contrast values to make finer adjustments.
1In Available Palettes, click a palette. Use the Next and Previous buttons to browse through palettes available in
RoboHelp Gallery.
2Change the background colors to customize the palette. Do any of the following:
•Move the pointer over each background color. The preview shows where the color is used.
•Click a background color and select another color from the color picker.
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•Adjust hue, saturation, and contrast with the sliders. Selecting the check box below a background color lets you
adjust the hue, saturation, and contrast for only that color.
Note: You can save a customized palette in the gallery. Specify a name for the customized palette in the Selected Palette
box and click Save. You can also remove customized palettes by deleting the XML file from %Application
Data%\Adobe\RoboHTML\[version]\AIRSkinEditor\ColorThemes.
Modify font properties
Font properties include font type and font color.
1Select a font from the drop-down list in Font Properties.
2Select a style and click the color picker box.
Style 1 Sets the font of text displayed on the header, footer, and main taskbar.
Style 2 Sets the font of disabled and mouseovertext.
Style 3 Sets the font of pod text.
Customize icons
Each template includes an icon set. You can change the icon set and edit the icon set by replacing existing icons with
new icons. You cannot add or delete icons from an icon set.
While replacing icons, maintain the default icon dimensions for best results. For example, if the dimensions of the
default Add Comment button are 16x16, make sure that the new image has the same dimensions.
Note: Supported file types for icons are .jpg, .gif, and .png.
•To change the icon set, click Select New Set. Select an icon set from the drop-down list and click Select.
•To edit the current icon set, click Edit Current Set. Select the icon you want to customize. Click Browse and select
the image file that contains the new icon. Click Apply after you have replaced the image for each icon state.
Note: If you cancel editing the skin after selecting a new icon set or applying changes to icons, these changes are not
canceled.
Create custom skins for WebHelp and WebHelp Pro projects
The custom skin is saved as an SKN file to [Project folder]\!SkinSubFolder!\[skin name].
If you create a custom skin from a gallery skin, the gallery skin remains unchanged.
1In the Project Set-up pod, right-click the Skins folder. Select New Skin.
2Do one of the following:
•Select Create Custom WebHelp Skin. Click OK.
•Select Create Skin From Gallery. Click OK. Select a skin. (Optional) Click Preview to view the selected skin.
3Click the Toolbar tab. Set options, as needed:
Note: Some options aren’t available, depending on the output type.
Main Lists items that appear on the main toolbar.
Add custom toolbar item (WebHelp and WebHelp Pro only) Click to add a custom button to the main toolbar.
In the Custom Toolbar Item dialog box, define the text, image, or both for the button on the Text tab. Type spaces
before or after the text to add space between the edge of the button and text.
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On the Action tab, define a link or a script for the button:
•Link Link the button to a URL. Type the path or click the Browse button to browse to it. Linked files are
copied to the skins folder (ProjectName\!SkinSubFolder!\YourSkin).
For JavaScript, specify the function calls for these actions:
•Onload Specify a function to call when the page containing the button is loaded (MyFunction())
•OnMouseOver Specify the function to call when the pointer is over the button.
•OnClick Specify the function to call when the button is clicked.
Under Advanced, add or remove dependent files for the custom toolbar item when using the multi-author feature.
•Dependencies Lists the dependent files already added. Click Add to specify the name of another dependent file.
•Add Browse to the location of a dependent file. Click OK. External files are copied to the project folder
automatically.
•Remove Remove a dependent file from the Dependencies list. An image in the custom toolbar cannot be
removed. Files are removed only from the RoboHelp software, not from the hard disk.
•Inline JavaScript Write function definitions for custom button functions in the project.
•External JavaScript File Browse for and select the file.
Remove custom toolbar item Click to delete a selected custom toolbar item.
Contents, Index, Search, Glossary Select the button to change and click the Edit button to edit the button text
or to place an image on the button.
Search Input Double-click to edit the field that appears in the toolbar and the Search pane. The button options
apply to both the toolbar and the Search pane. The Caption and the Text Box Width apply to the toolbar only. The
box can be from 10 to 40 characters wide.
About Select and click Edit to change which image is displayed in the upper right of the main toolbar. Specify an
About Button image, which is copied to the Skins folder. Then specify the following information, as needed for the
output format:
•Image Select an image to display at the left of the About box.
•Company Enter the company name, which is displayed below the logo. This text is a hypertext link to a URL
specified under URL.
•Copyright Enter a copyright notice.
•URL Enter a web address for the company website.
•Title Image Specify an image to display at the top of the About box. Keep the image smaller than 211 by 60
pixels.
•Author Identify the system or give more information to users.
•E-mail Enter the e-mail address of the author.
Navigation Bar Modify the items directly under the main toolbar , .
Previous Topic, Next Topic, Sync TOC, and Hide Navigation Component Select the item to change and click Edit to
change the image for the button.
The Previous and Next buttons let users move back and forward through a series of topics you define in browse
sequences. You can change the image shown for the buttons when they are enabled and disabled. Enabled indicates
that the user can click the button for more topics. Disabled indicates that no topics exist in that direction.
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You can change the image for the Sync TOC button. When you generate, select Synchronize TOC (Manually) to
ensure that the button appears on the navigation bar.
Note: The Hide Navigation Component button does not appear in all versions of Netscape Navigator when the output
uses a skin.
4Click the Navigation tab. Click the browse buttons to select images, and specify other settings as needed:
Note: The toolbar is automatically resized to accommodate images. Images are tiled in backgrounds for the content
and label region backgrounds.
Topic/Page Select an image for TOC topics.
Remote URL Select an image for links not in the project.
Background Image Select an image to use in the background of the content region. The images are tiled.
Hover Color Select a color to display when the pointer moves over links.
5Click OK.
6To rename the selected skin, right-click, select Rename, and type a name in the Name box.
Note: You cannot rename skins in the gallery.
7Click Update View to view changes in the dialog box. Click Preview to view the changes in a separate window.
8Click OK. Type a name and filename for the skin, including the .skn extension.
You can use the skin the next time you generate output.
To share a skin file (SKN) with others, define all customizable elements of the skin beforehand so that other authors
can include or exclude certain elements when they generate output.
Customize FlashHelp skins
You can customize FlashHelp skins by replacing elements in an existing skin with elements from another skin. If
you’re a skilled Flash developer, you also can create a skin with Adobe Flash or the RoboHelp Skin Development Kit.
The SDK includes instructions for using the kit and tips and tricks.
Customize or create a skin with Flash
Use an existing compressed skin file (FHZ) from the RoboHelp Skin Gallery or create one.
1Download the Flash SDK from www.adobe.com/go/learn_rh_flash_sdk_en and make changes to the skin.
2When finished with skin editing, share the compressed skin file (optional). Then, import the skin into the project.
3Preview the skin.
4When generating a FlashHelp layout, select the skin from the FlashHelp Options dialog box.
Modify the skin without Flash
FlashHelp skins are composed of Flash skin files (SWF files). Each SWF file is used for different skin elements, such as
toolbar buttons and icons. Use Windows Explorer to replace individual SWF files in an existing skin with the SWF files
of another.
1Ensure that the project contains all the skins to use by importing them.
2Navigate to !Skinsubfolder!\[skin name].
3Open the skin subfolder that contains the SWF files to copy.
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4Right-click the SWF file and select Copy.
5Open the skin subfolder containing the SWF files to replace.
6Paste and replace the files.
7In RoboHelp, when you generate the project, select the newly modified skin in the FlashHelp Properties dialog box.
When project generation has finished, click View Result to test the skin.
Select and preview WebHelp or FlashHelp skins from the Skin gallery
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, double-click a FlashHelp layout.
2Click Gallery.
3Select a skin. Click Preview to view it. Then click OK to select it.
4Click Finish to generate the FlashHelp output.
The skin is added to the project and appears in the Skins project subfolder with a Flash icon .
FlashHelp vertical-style skins
In vertical-style skins, toolbar icons have tool tips. Tool tips appear when the mouse hovers over the button.
Prefix the names of these skins with “Vertical,” such as Vertical-Breeze.
Note: Vertical-style skins do not have a Search field in the toolbar.
Example of vertical-style skins
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Windows
RoboHelp supports WebHelp and FlashHelp windows for use with the context-sensitive Help API.
Create or edit windows
Note: This procedure applies to WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, FlashHelp Pro, and HTML Help.
1Specify the primary layout.
2In the Project Set-up pod, right-click the Windows folder. Select New Window.
3Type a name and caption in the text boxes.
4Set options. Many of the options are common to all the output types.
Placement To change placement visually, point and click inside the sample window. To change size visually, point
to a border in the sample window. To use exact measurements, in Placement, enter values in Top and Left for the
position (percent of the browser window). To resize, enter values in Height and Width.
Windows To Display Selected windows appear in the preview area of the upper-left corner.
5Click OK.
For JavaHelp and Oracle Help projects, set navigation pane options when you generate output.
More Help topics
“Specify the primary layout” on page 270
WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, FlashHelp Pro Options
In addition to the standard Window Properties options, WebHelp Pro provides the following options. In WebHelp
Pro and FlashHelp Pro, you can view settings after the project is published to the server.
Buttons Click the up and Down Arrows to change button order as the buttons appear in the browser. Select the
buttons to include. You can customize these buttons or add new buttons using skins.
Set As Default Click to set the selected button as the default. Contents is the default.
WebSearch Displays the WebSearch button. This button is available only if enabled in the project.
Browse Sequences Enables support of browse sequences if you created them. The window contains Previous and Next
buttons. Use skins to customize them.
Search Input Field In Toolbar Adds the Search button to the toolbar. Use skins to customize the Search Input Field.
Use Default Browser Settings Select to use the user default browser size, toolbars, placement, and other properties.
When deselected, the standard browser toolbar, menu, location bar, and status bar are available.
•Resizable Selecting this option lets users resize the window. This setting is available when used with the context-
sensitive Help API.
•View Select One Pane to display the topic pane. Select Two Pane to also display the navigation pane.
HTML options
In addition to the standard Window Properties options, HTML Help provides the following options:
Buttons (HTML Help) Select buttons to display.
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Tri-pane Tabs And Windows Select tabs to include in the navigation pane. If you select TOC And Index and the project
does not include a TOC, the HTML help viewer does not display the Contents tab.
•TOC And Index Displays the Contents and Index tabs in the navigation pane. A navigation pane requires these tabs.
If you do not select this option, the navigation pane options are unavailable.
•Favorites Displays the Favorites tab in the navigation pane.
•Glossary Displays the Glossary tab in the navigation pane.
•Search Displays the Search tab in the navigation pane.
•Adv Search Enables users to search for topics using Wildcard and Boolean characters.
•Browse Sequences Enables support if you have created browse sequences.
Button Description
Hide/Show
Opens and closes the navigation pane.
Back
Opens the previous topic.
Forward
Opens the next topic in a pre-viewed sequence.
Stop
Stops a web page form displaying.
Refresh
Updates the topic content.
Home
Shows the default web page.
Options
Opens menu access to Home, Show, Back, Stop, Refresh, Print, and Search Highlight On/Off.
Print
From the Contents tab, prints pages, headings, and subtopics or the entire TOC. From the Index or
Search tab, opens the Print dialog box.
Locate
Click to synchronize books and pages in the Contents tab with the topics in the right pane. This
option differs from Auto-synchronize TOC, which synchronizes books and pages with topics as users
view topics.
Jump1
Opens a web page, intranet site (defined with a URL) or help topic (defined by its filename if included
in the same file).
Jump 2
Opens a web page, intranet site (defined with a URL) or help topic (defined by its filename if included
in the same CHM file).
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•Default Tab Select the tab to display when the HTML Help project opens.
•Tab Position Select a default location for the window tabs.
Tri-pane Options Set properties for the onscreen appearance and behavior of the panes.
•Hide Nav Pane On Startup Hides the navigation pane. Click Show to open it.
•Auto Synchronize TOC Synchronizes books and pages in the Contents tab with the topic displayed in the right pane.
(For this feature to work properly, the Always Show Selection option must be active. To check if it is active, open the
single source layout and click Advanced Settings Edit. In TOC Styles, verify that Always Show Selection is selected.)
Make sure that the filenames have underscores, not spaces.
•Remember Window Size And Position Notes the last size and position of the viewer.
•Auto Show/Hide Nav Pane Automatically hides the left pane when users switch focus from the HTML Help viewer
to a program. The topic content remains visible but the left tabs are temporarily closed from view. These tabs appear
as soon as the HTML Help viewer is clicked.
Note: If you select Auto Show/Hide Nav Pane, click Advanced Properties > Extended Styles, and select Top-Most window.
This option prevents the right pane from being hidden behind the open application.
•Nav Pane Width Enter the width in pixels. The width to assign depends on the number of window tabs.
•Advanced Properties Specify advanced HTML windows properties on the Destinations, Styles, and Extended
Styles tabs. Some options require coding in the application.
Advanced window Destinations properties
Default Assign default topic.
Home Define the URL to display when clicking Home.
Table Of Contents Assign an alternate contents file (.HHC).
Index Assign an alternate index file (.HHK).
Button 1 Label Assign a label to Button 1.
Custom Button 1 URL defines the destination for Button 1.
Note: Custom 1 button does not reference external CHM files if Internet Explorer 5.5 is installed.
Button 2 Label Assign a label to Button 2.
Custom Button 2 URL defines the destination for Button 2.
Advanced window Styles properties
System Menu Includes a system menu. Window style ID is WS_SYSMENU.
Minimize Box Includes a minimize box. Window style ID is WS_MINIMIZEBOX.
Maximize Box Includes a maximize box. Window style ID is WS_MAXIMIZEBOX.
Clip Siblings Specifies whether the window covers other sibling windows. Window style ID is WS_CLIPSIBLINGS.
Clip Children Specifies whether the window covers other children windows. Window style ID is
WS_CLIPCHILDREN.
Vertical Scroll Includes a vertical scroll bar. Window style ID is WS_VSCROLL.
Horizontal Scroll Includes a horizontal scroll bar. Window style ID is WS_HSCROLL.
Popup Uses pop-up menu windows. Window style ID is WS_POPUPWINDOWSTYLE.
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Minimize Minimizes application when window is open. Window style ID is WS_MINIMIZE.
Maximize Maximizes application when window is open. Window style ID is WS_MAXIMIZE.
Border Displays border around window. Window style ID is WS_BORDER.
Dlg Frame Displays window in a dialog frame. Window style ID is WS_DLGFRAME.
Visible Creates a visible window. Window style ID is WS_VISIBLE.
Thick Frame Displays window using a thick frame style. Window style ID is WS_THICKNESS.
Disabled Disables a window so that it does not accept user input. Window style ID is WS_DISABLED.
Advanced window Extended Styles properties
Tool Window Sets the window for use as a floating toolbar. Window style ID is WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW.
Client Edge Creates a 3D border with a sunken edge. Window style ID is WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE.
Static Edge Creates a 3D border for windows that does not accept input. Window style ID is WS_EX_STATICEDGE.
Transparent Makes the window transparent. Window style ID is WS_EX_TRANSPARENT.
Accept Files Lets the window accept drag-and-drop files. Window style ID is WS_EX_ACCEPTFILES.
Control Parent Lets users navigate among child windows using the Tab key. Window style ID is
WS_EX_CONTROLPARENT.
Context Help Adds a clickable question mark to the title bar that changes the cursor to a question mark pointer.
Clicking in a child window then displays a WM_HELP message. Window style ID is WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP
Right-to-Left Order Displays window text using the right-to-left reading order properties. Window style ID is
WS_EX_RTLREADING.
No Parent Notify Specifies that a child window does not send the WM_PARENTNOTIFY message to its parent
window when created or destroyed. Window style ID is WS_EX_NOPARENTNOTIFY.
Right -aligned Text Specifies generic right-aligned properties. Window style ID is WS_EX_RIGHT.
Left Scroll Bar Places a vertical scroll bar left of the client area. Window style ID is WS_EX_LEFTSCROLLBAR.
Top-most Window Places the window above all non-topmost windows, even when the window is deactivated.
Applications can use the SetWindowsPos member function to change this position. Window style ID is
WS_EX_TOPMOST.
To test this feature, generate and view the CHM file. When the HTML Help viewer opens, select a window. The viewer
remains the topmost window.
Adding HTML buttons
You can add extra buttons that link to intranet, websites, and HTML pages. You can add a home button and two jump
buttons to any URL. These buttons appear at the top of the HTML Help viewer.
Add a home button
1In Windows Properties, click Buttons > Home.
2Click Advanced Properties.
3On the Destinations tab, in Home, enter the URL.
4Click OK > OK.
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Add a jump button
1On the Windows Properties dialog box, select Button 1.
2Click Advanced Properties.
3On the Destinations tab, in the Button 1 label, enter label text for the icon displayed in the window (optional).
4In Custom Button 1 URL, enter the link website address.
5Click OK > OK.
Notes:
•Custom windows without a navigation pane do not support custom buttons. If you select options such as Back,
Forward, or Hide/Show, these buttons do not appear when you test Help topics.
•Website links to custom windows must include the tri-pane design (navigation pane).
•From the HTML Help viewer or window, Home buttons and URLs look like the following:
Home
Button 1
Button 2
Edit windows for JavaHelp and Oracle viewers
The JavaHelp viewer includes a customizable navigation pane and a content pane. To omit the navigation pane, clear
the TOC, Index, and Search settings. If you do not create a TOC or index, clear the corresponding settings.
1Click Project.
2Double-click the single-source layout.
3Set options for the navigation pane and in-topic navigation bar.
Options for JavaHelp viewers
Options for Oracle viewers
Desired Result Actions
Specify the location for browse sequences and WebSearch. Select Top Right, Bottom Left, or Bottom Right.
Specify the appearance of browse sequences or WebSearch controls. Select Button or Text.
Specify JavaHelp output type. Uncompressed JavaHelp With Source Files to create HS and individual
output files.
Compressed JavaHelp to create .JAR and .HS files.
Compressed JavaHelp With Source Files to create .JAR, HS, and
individual output files.
Desired result Action
Add (or remove) the Contents tab from the navigation pane. Select or clear TOC.
Add (or remove) the Index tab from the navigation pane. Select or clear Index.
Add (or remove) the Search tab from the navigation pane. Select or clear Search.
Enable WebSearch. (Select to provide access to WebSearch from the
Help viewer.)
Select WebSearc.h
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Assign a default window
If the project doesn’t include custom windows, the settings for New Window are used to display Help. If no windows
are in the project, Help is displayed using the default settings of the browser or viewer.
1In the Single Source Layouts pod, expand the Single Source Layouts folder.
2Double-click a layout that uses WebHelp Pro or HTML Help.
3In the Default Window menu, select the custom window.
Remove a window
1In the Project Set-up pod, expand the Windows folder.
2Right-click a window. Select Delete.
Enable browse sequences (If you create browse sequences in the
project, select this feature so functionality is available in the browser.)
Select Browse Sequences.
Specify the location for the in-topic navigation bar. Select Top Right, Bottom Left, or Bottom Right as the location.
Specify the appearance of the in-topic navigation bar. Select Button or Text as the style.
Desired result Action
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Chapter 13: Review and collaboration
At different stages of content development and even after delivery, you need input from various stakeholders, such as
other authors, SMEs, editors, and end users. RoboHelp enables effective collaboration among all these roles by
providing multiple ways of gathering, tracking, and addressing feedback.
Review in Design Editor
Insert your review comments directly in a project. You can also enable the Track Changes mode and edit the content.
Display the Review toolbar
The Review toolbar includes buttons for the following tasks:
•Add a review comment
•Edit a review comment
•Enable the Track Changes mode
•Accept this change and move to the next
•Reject this change and move to the next
•Move to the previous change or review comment
•Move to the next change or review comment
To display the Review toolbar:
❖Select View > Toolbars > Review.
Enable the Track Changes mode
To review a project in Design Editor, open the project and edit the contents in the Track Changes mode.
Important: RoboHelp does not track formatting and structure changes. For example, if you underline a word or delete a
row from a table, the changes are not tracked.
❖To enable the Track Changes mode, do any of the following:
•Select Review > Track Changes.
•In the Review toolbar, click the Track Changes icon .
Configure review settings
•To change the color of inserted text, right-click an instance of inserted text, and select Inserted Content Properties.
Select a color. Select Set Color As Default.
•To change the color of deleted text, right-click an instance of deleted text, and select Deleted Content Properties.
Select a color. Select Set Color As Default.
•To change the color of review comments, right-click a comment, and select Review Comment Properties. Select a
color. Select Set Color As Default.
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•To set the name you want to display as the reviewer name, select Tools > Options > General. In the Reviewer Name
box, type the reviewer name.
Note: Relaunch RoboHelp to load the modified settings.
PDF review
Create a PDF for review
The Create PDF For Review option in the Review menu lets you create a PDF that reviewers can review with the free
Adobe Reader. The PDF stores a tagged structure of the RoboHelp project, enabling you to import comments back in
the RoboHelp project.
Note: To ensure that comments are imported correctly, avoid updating the project after creating the PDF.
You can save the PDF locally or send it to the reviewers by e-mail. If you have Acrobat X Pro installed on the same
computer, you can upload the PDF on Acrobat.com or share it in a network location.
1Select Review > Create PDF For Review.
2(Optional) To include topics based on a topic status, select the topic status from the drop-down list.
3Select the topics, master pages, and snippets that you want to include in the PDF.
Note: The order of topics in the Create PDF for Review dialog box and in the PDF created is same as that in the Project
Files folder and not in a TOC. If a different order is required, arrange the topics in the Project Files folder in the
required order with drag-and-drop.
RoboHelp alerts you if you select a topic that is linked to Microsoft Word or FrameMaker document and the
content is outdated.
Note: An image map applied in a circle is converted as a hyperlink in the largest square inside the circle. Image maps
applied in polygons are not converted. Iframes are not converted; only placeholders appear. Tables, images, and other
elements that do not fit in a page are cropped. Dynamic HTML, such as drop-down text, is not included in the PDF
created for review.
4Select one of the following options:
Create A Local PDF: Creates a PDF and saves it to a location you specify. You can use the PDF for self- review or
copy it to a shared location so other reviewers can add their feedback.
Attach For E-Mail Review Creates a PDF and attaches it to a new e-mail message open in your e-mail client. You
can complete the message and send it to the reviewers.
Send For Shared Review Creates a PDF and uploads it to Acrobat.com or a network location for shared review.
Note: This option is enabled in RoboHelp if Acrobat 10 Pro is installed on the same computer. In Technical
Communication Suite installations, the option is enabled in RoboHelp if Acrobat 9 Pro or above is installed on the
same computer.
5Select Enabling Commenting In Adobe Reader.
Note: This option is enabled in RoboHelp if Acrobat 10 Pro is installed on the same computer. In Technical
Communication Suite installations, the option is enabled in RoboHelp if Acrobat 9 Pro or above is installed on the
same computer.
6Click OK.
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Embed SWFs in review PDF
To ensure that the PDF for review includes the SWFs inserted in the project, do the following:
1Select Tools > Options > General.
2Select Embed SWF In Review PDF.
Note: When you create a PDF for review without selecting this option, the PDF contains placeholders where SWFs are
inserted in the project.
Add comments to SWFs
If the PDF for review contains SWFs that you can play and pause, you can add comments to individual slides. However,
when RoboHelp imports the comments, it removes the slide association and places all the comments added to a SWF
file above the SWF file in Design Editor. It also displays each comment as a separate entry in Review Pane.
To indicate the context of a comment, add the slide title or text to describe the slide (for example, Command menu
slide: Move the pointer away from the selected menu item).
1Choose Comments > Show Comment & Markup Toolbar.
2Click Pause where you want to add a comment.
3Select the Sticky Note commenting tool and click the slide to add the comment.
4Click Play to continue the review.
Import comments from PDF
•Select Review > Import Comments From PDF.
About PDF comments imported in Design Editor
The following table shows how each type of PDF comment is imported in Design Editor:
Note: If a comment or track change has been imported from a review PDF, any changes to that comment or track change
is not imported on further import of comments from the same PDF.
Import of comments added to SWFs
RoboHelp imports the comments added to SWFs and places them near the inserted SWFs. You can track the
comments from the Review Pane pod. The comments are not associated with slides.
PDF Editor
Sticky note Review comment
Callout Review comment
Comment inserted on highlighted text Review comment
Inserted text Inserted text in Track Changes mode
Deleted text Deleted text in Track Changes mode
Replaced text Combination of deleted and inserted text
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Import of comments added to placeholders, snippets, and headers and footers
For mini TOCs, breadcrumbs, snippets, and headers and footers in master pages, RoboHelp places comments above
or below these elements. It does not insert the comments in the location where they were added in the PDF. Insertions
and deletions are also imported as sticky notes.
Manage comments and changes
You can review the comments and accept or reject them directly in Design Editor. You can also view the comments
and changes as a list in the Review Pane pod, filter them in different ways, and accept or reject them. You can set a
status for each comment in Review Pane.
Review Pane pod
Review Pane displays the comments and changes made directly in Design Editor as well as the comments imported
from a reviewed PDF.
To display the Review Pane pod, do one of the following:
•Select Review > Show Review Pane.
•Select View > Pods > Review Pane.
Note: If you’re inserting comments or editing the content in the Track Changes mode, click in Review Pane to refresh the
contents of Review Pane.
Review Pane displays the following information about each comment or change:
Icon Displays an icon indicating a comment or the type of change, for example, inserted text and deleted text.
Reviewer Displays the reviewer name as configured in Acrobat (for review comments) or in Tools > Options (for
tracked changes). See “Configure review settings” on page 347.
Modified Displays the last modified date and time for the comment or change.
Details Displays the comment or change in plain text.
Status Displays the status of the comment.
Note: RoboHelp supports three types of statuses: Accepted, Rejected, and None. When you import a PDF in which statuses
are set, RoboHelp converts the Canceled and Completed statuses to None.
Type Displays Review Comment or the type of change, Inserted and Deleted.
Path Displays the topic in which the comment or change is present.
•To show or hide columns, right-click the Review Pane pod and select Show Columns. Select the columns.
•To sort the comments and changes on the type of information displayed in a column, click the header of that
column.
•To access the previous or next comment in Design Editor, click the Previous icon and the Next icon in the
Review Pane toolbar.
Filter comments and changes
❖Click the Filter Entries icon in the Review Pane toolbar, and select one of the following options:
Hide All Hides all comments and changes in Review Pane as well as in Design Editor.
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Show All Displays all comments and changes in Review Pane as well as in Design Editor.
Show By Type Enables you to select one of the three views: All Types, Review Comments, and Track Changes. All
Types displays both comments and changes in Review Pane. Review Comments displays only comments in Review
Pane. Track Changes displays only insertions and deletions made in the Track Changes mode in Review Pane.
Show By Reviewer Enables you to filter comments and changes by specific reviewers. RoboHelp creates the
reviewer list from comments and changes available in the project.
Show By Status Enables you to select a status and view only comments with that status.
Show For All Topics Displays comments and changes in all the open topics or only the active topic.
Group comments and changes
❖Right-click the Review Pane pod, and select Group By. Select one of the following options:
•Color
•Reviewer
•Modified
•Status
•Type
•Topic
•Path
Select None to remove grouping.
Reply or set a status to a comment
•To reply to a comment, right-click the comment and select Reply To Review Comment.
Note: RoboHelp displays the replies as child comments in Review Pane.
•To set a status, select the comment, and click the Set Status icon in the Review Pane toolbar. Select Accepted,
Rejected, or None.
Accept or reject changes
You can review the changes made by reviewers in Review Pane, and accept or reject a change. In both cases, RoboHelp
updates the content as well as Review Pane. For example, if you accept a change of type Deleted Text, the text marked
for deletion is deleted from the content and the entry in Review Pane is deleted.
To accept changes, do one of the following:
•(All changes) Select Review > Accept > Accept All.
To accept all changes only in a selected topic, select Accept All From <topic_name>.
•Select a change of type Inserted Text or Deleted Text in the topic. Select Review > Accept > Accept And Move To
Next, or click the Accept And Move To Next icon in the Review Pane toolbar.
•Select a change of type Inserted Text or Deleted Text from Review Pane, and click the Accept And Move To Next
in the Review Pane toolbar.
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To reject changes:
•(All changes) Select Review > Reject > Reject All.
Note: To reject all changes in a selected topic, select Reject All From <topic_name>.
•Select a change of type Inserted Text or Deleted Text in the topic. Select Review > Reject > Reject And Move To
Next, or click the Reject And Move To Next icon in the Review Pane toolbar.
•Select a change of type Inserted Text or Deleted Text from Review Pane, and click the Reject And Move To Next
icon in the Review Pane toolbar.
Delete comments
Do one of the following:
•Select the comment in the topic. Select Review > Delete Review Comment.
•Select the comment in Review Pane, and click the Delete Review Comment icon in the Review Pane toolbar.
Note: If you delete a comment, RoboHelp deletes the comment from Review Pane as well as from the content. If the
comment has replies, the replies (child comments) are also deleted from Review Pane.
Review and collaboration in AIR Help
Rating, commenting, and moderation capabilities in AIR Help (Adobe AIR Application output) let you implement
review and collaboration in flexible ways. Depending on your requirement, you can choose between a trust-based
internal setup and a server-driven, secure external setup. Similarly, you can enable or disable moderation, allow or
disallow anonymous comments, and choose to work online or offline (with the ability to publish comments saved in
offline mode).
Topic rating
If you are delivering Help as an Adobe AIR application, you can enable topic rating to gather user feedback. Users can
rate any topic on a scale of 0-5 stars. The AIR Help application saves the topic rating for each user in a shared network
drive location (same as the location for syncing comments) or on a RoboHelp server and loads the ratings at the time
of viewing a topic.
When a user opens a topic, the user sees the average rating for that topic. Users need to hover the mouse over the rating
widget to see their own rating. If a RoboHelp server is set to save topic ratings, users are authenticated before providing
rating. In offline scenarios, topic rating is saved in the local user database and a status is shown in the AIR Help
application status bar. When the user goes online the next time and is authenticated by the server, the unsynced items
are automatically synced.
To enable topic rating, see “Configure collaboration” on page 289.
Commenting
Store comments in a shared network folder
If you want to provide a trust-based collaboration framework for internal users, specify a shared network location to
store comments. Users can read and add comments if they have read/write access to that network location. Comments
from each user are stored in a separate XML file at the location.
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For information about how to specify a shared network location, see “Configure collaboration” on page 289.
Store comments on a RoboHelp server
If you want to allow commenting by users outside a corporate network, store comments on a RoboHelp server. The
server authenticates users before allowing them to read or add comments.
Note: RoboHelp Server provides user authentication through both database and LDAP.
Key steps to implement and use collaboration using a RoboHelp server
1(Author) In RoboHelp HTML, generate AIR Help with the following layout settings:
•Enable Topic Rating
•Enable Commenting
•Enable Comment Moderation
•In Set Location For Comments And Topic Ratings, select RoboHelp Server and specify the server URL.
For more detailed steps, see “Configure collaboration” on page 289.
2(Administrator) In RoboHelp Server Web Administrator, sign in as an administrator and click Settings >
Moderation. Specify the following settings:
•Select Allow Post Anonymous if you want to let users comment anonymously on Help content.
Note: RoboHelp Server authenticates all users. When anonymous posting is enabled, users have the option to post
a comment without their usernames being displayed.
•
Select Mark New Comments As Pending if you want to display user comments only after a moderator approves them.
For more detailed steps, see Using RoboHelp Server 9.
3(User) Launch the AIR Help application. Click Show/Hide Comments Pod and add comments. See “Add
comments” on page 354 and “Moderate comments” on page 354.
Configure preferences for comments
Users can configure the following preferences for comments in AIR Help (output):
Always Use Log-In Name For Reviewer Name
If comments are stored in a shared network folder, users can specify the
name they want to display with their comments. By default, RoboHelp displays the user name as defined in the user area.
Note: If comments are stored on a RoboHelp server, RoboHelp uses the login name.
Use Default Location To Sync Comments Users can select this option to specify a new location for storing comments.
The default location is the location specified at the time of generating AIR Help.
Receive Comments From Shared Folder Users can select this option to receive all comments automatically when the
Comments pod is displayed after launching AIR Help.
Show Moderation Pod Users can select this option to enable the moderation mode if they have moderator privileges.
In trust-based commenting (shared network location), moderators only need access to the password specified by the
author at the time of generating AIR Help. In server-based commenting, moderators need admin privileges.
Note: Users can enable the moderation mode only if the author has enabled moderation at the time of generating AIR Help.
Delete All Comments Select to delete all comments from your local database. When you click Send And Receive after
selecting this option, all your comments are deleted from the shared location or the RoboHelp server.
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Add comments
Users can add comments if commenting is enabled when generating the Adobe AIR output. Comments are stored
locally until you click Send To Server or Send and Receive option.
1Click Show/Hide Comments Pod to display the Comments pod.
2To add a comment, click Show/Hide Add Comment. Enter the comment and click Save.
3Click Send And Receive to publish saved comments.
Comment moderation
Regardless of whether you store comments in a shared network location or on a RoboHelp server, RoboHelp supports
comment moderation. If moderation is enabled, the status of an unmoderated comment is Pending or Accepted as set
in the SSL. A rejected comment can be seen only by the user who added the comment.
Moderate comments
In the AIR Help output, do the following:
1Click Preferences.
2Click Comment.
3Specify the password.
4Select Show Moderation Pod. Click OK.
5Use the following options to filter comments:
View All list Select Pending, Rejected, or Accepted to filter comments by status.
Comments By list Select an author name to filter comments by an author.
Comments For Current Topic Click to view comments on the current topic only.
Comments For All Topics Click to view comments on all topics.
6Click Accept, Reject, or Delete to moderate a comment.
7Click Send And Receive to synchronize the comments with the shared location or the server.
Shared location RoboHelp server
Enabling moderation Disabled by default Enabled by default
Admins can modify the settings using the Admin UI on
RoboHelp Server
Authentication Not required to read or add comments
Required to moderate comments
Moderator password is provided by authors and can’t be
changed
Required to read or add comments if anonymous
commenting is not allowed
Admin privileges required to moderate comments
Status of new
comments
Moderators can modify the settings.xml file in the
location where comments are centrally located.
If the moderation state attribute is set to ‘on’, new
comments remain in the Pending state until they are
moderated. If it is set to ‘off’, all new comments are
marked Accepted by default and are not queued for
moderation. A moderator can still reject or delete the
comments later.
The Mark New Comments As Pending option set on the
server determines the status of new comments.
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Chapter 14: Advanced program features
ActiveX controls
About ActiveX controls
ActiveX controls are Microsoft Windows-based applications that you can plug into projects. They are small, pre-
compiled, modular, and reusable. Web developers use ActiveX controls to extend the functionality of their HTML
pages. You can use ActiveX controls to extend the functionality of topics.
ActiveX controls work exclusively in browsers that support ActiveX technology. Microsoft Internet Explorer and the
HTML Help viewer support these controls. Netscape Navigator does not support ActiveX controls.
RoboHelp includes several ActiveX controls for HTML Help functionality, including link controls and HTML Help
controls. You can add other ActiveX controls. ActiveX controls can perform credit card transactions, spreadsheet
calculations and provide database communications.
Some ActiveX controls are included with projects. For example, the HHCTRL.OCX provided by Microsoft is a
required ActiveX control. It enables the table of contents, index, and full-text search.
Note: Copy ActiveX controls to and register them on user systems. ActiveX controls are not included in compiled CHM
files. For WebHelp and WebHelp Pro projects, Internet Explorer 4.0 or later supports ActiveX controls.
Add design-time controls
Note: This information applies to Microsoft HTML Help projects.
1Insert the cursor in the topic where you want to place the control.
2Select Insert > HTML > Advanced > Design-Time Control.
3From the list of controls, select a control to insert into the project.
4Click OK.
Types of HTML Help ActiveX controls
Calendar Control When users open a topic with a calendar control, a calendar appears in the text. Users can select
months and years to view and print.
Custom Buttons Users can download the latest information from a database or the latest version of the application
with custom buttons.
Banner When users open a topic that contains a banner, they are directed to the content. The banner lets you design
and test text, images, and icons to display at designated intervals in a topic.
Chart Lets users draw charts that they can view and print. They can change the chart properties by selecting options
and check boxes. They can also enter data to display in the chart or graph.
Calculations Lets users enter data, for example, in an online test. Users can obtain test results and view results (the
correct answers to each question).
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You can insert any ActiveX control registered on the system into topics in projects. To add other ActiveX controls,
install and register the ActiveX control on the system before using it.
Add ActiveX controls
For the controls to work, distribute and register Custom ActiveX.ocx files on the user systems. (The RoboHelp license
allows you to distribute these controls.) By default, the controls are at C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp
[version]\Redist.
1Insert the cursor in the topic where you want to place the control.
2Select Insert > HTML > Advanced > ActiveX Control.
3Select the ActiveX control to add and click OK.
4Double-click the ActiveX control to edit its appearance and properties. HTML Help doesn't support all ActiveX
controls, and some controls don't have properties dialog boxes.
Customize ActiveX control properties
1Double-click the ActiveX control in the topic to open the Properties dialog box, and view ActiveX control
properties including the following:
Code Source Provides an address (URL) for the latest copy of the ActiveX control (if it is not on the local system).
Data Source Provides an address (URL) that specifies where the ActiveX control searches to find any of its data
arguments.
ID Displays the identification of the ActiveX control (if it includes an ID).
2Click the ActiveX Control tab, and click Add to specify the following properties. Then click OK.
•In Name, select the property type to add from the list of customizable properties for the ActiveX control.
•In Value, enter a value for the selected property.
3Click the Margins tab, and specify the margins.
4Click the Borders tab. Under Settings, select Box or Custom.
The Custom setting lets you add a border of a different size and color to each side of the ActiveX control. Specify
line style and border color and thickness, and preview the selections.
5In the Size tab, specify the following Size properties:
•Enter Preferred Width and Height in pixels (px) (default) or percentages (%).
•Click Maintain Aspect Ratio to keep the height and width proportional.
Remove ActiveX control properties
1In the Design Editor, double-click the ActiveX control to open the Properties dialog box.
2Select the name or value of the property to delete.
3Click the Delete button.
Customize the calendar control
1Select Insert > HTML > Advanced > ActiveX Control.
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2Select Calendar Control [version]. The control appears in the Design editor, as shown in the following example:
3Double-click it and change the available settings in the ActiveX Control tab.
4To change the font color for weekday headings, click Add in the ActiveX Control tab.
5Select Dayfontcolor, enter a color value, and click OK.
6To view the calendar, click the View button .
Applets
1Select Insert > HTML > Advanced > Applet.
2Add the following information:
Code The class files to use.
Code Base Path to the selected class files. If the applet is in the project folder, leave this field blank.
Name Name for the class files. Assign applet names for several applets to communicate with each other.
Alt Text alternate text used if the browser cannot display the applet.
Parameters Name and value of parameters defining variable elements of an applet, such as background color or font.
Add Opens a dialog box to enter the name and value of applet parameters. Examples of name and value are FontType
and FontType=Arial respectively.
Edit Opens a dialog box to edit parameters.
Delete Removes selected parameters.
Size Sets object width and height.
Margins Sets object margins.
Borders Sets a border around the object.
Notes:
•To use an applet in a topic, move the applet to the project folder before adding it.
•Most applets are class files. Work with the developer to obtain class files for the applet.
•To add class files to version control, manually add them to the Baggage Files folder.
•Applets work only in WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp, and FlashHelp Pro projects.
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Forms
Workflow to create forms
Note: Forms created in the Design Editor must have a corresponding Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script on the
server.
1Add the form and set form properties.
2Add specific form elements.
3Link to a script that acts on the data that the user enters. This step requires a CGI script written in a scripting or
programming language.
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Add a form to a topic
1Select a location where you want to insert a form.
2Select Insert > HTML > Form > Form. A rectangular box is inserted to hold the form elements.
Set form properties
1Right-click inside a form and select Form Properties.
2Set the following options in the Form tab, and then set Size in pixels and Margin, Border, and Shading options.
Click OK.
Action In the Form Action box, enter the address to use to carry out the action of the form.
Method From the Method list, select the method to use for sending form data to the server.
•Post Sends the data through an HTTP post transaction
•Get Appends the arguments to the action URL, and opens it as if it is an anchor.
Name In the Name box, enter the form name.
If you want to include a background image or pattern, click the Browse button to locate the image to use.
Form elements
Form elements are available from the Design Editor.
Text Field Lets users type text in a form. You can enter default text in the field to guide users, or you can leave the field
empty.
Multi-Line Text Field Lets users enter over one line of text in a form field.
Hidden Field Lets users add names and values for hidden fields.
Password Field Lets users apply password protection. When users type in the box, the viewer displays the password as
a series of asterisks (*) for confidentiality.
Radio Button Lets users select only one alternative from a group. Options are presented in a list, one of which is
selected by default. Clicking a new button clears the previously selected item.
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Check Box Enables users to select any combination of alternatives. Check boxes can represent a group of non-
exclusive choices.
Button Lets users insert a plain button on the form, designate the caption, and perform customized actions defined by
the author.
Submit Button Lets users submit a completed form to a server.
Image Button Lets users insert a custom image on top of a button that performs an action when clicked.
Reset Button Lets users reset the form to its initial state.
Drop-Down Menu Lets users insert a drop-down menu in the form. Users can select one or more items, depending on
how you configure the drop-down menu.
Add and edit text fields
1Select a location in the form to insert a text field or multi-line text field, and select Insert > HTML > Form > Text
Field. You can also select Insert > HTML > Form > Multi-Line Text Field.
2For a text field, double-click the element to open the Text Field dialog box, specify the following properties, and
click OK.
Control Type Indicates the type of field.
Control Identifier Indicates the name to associate with the field. Not displayed on the form. The CGI program uses
it to identify the form element. To include a label next to the text field, type the text in the Design Editor.
Initial Text Displays text when the form opens. (If you select Password under Control Type, all characters in this
field appear as asterisks.)
Preferred Width Sets the width of the field.
Length Limit Sets the maximum number of characters that users can enter.
3For multi-line text fields, double-click the element to open the Multi-Line Text Field dialog box, specify the
following properties, and click OK.
Control Identifier Name for the field. Not displayed on the form, but used to identify the form element. To include
a label next to the text field, enter text in the Design Editor.
Rows Number of rows in the field.
Columns Number of columns in the field.
Initial Text Text that appears when the form opens.
Add special fields
1Place the cursor where you want to insert the field.
2Select Insert > Fields and Variables.
3Select the type of field from the Value list:
Date Day, month, year or combinations of the day, month, and year
Time Time of day (including AM or PM, if desired)
Title Topic title or other text
File Filename format
Variable Name and value
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4Select a format for the field from the Format list.
5(Optional) Click New. A line with the default formatting is added at the end of the Format list. Type a name for the
new format in the Current Format box. The Example column displays how the field appears in the topic.
6Click OK. The field is added to the topic.
Select Auto-Update This Field to update the field upon opening the topic. To view topic fields, from the View menu,
select Show, and choose Fields.
Add buttons to forms
1Select a location to insert the button, select Insert > HTML > Form > Button, and double-click the placeholder
button that appears.
2In Control Type, select the type of button:
Submit Button (Caption) Appears as a standard button and sends the form to the CGI script for processing.
Submit Button (Image) Appears as a custom image and sends the form to the CGI script for processing.
Reset Clears the form of any entries made by the user.
Plain Button Lets you customize the action the button performs.
3In the Control Identifier box, type the button name.
4In the Button Caption box, type the button caption.
5If you select Submit Button (Image), specify a screen tip in the Screen Tip box.
6If you select Submit Button (Image), specify a button in Button Image Path.
7Click OK.
Add image buttons
1Place the cursor inside the form to contain the button.
2Select Insert > HTML > Form > Image Button, and click OK.
3Enter an image name, select an image from the Images In Project Folder, or choose an image in the Gallery tab.
4To specify screen tip, button caption, and size, double-click the image and select or enter the desired values.
Add check boxes
1Select a location in the form to insert a check box.
2Select Insert > HTML > Form > Check Box.
3 Double-click the check box, and specify the check box options:
Control Type Select Check Box.
Control Identifier Type the name to associate with the check box.
Control Value Enter the value for the control.
Select This Control Is Initially Selected Makes the option a default selection when the topic is opened.
4Click OK.
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Add radio buttons
1Select a location in the form to insert a radio button.
2Select Insert > HTML > Form > Radio Button.
3Double-click the radio button and specify the properties:
Control Type Select Radio Button.
Control Identifier Type the name to associate with the radio button.
Control Value Enter the value for the option.
Select This Control Is Initially Selected Makes the option a default selection when the topic is opened.
4Click OK.
Add drop-down menus
1Select a location in the form for the menu.
2Select Insert > HTML > Form > Drop-down Menu.
3Double-click the drop-down menu.
4Set options for the Drop-down Menu tab:
Control Identifier Type a name for the menu. This name is not displayed. It is used to sort data from the form. Use
the Design Editor to add a label next to the menu.
Rows Set how options display. For example, set to 1 to show one item at a time.
Allow Multiple Selections Lets users select multiple options.
5Set options on the Options tab:
New Lets you specify a new label. Enter a name in the Label field, and a value in the Value field.
Selected Marks the option as a default.
6Click OK.
Frames
About frames and framesets
Design framesets to customize navigation:
Frames Divide the viewer into separate regions for separate topics.
Framesets Allow some topics to change while topics in another frame remain stationary.
The frameset tells the viewer how to display the frames and which topics to display inside each frame. Topics that are
displayed in the frames are the frame source topics. You can use framesets as regular HTML topics.
You can have multiple frames in a frameset. Because screen space determines how many frames are practical, too many
frames give the viewer a cluttered look. Sometimes only parts of words appear inside each frame. Numerous frames
cause increased load times.
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Notes:
•Printing is restricted to one frame at a time, although you can print the entire project from the viewer or browser.
•Target hypertext links to specific frames.
•Hypertext-linked external topics or URLs sometimes display incorrectly.
•Framesets are saved in the HTML Files (Topics) folder in the Project Manager. A square icon indicates frameset
files.
More Help topics
“Create text links” on page 191
Create framesets
1Select View > Pods > Project Manager.
2Right-click Project Files and select New > Frameset, and click a template.
3Enter a title. The title becomes the filename. Click Next.
4Define the properties for each frame in the frameset:
•In Name, enter a name.
•From the All Folders pop-up menu, select the file or URL to attach to the frame. The selection appears in the
Initial File field.
•Design the frame, specifying values for the height, width, frame margins, and border color. Specify the following
options, and then click Finish:
No Resize Prevents users from resizing the frame.
Scrolling Controls the display of scroll bars inside the frame.
•Auto Displays a scroll bar if the entire topic content can be viewed only by scrolling.
•Yes Always displays scroll bars.
•No Does not display scroll bars.
New Topic Creates a topic and assigns it to a frame.
Change frames and framesets
1Select View > Pods > Project Manager.
2In the HTML Files (Topics) folder, double-click the frameset file.
Note: If the folder isn’t visible, click the Toggle Project Manager View button .
3Make changes.
Note: You cannot select a template for a defined frameset. To use a different template, create a frameset.
Change the size of a frame
Note: This procedure does not change the default settings.
1Drag the cursor to the gray line between the two frames (frame divider).
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2After the cursor has changed, drag the frame divider left or right to make one frame larger and the other frame
smaller.
Remove framesets
If you accidentally delete a frameset, you can import it back into the project if it has not been removed from the hard disk.
1Select View > Pods > Project Manager.
2Expand the HTML Files (Topics) folder.
3Select the frameset file to remove.
4Click the Delete button .
Deleting a frameset in the TOC, or one that is referenced by a hypertext link, moves the frameset to the Broken Links
folder. To add it back into the project, right-click and select Restore.
Link framesets to books or pages
1Select View > Pods > Project Manager.
2Double-click the Table Of Contents folder.
3Right-click a table of contents in the folder, and click the New TOC Book or New TOC Page tool in the TOC
toolbar.
4Enter a title to appear in the TOC, and select Book With Link.
5Select a frameset from Existing Topics, and click OK.
Link to topics in frames
1Ensure that the frameset is open in the browser or viewer.
2Open a topic and select the text to link.
3Right-click and select the Insert Hyperlink button .
4In Link To, click the triangle pop-up menu to select a type of destination.
Or, select the topic or URL from Select Destination (File Or URL).
5In the Display In Frame pop-up menu, select the destination. This option defines the frame for displaying content.
Page Default (None) Opens the topic in the same frame as the Help file window.
New window Opens the topic in a new browser window.
Same Frame Opens the topic in the same frame as the current topic.
Parent Frame Opens the topic in the link parent frame and hides the original topic.
Whole Page Opens the topic in the Help file window, replacing the original topic or frameset.
6Click OK.
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HTML Help controls
Reuse HTML Help controls
HTML Help controls are portable. You can copy the controls into topics and change them to suit their locations.
1In the Design Editor, open the topic that contains the control to reuse.
2Right-click the control and select Copy.
3Open the topic that needs the control.
4Right-click the place for the control and select Paste.
5To change the control, double-click it.
Add WinHelp topic controls
Note: You cannot call topics with the @ character in the title from a Related Topics control in compiled HTML Help files.
1In the Design Editor, click a location for the control.
2Select Insert > HTML Help Controls > WinHelp Topic.
3Set the button options.
Text Inserts a standard gray button with black text. Edit the text for the button in the text field.
Image Inserts a BMP or an ICO file. Click the folder button to browse to the file. Select the file and copy it into the
project.
Hidden Inserts a control that is not visible in the topic. This option does not insert the control as an object in the
topic.
4Click Next. Select the WinHelp file and topic.
Help Specifies the Help file. Click Yes to copy the HLP file into the project folder. If the WinHelp system includes
a table of contents file, click Yes to copy it into the project folder.
Display As Popup Displays the WinHelp topic in a pop-up menu.
Window Specifies the type of window.
Specify Topic Defines topic by topic title, topic ID, or map number.
5Click Next to set the font options for the button label.
6Click Finish. Compile the Help system to test.
Distribute the HTML Help system with the HLP and CNT files.
More Help topics
“Add design-time controls” on page 355
Add index controls
Note: Applies to Microsoft HTML Help projects only.
The tri-pane design includes an Index tab, where users can access keywords.
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If the project does not support a tri-pane design, you can add an index control to a topic to make the index file
available. The index appears when users open the topic with the index control.
If the topic is in a subfolder, copy the index file (.HHK) to the subfolder before you add the control.
1In the Design Editor, click the place in the topic to add the index.
2Select Insert > HTML Help Controls > Index.
3To test the index control, compile the project. The index control displays the same index as in the final output.
You can use other index files (HHK) in the project. Copy the HHK file and associated files (topics, images,
multimedia) to select the HHK file with the index control.
Add table of contents controls
Note: Applies to Microsoft HTML Help projects only.
When users open a topic, the TOC appears.
If a topic is in a subfolder, copy the contents of the file into the subfolder before adding the control.
1In the Design Editor, click the place in the topic to add the TOC.
2Select Insert > HTML Help Controls > Table Of Contents.
3To test the control, first generate the project. The Table Of Contents control displays the same table of contents as
in the final output.
You can link other contents files in the project. Copy the HHC file into the project to select the HHC file with the TOC
control.
Add splash screens
Note: Applies to Microsoft HTML Help projects only.
You also can include splash screens when topics open. You can use Windows bitmaps (BMP) and GIF images.
1In the Design Editor, open the topic to display the splash screen when opened.
2Select Insert > HTML Help Controls > Splash Screen.
3From Image File For Splash, click Browse and navigate to the image to use in the project.
4Highlight the image file and click Open.
5In Duration Of Splash Display (Seconds), set the amount of time that the image remains on the screen.
6Click Finish. To test the splash screen, preview the topic.
You see a Splash object that identifies its location in the file. This object is not displayed in the viewer. When the topic
is opened, only the image is displayed.
Add shortcuts
Note: Applies to Microsoft HTML Help projects only.
1In the Design Editor, click the place in the topic to add the shortcut control.
2Select Insert > HTML Help Controls > Shortcut.
3Set the button options.
Text Inserts a gray button that performs the action.
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Image Inserts a custom image (BMP or ICO) that performs the action.
Hidden Inserts a control that is not visible in the topic.
4Click Next to set up shortcut functionality.
Program To Run Specifies the program to run from the control. Navigate to the drive/folder where the EXE file is
located and double-click it.
Program Parameters Defines command-line arguments to apply when the program runs, if needed.
Window Class Of Program Window Specifies the window class.
Topic To Display Specifies a topic to display if the program cannot be located.
5Click Next to set the font options for the button label.
6Click Finish.
Add HHCTRL version controls
An HHCTRL version control shows the version number of the Microsoft HTML Help on a user system.
1In the Design Editor, click the place in the topic to add the control.
2Select Insert > HTML Help Controls > HHCTRL Version.
3Select button options.
Text Inserts a gray button with black text that performs the action. Use the existing label or edit the text.
Image Inserts a custom image (BMP or ICO) as the button.
Hidden Inserts a control that is not visible in the topic. See the developer for a script that closes the window. You
can also add scripts to topics.
4Click Next to set the font options for the button label.
5Click Finish.
Preview the topic to test the HHCTRL version control.
Add close window controls
1In the Design Editor, click where you want to add the close window control in the topic.
2Select Insert > HTML Help Controls > Close Window.
3Set up the button options for the control.
Text Inserts a gray button that performs the action when selected. Edit the text to appear on the button.
Image Inserts an image that performs the action when selected.
Hidden Inserts a control that is not visible in the topic. See the developer for a script that closes the window. You
can add scripts to topics.
4If you are adding a standard button, click Next and set up the font options for the button label. You can assign a
different font, style, and size.
5Click Finish.
To test the close window control, compile the Microsoft HTML Help project.
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Change HTML Help controls
Note: Applies to Microsoft HTML Help projects only.
1In the Design Editor, open the topic with the control.
2Double-click the control.
Right-click a control and select Design-Time Control Properties to change properties.
Remove HTML Help controls
1In the Design Editor, open the topic that contains the control to remove.
2Select the control.
3Click Delete.
Click Undo to restore a control that you removed by mistake.
Information types (for HTML Help)
Information types are designed for HTML Help (CHM Help) only.
About information types (HTML Help)
Information types control which books and pages a user can access from the Contents tab in the HTML Help viewer.
They are an optional feature that you can use in Microsoft HTML Help projects only.
You first define categories and add information types to them. Then assign topics (pages or books) to the information
types. From the Contents tab in the HTML Help viewer, users can customize books and pages that appear in the table
of contents. If you do not assign an information type to a topic, the topic appears in the HTML Help viewer regardless
of user customization.
A category is a way to group information types, such as job description or skill level. You can create up to 10 categories
and 32 information types.
Information types fall into two categories:
Inclusive All information types from a category are available to users.
Exclusive Restricts users so they can select only one information type from a category. For example, you can assign
Exclusive classifications by skill level, so that users can access only the Help topics that pertain to their skill level.
With the current version of Microsoft HTML Help, it is not possible to filter Index and Search tabs to support
information types. Users cannot access a topic from the HTML Help index that is not in the information types that
they select.
For a detailed explanation of information types, see Strategies for Using Information Types in HTML Help by Rob
Houser.
Define categories and information types (HTML Help)
1Select Edit > Information Types.
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2In the Category field, enter a name.
3Classify the category:
Inclusive Users can select any combination of information types in a category.
Exclusive Users can only select one information type in a category.
Hidden Users do not see these topics in the TOC. They cannot customize information types to filter them. If you
are assigning topics to information types for context-sensitive Help, select this option.
4Click Add Category. Repeat steps 2 through 4 to add more categories.
5Select a category to add information types.
6In Information Type, enter an information type.
7Click Add Info Type. Repeat steps 6 and 7 to add more information types in the same category.
8Click OK.
Assign information types (HTML Help)
After creating information types, assign them to books or pages in a TOC.
Note: Make sure that Microsoft HTML Help is set as the primary layout.
1In the Project Manager pod, double-click a table of contents in the Table Of Contents folder.
2In the TOC pod, right-click the book or page, and select Properties.
3Click the Advanced tab.
4Select Use Information Types.
5Click Add and select a topic to associate with the selected book or page.
6Select an entry in Information Types and click Types.
7Select an information type.
Access information types from the HTML Help viewer
When users open Help systems, the system prompts them to select information types. All topics not assigned to
information types are available from the index.
1Click the Contents tab.
2Right-click inside Contents and select Customize.
3Select Custom.
4Click Next. The list that appears depends on the Exclusive or Inclusive classification of the information types.
5Select any combination of information types, and click Next.
6Click Finish. The Contents tab is updated to display only pages that correspond to the information types selected.
If the Help system displays in the Internet Explorer browser, you can use information types as long as the first topic
includes the TOC ActiveX control.
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Edit information types (HTML Help)
Change categories for information types (HTML Help)
1Select Edit > Information Types.
2From the list of categories, select one.
3Click in the Category box and edit the text.
4To change its classification from Inclusive to Exclusive or Hidden, click the option. Then click the Change button.
Remove categories from information types (HTML Help)
When you remove a category, you also remove its associated information types.
1Select Edit > Information Types.
2From the list of categories, select one to remove.
3Click Delete Category. The category along with all its information types are deleted.
Remove information types (HTML Help)
Remove information types from books and pages (HTML Help)
1In the Project Manager pod, double-click a table of contents in the Table Of Contents folder.
2In the TOC pod, right-click the book or page, and select Properties.
3Click the Advanced tab.
4From Information Types, choose the topic folder.
5Click Remove to remove assignments.
Remove information types from categories (HTML Help)
1Select Edit > Information Types.
2From the list of categories, select the one that includes the information type to remove.
3Select the information type.
4Click Delete Info Type.
Scripts
About scripts
Scripts are coded instructions that tell the HTML Help viewer or browser how to react to events. Scripts add power
and more functionality to HTML Help systems, intranets, and websites.
Two common supported scripting languages are VBScript and JavaScript. The scripting used is the same kind used by
web pages. Scripts are uncompiled. You can view them in the RoboHelp HTML Editor. Because they are uncompiled,
they do not require a dynamic-link library (DLL).
Because HTML Help does not support macros, use scripts to provide the same functionality that macros provide for
WinHelp systems. Application developers can provide scripts for you to plug right into the topics.
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Note: Add support files used in scripts (such as image files) to the Baggage Files folder to include in the project.
Add a script to an HTML topic
1In the Design Editor, click the place in the topic to add the script.
2Select Insert > HTML > Advanced > Script.
3In the Source tab, enter the scripting code.
•If you first copy the script to the Clipboard, you can click inside the Source tab and paste the data into the box.
You can also type the script directly into the box.
•Enclose the script within comment tags <!-- and --> for compatibility with all browsers.
4Select the Tag tab, select a Name or Value tag to edit, and select Edit Name or Edit Value.
5Change the tag, as needed, and click OK. The value can be VBScript or JavaScript.
The icon indicates where the script is inserted in the topic. To edit the script, double-click the icon.
6Test the HTML file after you generate output.
About ExtendScript Toolkit support
Create your own scripts to automate repetitive tasks and time-consuming workflows. For example, you can write a
script that counts the images used in a RoboHelp project.
RoboHelp provides a set of sample scripts that you can use or customize. You can access these sample scripts from
Tool > Scripts.
EclipseHelp Generator Use this script to generate EclipseHelp output. For a step-by-step procedure, see “Generate
EclipseHelp” on page 305.
ePub Generator Use this script to generate ePub output. For a step-by-step procedure, see “Generate output in the
ePub format” on page 305.
Image Extension Updater Use this script to update the file extension of image paths referred across topics in a project.
By default, the script converts file extension .bmp to .png in each topic. You can update the script to convert different
extensions.
Note: The script updates the name of the image file referred in the topic; it does not create any image. The images with
the new extension should be present in the location where the original images reside.
Link Converter Use this script to convert an anchor link href target across all the files in a RoboHelp project. For
example, define a link to convert www.adobe.com to www.adobe.com/support/ across all the Help files in a project.
See the script file for more information.
Master Page Import Use this script to import master pages.
UDV Converter With UI Use this script to convert a keyword into a user-defined variable and change its value across
all files in a project. Enter a keyword, a user-defined variable name, and its value.
UDV Converter Use this script to convert a keyword into a user-defined variable and change its value across all the files
in a project. See the script for more details.
Word Count Generator Use this script to get a word count for an opened RoboHelp project. It provides a word count
by topic and by project. To run the Word Count script, right-click the script and select Run. The word count summary
appears in the Output View pod.
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Project Template Generator Use this script to save a RoboHelp project as a template for creating similar RoboHelp
projects.
Reference Page Image Updater Use this script to insert images of reference pages in topics generated through
FrameMaker document import. For more details, see the DESCRIPTION section in the script file header.
Style-based Index Generator Use this script to create style-based index entries for keywords present in the topics of a
project. The styles need to be specified in the script. The script searches all the keywords with the mentioned styles in
each topic and creates index entries for them. By default, the script creates entries for h1 (Heading 1) and "h2"
(Heading 2) styles. The style array in the script should be updated with the desired style names.
Creating scripts
You can write scripts and debug them using the Script Explorer of the ExtendScript Toolkit.
John Daigle provides a step-by-step introduction in Automating tasks with built-in scripting on the Adobe RoboHelp
video tutorials page.
For information about the methods covered in the Data Object Model, see Adobe RoboHelp Scripting Guide.
Manage script folders
Create a script folder Create a folder for storing specific scripts. For example, you can store scripts that record data in
one folder and scripts that display output in another folder.
Note: The sample scripts are stored in the \RoboHTML\presets\scripts folder of your RoboHelp 9 installation.
Drag folders You can drag folders into and out of the Script Explorer.
Import and export You can export and import folders in different projects and locations. To import or export a folder,
it must contain at least one script file.
Manage script files
Create a script file Create a script file and specify a name.
Edit Right-click a script in the Script Explorer or Windows Explorer to edit it using ExtendScript Toolkit. Double-click
a script file to edit it using a third-party editor.
To add a third-party editor, go to Tools > Options, click the Associations tab, and add the .jsx filename extension for
the third-party editor.
Import and export Export a script file to or import it from a computer or a network.
Drag script files Drag a script file into different folders on a computer or a network.
Run scripts
Using the command line You can run scripts by entering a command in the following format:
Robohtml.exe -x [scriptfilenames]
You can specify multiple script filenames, separated by a space, to run one script after another. If the filename path
contains a space, enclose the filename path in single or double quotation marks.
Using the Tools menu You can use the RoboHelp scripting samples available at Tools > Scripts or create new scripts
to run them; see the ExtendScript Toolkit documentation.
Using Windows Explorer Double-click a script to open it in the ExtendScript Toolkit and run it.
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Using ExtendScript Toolkit Start RoboHelp directly from the ExtendScript Toolkit and run your scripts. To start
RoboHelp, select Adobe RoboHelp [version] from the ExtendScript Toolkit pop-up menu. Click the Click To Connect
To Target Application
to run RoboHelp. The icon is green to indicate that RoboHelp HTML is running.
Note: If you don’t select Adobe RoboHelp in the ExtendScript Toolkit, and you try running a script, an error occurs.
Twisties
Use twisties to enhance glossary terms, drop-down text, and expanding text with images for open and close. Users will
see different images when they open or close glossary, drop-down, or expanding text.
Add or change images in a hotspot
1Select Drop-down hotspot style in the Styles dialog box.
2Expand Character styles to view the Drop-down hotspot style.
3Click the Select Twisties Images button .
4Select an image to display closing drop-down text and one image to open a drop-down hotspot.
5Select an option to place the images either at the Start Of Text or End Of Text. Similarly, you can change images for
expanding text.
Add or change images of glossary terms
1Select a glossary term style in the Styles dialog box.
2Click the Select Twisties Images button .
3Select an image to display closing drop-down text and another image to open a drop-down hotspot. Select different
images to differentiate between opening and closing a hotspot.
4Select an option to place the images either at the Start Of Text or End Of Text. Similarly, you can change images for
expanding text.
Removing Twisties images
❖To remove images from glossary terms or drop-down hotspots, click the Clear button in the Select Twisties Images
dialog box.
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Chapter 15: Default keyboard shortcuts
Adobe RoboHelp HTML provides shortcuts to help you quickly work in documents without using the mouse. Use
these shortcuts in Design Editor. Additional keyboard shortcuts appear next to the command names in menus.
Note: To use certain shortcuts, you must select text first. Those cases are marked with an asterisk (*).
Task Keyboard shortcut
Basic operations
Open project CTRL+O (letter O)
Save All CTRL+S
Undo CTRL+Z
Redo CTRL+Y
Cut CTRL+X
Copy CTRL+C
Paste CTRL+V
Delete Delete button
Close All Ctrl+Alt+X
Select all CTRL+A
Find CTRL+F
Replace Ctrl+H
Go to bookmark F5
Print from active pane CTRL+P
Help F1
Spell check active pane F7
Thesaurus SHIFT+F7
Create a topic Ctrl+T
Duplicate a topic Ctrl+D
Edit item Ctrl+E
Close a topic Ctrl+F4
Rename F2
Paragraph markers CTRL+SHIFT+8
Preview topic CTRL+W
Insert hypertext link* CTRL+K*
Insert image CTRL+G
Insert text-only pop-up window* CTRL+ALT+P
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*Select text first.
Open Project Settings dialog CTRL+SHIFT+/
Open Topic Properties dialog ALT+ENTER
Display Conditional Build Tag dialog* CTRL+N
Text formatting in Design Editor
Bold CTRL+B
Italicize CTRL+I
Underline CTRL+U
Format – Paragraph menu CTRL+SHIFT+D
Format – Font menu CTRL+D
Font change CTRL+SHIFT+F
Increase font size to next size in menu* CTRL+SHIFT+>
Decrease font size to previous size in menu* CTRL+SHIFT+<
Increase font size by 1 point* CTRL+]
Decrease font size by 1 point* CTRL+[
Styles in Design Editor
Apply a style* CTRL+SHIFT+S
Apply the Normal style CTRL+SHIFT+N
Apply a Bullets or Numbering style CTRL+SHIFT+L
Apply Heading 1* ALT+CTRL+1
Apply Heading 2* ALT+CTRL+2
Apply Heading 3* ALT+CTRL+3
TOC pod
Move book or topic up in the table of contents CTRL+Up Arrow
Move book or topic down in the table of contents CTRL+Down Arrow
Move book or topic to the left in the table of contents CTRL+Left Arrow
Move book or topic to the right in the table of contents CTRL+Right Arrow
Index pod
Change index keyword to lowercase CTRL+L
Change first letter of index keyword to uppercase CTRL+J
Review Pane
Add a review comment CTRL+ALT+M
Version Control
Refresh version status on File Status tab F5
Task Keyboard shortcut

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