Different Header for Chapter

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tommygunner
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Different Header for Chapter

Unread post by tommygunner »

I'd like to thank you for the great program. My documentation is looking pretty good now. One thing I'd like to change is for PDF output, more specifically the layout (the help file output is fine). I've been modifying the template using the print manual designer.

I notice that a chapter intro can be added here but the text will only appear on the next page not the same page as the Topic Level Intro. If there is a way of having this and the text on the same page, let me know.

As a result of this, I'm trying to change or add a header for an extra large font (around 24pt) that will appear on the top right of the page as a chapter header. The current layout has all of the h1, h2, h3 on the left side of page. I would like to have h1 to top right, h2, h3 to the left. But, this will only appear on the pdf output not the other pages.

So, the PDF file will look like this:

................................................................ Header1

Header2

Header3

I'm wondering if this is possible and the best way to do this.
Malcolm Jacobson
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Re: Different Header for Chapter

Unread post by Malcolm Jacobson »

Hi tommygunner,
tommygunner wrote:I would like to have h1 to top right, h2, h3 to the left. But, this will only appear on the pdf output not the other pages.

So, the PDF file will look like this:

................................................................ Header1

Header2

Header3
Yes, it is possible to format your PDF output this way.

In Print Manual Designer, go to the Topics tab, then right-click on the "Heading 1" variable. Select "Edit Properties", then change the Alignment to "Right".

Cheers,

Malcolm.
tommygunner
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Unread post by tommygunner »

Great! I was looking in the wrong place before. I was editing under styles, print manual view but it looks like almost all stuff for PDF is under Print Manual Designer.
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Dean Whitlock
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Unread post by Dean Whitlock »

Hi tommygunner,

The style tab for print output affects only the styles that apply to topic contents (Normal, bullets, code example, etc.). For header styles, you're right: The tab for print output is ignored and all styling is set in the PMD. It took me a while to realize that, too. :roll:

Good luck,
Dean
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Tim Green
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Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Dean,
Dean Whitlock wrote:The style tab for print output affects only the styles that apply to topic contents (Normal, bullets, code example, etc.). For header styles, you're right: The tab for print output is ignored and all styling is set in the PMD. It took me a while to realize that, too. :roll:
Yes, this is definitely a "gotcha" for new users. It is actually possible that the header in its current form as a separate entity is going to be eliminated completely in version 5 -- this is still being discussed in the development conference. You would then just have a plain text topic title field and anything more fancy -- navigation buttons, additional elements, etc. -- would be done in your HTML templates or the PMD.

This would have a number of advantages for many things, particularly round-tripping out of and back into H&M, where the header is always a problem. On the other hand, the current "rich" header is very useful and it's possible that a lot of users have put a lot of material in individual topic headers, which would then get lost in the update. Thus the ongoing discussion...
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Malcolm Jacobson
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Unread post by Malcolm Jacobson »

Tim Green wrote:It is actually possible that the header in its current form as a separate entity is going to be eliminated completely in version 5 -- this is still being discussed in the development conference. You would then just have a plain text topic title field and anything more fancy -- navigation buttons, additional elements, etc. -- would be done in your HTML templates or the PMD.
This would be great! :)

I have noticed that people who are used to working with Word have the greatest problem adapting to the H&M "Online Style" versus "PMD Style" concept. Even as an experienced user I find I have to constantly be considering whether the Heading Styles I've chosen in the editor will work for PDF output, as I always think of the Topic title as "Heading 1".
Tim Green wrote:On the other hand, the current "rich" header is very useful and it's possible that a lot of users have put a lot of material in individual topic headers, which would then get lost in the update. Thus the ongoing discussion...
Having spent most of today customizing the CSS of the TOC and Topic pages to match a Client's corporate style, I don't think there's any customization of H1 that couldn't be achieved through a combination of the two.

Can we have V5 by the end of this month? Thanks! :D

Cheers,

Malcolm.
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Tim Green
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Unread post by Tim Green »

Malcolm,
Can we have V5 by the end of this month? Thanks!
It will take a little longer than that but I assure you, the wait will be worth it. The XML save format and everything that comes with it are going to open up whole new worlds of possibilities. And that's just one aspect among many... :twisted:
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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