Title pages for HTML/CHM

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Sa Williams
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Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 4:48 pm

Title pages for HTML/CHM

Unread post by Sa Williams »

For a PDF I can create a Title page in the Print Template, set the PDF to open to the Title page and enable the title page to be visible as a link in the PDF Bookmarks.

Is there a way to do this for HTML of CHM output, (in the skin, for example) without having to create a new topic in each project I have that produces HTML/CHM.

The reason is, that when the webhelp opens I would like to show a title page containing the name and (more importantly) the release number of the product. To progress, the user can then search or navigate the TOC links as desired. But I'd like to only have this in one place (like in the Print Template) so it is easier to maintain consistency across products and update.

Thanks
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Tim Green
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Re: Title pages for HTML/CHM

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Sa,

You can achieve this but you do have to create a topic for it in the project. However, this can be an empty topic that simply inserts a snippet file that you create with Help & Manual and store in an external location -- for example in the same location as your skin.

1) Create a temporary topic and create and format all the content you want to use in your splash page. If you want to be able to share this between different projects with different styles DON'T use any styles for formatting. Instead use only manual formatting.

2) Select File > Save Snippet in the Project tab and save the topic as an XML snippet file in the same folder as your skin. Then delete the topic from your project.

3) Create a topic file without a TOC entry by creating it in the Topic Files section in the Project Explorer.

4) Use the Snippet tool in Write > Insert to insert the snippet file you created in step 2. Use the options From File and Snippet is Linked.

5) Go to Configuration > Common Properties > Language Settings and set that topic as the default/home topic.

6) Make sure that the folder containing the snippet is included in the Project Search Path settings in Configuration > Common Properties > Project Search Path

This topic will then appear automatically as a splash page when the help is opened but it won't be included in the TOC. If you want the user to be able to display it again you will need to link to it.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Sa Williams
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 4:48 pm

Re: Title pages for HTML/CHM

Unread post by Sa Williams »

Thanks, that's all really useful.

It's a shame I can't embed the snippet in the skin project in some way - then there would only be one file to worry about. I suppose this isn't possible in any way, is it?

Or maybe (I think this might be a suggestion) to be able to put a topic file in the skin project which merges with the main project when it is published. I like the way the PDF publishing works, so you only need one external file.

Anyway, thanks again.
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Tim Green
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Re: Title pages for HTML/CHM

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Sa,
It's a shame I can't embed the snippet in the skin project in some way - then there would only be one file to worry about. I suppose this isn't possible in any way, is it?
This is possible but it is much more complicated and would ultimately be more work and less flexible than just having one additional external file. You would need to create an additional HTML page template in both your project and your skin with an automatic redirect in it to the splash page stored in the skin. (You need the copy in your project to be able to assign the template with that name to the topic file that is set as your default/home topic.) You would need to create the entire HTML page you want to display yourself. Ideally, you would also need to create two different HTML pages, one for CHM and one for WebHelp, and some complex code to choose the right one for each output format.

It's really a lot easier to do it with the external snippet. 8)
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
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