Indexing Capabilities in Topic Options

[mscottallen]

Hi,

Someone a while back suggested adding Master and Child Keywords within the Keywords section of Topic Options as new topics are added. Best suggestion ever. I never have any doubt I'm connecting a keyword to the correct topic which helps relieve a lot of stress.

I've come across three situations where I can't figure out how to do them in the Topic Options and hoping someone might be able to educate me on how. Referring to the attached sample Index, how do I

• Add "copy and paste" master keyword already in the Index to new or current topic

• Add "hyperlinks to" child keyword already in Index to new or current topic

• Add new child keyword "how to" NOT in Index to the master keyword "creating hyperlinks" he

I know I can complete the tasks in the Index Tool. But because of the number of topics in my manual, scrolling through the Available Topics slows the process down (the typing option works occasionally but not always). And since I'm having to manually select the topic, that raises the stress level of selecting the correct topic so I find myself double and triple checking to be sure (my issue, I realize, but one I've been fortunate to limit).

Hope the above makes sense! Thanks in advance for any suggestions to speed my process along.

[Martin Wynne]

Hi,

The way I do it is to publish temporarily my Webhelp without any skin* (make it a separate publishing task), and display it locally in a separate browser window. Select the keyword index, and make the window very narrow to contain only the index. Leaving room on the screen for the H&M editor alongside.

You can then see all of your existing index and its structure, and copy and paste anything from it into the Keywords: panel on the Topic Options tab of the current topic which you are working on.

This is much easier if you don't use IE to display it. I use Firefox and switch on caret browsing (F7) which makes it easy to select and copy text.

It would be great if copy/paste (or dragging) worked from the H&M Index Tool, but it doesn't. But the above method works just as well for me.

how do I
Add "copy and paste" master keyword already in the Index to new or current topic
Add "hyperlinks to" child keyword already in Index to new or current topic
Add new child keyword "how to" NOT in Index to the master keyword "creating hyperlinks"

I'm not sure what you are asking there?

In the Keywords: panel on the Topic Options tab, to make a Master keyword put the text on a new line without any spaces to the left. To add Child keyword(s) to it, put each one on new line(s) below it, prefixed with a space or spaces.

If any of the entered master keywords already exist in the Index, H&M will merge the new child keywords into the published Index. If the child keywords are also already in the Index, H&M creates a selector pop-up in the published Index.

hm_keywords.png

__________

*or at least without a PP responsive skin, which makes it impossible to scroll the entire index. If you are not using one anyway, you could display your live online Webhelp instead, if it is up to date. Another option would be to publish to PDF, if your PDF reader has a text-selection tool, and your screen is wide enough to display the Index section at a readable zoom level, and still leave room for the H&M editor.

cheers,

Martin.

[mscottallen]

Thanks for the details about the keywords not being duplicated but combined in the master keyword list. I just have to be careful that the spelling for the master and child keywords I enter are spelled exactly the same way as they are in the Index Tool.

And sorry for the confusion about the example graphics. Was hoping they would help show what I was trying to communicate.

Thanks again!