Where to edit header buttons/options

This forum is for discussions on the Help & Manual Premium Pack and the Premium Pack Toolbox configuration utility introduced with Premium Pack 3

Moderators: Alexander Halser, Tim Green

Post Reply
Dave Gehman
Posts: 575
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:05 pm

Where to edit header buttons/options

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Skin: Copy of Flat_Slate_Blue_Webhelp.hmskin

Four buttons/options appear in the header:
EC Software Website
Tutorials
Resources
Information

Where are these edited?

Better: how can I turn this set of buttons/options OFF?
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23156
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Where to edit header buttons/options

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Dave,

The whole menu system is editable and replaceable with your own links. See here in the documentation for details:

http://www.it-authoring.com/info/pp3hel ... _menu.html
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.
Dave Gehman
Posts: 575
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:05 pm

Re: Where to edit header buttons/options

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Ah - I didn't decode HM_HEADERMENU.html correctly. Skipped looking into it, thinking it had to do with tabs head(er)ing the left column...

I couldn't find a way to search across all the JS, HTML, and CSS code in PPT - is this utility somewhere? If I could find the text (e.g., "EC Software Website" on one of the buttons), I could jump into the right file of code via PPT to edit it.

Alternatively, can the .hmskin be traversed by a 3rd party search utility such as Agent Ransack?
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23156
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Where to edit header buttons/options

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Dave,
I couldn't find a way to search across all the JS, HTML, and CSS code in PPT - is this utility somewhere? If I could find the text (e.g., "EC Software Website" on one of the buttons), I could jump into the right file of code via PPT to edit it.
No, and that wouldn't be a good way to go about it. If you try to hack into the code directly like that you will often break things, because of the dynamic nature of these skins. Much of the code displayed is generated on the fly while the user is browsing. For example, the HTML of the TOC and keyword index don't exist in advance. Each branch is generated when it is displayed and deleted again when it is closed. This keeps the memory footprint small and makes it possible for large TOCs to be managed efficiently on mobile devices with limited resources.

It is much better to start by reading the documentation, which explains all the configuration features that are already built in. 8)
Alternatively, can the .hmskin be traversed by a 3rd party search utility such as Agent Ransack?
Like .hmxz projects, .hmskin skins are really just zip archives. You can also work with unpacked skins if you want, and then you can ransack everything they contain to your heart's content and at your own risk:
  1. Unpack the .hmskin to an empty folder.
  2. Change the name of the project.hmxp file to anythingyoulike.hmskin
Toolbox will also edit skins in this state and Help+Manual will use them just fine for publishing. The only restriction is that you won't see the preview image in the Select Skin screen in Help+Manual. :?
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.
Dave Gehman
Posts: 575
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:05 pm

Re: Where to edit header buttons/options

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Tim Green wrote:
I couldn't find a way to search across all the JS, HTML, and CSS code in PPT - is this utility somewhere? If I could find the text (e.g., "EC Software Website" on one of the buttons), I could jump into the right file of code via PPT to edit it.
No, and that wouldn't be a good way to go about it. If you try to hack into the code directly like that you will often break things
I meant no such action. My fantasy workflow: 1. Note the exact text from the area I want to edit. 2. Search the skin to find the location of that exact text. 3. Note the location. 4. Use PPT to edit the location.
It is much better to start by reading the documentation, which explains all the configuration features that are already built in. 8)
I've read the documentation. However, it's just not in my DNA to memorize the taxonomy and the myriad of locations there. This is a case of failing to understand a potentially ambiguous file or variable name. Had I been able to search for "EC Software Website," I could have explored PPT in what you might call an empirical way, finding the source of those words via a simple visual clue, the on-screen text in the browser.

I understand that having 3 areas to scour to achieve a desired HTML output is what we have -- 1) Configuration within the H+M project, 2) Checkboxes in the file's Publish dialog, and 3) the skin via PPT -- but it certainly makes HTML publishing less than straightforward. I also understand that 'it is what it is' doubtless due to historical reasons, such as a later decision to go with skins after coding the Configuration and the Publish areas, skins that dictate the final look... with some exceptions.
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23156
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Where to edit header buttons/options

Unread post by Tim Green »

I understand that having 3 areas to scour to achieve a desired HTML output is what we have -- 1) Configuration within the H+M project, 2) Checkboxes in the file's Publish dialog, and 3) the skin via PPT -- but it certainly makes HTML publishing less than straightforward.
It's actually a little less complicated than that. Everything that you can configure in a skin completely overrides all the corresponding settings in your project. They are completely ignored when you are using a skin. The only exception at the moment are the HTML Export Settings group, which is not included in the skin (but can be configured in a skin via PPT).

The check boxes in the Publish dialog are in two groups: 1) Include options for the project itself, which have nothing to do with the skin and are needed for conditional output and 2) Include options from the skin, in a separate box, to allow you to configure some things on the fly while publishing. I'm currently experimenting with eliminating 2) entirely and putting all the configuration settings in the skin. However, I'm a little nervous of doing this as this may result in equivalent howls of rage from other users. Setting something like this up is generally a no-win situation. No matter where you put the settings, there will always be howls of rage and discontent from some groups of users. All you can do is try to keep the size of those groups to a minimum... :roll:
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.
Dave Gehman
Posts: 575
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:05 pm

Re: Where to edit header buttons/options

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Tim Green wrote:....doing this as this may result in equivalent howls of rage from other users. Setting something like this up is generally a no-win situation. No matter where you put the settings, there will always be howls of rage and discontent from some groups of users. All you can do is try to keep the size of those groups to a minimum... :roll:
To mis-apply a quote from painter Edgar Degas: "[software creation] is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do."
Post Reply