Build Variable?

Nothing is perfect! This is where you can post your ideas and wishes for functions you'd like to see in Help & Manual. Current version only please (H&M7).

Moderators: Alexander Halser, Tim Green

Post Reply
pjchick1
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:00 pm

Build Variable?

Unread post by pjchick1 »

Would it be possible to add the build variable to the Manual Designer? I have one large manual from which i have many 'builds' depending on what's required. Currently I have different manual templates, one for each build. If I could include the build variable onto the manual template I would only need to maintain one template as I would use the build description as the manual title.
For Example I have a 'Getting Started', 'Reporting', 'Admin' and 'Complete manual' builds. I'd just like to show this as the title.

Thanks
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23155
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Build Variable?

Unread post by Tim Green »

You can't currently use build tags directly in Manual Designer templates. However, you can get around this restriction by using snippets:
  1. In any topic of your Help & Manual project create all the text variants you want to use and tag them as needed.
  2. Then select all this text, including the tags, and select File > Save Snippet in the Project tab (Manage Topics group) and save the selected text as an XML snippet file in your topic folder or a subfolder inside your topic folder.
  3. Make sure that this folder is included in the Project Search Path of your project in Configuration > Common Properties > Project Search Path.
  4. In Manual Designer, select Insert Text Snippet in the Pages menu, select From File and then select the XML snippet file created in the previous steps.
  5. Size the box so that it will accommodate the resulting text. You will need to experiment with this, because the snippet content is only displayed in your output, not in the editor.
When you compile your project, the snippet will be inserted with formatted text and the conditional tags in the snippet will be applied. 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.
MartinAP
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 3:52 pm

Re: Build Variable?

Unread post by MartinAP »

I have just successfully used your approach to have a different image in the PDF page header depending on a build variable, Tim, thanks for that (basically a different design based on product model).

However, as the image from the snippet is included as usual, it is now selectable in the generated PDF. This is expected behavior but I would prefer this one not to be selectable, just like other images that are part of the design template - is there any possibility to force that behavior?
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23155
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Build Variable?

Unread post by Tim Green »

MartinAP wrote:However, as the image from the snippet is included as usual, it is now selectable in the generated PDF. This is expected behavior but I would prefer this one not to be selectable, just like other images that are part of the design template - is there any possibility to force that behavior?
No, you can't selectively block parts of a PDF.
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.
MartinAP
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 3:52 pm

Re: Build Variable?

Unread post by MartinAP »

Too bad, thanks for confirming this.

I'd have another follow-up question: When doing this for a PNG, its transparent background is not preserved and becomes white in the PDF - is there a way to change that?
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23155
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Build Variable?

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Martin,

PNGs with alpha transparency backgrounds are now supported in PDF. What is your Help+Manual version and build number? The current version is 7.5.3 Build 4740.
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.
MartinAP
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 3:52 pm

Re: Build Variable?

Unread post by MartinAP »

Hi Tim,

I have the current build, version 7.5.3 Build 4740. I just checked - if I insert a PNG with alpha transparency into a topic of the project and publish as PDF, it correctly appears with a transparent background. However, if I include it into a Snippet which I then, in turn, include into my design template in the Print Manual Designer, it appears with a white background rather than a transparent one.
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23155
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Build Variable?

Unread post by Tim Green »

MartinAP wrote:However, if I include it into a Snippet which I then, in turn, include into my design template in the Print Manual Designer, it appears with a white background rather than a transparent one.
That is the problem: Alpha transparency is supported in the project itself but not yet in the PDF templates. :?
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.
Post Reply