Better controls for PDF output

brunos · Unread post by **brunos** » Sun Jul 07, 2002 4:47 pm

1. WISH: To be able to define output font for PDF, in the similar way as it is possible for HTML and CHM; to be able to do it independently for HTML and CHM
EXPLANATION: At the present time, since my PDF manuals have to be in Frutiger 57, while my CHM is supposed to be in Verdana, and my HTML in Times New Roman, I have to write all text in Frutiger, as it is not possible to tell to PDF exporter to use something else. Frutiger is NOT a screen font, and it's horrible to read.

2. WISH: to have more tools available for text flow when you're dealing with PDF destination. I'm lacking in particular the support for a forced page jump, on a single topic level. I would also like to have a default setting "keep lines together".
EXPLANATION: I guess it's understood one cannot use a topic level jump as in print template, since it regards all topics of a level.

3.WISH: Possibility to control the way the parts are included on the level of the included item, and not on the level of the master file as it is now.
EXPLANATION: now you can set your modular options on the level of the HM3 master file. If you need to include some files at run-time, and other in the compile time, you can't do so. And if you want to create a real modular system, both options are required at the same time.

4. WISH: user defined variables are not available in the PDF template.
EXPLANATION: This prevents me to use the BUILD number in the print manuals, while it's available in CHM, HELP and HTM (Sincerely, I can't understand why's that so).

Sun Jul 07, 2002 9:59 pm

Bruno,

the user defined variables are available in the PDF templates as well. You just cannot select them directy but if you enter the variable with the syntax <VARIABLENAME> it must work. Check the default template: there is a custom variable named <AUTHOR>. This is just a suggestion - if you define a variable of the same name in your project, it gets merged into the template with your print or export PDF.

The next update, by the way, will significantly improve variable handling. Means: you can insert variables literally everywhere, in the table of contents, in keywords, even in the caption of links.

>>control the way the parts are included on the level of the included item

This is extremely hard to change between two major versions. It either breaks existing projects or requires an update procedure which is not triggered between minor updates.
There is an undocumented trick that you could use to modify the .CNT file manually. Help & Manual takes care about modified .CNTs when the file already exists. However, this undocumented feature works only with HLP files.

>>text flow when you're dealing with PDF destination

I am not sure if a general "default keep-lines-toghether" is such a good idea. What is it that you cannot accomplish with the keep-lines-together option resp. why is it too tedious to apply it?

>>define output font for PDF

We could work an experimental version together, that exchanges the font (names, sizes are even more difficult) on a low level. No GUI anyway.

brunos · Unread post by **brunos** » Sun Jul 07, 2002 10:09 pm

>the user defined variables are available in the PDF templates as well. >You just cannot select them directy but if you enter the variable with the >syntax <VARIABLENAME> it must work. Check the default template: >there is a custom variable named <AUTHOR>. This is just a suggestion - >if you define a variable of the same name in your project, it gets >merged into the template with your print or export PDF.

gosh, I didn't know this; I was always looking and the list of available variables. Thanks, I'll use them immediately!

>The next update, by the way, will significantly improve variable >handling. Means: you can insert variables literally everywhere, in the >table of contents, in keywords, even in the caption of links.
Can't wait to use it...

>>control the way the parts are included on the level of the included item

>This is extremely hard to change between two major versions. It either >breaks existing projects or requires an update procedure which is not >triggered between minor updates.
>There is an undocumented trick that you could use to modify the .CNT >file manually. Help & Manual takes care about modified .CNTs when the >file already exists. However, this undocumented feature works only with >HLP files.
I see; I guess there's no way except to wait for the next release (it would be tough...)

>>text flow when you're dealing with PDF destination

>I am not sure if a general "default keep-lines-toghether" is such a good >idea. What is it that you cannot accomplish with the keep-lines-together >option resp. why is it too tedious to apply it?

The fact is that you don't want orphans and widows in the printable manual at no time. So, you just have to apply the keep lines. What's tedious is that they're tied to the tabs, so if I have an indented lists in the body, where the hanging indent is greater than your default tabs in the first paragraph, your indents get screwed when you select keep lines. And then, of course, you have to remember to do it, in the first place.
If the paragraph is too long, then H&M will just ignore the settings, as it does now.

>>define output font for PDF

>We could work an experimental version together, that exchanges the >font (names, sizes are even more difficult) on a low level. No GUI >anyway.

No GUI would be ok, however. Let's try it.

Regards.
Bruno

Sun Jul 07, 2002 10:25 pm

So, widow control would help to solve the problem?

Orphan control is pretty simple: you set the minimum topic height with the height of the topic text placeholder in the manual template. I agree this is not 100% bullet-proof (if you have a small image on the first line, it could fail). The keep-lines-together option covers these rare cases.