Featured image suppresses topic title in CHM

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Lisa Siddons
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Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:47 pm

Featured image suppresses topic title in CHM

Unread post by Lisa Siddons »

I'm trying out featured images, and there seems to be no way to prevent the semi-transparent "description" box from showing, even when you don't add a description. I'd like to just show an image, but I notice that topics with featured images don't have a title bar in CHM format, but they do in Webhelp.

This is a bit of an issue for me, because if I add the topic title to the "Description" field, it is redundant for Webhelp, and if I don't add it, CHM file users don't see a topic title. Is there any way around this?

Also I was looking at the Feature Images.hmxz tutorial, and it seems to imply you have to add code to the skin file for the images to work. I can't see this being right, as I haven't added any code, but still see the image, and none of the code in the screen shots in the tutorial looks anything like what I see in my responsive skin. Is this tutorial old?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks!
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Tim Green
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Re: Featured image suppresses topic title in CHM

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Lisa,

Featured images don't actually do anything on their own. They are simply there, and for them to be displayed there needs to be scripting, HTML and CSS for the job included in the skin. That is included in one CHM skin (the one based on the one used for Help+Manual's own help) and that implementation requires a description. The one in WebHelp is a little different, but they also require a description. I'm afraid that those are both as they are at the moment -- the description is really an absolute requirement because it is an integral part of the package.
This is a bit of an issue for me, because if I add the topic title to the "Description" field,
Don't put the topic titel there. It will really only work properly with a full sentence anyway. The idea of the implementation in the CHM version is that it is a major chapter that doesn't need a title. If you want the title there you can put it in the body of your topic and enclose it in conditional tags so that it is only exported in CHM. 8)
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Lisa Siddons
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:47 pm

Re: Featured image suppresses topic title in CHM

Unread post by Lisa Siddons »

I like the conditional tag solution. Thanks Tim.
Lisa Siddons
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:47 pm

Re: Featured image suppresses topic title in CHM

Unread post by Lisa Siddons »

topic options.png
I tried the conditional tags, which work to show a title, but for some reason the description does not appear, even though I have entered one. The shaded box is there, but it doesn't show the text I've entered in the Description field. I tried two topics and got the same result. I have attached images of the Topic Options tab.

Thanks.
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Tim Green
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Re: Featured image suppresses topic title in CHM

Unread post by Tim Green »

Try removing the colon (:) from the text. That shouldn't cause problems, but it might. If this doesn't help please mail a small demo project, your image and the skin you are using to support AT ec-software.com (replace the AT with @) and I'll check it for you.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Lisa Siddons
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Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:47 pm

Re: Featured image suppresses topic title in CHM

Unread post by Lisa Siddons »

CHM with description text.jpg
Hi Tim,
I discovered that the text is actually in the shaded box (you can highlight it in the compiled CHM - see attached). Maybe it just needs CSS applied?
I am using the CHM Skin, Light Grey Header, Feature Images.hmskin that came with (I think) the Premium Pack. I assumed with this one I didn't need to add any code to the HTML, so I'm not sure how to apply formatting to the Description. I tried using the toolbar buttons, but that doesn't work.
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Tim Green
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Re: Featured image suppresses topic title in CHM

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Lisa,

The problem is really that you are using an image with a black background where you can't see the text. You can change the color of the text by adding some simple CSS to the page template. Open the .hmskin file in Help+Manual and in the Project Explorer on the left go down to Configuration > HTML Page Templates > Default and locate these two lines

Code: Select all

      </IF_TOPIC_PICTURE>
</style>
Then add the following CSS directly before them to change the color of the text to white:

Code: Select all

p#featuretext {
		color: #ffffff;
	  }
      </IF_TOPIC_PICTURE>
</style>
You can also add any other CSS you need to change the font or size of the text etc. Alternatively you can also just switch to an image with a lighter background. :)
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Lisa Siddons
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Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:47 pm

Re: Featured image suppresses topic title in CHM

Unread post by Lisa Siddons »

Hi Tim - I tried a lighter image, but still saw no text unless I highlighted it with the mouse. Tried adding the css you sent - still nothing. Then I deleted the css for the shaded feature text box from the default template:

div#header p {
margin: 0 2em 0 2em;
width: 30%;
height: 100%;
min-width: 12em;
padding: 2.5em 1em 1em 1em;
background:#000;
color: <%SKIN-HEADER-TEXT-COLOR%>;
filter: alpha(opacity=80);
float:left;
position: absolute;
}
p#featuretext {
color: #ffffff;
}

Yay! No box. Now I'm happy.
Thanks!
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