Flow chart integration

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Ga Bowen
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Flow chart integration

Unread post by Ga Bowen »

I am currently creating flowcharts for our machine process via https://app.diagrams.net (draw.io).

Each step in the flowchart relates to a topic in H+M.

I want to export the flowchart and import into H+M. The software exports to PNG/SVG/PDF/XML/HTML and can generate custom links.

I'm trying to think of a way to link each step in the flowchart to the relevant topic in H+M, but I can't for the life of me think of a way to do it. I could create a hotspot, but every time the flow chart changes I would have to reorganise. Plus I need a visual link.

Any ideas? Even open to different methods of creating flow charts.
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Martin Wynne
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Re: Flow chart integration

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Ga Bowen wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 9:06 amAny ideas? Even open to different methods of creating flow charts.
Hi,

1. You could create a flowchart as a large table. It's easy to add rows and columns in H&M. Each cell could be:

blank, or

contain an arrow image, or

contain clickable content -- an image or text.

2. Go back to good old Impict. It's easy to add and edit clickable callouts on a full page-sized image.

3. Create a flowchart as an Xplain. Easy to embed in H&M.

Martin.
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Tim Green
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Re: Flow chart integration

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Gareth,
I want to export the flowchart and import into H+M. The software exports to PNG/SVG/PDF/XML/HTML and can generate custom links.
Your best option here is probably HTML. Perform a quick experiment first with a couple of links. Set the links href attribute to the topic ID you want to link to exactly as it is used in HM itself, including upper and lower case, and without an extension. For example, if the topic ID is Introduction_To_Widgets then exactly that should be the target of the link (href attribute).

If you can add custom attributes as well that would be great. Then you could include these:

displaytype="text" defaultstyle="true" type="topiclink"

Then you open your project, select Import in the File menu and use the from HTML files option to import the HTML generated by your flow chart tool. I can't promise it would work, but it's worth a try. At the very least you should get links that you just need to edit a little by double-clicking on them in the HM editor.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Simon_Dismore
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Re: Flow chart integration

Unread post by Simon_Dismore »

Ga Bowen wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 9:06 am I am currently creating flowcharts for our machine process via https://app.diagrams.net ... exports to PNG/SVG/PDF/XML/HTML and can generate custom links. I'm trying to think of a way to link each step in the flowchart to the relevant topic in H+M, but I can't for the life of me think of a way to do it. I could create a hotspot, but every time the flow chart changes I would have to reorganise.
I just tried this using an svg exported from https://app.diagrams.net, where I had added links to flowchart boxes that resolve to H+M topic pages, e.g. "test.html". This worked well with #MERGE. The advantage of that technique is that the svg image is merged at publishing time so the latest version would be used. You don't need to re-import an updated flowchart so long as it has the same filename and location as before.
Ga Bowen wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 9:06 am Plus I need a visual link.
There are two disadvantages though. (i) You don't see the graphic while editing and (ii) This technique is specific to HTML output formats. It would be useful to have a generalised approach as an enhancement to the "Insert" functionality. I'll write that up as a new request.
DeWayne Rosene
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Re: Flow chart integration

Unread post by DeWayne Rosene »

Has anyone come up with a solution they might like to share or discuss? I would like to create a graphic troubleshooting flowchart with clickable links to existing sections in my project. While working inside a table structure is an option it would seem to be extremely hard to modify and not very attractive.
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Tim Green
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Re: Flow chart integration

Unread post by Tim Green »

DeWayne Rosene wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:11 am Has anyone come up with a solution they might like to share or discuss? I would like to create a graphic troubleshooting flowchart with clickable links to existing sections in my project. While working inside a table structure is an option it would seem to be extremely hard to modify and not very attractive.
Your easiest solution here is really to create your flowchart in your chart application, then export it as one or more images, insert those images in your topics and apply hotspots to them in Help+Manual. This also has the advantage that you can make the images responsive and the hotspots will still work correctly at all zoom levels.
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.
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