How to create a nested URL?

[Maria Gulina]

We have a single .hmxp project that contains documentation for different parts of one product. For each part, we’ve created a separate section on the website, e.g., https://.../help/platform/, https://.../help/projects/, etc. For publishing, we use Include options: we have tags like PLATFORM, PROJECTS, etc. We publish articles with different tags into separate folders, then upload them to the repository and deploy the individual sections.

Issue: We currently need to move the Projects section inside the Platform section, and we need the URL to reflect this nesting.

That means:

• In the tree on the website, the Projects section should appear alongside other sections under Platform (so Project articles need to be included in the same tree as Platform).

• When navigating to articles from the Projects section, the URL should show the nested structure: https://.../help/platform/projects/article.html.

How can we achieve this? Is it possible to set up a nested section (folder) in Help + Manual?

[Tim Green]

Hi Maria,

How can we achieve this? Is it possible to set up a nested section (folder) in Help + Manual?

This is possible within Help+Manual , but that is only for local organization and doesn't change the structure of your output in any way. You can't change the file structure of WebHelp because the entire system depends on it and changes like the ones you suggest would require massive restructuring and redirecting of all internal links and references.

TL/DR: You can't do this in WebHelp.

[Maria Gulina]

Thank you for the reply!
Then we will reconsider this nesting decision.

[Tim Green]

Thank you for the reply!
Then we will reconsider this nesting decision.

What you might consider doing is to make the actual filename (= Topic ID) reflect your structure. For example, you could create an ID like platform_projects_article. Then all the topics in the Platform chapter would have IDs starting with platform_ and so on.You can change IDs in the Topic Options screen, accessed with the tab on the left of the editor window. The Topic ID is the topic's XML filename and it is converted into the HTML filename by downcasing it and adding .html or .htm, depending on your output settings. When you change the ID in Topic Options, all the references to it are automatically updated in the project.

You just need to be a little careful about not making the IDs too long, for practical reasons, not physical reasons.