Skip to main content
Inspiring
October 22, 2008
Question

Cannot assign specific windows to topics

  • October 22, 2008
  • 2 replies
  • 657 views
I created a Main Window format and a Secondary Window format. I set the Main Window as the default. When I create a hyperlink in a topic to another topic, The Hyperlink Options Display in frame drop-down list doesn't give Main Window or Secondary Window as an option. I can just use Page Default for the Main Window most of the time. But how do I set topics to open in the Secondary Window?

Lacona
This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Participating Frequently
October 23, 2008
Hi, Lacona,

You'd need to use HTML Help design-time controls for hyperlinks that open the target topic in a secondary window. See below for two examples of controls that open the target topic in a secondary window called "Popup".

Regards,
Pete
RHGraceAuthor
Inspiring
October 23, 2008
Hi, Pete

Thanks for the suggestion and example code. I have some pressing Help content issues I need to work out the next few days. I'll try the design-time controls and get back to you next week.

Lacona
Inspiring
October 23, 2008
Lacona,

Just to clarify Pete's advice, this has been standard procedure since the beginnings of HTML Help. It may seem a bit convoluted but, as I understand it, Microsoft selected the > symbol to proceed the window name when a call is made, e.g. "yourfile.chm::/yourtopic.htm>yourwindow". This was not exactly compatible with HTML standards, which reserves that symbol for tags, so a workaround was necessary. The Related Topics option has been used since the inception of HTML Help.

John
RoboColum_n_
Legend
October 23, 2008
Hi Lacona.

Am I right in thinking you are using a CHM file? If so, you set the default window in your SSL. You can specify a secondary window in the TOC (look in the Advanced tab of your TOC Properties dialog). are the linked topic in your TOC?
RHGraceAuthor
Inspiring
October 23, 2008
Hi, Colum

Yes, I'm using a CHM file. I set the Main Window as default within the SSL. I didn't know about setting the window in the TOC properties, so that helps some. Some of the topics are in the TOC. I had originally planned to have links within the body of a topic go to topics in the Secondary Window and links at the end of the topic go to the Main Window. When I couldn't set the links to open the topics in the Secondary Window, I decided to have them open in pop-ups. However, some of the topics seem too long for pop-ups. I would think there'd be a way to set the topics linked within a topic to open in that SW.

Lacona