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Dynamic Filter

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
May 7, 2024
8 replies
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Hi everyone!

I am here again to ask you for help regarding the dynamic filter.

I have the RH 2022.0.346 and I am generating a Responsive HTML5 Output. I'm trying to insert a dynamic filter to give users the possibility (the project is a user manual whose topics are the individual features of one of our aplications) to select only yje topics related to installed features. To do this I created special condition tags which I then applied at both content and topic levels. I then created condition expressions that recalled those tags and then a dynamic filter that contains the previously created condition expressions.

So I generated the output but unfortunately the filter does not work.

Could you help me?

Thanks in advance!

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Correct answer ChrisWiteof

I was able to apply content filters via URL after playing around with the format I found here: https://wvanweelden.eu/robohelp_articles/Context-Sensitivity-in-Responsive-and-Multiscreen-HTML5-%E2%80%93-Help-Essentials.pdf
Instead of just f, I'm using ?filter=taggroup:tagname and instead of placing it at the end of the URL, I'm placing it before the specific topic URL info (either after root folder or after index.htm).

Here are samples using fake URLs since my site isn't public yet:
https://help.test.com/test/?filter=Product:Standard#t=Dashboard%2FUsing_Help.htm
https://help.test.com/test/?filter=Product:Cloud#t=Dashboard%2FUsing_Help.htm

In local state test the ?filter=taggroup:tagname went after the index.htm, so I suppose it depends on how the site is presenting, but it seems like the filter info needs to preceed the specific topic you're choosing to land on.

file:///C:/Projects/helpproject/index.htm?filter=Product:Cloud#t=Home_Page%2FWelcome.htm

file:///C:/Projects/helpproject/index.htm?filter=Product:Standard#t=Home_Page%2FWelcome.htm

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

@ChrisWiteof

So the formula is

https://help.test.com/test/?filter=Product:Standard#t=Dashboard%2FUsing_Help.htm

URL://?filter=TagGroup:TagName#t=filepath%2filename

Is that correct?

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ChrisWiteof

Inspiring

Yes, @Peter Grainge that looks correct to me.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

@ChrisWiteof I have not been able to get that to work. I have only tested with a local output rather than on a server so maybe that's a factor.

For the record, the call for frameless should be URL?f= tagroup %3Atagname. %3A rather than just %

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

@elisa23592620fepw @ChrisWiteof

Have you checked the URL part of the call is correct and opens the topic, albeit without the filter applied?

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I have done a quick check and found this works in a frameless output.

URL?f=Platform%3AOne

I am wondering if the format I was given is for frameless only. I will see what I can find out.

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ChrisWiteofCorrect answer

Inspiring

I was able to apply content filters via URL after playing around with the format I found here: https://wvanweelden.eu/robohelp_articles/Context-Sensitivity-in-Responsive-and-Multiscreen-HTML5-%E2%80%93-Help-Essentials.pdf
Instead of just f, I'm using ?filter=taggroup:tagname and instead of placing it at the end of the URL, I'm placing it before the specific topic URL info (either after root folder or after index.htm).

Here are samples using fake URLs since my site isn't public yet:
https://help.test.com/test/?filter=Product:Standard#t=Dashboard%2FUsing_Help.htm
https://help.test.com/test/?filter=Product:Cloud#t=Dashboard%2FUsing_Help.htm

In local state test the ?filter=taggroup:tagname went after the index.htm, so I suppose it depends on how the site is presenting, but it seems like the filter info needs to preceed the specific topic you're choosing to land on.

file:///C:/Projects/helpproject/index.htm?filter=Product:Cloud#t=Home_Page%2FWelcome.htm

file:///C:/Projects/helpproject/index.htm?filter=Product:Standard#t=Home_Page%2FWelcome.htm

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

The format on my site is what I was given by Adobe. I will try to find out more but I suggest you go to Adobe Support. See https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/enterprise-support.other.html#robohelp for your Adobe Support options. The email link tcssup@adobe.com is recommended as it reaches a team dedicated to Technical Communication Suite products including RoboHelp.

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WoutJacobs

Inspiring

As a test, create a condition tag e.g. DRAFT.

Apply the condition tag to a topic.

Create a dynamic content filter. You need at least two options for the filter to actually do something.

Use the dynamic content filter in the output preset.

If you generate the output with that preset, the filter should be available. I assume you have included the topic in the TOC that will be published with that preset.

If you select a filter that the topic does not belong to, it gets filtered out.

It's not really ideal, but that's how the filter works in a nutshell.

E

elisa23592620fepwAuthor

Inspiring

Thanks a lot WoutJacobs but the output I use is responsive HTML5 and I would need a single url different from the other for each filter result.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Let's say you want your app to open the help with a particular filter applied, the URL is show is

url?f=taggroup:tagname

In your app

URL would be whatever the URL to the topic is - that would open your help showing that topic.
tagroup and tagname will be whatever you have defined.

That is done in your app where the help is called, not in RoboHelp.

Somehow I don't think that is what you mean. Are you expecting the URL to change when the user applies a filter? That will only change when topics are selected.

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elisa23592620fepwAuthor

Inspiring

Yes Peter, what I wuold like is that once you change the filter, which shows or hides a topic, Url, of the Chrome page that opens once the Responsive HTML5 output is generated, changes. But from what I understand this doesn't happen.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Why would it? It's the URL to the topic so it only changes when the topic changes. The URL to call the help with a filter applied is not the URL of specific topics.

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

"unfortunately the filter does not work" doesn't really help.

The filter button does not appear
The button does nothing
The topics are not what should show according to the filter.
The correct topics appear but so do others etc.

What exactly does not work. The steps on my site are correct. Usually the problem is incorrect tagging. Tell us more.

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elisa23592620fepwAuthor

Inspiring

Hi Peter,

sorry you are absolutely right. When I say that the filter doesn't work I mean that the button appears and after having fixed some condition expressions the filter hides and displays some topics compared to others, but beyond this I would need the application of the filter to also modify the URL, as you indicate in your blog, but nothing seems to change. Do you perhaps have some advice you can give me?

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Update 4 is the current version. Please see the post pinned to the forum about upgrading, there are special instructions for your version.
As @Jeff_Coatsworth has said, see my site. Don't mix topic and content tags in the same topic.

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