Inspiring

Answered

Topics are only displayed in the index when they also are in the TOC?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
July 1, 2022
4 replies
286 views

I use a "story" structure where only the first topic is in the TOC and the following topics can be browsed with a "Next" button. Now I noticed that I cannot link an index term to a topic that is further down the line. Even though the topic is in the output and all links wirk perfectly, it will simply not be displayed in the index.

However, if I add the topic to the TOC, then the index term is displayed.

Is this observation correct, and if so, is this regarded a bug or a "feature"?

Robert

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Correct answer Peter Grainge

Unless I am misunderstanding you, that is exactly what I am saying.

All topics must be in the TOC.
They don't have to show in the TOC when the user sees it but they must be in the TOC you see in RoboHelp.
Topics you don't want the user to see in the TOC can be hidden. Tick the Hide in Output check box.
With the topics in the source TOC the index then works regardless of whether the user can see that topic in the output TOC.

Does that clarify?

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Being linked from another topic will get a topic into the build even though it is not in the TOC. However, have you tested that a topic that gets into the build has its keyword in the index. It should but some of what you said implies that might not be the case.

Also links can change overtime so I would always include all topics in the TOC, hidden if desired. That is safer.

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

Use the menu (bottom right) to mark the Best Answer or Highlight particularly useful replies. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here.

Peter Grainge

Correct answer

Community Expert

Unless I am misunderstanding you, that is exactly what I am saying.

All topics must be in the TOC.
They don't have to show in the TOC when the user sees it but they must be in the TOC you see in RoboHelp.
Topics you don't want the user to see in the TOC can be hidden. Tick the Hide in Output check box.
With the topics in the source TOC the index then works regardless of whether the user can see that topic in the output TOC.

Does that clarify?

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

Use the menu (bottom right) to mark the Best Answer or Highlight particularly useful replies. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here.

RsflAuthor

Inspiring

Thanks, I did some more testing and I think I understand now. For a topic to be displayed in the output index, it apparently has to be either in the TOC, or be directy linked from a topic that is in the TOC.

Thanks for the hint to the "Hide in Output" option, that should solve the problem..

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Specifically, are all the topics in the TOC?

I know you don't want the user to see them there but they need to be in the TOC with the Hide in Output set.

Topics can get into the build because of links and so on. From what you have said, I am suspecting they are not in the TOC and that is breaking how the index is created in the output.

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

Use the menu (bottom right) to mark the Best Answer or Highlight particularly useful replies. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here.

RsflAuthor

Inspiring

A "story" consists of a number of topics (e.g. 10) that are linked in sequence.

In my first attempt, only the first topic of a "story" was in the TOC. The result is that other topics of this story that I place into the index are not displayed in the index of the output. But they are in the output and all links work.

However, if I place e.g. topic number 5 into the TOC and add it to the index, it is displayed in the index of the output. But only if it is also in the TOC.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

You haven't said which version of RoboHelp you are using. Please always start a thread with this information.

Please go to Help > About and include the full version number.

If you are using 2019 also state whether it is 2019 Classic or 2019 New UI.

I'm guessing it's 2019 New UI or 2020. Look in the output folder and I suspect you will only see the one topic that is in the TOC.

In these versions a topic has to be in the TOC to be in the output. See RH2020 The Table of Contents (grainge.org) That does not mean users have to see them all, there is a Hide option.

Index terms are held within topics so if the topic is not in the build, neither is the index term.

Change your TOC as above and I think it will work as expected.

Let us know.

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

Use the menu (bottom right) to mark the Best Answer or Highlight particularly useful replies. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here.

RsflAuthor

Inspiring

Hi, I am using the version 2020.7.46. I know that the "classic" versions work completely different.

As I said, all topics ARE in the output and the links work. They only dont show up in the index.

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