How to Create a Landing Page in RoboHelp 2015 (Responsive HTML5)

[burnettejacobHSUSA]

I want to create a landing page in RoboHelp 2015 where the TOC is closed by default. I want the landing page (project) to serve as a master project and on the landing page have links to several other departments (projects). Once a user selects his/her department, the corresponding knowledge base project should open within the same window and with the TOC open.

[johndaigle]

Hi. Which output are you intending (WebHelp? Responsive? .CHM?) I presume you intend to use a form of merged help. What method were you thinking about using that allows the user to select their department. (WebHelp content categories DUCC, Responsive Dynamic Content Filtering)? Elaborate a bit more and we'll try to offer some suggestions.

Thanks

John

[burnettejacobHSUSA]

I'm using responsive html5. I think I may have figured out how to do it, but maybe you can tell me if this will work. In the responsive layout editor, I discovered where you can disable the TOC, so that solves one problem. Now, I need to make sure I can link to these other projects. If I have them all housed on the same internal server, I should be able to create hyperlinks to the individual projects, right? In theory, since I'm not using a master project, this would allow me to create different rules for each project. For example, one department KB would open with search as their first option and another could open with the TOC.

Also, I am working on creating an HTML web page that has some interactive features, such as showing a different picture depending on which department heading the mouse is hovering over. Would I be able to use that code for the landing page in Robohelp?

Thanks for the quick response, John!

[johndaigle]

Ah, Responsive HTML5. Before I forget, you should tune in to this thread where Willam van Weelden discusses some of the TOC issues.

Re: Merged Responsive HTML5 project TOC problem

Beyond that, by mentioning the "HTML Web page with interactive features", it sounds like you might be using that to possibly "user-authenticate" a user in order to send them to their appropriate department KB?

I'm not a developer, but normally if you are just pointing to a good ol' URL (i.e. the KB project URL), then that would work. Also, in terms of opening to the "Search as a first option" comment, you might also look into a cool feature of Dynamic Content Filtering that allows you to form a URL with a syntax that has the filter groups and options already set.

I have a created a video for Adobe which describes this feature which you can view here:

Dynamic filter support in CSH video

I have also written a white paper on the subject of Personalized Dynamic Content

I really like the creative way you are thinking in using this new feature. Let us know how it works out!

Thanks

john

John Daigle

Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate Instructor

Evergreen, Colorado

www.showmethedemo.com

[burnettejacobHSUSA]

Loved the white paper! It certainly gave me a much better understanding of Dynamic Content Filtering. So I could use context sensitive URLs as embedded hyperlinks on my landing page. That way, when a user clicks their role it will automatically filter the content for them. That would also give them the option of relaxing the filter in the event they need cross-departmental information, which saves them the trouble of having to navigate back to the landing page and then selecting another role. Am I on the right track here?