Inspiring

Question

Merged Help - Im Lost.

Forum|Forum|16 years ago
January 13, 2010
2 replies
2499 views

RH8 HTML

Hi all,

Reasons have come up to create a merged version of 2 seperate help guides that we create.

So, I have read through peters instructions on his site, and the instructions that adobe give in their help guide and I'm lost. I'm obviously not doing something, but I dont know what, and I dont know how.

This is what I've done.

I have 2 projects. A and B. Which are the 2 that I have to merge.

I have created a 3rd project C which I want the other 2 to be merged into.

So in my project C TOC I have a single topic (from project C), and have used the Merge New Project button to add the A and B projects.

My TOC shows the first topic from project C, and the 2 merged projects, by way of the funny looking icon.

I generate and I just get the contents of project C.

How do I specify project A and B are child projects, and that C is a parent project?

I looked around, on here also, and couldn't find how I'm supposed to specify this on each project.

Also, will projects A and B still be fully independant when generated outside of the merged project. essentially we are going to operate 3 manual, A, B, and C(which is A+B)

Thanks very much, hope someone can point me in the right direction.

Nick

HTML

This topic has been closed for replies.

ermphd

Inspiring

Hi Nick,

Hmmm. I too was a bit lost when I looked at Peter's notes. Then I read the manual section and came to the following conclusion.

Peter's method with an "empty" parent seems most appropriate when you are merging project with no obviouis "parent". For example a project where a number of developers are building sections.

If you have a real parent with a lot of topics, the approach in the RH manual seems more straightforward to me.

We have not yet rolled out the merged project to the server, so all I have to report to you are local test results, but the Adobe Parent-Child mege process worked for me the first time with no problems.

If my suggestion makes sense in terms of the layout of your projects, give it a shot. I experience always tells me to try the KISS method first, lol.

Ciao

Ed

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

As long as you don't want parent / child or child / parent links, the Adobe method is fine. I believe that is stated in my topics. Point is my way allows such links and in a way they are created more easily, that's all.

If there is any part of the instructions that anyone is struggling with, let me know. This issue is not related to the method as Nick has established it works on my site and in another merge he has set up.

I'm always happy to update the article to help.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

Follow me @petergrainge

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Question: I'm using your method to merge ~10 projects. Setting up the merged ToC went easily enough, but is there a similar process for merging the index? I'm not seeing anything that appears to relate to that.

Thanks,

Nothing to be done for the index or search. Setting up the TOC is what tells RH to merge everything else.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

How is detailed on my site. When people have had problems in the past it is usually because they wade straight into trying to merge their existing projects. What you need to do is download the sample projects where I have set things up so that you can learn by example. Once you have got your mind around that, then play with your own projects.

You are going about it the right way, creating a parent for the two children you already have. You don't specify anywhere that one project is a parent and the others are children. The parent knows it is a parent because you have put the placeholders in the TOC.

The two children remain projects in their own right.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

Follow me @petergrainge

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N

Nick27Author

Inspiring

thanks Peter, I managed to get it sorted.

but im having 1 problem. Im using the re-direct, which works great across all browsers, chrome, FF, IE, and Safari. EXCEPT

Forcing the TOC to sync is not working. I edited whthost.js and added the code as you said in step 8 on your site, however this just makes the TOC take a veeery long time to load, and then it functions as it did before - with no syncing. None of the topics have been syncing at all and they are all set to sync automatically. (I just tried this on a Mac, and with Safari the TOC syncd everytime, but FF on the Mac it did not) every windows machine I've tried it on hasn't worked)

i've looked over your sample projects and they do NOT have the same problem. I cant figure out why, comparing the 2 side by side the output options/settings. everything seems to be the same.

All publishing options have compliance/mark of the web etc etc un-ticked.

Any help much appreciated!

Nick

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

So auto sync is on in all three projects and it works in the two child projects when they are run standalone?

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

Follow me @petergrainge

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