Multi-level TOC

[Gania]

How do I create a third and forth level for a TOC without creating a new book? I want to put a topic under a topic. When I click the arrow moving the first topic to the left and try putting a topic under it, it moves the second topic above instead of below and the arrow is greyed out to move the first topic to the right.

[Willam_van_Weelden]

The only way to do this is with a book. But you can link a topic to a book. In that case, clicking the book will also open a topic.

[Gania]

Really? Didn't earlier versions (I'm using 11) use multi-level TOCs? I haven't used RoboHelp in years, but I thought that options was available. Thanks

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

Indeed multiple level TOCs are possible. But as Willam says, the only way it has ever happened is by creating a book to establish the branch for the new level. I've never seen a TOC where a topic was a sub topic in the TOC without having a book as the main heading.

Cheers... Rick

[Gania]

Oh I do have a book. I don't think I explained correctly

     Book: Navigating the System

         First Topic: User Preferences

            New Topic: Change Password <This is the third level I want to create, and may even need a 4th later

[Captiv8r · Accepted solution]

No, I do believe I'm understanding what you want. You want this:

I had to modify that image using SnagIt.

But in order for "New Topic" to be indented, the only way I'm aware it can be achieved is by creating a new Book at the same level as User Preferences.

LIke this:

And it's been that way for as long as I've used RoboHelp. More than 20 years. Or, in all that time I've never seen anyone manage to accomplish the first scenario.

Then again, I never claim to know all there is to know about anything. I'm always learning new things. Just this week I learned a new feature about TechSmith SnagIt that I had no clue was there. And SnagIt and I go back a long way as well! So if there's a way to make it happen, I'd love to learn about it.

Cheers... Rick

[Gania]

Thanks, maybe that was the way I had done it before, I just remember being able to do that. I just knew it could be done. Thanks!

[Peter Grainge]

By way of confirming that it is by design that you cannot indent a topic within a book, highlight any topic and you will see the left and right arrows are greyed out.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[JGaf]

Gania,

  Book: Navigating the System

         First Topic: User Preferences

            New Topic: Change Password <This is the third level I want to create, and may even need a 4th later

your "first topic" in the example above needs to also be a book because it will have subtopics.

The first topic book does not have to contain a link to a page, it will then display as a book to expand to see subtopics.

Does this answer your question?

[bethannb39959951]

I agree with you! Flare allows for EASY multi-level TOCs. It makes no sense for a help authoring tool to not allow for multi-levels. RoboHelp 9 did it.

[johndaigle]

Hi, Gania and Bethannb

The TOC structure that is followed by virtually all help authoring tools is a Book and Page metaphor. Books can contain pages but pages don't contain pages. Beyond that, Books can contain "nested" Books.

Flare behaves the same way as RoboHelp in this respect. I just opened Flare v11 and could not see any way to create multi-level TOCs or "indented pages" under pages. The only reference I found in Flare's online help was to "multi-level lists", not TOCs.

Thanks

John Daigle

Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate Instructor

Evergreen, Colorado

www.showmethedemo.com

[Captiv8r]

Bethann, I would have to disagree with you on RoboHelp 9 having the ability. I've never seen this capability in any version of RoboHelp. I've been using it since version 2. So if that capability had been there, I'm pretty sure I'd have noticed it.

Now if you are creating CHM output, you *COULD* fudge it a bit by choosing the page icon for the book. But that would only apply to that specific output.

Cheers... Rick

[Captiv8r]

Here is an example of a "fudged" TOC using the technique I described,

Cheers... Rick