RH 2015 How do I link to another project?

[Auntie_Em-Pam]

Hi,

I've tried to find this answer on Peter's site, but I can't seem to locate it. I am generating responsive html.

Although I know RH is not a website tool, I have been tasked with creating a new home page that functions like a website:

Requirements for this page are:

-  no visible TOC

-  the page functions as a user centre, i.e. there are buttons on the page that will link to other pages within another project.

   These buttons will link to:

   -  the entire user guide in the 2nd project

   -  the newsletters page in the 2nd project

   -  the release notes page in the 2nd project

   -  additional pages in the future.

-  the buttons that appear on the home page should also be visible on all the linked pages - this is just like a website - where there is a nav bar at top and the buttons are constant so that users can go from one area of the project to another.

-  if possible, my team would like rollover images to be used, but I don't think that is possible in RoboHelp. If it is, I can't see how. (I suggested that if they want a website-functioning page, then perhaps we should get Dreamweaver.)

Do I need to create all these links from one project to another, or is there a way I can create this user centre page within my existing project and have it function as described above?

Thanks,

Pam

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I think you can suppress the TOC in your Single Source Layout can’t you?

The other bits would be just a navigation topic with links to the things you want to point to using the merged help scenario (I believe; don’t use merged help myself)

[Auntie_Em-Pam]

I'm not sure about suppressing the TOC. I only want the TOC to not be visible for the home page. The only other way I could think of doing this was to make a separate TOC for the main page that has nothing in it. The logic being that no topics would display in the TOC for the home page.

My original question stands;  is there a way to link a project to another project in RH2015?

Thanks,

Pam

[Captiv8r]

Hi Pam

Links can point to whatever you might want. Another web site, another project, you get to choose.

The issue with suppressing the TOC is that in the Responsive layout type, there is no way to just point at a topic and have that specific topic load up without the TOC as you can in WebHelp. So if you want a page that doesn't have a TOC, you will have to jump through some hoops to get there.

One way would be to create the page in RoboHelp, then sneak behind RoboHelp's back and either rename it or move it to a different folder. Then RoboHelp would be confused about it and you would then have to remove it from your project.

Cheers... Rick

[Auntie_Em-Pam]

Rick,

I have the home page in a separate folder and created a blank TOC for it. Now, can I add this to my project with the expected result of no TOC for the home page, but with a TOC for the project (all other pages)?

[Peter Grainge]

Creating a simple HTML page outside of RoboHelp would give you the ability to have buttons that link to each project but once in each project the search and index would only relate to that project, not the entire merge. You could get around that by having a merged setup and then each button opens the topic required in the merge.

What you want can be done but why the aversion to the TOC from the start? You say it should function as a user centre but that is just what the help does.

I haven't tried it but there is one possibility that perhaps Willam could comment on. I believe that he offers a responsive layout that does not have a TOC. I think that if that was your start page that when the child projects are called the layout would change to their specified layout but the search and index would function as merged. Worth a shot with just a few dummy topics in a demo setup.

(Edited 28 April 2016 to correct first sentence)

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring information

@petergrainge

[Auntie_Em-Pam]

Peter,

So if I create an HTML page outside of RH and link to the project, I will not be able to search the entire project? Is that correct?

Unfortunately I cannot merge. They just had me split the two user guides as the content is different and there were some issues with filenames when linking to them in our proprietary software.

There's actually no aversion to the TOC; it's just that they want me to link to the project (user guide) from the home page (user centre).

Can't I create a separate TOC for the home page that is empty, and maintain a separate TOC for the project that is populated, and save them both together?

Thanks again,

Pam

[Peter Grainge]

Sorry, please see my previous reply where I have corrected the first sentence.

You say "they want me to link to the project (user guide) from the home page (user centre)". Who is creating the user centre, you or them? If the latter then they just need a URL to your output and it will then open with the TOC. If you are creating it. then as there is no merge you can create one project without a TOC (see previous reply) that calls the other projects as selected by the user.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring information

@petergrainge

[Auntie_Em-Pam]

ok...thanks Peter