RH2019 How do you keep entire TOC tree when expanding a folder?

[TechWriter57]

I am using RoboHelp 2019 and generating Responsive HTML5 output. My TOC consists of multiple folders with topics under each folder.

When I generate the TOC, I see the folders, but when I expand one folder, the entire TOC tree disappears and I only see the folder/topics I have expanded.  

Is is possible to keep the entire TOC tree when expanding a single folder?  (This is the case when generating a CHM.)

[Peter Grainge]

Which skin? They don't all work the same way.

2019 Classic or New UI?

[TechWriter57]

RoboHelp 2019 Classic

Responsive HTML5 - Axure_Blue (RTL) skin

I also don't see any properties for the TOC as whole (expand all/ collapse all, etc.)

[Peter Grainge]

In the Gallery for Classic there is no Azure Blue RTL. It is a 2019 New UI skin only. Using the camera icon please add a screenshot showing the list of screens available in Gallery in Classic.

If you are trying to use a 2019 New UI skin in a Classic project, it is not going to work.

[TechWriter57]

Then, it looks like I am in the new UI. I can't find any properties to control the TOC. I can only access 'Page' properties...see screen shot. How do I control the TOC to display an expanded tree when it generates Responsive HTML5 with the Azure skin?

Could I control the TOC properties if I was in the Classic UI?

[Peter Grainge]

Are you talking about the TOC when editing or the TOC the user sees?

If when editing, in the left panel you can only expand one at a time. If you want to see multiple TOCs, open them in the authoring area. Double click the TOCs you want in the left panel.

This is explained in the supplied RoboHelp Reimagined sample project. As you are seem to be new to 2019 New UI, it would be worth going throught that as it explains a lot about the new UI.

If you are talking about what the user sees, I just tested a RTL and once a book is expanded, it stays expanded even when others are opened.

[TechWriter57]

I am talking about what the user sees.  In my Responsive HTML5 output, the TOC shows the folders collapsed.  When I open the first folder, the folder expands and I see its topics, but that's all I see...the entire TOC is no longer displayed.

[Peter Grainge]

That is not what I am seeing using an Azure Blue RTL with no mods.

Create a new skin and add say 2 at the end of its name. Try again. Still doing the same?

[TechWriter57]

What do you mean by create a new skin?  I can only select skins in the drop-down. I assume that I can just copy/rename the skin in the skin folder.  (Where is the skin folder?)

[Peter Grainge]

See your screenshot, Skins are just below Output Presets. Click + and select your preferred skin. If you want Azure Blue RTL again, give it a slightly different name.

[TechWriter57]

Yes.  I just found that.  I gave it a new name Azure_Blue_(RTL)2. I get the same behavior....the TOC displays with the folder structure, but when I open a folder, the TOC pane overwrites to display just that folder/topics.

I downloaded the RoboHelp 2017 trial and the TOC displays just fine using the Azure Blue skin for a Responsive HTML5 ouput.  I can open a folder and the rest of the folders remain displayed as well.  I may be going with RoboHelp 2017. (And, yes, I tried just the "Azure Blue" skin with RoboHelp 2019 (both versions) for Responsive HTML5 output and the TOC will not retain an open tree structure when any of the folders are selected.)

[Peter Grainge]

Create a new project in 2019 New UI with just a few topics and a TOC with a couple of books. Test the problem occurs there. If it does, then see the Contact page on my site and send the project as instructed there. Do make sure you include a link to this thread and please do not email the project direct.

If it doesn't happen in the new project, then the problem is within your project. Can you confirm that there has not been any exchange of topics between RoboHelp Classic and the new UI version of 2019?

[TechWriter57]

I sent my project as instructed. There has been no communication of topics between 2019 classic and new UI.  I input new topics into the project I sent.  Iam still having the issues with ResponsiveHTML5 output. Thank you so much for your help.

[Amebr]

It's occurred to me you might be seeing one of the effects of a responsive layout. Depending on the width of your browser window, the help will automatically switch to tablet or phone mode. If you see icons arranged vertically in a narrow bar, then you are viewing your output in tablet mode. In tablet mode, clicking a book, will drill down into the book rather than expanding.

Make your browser wider and see if that displays as you expect. 

[Amebr · Accepted solution]

I did some further poking around and it looks like Classic has a setting for the mobile toc that allows you to select whether the toc expands or drills down (and it's set to expand by default). But it looks like Azure Blue in New UI is configured to drill down, and there is no option to change it, that I can see. 

[Peter Grainge · Accepted solution]

The issue was that the help was not being viewed full screen. It was being viewed in a smaller window so it was working in tablet mode. Responsive help does change how things work to best suit what type of device the user is working on. If you don't want it to be responsive, you can turn it off in the skin settings.