Template question

[AnahidMA]

Still using RoboHelp 11, although I will be setting up 2019 on a new laptop soon.

When I create a new topic, it displays a blank page which displays the Topic Title in heading 1. I currently am not using a master page, although I've customized my .css file to display the text formatting I want.

I want to add a footer to all topics, so I created a master page. If I apply that master page to my existing pages, they look fine. But if I create a new topic, it does not have that initial Topic Title heading. Instead it has a bunch of text stating "this is a body placeholder text for your master page....."

Is there a way to get the start page I want, the footer and utilize my .css file all together? I was looking for a way to link my master page & .css file hoping that would give the desired result, but when I look at Linked Resources for either the master page & .css file, there is nothing there, and I'm not sure what to do to relate them (if that is the answer). I've been reading a lot of old posts, but haven't seen this scenario discussed.

Many thanks -

Anahid

[Amebr]

The best I've been able to discover is to add a field to the body placeholder. It's not the same as what the "none" master page does, but it might be acceptable for you?

Placeholder for topic heading in master page?

[AnahidMA]

Thank you for the link, Amebr, that is some very good information I hadn't found previously when searching

Anahid

[Peter Grainge · Accepted solution]

When you create a master page, it consists of three areas. The header, the footer and the bit in between.

Anything you enter in the header or footer of the master page will be seen in all topics and if you change it, the change will apply to all topics linked to that master page.

Between there is a placeholder which by default in the master page shows the text you are seeing. Whatever you see there is added to a topic on creation. If you later change it in the master page, it will not change if you change it in the master page. You can delete it all in the master page or change it to what you want as starter text.

To get the Title in the master page, click in the body placeholder at the beginning and then insert a field, in this case Title. I don't have RoboHelp 11 installed so I can't be sure but try Insert > Field or something like that. Then apply Heading 1 to that. When you next create a topic with that master page applied, you should see what you want. In the editor the title will be green because it is a field but if will follow the CSS in outputs.

Bear in mind that the title will always be exactly the same in the topic. Without a master page, the topic heading is the title by default but can be changed. This way, it will be the same.

The other default text you can leave or delete in the master page so that new topics just have the title.

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See www.grainge.org for free RoboHelp and Authoring information.

@petergrainge

[AnahidMA]

Peter,

As always, you come through. It's too bad I cannot change the text in the Topic without it reflecting in the Title, it's ideal the way it is, but such is life. It looks like I will create my master page without the Title, or will just apply the master page after creating all my pages.

It seems silly they couldn't let a custom master page follow the default behavior, but I can live with it.

Thanks so much!

Anahid