Version Control

[symmetricalMan]

Hi all,

Had the RH trial, but not enough time to explore it as much as I'd liked, and didn't get to look over version control.

Is it possible in RH to take an object (be it an image, block of text or whatever) and flag it as being a member of a particular group, and then later when I compile the Help I can elect to compile the group 'x' version of the Help.

For example we have two different images of an Options dialogue box I need to refer to, with the only difference between the two being a single check box. I would like to be able to add both images to the page, flag one as being for the 'normal' release of our Help manual and the other as being for the 'specialist' version. Then when I compile the Help, if I elect to build the 'specialist' version the correct image will be included, with the other hidden (and vice versa).

Is this possible?

[RoboWizard]

Hi there

What you are describing isn't Version Control. Version Control is really aimed at multiple individuals "sharing" authoring responsibilities for a project.

What you are describing is something known as Conditional Build Tags. With these, you apply tagging to information. Then when you create your output, you typically elect to exclude one or more tags to achieve a desired result.

Cheers... Rick

[symmetricalMan]

Hi there,

Thanks for the feedback.
I know what version control is - at least what you're referring to. We use version control via applications like Subversion and Visual Source Safe for this purpose. I think in this case though, I've been let down yet again by the authoring tool I use, AuthorIT, or as I refer to it, 'Awfulsh*t'. In AuthorIT, conditional build tagging with reference to objects is called version control, and at best it allows me to specify whether an object will appear in any of the Word/HTML/Windows Help formats. Before posting this I should have done a little research as to what the correct term was.

In any case do you have an answer to my question?

[Captiv8r]

Hi again

Sorry, I guess I felt that the second part of my answer was the answer to your question. I meant to convey that Yes you have this capability. It is known to us as Conditional Build tags. You just tag the information you want and choose to exclude or include it based on what we call a Conditional Build Expression.

Cheers... Rick