Can I mass-convert topics to framesets?

[lpatryas]

RoboHelp 7 webhelp

We want to change our online help to have a left nav panel and are researching using framesets to accomplish this. So far, we like what we see in our prototypes. If we decide we want to go with framesets, we are wondering if there is a way to do some sort of automated process to convert a bunch of topics into framesets. If we have to convert each topic to a frameset, one by one, well, that would be too much to handle as we have thousands of topics.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

You need to be more specific as to your goals. You don't just "convert a topic to a frameset". Normally you present a topic within a frame of a frameset, but almost never will any conversion occur to change a topic into a frameset.

So please take a moment and outline precisely what it is you need to accomplish.

Cheers... Rick

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[lpatryas]

Thank you for your quick response. Let's see, I just used the wrong wording. We want to select a group of topics and tell RoboHelp to put each of them, in a different frameset. We would use the same left side topic for the nav panel side (left side) of the frameset and another topic would go in the right side of the frame. If there isn't an automated way to do that for a large group of topics, we would have to do this for each of hundreds of topics: Create a new frameset, select the left side topic, select the right side topic, name and save. Repeat. Does this make sense? Thanks!

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

Your post is making me wonder if you totally understand how framesets work. I say this because normally there isn't anything you do to topics that says "Hey, I should be inside a frame of a frameset!". Instead, you reference the topics from the navigation topic that appears in the other frame.

For example, say you have topics A B and C that will appear in the frameset.

So when you click the link for Topic A, it simply instructs the browser to display Topic A in the proper frame of the frameset.

Same for Topic B and for Topic C.

So all the instruction as to where the topic appears is in the link within the Navigation pane of the frameset, not the topic that is presented in the frame.

Does this make more sense?

Cheers... Rick

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[lpatryas]

Thank you so much for being patient. What you are saying is what I am doing so it must be how I am stating things that is causing confusion. Or, maybe I have no idea what is going on, but am still creating successful framesets somehow. Using your example, in the left frame you have a link to Topic A that when clicked opens in the right frame. Also in the left frame, you have a link to Topic B that when clicked opens in the right frame. Also in the left frame, you have a link to Topic C that when clicked opens in the right frame. Therefore, you need three framsets, right? One for Topic A, one for Topic B, and one for Topic C. In this case, each frameset would have the same topic for the left side, and a different topic for the right side. Aren't we talking about the same thing here?

[Captiv8r · Accepted solution]

Hi again

Nope, a single frameset would do it. The frameset file simply divides the browser into multiple areas and loads a single HTML page into each area.

The HTML page loaded into the left panel would never change (unless you needed it to). It would simply be there in the left frame with three different links on the page. Each link would then load the appropriate topic into the right frame of the frameset. So the only thing that changes when a link is clicked in the navigation frame is that a new topic is loaded into the frame on the right. The Frameset doesn't change and neither does the navigation page.

Let's say I wanted to have 26 pages available. Named A.htm, B.htm all the way to Z.htm. I would then have a single page with the letters A-Z in that left frame. I don't need 26 different pages and I don't need 26 different framesets. Just one of each. 26 topics, sure! So my total investment would be 28 topics, not 78.

Make better sense now?

Cheers... Rick

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[lpatryas]

Oh my goodness. You have enlightened me and I am better for it. I see the light! So, going by, say, a project's TOC, if I want a different left nav frame for each book, then I would create a frameset with a left frame applicable to each book and for the right frame, would select the initial topic to open in that frame for each book. Now, am I on the right track?

[Captiv8r]

That sounds right!

Cheers... Rick

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[lpatryas]

I'm running into an issue. I created Topic A, Topic B, and Topic C topics. I created one frameset with a left frame that calls each of those three topics.

As I would except, when I click each item in the left pane, the topics opens in the right pane. But, when I place these in my TOC, and click each one, the only one that displays in the frameset is the topic that I put in the frameset, Topic A.

Is there a way around that? I guess that's probably where my confusion originated because we also want a working TOC that displays the topics in framesets.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

Wow, it would seem you are somehow wanting to re-create the functionality of the TOC? Why?

The TOC already causes topics to display on the right in the Topic pane, so I'm wondering what you are hoping to gain by sort of duplicating the TOC behavior?

If that's what you are going for, indeed I believe you will need to create a frameset for each topic. This is because you would list the Frameset in the TOC and not the Topic.

Cheers... Rick

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[lpatryas]

I can see what you're saying. Since I've been getting information from you, it's now clearer than it was before. I believe I can direct my work group on how to proceed with what we want to do. We have several options, so we'll weigh the pros and cons of each and go from there. Thanks again.