RH Word Import (Not Linking) - Creating CSS files I don't want, master page issues

[Guest]

RH8 - New project

Output - WebHelp Pro

Going to be adding project to RoboSource Control after set-up is done

Hi all,

I'm trying to set up a new RH8 project as cleanly as possible before a non-RH savy client takes it over. I've tried steering them away from using Word as part of their process and to buy more RH licenses for their training team, but no dice. I've set up a CSS in the project (using List Styles and Paragraph styles), bare-bones Word template with styles (for one-off procedures - not going to be a multi-page/multi-topic scenario), mapped those styles, and the import works. However, it creates a new CSS file and associates it with the new topic. Yes, I can associate it to the good CSS after the fact, but is there any way to stop it from cluttering up the project with unnecessary CSS files?

Question 2: Any way to tell Word import "I want you to import to x master page" or do you just have to apply after?

TIA!

Katie Carver

Docs-to-You, LLC

Phoenix, AZ

[Captiv8r]

Hi Katie

I think this may be a case where you want to employ RoboHelp HTML 8's ability to associate a Master Page or CSS in the Single Source Layout recipe.

Cheers... Rick

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[Guest]

Won't work for my purpose (writers need to have the master page applied before they're working on topics), but thanks for the suggestion, Rick!

Katie

[Captiv8r]

Hi Katie

Out of curiosity, what about having the Master Page/CSS applied beforehand changes the playing field?

Cheers.. Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 moments from now - $24.95! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcererStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[Guest]

Hi, Rick -

Purpose of the master pages for this project is to keep the writers consistent.... we have a lot of "boilerplate" text in the Body area of the master pages with correct styles applied, etc.

I wish RoboHelp master pages worked like FramaMaker master pages; the name change has really tripped me up in RH8! 🙂

Katie

[Captiv8r]

Hi Katie

kcarveraz1 wrote:

...I wish RoboHelp master pages worked like FramaMaker master pages; the name change has really tripped me up in RH8! 🙂

Katie

Interesting to hear you say that. I say this because it is my understanding that the RoboHelp team changed the terminology in RoboHelp for that specific reason. To make it more aligned with Frame and to bring more comfort to the Frame users coming to RoboHelp.

Note that I'm a big ole Frame ignoramous and I have no clue how it works. But it sounds to me as if you are saying Frame Master Pages actually work differently than RoboHelp Master Pages do. And that's the surprising part. I say it's the surprising part because if they actually work differently, I'm stymied as to why the RoboHelp developers would choose to change the former name of "Topic Templates" to "Master Pages" because that would seem to only serve to confuse the issue.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 moments from now - $24.95! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcererStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[Guest]

I say it's the surprising part because if they actually work differently, I'm stymied as to why the RoboHelp developers would choose to change the former name of "Topic Templates" to "Master Pages" because that would seem to only serve to confuse the issue.

You and me both, Rick! 🙂 FrameMaker master pages work like this:

- Elements positioned anywhere on master page appear on all associated body pages (not limited to header/footer like RH)

- You can change any of these elements on the master page at any time and it carries over to all associated body pages

- You can change a body page's associated master page at any time without losing text while still assuming the new master page's structure

Cheers,

Katie