Topic numbering in RH8

[luviola10]

I'm researching the value of numbering my topics in an RH8 project. I have a call center guide for very technical professionals and it was suggested to keep the numbering of all topics, for example, 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.2.1, up to three digits. I wonder is this worthwhile to do? Is it possible to do in RH8?  So instead of labeling a topic Introduction, it would be 1 Introduction, etc.

[Guest]

I don't see a way to do this directly in Robohelp (veteran users: please correct me if I'm wrong about that). But you can do it in Word or Framemaker and then import it into Robohelp.

For instance, you can set up outline head numbering in Word so that your headings look something like this:

You can then import that into Robohelp and get this:

Learning to set this up in Word is not especially easy, but it might be worth exploring. The Robohelp import step is quite easy.

Something similar can be done with FrameMaker.

If neither of those is available, unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you. In that case, perhaps someone else with more Robohelp experience can help.

-- George

[luviola10]

George,

Interesting! I wonder if this would work with linking as well?

[Guest]

Luviola:

The results of a quick test tell me that this approach probably will not work with linking.

Or perhaps I just don't know the proper procedure. In any case, it doesn't work the same way as it does with importing.

When importing Word files into Robohelp, you can "paginate" (break up the file into Robohelp "topics") based on Word heading styles. That's the feature I used in my testing yesterday (the results of which are in the screenshots above).

I can't find a way to paginate when linking. If you can't paginate, this approach is not likely to work.

I hope someone else will join in here with a better answer.

-- George

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Should be able to paginate when linking through the "Edit Settings" button

[Guest]

Thanks, Jeff. Your comment led to a solution that I hope will work.

I used the Edit Settings button when importing, but Robohelp didn't present me with an opportunity to use it when linking, so I thought it wasn't available.

However, after reading your comment, I went back and found I could use the following procedure:

1. File | Link | Word to link the Word document to Robohelp. This results in a single, unpaginated Robohelp project (everything in one topic).

2. File | Project Settings | Import tab. Click on Edit button in the Word Document section. Expand the Paragraph item (click on +) in the left-hand window. For each heading style used in the Word document that should begin a new Robohelp topic, select the style and check the Paginate checkbox. Click OK.

3. Click Apply.

4. Select the Word document icon in the Project Manager window, right-click, select Update | Update All.

Now, all the topics appear separately, as intended.

I linked my earlier test file with the above process and got the same result as with importing (see screen capture in earlier post). Then I went back to the Word file and made several changes, adding headings (which changed the numbering automatically) and changing their level.

I went back to Robohelp again and did another update from the Word file's icon. The result was an updated project that looked like the screen capture below (compare with the earlier one and you'll see the changes):

I think this is what Luviola was looking for. Thanks again, Jeff!

-- George