Mid-topic help button linking?

[deckhogan]

Is it possible to link help buttons in the software to a point within a topic (mid-topic) rather than the top of the topic? If so, can somebody tell me how to do this?

I'm using RH HTML.

[RoboWizard]

Hi deckhogan

Yes it's possible. You first need to insert a bookmark at the location where you want to link. You do this by placing the cursor in the location, then clicking the bookmark icon (it's a white flag) or by clicking Insert > Bookmark. You then name the bookmark. Once done, you should see a white flag where the bookmark exists. Now save the topic. From a different topic, the Table of Contents or the Index, you can now link to the bookmark.

Note that if your bookmark is near the bottom of the page, you will need to add extra white space so the browser can properly position the bookmark when you link to it. To do this, just place the cursor at the end of the topic (Ctrl+End) and press the Enter key several times. I do this until the last bit of text just disappears behind the ruler area.

A possible unwanted side effect of this is that if your user decides to print the On-Line topic page, they may see an extra sheet or two of paper as the added "blank" area is "printed".

Cheers... Rick

[deckhogan]

I've used bookmarks within my help. What I'm trying to determine is if there is a way that the programmer can link a help button in a dialog box to someplace within a topic rather than the top of the topic.

[MergeThis]

Implied in Rick's statement "you can now link to the bookmark" is that your programmers can, as well. They need to call "my_start_page.htm#my_related_topic.htm#my_bookmark" to get the full skin with the right topic at the right spot.

As to the spacing issue, consider two things: a user printing an online topic, and you creating a Word file.

User Printing Online Topic

Search the w3schools site for info on the @media feature, to see how to create a P.hidden style in your CSS that would remain hidden in print media.

Creating a Word File

Assign the "Online" conditional tag to the spaces, then use the NOT ONLINE build statement in your Printed Doc layout properties.


Good luck,
Leon

[johnmccallum]

Hi deckhogan,

As Leon said, the programmer can now link to the bookmark - add #bookmarkname after the topic. I might add that if you wish to link from context sensitive help as I assume you would from a dialog help button, you do the same thing - add #bookmarkname in your .ali file. I assume once you have the bookmarks, RoboHelp will allow you to select it as you would a topic.

John