Help with conditional build expressions

[Guest]

I'm using RoboHelp HTML and creating WebHelp Pro layouts. I want to create five (or more) different versions of the Help tool for our various groups of users.

Here's what I'd like to do: Create a conditional build tag for each of the versions (i.e. each of our groups of users). I could name them as follows:

group1
group2
group3
group4
group5

Then, I would associate each topic with one or more of the build tags. For example, topic1 may be for group1 and group2; topic2 may be for group1 and group4. Etc.

The problem is thus: When I want to create the version for, say, group1, my expression ends up excluding the other groups. In the end, this omits any topics associated with group1 that are also associated with the other build tags (i.e. the other groups).

Is there an expression I can use to prevent these topics from being omitted? Perhaps the use of parentheses?

The only solution I've used is tedious: I create many build tags--one for each variation. For example, I'd have a group1group2group3 build tag, a group1group3 build tag, a group1group4 build tag, etc. Then, I just associate one build tag with each topic. When I'm creating a version for group1, for example, I'd just include all topics with a build tag that includes group1 (e.g. group1, group1group3, group1group2group3, et. al.). I omit the others (e.g. group2group3, group2group4, group2group3group4group5...et. al.).

As you can imagine, this solution is problematic. First, I have to create and keep track of many many build tags. Then, if I want to create another version of Help, I need to change all the build tags to include this new group.

I'm sure there must be a better build tag expression for what I'm trying to accomplish. Please help! Thanks!

[Chet Zeshonski]

There is indeed an expression! Unfortunately, the option is normally hidden, so it can be tricky to find. Here's what you do:

1. Define the build tags.
2. Apply them to your topics. OVERLAPPING IS ENCOURAGED! That is to say, you can assign tag1, tag2, and tag3 to a single topic.
3. Right-click the desired layout and select Properties.
4. Click the Define button to the right of the Conditional Build Tag drop-down menu. The Define Conditional Build Tag Expression dialog will appear.
5. Click the Advanced button. The Advanced area will appear at the bottom of the dialog.
6. Select a tag from the Available Conditional Build Tags drop-down menu.
7. Click the Add Tag button. The selected tag will appear in the Conditional Build Tag Expression display window.
8. Click the AND button.
9. Select another tag from the drop-down menu.
10. Click the Add Tag button.
11. Repeat steps 8-10 for each tag you wish to add to the expression.
12. Click the OK button to close the dialog.
13. Click the Save button to save your layout with the new build expression.

That's it! The trick is to use the ADVANCED button in the Define Conditional Build Tag Expression dialog. Doing so allows you to build inclusional expressions rather than exclusional expressions, so you can avoid the hassle you described in your post. Using this method, I defined two build tags (A and B) and applied them to three topics as follows:

* Topic 1: Tag A
* Topic 2: Tag B
* Topic 3: Tags A and B

I then defined an expression that simply included tag A. When I compiled my help, topics 1 and 3 appeared in the output, but topic 2 did not.

[Guest]

Thanks. That makes sense. I'll try it out and let you know. Thanks for the quick reply!