Insert date in footer in printed document

[MM_Acton]

I've searched this site and it seems that there is no way to change the header or footer that RoboHelp uses when creating the printed document. I even tried editing the footer in the Word template that I use, but it doesn't seem to work.

So, assuming that you can't change the header/footer by changing the template, has anyone created a Word macro after the fact to insert a date?

We use the Word doc to review the help. Currently I use an old-tech ink date stamp to stamp each page before I give it to the user. This isn't a problem when you're doing a few topics at a time, but we're getting to the point where I'm going to be getting final review for large chunks and that's not going to be the best use of my time

I'm using RH9.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

maybe time to move up to RH10 with the shared review PDF feature?

[Peter Grainge]

As covered in Printed Documentation on my site, headers and footers do not survive the trip to print.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[MM_Acton]

Yeah, I went to your site first and saw that.  I was hoping someone could point me to a macro or an example of how to edit footers with macros.

Looks like my low-tech method might be winning.

[MM_Acton]

Unfortunately, no. This isn't a software development environment, so they might not have a big project like this again for years. Also, the users who are reviewing the docs wouldn't have time to learn a new tool before the reviews are due. I've suggested using Word's review and tracking features (that way I would always be able to tell which version was actually being reviewed), but this is the type of environment where they know enough Word to get their job done, but don't really know it. They prefer to mark up printouts or copy and paste into a new Word doc.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

@MM Acton - I'm pretty sure they've added comments to a PDF before; it's a lot easier than playing with Word & you get to import their corrections back into your RH project. See http://iconlogic.blogs.com/weblog/2013/05/adobe-robohelp-shared-review.html for info.

[MM_Acton]

Jeff, no they haven't done PDF reviews. When I first started talking to them about reviews, that was one of the first things I suggested. This group of users does not normally review documentation. When they review normal business email or letters, they either copy and paste or mark up hard copies.

I had another idea when I went out for lunch. All I need is a way to identify the date of the compile. I'm going to search for an example of a macro that would do something like this:

Find a Heading 1.

On the next line, insert the current date and time.

Repeat until end of file.

I already run a post-processing macro that inserts page numbers in cross-references (thanks to Peter Grainge). Part of that involves regenerating the TOC because pagination changes. If I can do my little insert before the re-gen, it should be okay.

[Peter Grainge]

Something we have used is where the SME adds or removes text, they prefix the change with ###

You then search on that.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[MM_Acton]

Peter: Yes, I use "###" when I enter questions, but this user community prefers writing on hard copies. One user will edit the Word doc, but then copy it and save it in a different file, which means I'm never sure that he didn't edit an old file by mistake.

I've come up with a temporary solution until I can write and test the Word macro that will insert a date line after each Heading 1:  a watermark!

It's ugly, but if I create a very light custom text watermark, I'll be able to tell which version of the file that my user marked up!

And, I think I can figure out how to make that part of my macro

[Peter Grainge]

I guess to them the word Tablet would be something Moses used!

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[MM_Acton]

Yes, indeed! It is slightly different working with a community of users who don't review documentation normally.