RH10 - Context sensitive links to DUCC variable set

[Guest]

I'm using RH10 Webhelp and the project has four builds from a single source of topics. I am using DUCC for media type categories (radio, television, etc.). I've used build tags and user variables to provide specific information for each media type in one topic. The DUCC category selected determines which information the user sees.

The web application has context sensitive help links to appropriate topics in the help system. With DUCC implemented I need a way to include the appropriate variable set for the context media type.

The application will know if the context is radio or television. Since the context sensitive Help URL opens the default DUCC category only, I need a way to include which category to open in the Help link URL.(Something similar to the # addition to indicate opening the window with the TOC pane open would be nice.)

Without that instruction the user will end up on the default (let's say radio) topic when they really need to see the television version. The user would need to switch the DUCC category in the TOC  (which closes the TOC completely) and then drill down through a huge TOC to find the same topic in the television list. Needless to say the user will become very annoyed with this process.

I would really like two options: to specify the variable set to use in the help link URL to open the appropriate topic AND to switch categories and automagically open the same topic in the new category if possible.

Thanks for your help! If there isn't a current solution, how do I lobby for an enhancement to RH?

karen

[Peter Grainge]

Sorry but I believe you can only open the help to the default category. In the short term could you have a single topic category telling users to pick their category. Not ideal but better than where you are.

Longer term please follow this link.

http://www.Adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform&product=38

The problem I am seeing is if you call a topic that is in all categories Rh can display it but how would it know which category? However, that's for the Adobe guys to figure out.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Guest]

Thanks, Peter. I'll enter an enhancement request.  In answer to your question, I was thinking that my app developers can check the active media type and conditionally provide the appropriate category designation for the URL. Adobe just needs to tell us what to use for the category designation.