Way to dynamically create web output based on conditional text?

[kdeuler]

Hi. Can anyone tell me if there's a way to dynamically expose conditional text in a RoboHelp output?

I write documentation for a software company using FrameMaker, from which I make PDF outputs. The Frame files are loaded with conditional text. Most of the conditions specify whether or not the text should be exposed or not according to the version of the software that I'm creating a document for.

I'd be very interested to know if a user of RoboHelps web output could be first prompted to input the version of the software that they own. Once specified, the output would dynamically display text that is relevant to that user, and hide text that isn't. For example, the user specifies version "5.4", then the output would expose conditional text labeled, say, "5.4_only" and "5.4_+", and "5.3_+", but HIDE conditions labeled "5.3_only" and "pre_5.4".

Use of version-based conditional text works OK for me now. Before I create a PDF, I simply expose the conditional text relevant to the version I'm printing, then do the PDF. Where the process bogs down is when I make revisions of docs. For example, if I find that a step needs to be changes for versions 5.4 and later, I have to re-PDF versions 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, etc.

It seems to me that if we moved to a dynamic media like the web, these publishing maintenance issues would be greatly reduced. I understand that as a writer I'd have to maintain a table of some kind which controls what conditions are exposed/hidden according to the user-selected version. But this would be a lot easier than doing all that manual PDF work. The additional benefits of Web-based output (eg searches) would also be realized.

Thanks much in advance!

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Short answer – yes

You can do it in 2 ways – create separate “versioned” forms of output (if you want to ensure that the user never sees the other versions) or use DUCC – see http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/rh_tour/rh9_new/ducc/rh9_ducc.htm

[kdeuler]

Thanks Jeff. DUCC looks interesting. I'm surprised that it's been around since RH 9, and I didn't know it.

The sample screen shot in the image you sent wasn't clear: Is it possible to possible to populate variables and expose hide conditioned text/topics according to the user type? (I my case, "user type" would be software version.)

Are there any gotchas with DUCC from your experience?

Thanks again!

-Kurt

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Sorry, I’m not Peter (grin) – I’ve never had any need to try it out; the main thing is that you have to rely on the user picking the appropriate flavour to show – if you’ve got “secret” stuff that only one type of user should be able to access, I think DUCC fails with that sort of thing.

[kdeuler]

OK. The thing to do of course is try a trial copy of RH. The new release does appear to have nice other features too.

Did I write "Peter" somewhere? Or, more likely, a joke got past me.

Thx.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

No, just that I didn’t post any screenshot – just a link to RH guru/god Peter Grainge’s website ;>)

[Peter Grainge]

The content and variables would be defined by you for each category.

The user would open the webhelp where there would be a dropdown enabling them to pick their version. Your default topic would tell them to do that.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge