If I have a part that is repeating in 2 different projects can I have that common part only in one sub-project

[bogaem]

I have 2 different projects in RoboHelp 11 that have a "common" part, i.e. several chapters are identical, eventually with minor changes that could be solved with flags, and I was wondering if it would be possible to have the "common" in a sub-project that I could manage for both other projects.

[RoboColum_n_]

It depends on what type of output you are using. For example, WebHelp allows you to merge projects together. Some other outputs do too. If you tell us what you are producing we can advise more.

[bogaem]

Thank you for your fast response.

I am, for the time being, generating only printed documentation, i.e. Word documents, however we intend to generate Air, Flash & Web.

There are some 3 chapters which content is identical for both projects, and I was thinking to have those common chapters reside in a sub-project, and mention it inside the other 2 projects, if possible.

Thank you again.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the Resource Manager might be what you are looking for here.

Version 11 of RoboHelp offers the ability to "Share" topics using the Resource Manager. So you would create a folder somewhere, then use the Resource Manager to manage the shared content.

If the topics change in any way, you then update the copies over in the Resource Manager. Once you do that, you would still have to open the other projects that use those topics sync them and recompile or re-generate, but that would happen regardless of whether you are using Resource Manager or not.

Cheers... Rick

[bogaem]

Thank you very much Rick,

I will give it a try and see how it goes.

Bogdan

[bogaem]

Do you mean RoboSource Control 3.1 or is it something else?

Thank you

[Captiv8r · Accepted solution]

Hi there

No, not RoboSource Control.

If you click View > Pods > Resource Manager, you should see the Resource Manager pop open. From there, you are able to create a location that would be "shared" between projects or between authors.

So you create a location, then take the topics that are "common" and place them into that spot by dragging from the project to the Resource Manager window. RoboHelp should make copies there. Then in the other project, you open the Resource Manager and drag the topics from the Resource Manager window to the project. Perhaps one of the topics is named: Feeding Alligators

Once you have done this, perhaps you change some text or add an image to the "Feeding Alligators" topic. Resource Manager should then prompt you to say that the topic in your project no longer matches the topic in the Resource Manager. You should have an option to synchronize it. And at that point, the process should copy the topic from the project to the Resource Manager location. Then when you open the other project, Resource Manager would then again tell you that what is in the Resource Manager is different than what is in the project. And offer an option to synchronize it. And at that point, the content would be copied from the Resource Manager to the project.

Pretty slick when you think about it!

Cheers... Rick

[bogaem]

Thank you so much Rick!

I am right now in the process of learning how to do it properly.

This is the answer to my issue.

Have a great day!