Conditional Build Tags...weird behavior?

[Kutra]

If I apply a conditional build tag to a topic from the TOC tab, the topic gets included in the output even if I have specified that tag to be excluded.

However, if I apply the same conditional build tag to a topic from the Project tab, then the topic gets excluded (as expected) from the output because I have specified that tag to be excluded.

Is this inconsistency in behavior by design? I looked at the RoboHelp Help, and it appears there is nothing wrong with adding conditional build tags to topics from the TOC tab.

Can someone shed light on this? I am using Adobe RoboHelp HTML 6, Build 099.

Thanks,
K

P.S.: It appears RoboHelp is completely ignoring the conditional build tags that I am adding to topics from the TOC tab. If I see these tagged topics from the Project tab or the Topics tab, there is no color shading for these topics. The color shading for the topics shows only if I tag the topics from the Project Tab or the Topics tab.

[Captiv8r · Accepted solution]

Hi Kutra

Sounds like you are misunderstanding how build tags and the TOC work. The TOC is simply a file with pointers to your topics. There may be many many topics that never see the light of day in your TOC but exist in your project. Just because a topic isn't in the TOC does not remove it from the project. So when you apply a build tag to a TOC node, you are simply telling RoboHelp to create the project without that particular TOC entry if you exclude the tag. But when you apply the tag to the topic itself, you are telling RoboHelp to create the project without that topic if you exclude the tag. And if you are doing this, there is really no need to tag it in the TOC as it won't appear there anyway if the topic has been excluded.

Cheers... Rick

[Kutra]

What you are saying is...

A conditional build tag when applied to a topic from the TOC tab only excludes it from the TOC, but includes it in the output.

Whereas a conditional build tag when applied to a topic from the Project tab or the Topics tab excludes it from the output and thus from the TOC as well.

If yes, then that's the behavior I am seeing. I wish the Help for RH would have specified that. I am going have to go back and tag several hundreds of topics since I tagged al of them from the TOC tab.

[Captiv8r]

Yes, that is exactly 110% correct!

What did you read that seemed to imply all you had to do was apply the tags to the TOC and the topics would also disappear from the output?

Cheers... Rick

[Kutra]

Here's a copy-paste from the RH Help...It didn't explain things the way you did. :-(

Applying conditional build tags to Table of Contents

Use conditional build tags to design and create multiple versions of your project from a single set of source files. After creating the conditional build tag, you can apply it to both books and pages in the TOC for maximum control over the final results. From the TOC view, you can apply conditional build tags to Topics also. When you generate a project, you can define conditional build expressions to include or exclude the book or page in the TOC, from the output.

Show Me

Use this procedure to apply conditional build tags to books and pages in the TOC. When you exclude such a tag from your output, the book or page in the TOC, is not included in the output.

To apply a conditional build tag to a book or page in the TOC:
Option 1:

Create the conditional build tag.

Click the TOC tab to view the Topic list.

Select a book or page to which you want to apply a conditional build tag.

Right-click and select Apply Conditional Build Tag, and choose the Tag you want to apply. The tag is applied to the selected book or page.

When you generate the project, you can define conditional build expressions to include or exclude the tagged books or pages in the TOC, from the output. (A TOC to which a tag has not been applied, will be included in the output.)

Option 2:

Create the conditional build tag.

Click the TOC tab to view the Topic list.

Select the book or page to which you want to apply a conditional build tag.

From the Format menu, select Apply Conditional Build Tag, and then choose a tag. The conditional build tag is applied to the selected book or page in the TOC.

When you generate the project, you can define conditional build expressions to include or exclude tagged books or pages in the TOC, from the output. (A TOC to which a tag has not been applied, will be included in the output.)

To apply multiple tags:
From the Format menu, select Apply Conditional Build Tag, and choose New/Multiple. The Conditional Build Tag dialog box appears.

Click Check All to apply all the tags, or select specific tags to apply to the book or page in the TOC.

Click OK.

If your project is under version control, these steps may include more options. Click here for more information.

Tips:

You can also apply conditional build tags to topics, topic content, folders, and Index.

To verify the tags applied to topics, topic areas, TOC, and Index, or rename a tag, or change the color of a tag, click the Project tab, expand the Conditional Build Tags folder, and double-click the tag. You can make the desired changes in the Conditional Build Tag Properties dialog box.

Ensure that you remove textual references to the excluded book or page, such as text links, which refer to the tagged book or page in the TOC. (Hotspots are not active for excluded topics.)

If you generate Printed Documentation, TOC with Conditional Build tags are not excluded from printing.

[Guest]

I feel your pain! But it may help to know that you can mass-assign a topic level conditional tag. Select all the appropriate topics in the Topic List Pod - expand folders, or work in the All Folders group, as appropriate - and right-click to view the alternate mouse menu. Select Properties, and you can choose the required tag to affect all selected topics. Click on Apply then click on OK to save your choices. It may save you some time instead of doing each one individually.

[Captiv8r]

Excellent advice Laurin!

Kutra, I see where the confusion creeps in. What the help topic says is the TOC book or page will not be included. Meaning that you won't see those books or pages in the TOC. But I can see where one may read this and construe the actual topic itself is being excluded.

Cheers... Rick

[Kutra]

Thanks LMarden and Captiv8r.

Regards,
K