8 Replies Latest reply: Feb 21, 2014 5:39 AM by rasterdan

Will it ever be possible to put snippets within snippets?

rasterdan May 24, 2013 1:06 PM

I write a lot of service procedures. Our field people like the procedures to flow top to bottom only without hyperlinks all over the book to remind how to perform various procedures.

Using snippets inside DHTML dropdown boxes, I can provide information to our field techs who need detailed steps and others can just perform the step without having to read a bunch of details they already know. Some snippet steps use information that is repeated all over the book so I would like to put a snipped within a snippet for the novice field guys who really need to know every last screw to turn step by step.

RH9 will not allow putting a snippet inside a snipped. Further, if you have too many levels of DHTML dropdown boxes within other dropdown boxes, it gets confused. Once RH9 let me put a snippet inside a snippet and it worked for 5 minutes and then crashed our project. It took hours to undo that one but we finally got version control to go back in time and then we were ok.

My question, is there any plan to allow snippets within snippets or can that feature be added to the request bin? Also, is it possible for the RH people to test multiple levels of DHTML drop boxes with DHTML drop boxes? ... say 3 or 4 deep?

Having procedures that flow from top to bottom only is becoming more and more important, especially when using tablet devices. Scrolling around and hyperlinking is a hassle and easy for our techs to get lost. The dropdown boxes are working beautifully but we are just having a lot of trouble stacking them several deep in some more complex procedures.

Thanks,

1. Re: Will it ever be possible to put snippets within snippets?

Peter Grainge May 27, 2013 10:26 AM (in response to rasterdan)

Only Adobe know. Adobe never tell in advance!

The more people who report a bug or request a feature, the more likely it is to be actioned. Please follow this link.

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

Sorry but that sort of question cannot be answered here.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge
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2. Re: Will it ever be possible to put snippets within snippets?

rasterdan Jan 23, 2014 8:48 AM (in response to Peter Grainge)

Not only did I ask for snippets within snippets but I also asked for password controlled .chm files. This would help us to secure our service manuals.
Thanks for the link.
dv
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3. Re: Will it ever be possible to put snippets within snippets?

Peter Grainge Jan 23, 2014 9:36 AM (in response to rasterdan)

I will draw Adobe's attention to both points as I do know others have sought them. However, if the password protection requires a change to the help compiler, good luck with that one as they last updated it about ten years ago!

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

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4. Re: Will it ever be possible to put snippets within snippets?

Peter Grainge Jan 23, 2014 9:37 AM (in response to Peter Grainge)

To be clear, "they" refers to Microsoft. Only Microsoft can update the compiler.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

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5. Re: Will it ever be possible to put snippets within snippets?

rasterdan Jan 23, 2014 9:44 AM (in response to Peter Grainge)

I really don't care who fixes/adds security to the .chm file as long as there is some way to secure the chm.

Our company has a way to do it but it requires using the corporate tech writing system which uses xml and takes 10x longer to do anything. We don't have enough time to use that system but it does create a file that uses a dongle to access the .chm. Don't know how they do it, don't want to ask and draw attention to our little shide show because we are cranking out our documentation way faster than they can and don't want to be forced to use that system for everything.

So, security for the .chm would be awesome.

I have also asked several sales types for this in the past 10+ years and so far just a lot of ... hey that is a great idea, nothing else.

dv
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6. Re: Will it ever be possible to put snippets within snippets?

Captiv8r Jan 23, 2014 7:08 PM (in response to rasterdan)

Hi there

You might take a look at the link below for adding passwords and basically encrypting the HTML pages that would go into the CHM.

http://www.encrypt-html.com/

Cheers... Rick
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7. Re: Will it ever be possible to put snippets within snippets?

Peter Grainge Jan 29, 2014 12:22 AM (in response to rasterdan)

Would the requirement be one password for all or unique passwords?

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

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8. Re: Will it ever be possible to put snippets within snippets?

rasterdan Feb 21, 2014 5:39 AM (in response to Peter Grainge)

One password to access each project chm file. We would want to change the password for each release.

I have downloaded the software recommended by Captiv8r but I have not received permission to load this onto my laptop yet from IT. Also, I have not had any time to try it out but it is on my radar. My IT guys check out possible incompatibilities with other of my software so if I load something, it doesn't take me out of service which has happened in the past.

Thanks,
dv
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