Applying User Defined Variables across project

[suzieshell]

Hello,

I'm working with the User Defined Variables feature and can't seem to figure out how to apply a variable/value across all topics. I may have misunderstood the definition of what this is supposed to do, so it may be user error. It is my understanding that if you have information that use repeatedly, for instance if I refer to a product name in numerous topics and the product name changes, I can set up a user defined variable and set this to update all the occurrences. I can change it going in each topic and each sentence where the occurence is by right-clicking the word and selecting Insert User Defined Variable. Any ideas as to what I can do to make a global update. Also, I'm reading the help, but still seem to be missing something.

Thanks,
Michele

[Peter Grainge]

You insert variable CoName (or whatever you call it) in each topic. The default value is whatever you set up.

When you generate help, you get an option to edit the value for that output.

Try this article.

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/robohelp/articles/userdefinedvars.html

[suzieshell]

Thank you, Peter! This article is very informative and much more clear (to me) than what I read in the RoboHelp help manual. I understand now that this feature is used when you are creating topics in a project and anticipating what may change--in which case you insert the variable as you need it, then if it changes in the future you can update it easily. I was looking at it as more of a global search and replace to update information that already exists. I think it will come in handy with our documentation projects.

Thanks again. :-)
Michele