Variable Sets

[MarylynGK]

Our team of 3 writers has created one project from which we generate multiple targets - all WebHelp. We have defined 2 variable sets with the same variable names (such as Product Name, Version Number, etc.) but of course with different values (Product A 3.1, Product B 4.0).

Question is, how do we assign one variable set to a target? Both variable sets are listed with all targets, and we don't see a way to specify which set to use for which target. \\

[Andrew]

I think you may have gone about this sort of the wrong way.

For what you seem to want (same set of variables to be different for each target), you want to set up just one variable set, but on the Variable tab for each target, specifiy what the variable should be. That will set the variable for just that target.

Hope that helps.

[KevinDAmery]

I second Andrew's suggestion. Additionally, you can use this approach in other ways. For example, suppose you have several different levels of your product (Amazing Application, Amazing Application Pro, and Amazing Application Super Duper xTreme for example). You have three different targets to create help that's appropriate to each level, each with conditions to include or exclude the appropriate content. One way to make your job easier would be to handle the product name as a variable (such as ProductName) then in each target you just assign the appropriate name to the level that target covers. This helps you in two ways: first, you don't have to type out those enormous names each time, and second, when marketing discovers that "Amazing Application Super Duper xTreme" is losing sales because everyone who hears about it laughs at the sales people and decide to change it to "AmazApp XT" all you have to do is change the variable for that target instead of doing a find and replace pass.

[MarylynGK]

Thanks, guys. You've explained exactly what I needed to know. Too bad the Flare Help System didn't do that!

[Madcap Guru]

Yea Target overrides for the Variables set would be the best way to go,