Do you put HTML files in an HTML folder?

[s2hamby]

This is a total noob question, but I haven't found any information on it.

I'm considering putting my HTML content (including files & folders/subfolders) into a folder called HTML that is on the same level as the Resources folder INSTEAD of having my (many) content folders on the same level as the HTML folder. So, my structure would be:

Content
/HTML
/Content folder 1
/Content folder 2
/Content folder 3
/Resources

As opposed to how it is currently:

Content
/Content folder 1
/Content folder 2
/Content folder 3
/Resources

I think it makes more intuitive sense (to me, at least), and it will look cleaner. (I also dislike having the Resources folder overly resemble an HTML folder content. Theoretically, I could have an HTML content folder called "Resources", which would cause a conflict.) However, I am not sure if there are any downsides to doing this. Anyone have any ideas?

[Nita Beck]

You can organize the Content Explorer however it makes sense to you (and to the authors who will follow you to maintain your project). If having a folder called HTML works for you, go for it.

I regularly use a structure like this:

Content
/Images
/Resources
//Snippets
//Stylesheets
//...etc...
/Topics

I like to store images at the same level as topics, so I move them out of the Resources folder.

I have other projects that I've organized this way:

Content
/Resources
//Stylesheets
//...etc...
/SubjectA
//Images
//Snippets
//Topics
/SubjectB
//Images
//Snippets
//Topics

And if the project I'm organizing imports stuff from a global project, then the structure will be different than these examples. (I've written extensively here on the forums about structures for global projects and child projects.)

The point is that the structure in your Content Explorer should make sense for the documentation solution you are crafting. And it needs to make sense to the authors who will maintain the project after you.

FWIW, if I start with a Flare template, I routinely rearrange things in the Content Explorer. Think of the template's Content Explorer as a "suggestion" of an organization. There are no hard and fast rules. (Well, just one, perhaps: I suggest leaving the Resources folder named as is. Flare has been programmed to assume the existence of the Resources folder. But I think even deviating from that "rule" is allowed.)

HTH

[s2hamby]

Thanks for the reply.

I figured it ought to make no difference what structure I use, but wasn't sure if, as you said, Flare assumes the existence of a certain structure.

Anyway, again, thanks for taking the time to reply.

Stuart

[roboHAL]

Stuart, while Nita is correct in her response, there is something to *be aware* of. In your post, you use an example as "/Content folder 1". This would be indicative of a folder name with spaces. My advice would be that if you need long names in order to better discern the content within the folder, you should use underscores instead of blank spaces. For instance, /Content_folder_1. Trust me, not doing so *could* (although it may not) come back and haunt you at some point further down the line for reasons having little or nothing to do with Flare. Flare does offer the convenient and useful feature to "replace reserved characters with underscores in filenames", but that happens at the output side and has nothing to do with the source. Just my .02

[Nita Beck]

Completely agree with roboHAL. I never use spaces in folder names -- or in filenames for that matter. Spaces will come back to haunt an author.

I always have used underscores in place of spaces, but an attendee at one of my sessions at MadWorld 2017 pointed out that for the best SEO, one should use hyphens in topic filenames rather than underscores, so I've been slowly training myself up.

[wclass]

Agree about file names.

You might want to read this help page on Optimizing Search which talks about file names.
http://help.madcapsoftware.com/flare201 ... ontent.htm