nesting conditions and snippets in snippets

[mitches]

How does one nest conditions and snippets in snippets?

In my project, I have a lot of screens that have portals. The portals appear in multiple screens. In the printed version, I’m planning to refer the reader to a common area with the portals that appear everywhere.

In the online version (context sensitive), I plan to create dropdowns so that the user doesn’t need scan through a dozen screens to see the portal they need.

I created snippets of the descriptions. In the snippet, I have text with the print condition to refer the user to a section and page number. I have dropdowns with the snippet to display to the user if the user wants to see it.

When I include the snippet into my topic, the conditions and dropdowns are lost. This seemed like a normal thing to do; however, it doesn’t work. What am I doing wrong?

[LTinker68]

When I include the snippet into my topic, the conditions and dropdowns are lost.

What do you mean the conditions and drop-downs are lost? Do you mean the content itself is gone, or do you mean the color indicators are missing from the XML Editor? How are you inserting the snippet into the topic?

I have snippet files with conditions and togglers in them and they're retained when I insert the snippet into a topic, especially if it's inserted as a snippet block.

[mitches]

I created 8 snippets (Project -> Add Snippet). I put text and .png's in each. I put conditions for print only on some of the content and screen only for other parts. I created a topic and then used Insert -> Snippet into the topic. The colors no longer show the print vs screen conditions and the screen only shows on the printed. The print only pieces were in the screen version. The dropdowns text was present but no longer a dropdown.

I also created a snippet and inserted the the 8 snippets in the one super snippet. The dropdowns became inactive and the print only lines showed on the screen.

[LTinker68]

When you created the new topic, did you create it in a folder that had a conditional tag on the folder? In other words, is the topic itself conditionalized.

Also, are the effects and conditions not working in the compiled outputs (online and print), or is it only in the XML Editor and/or Preview that they appear to be wrong?

[mitches]

Thank you for your help. Once I knew it worked for you, I was able to make mine work. I had to put together two sets of Common portals so I could have one tacked to the end of each page and another for the Common description up front in the User's Guide.
thanks,
skm

[mkitegeo]

I have a related question about nesting snippets within snippets.

I have a block of text that uses a bunch of repeating text, and then the whole thing needs to be added to a couple of topics throughout my help system. Here's my example:

To Access an Open Account Request
1. Navigate to Account Requests.
2. Click the Open tab.
3. In the Select column, click the radio button for the item you want to access.
4. Click the Edit button.

So I want to make items 1, 3, and 4 all individual snippets and then make the whole thing one big snippet.

My specific questions are: Will I create heartache and extra work for myself if I do this? Will it render correctly in online and print output?

Any insight will be much appreciated!
Michelle

[LTinker68]

Items 1, 3, and 4 can be snippets without the line item numbers. When you insert them into another snippet or topic, then you insert them as snippet text so that it picks up the formatting of the line item it's being inserted into. The containing snippet ("To Access... 4. Click the Edit button.") would be inserted in a topic as a snippet block or snippet text, depending on if the container snippet contained the styles or if it's supposed to pick them up from the topic.

I don't think I've inserted a snippet into a snippet and then inserted into a topic. Theoretically it should work since it's really just a series of reference links. You could always test it in a new project and see if it works.

[KevinDAmery]

Just did it here and it works fine.

[mkitegeo]

Thanks very much! I have already mastered the fine art of inserting snippets into a list with the correct numbering (Thanks to Kevin for the info in a different post! ) I was just timid about trying to insert a snippet into another snippet so I'm glad to see that someone else was able to get it to work.

[mitches]

Mine worked at one time and then the week before delivery, they quit working. I had to go back and insert individual snippets and condition them individually to make them work. Good luck on yours, skm