Any way to prevent a topic from appearing in search results?

[bbuchko]

I want to include a topic that I can link to from other topics (so I don't want to exclude it), but I do not want the topic to appear in search results.

I searched the forums for info on this issue already, and from what I found, it sounds like search checks every file in the build, with no exceptions. So, I'm guessing the answer is "No," but I figured I'd ask anyway!

EDIT: The topics I want to exclude are sub-TOC topics that I'm linking to my expandable "books" in the master TOC. If they appear in search results, it's not a disaster, but it will add a layer of unnecessary navigation.

[Richard Ferrell]

In Flare's content Explorer right click on the topic and go to properties. Then on the Topic Properties tab you have a check box that will remove it from search, This will work for WebHelp and Dot Net help

[bbuchko]

Wow, it's embarrassing that I missed that. Thanks!

[doc_guy]

Aw, don't worry about it. No question is dumb, nor is it a reason to be embarrassed. Unless of course I am the one doing the asking. Then maybe

No just kidding. But never be afraid to ask us questions. We love to help.

[nsemple]

In Flare 4.0, I am brining up the Properties dialog box for a topic that is listed in the Content Explorer. I would like for this topic not to be included in the search in our WebHelp output.

On the Topic Properties tab of the Properties dialog box, I am deselecting the checkbox for "Include topic when full-text search database is generated", and then clicking OK.

Unfortunately, this deselected setting does not seem to stick. When I bring up the Properties dialog box again after clicking OK, the checkbox has been reset somehow and is checked again. The topic still comes up in our search (WebHelp output).

Is there something else I need to do in order to get this feature to work, or could this behavior be a bug?

[LTinker68]

Are you using source control at all? That's the only thing I can think of that would prevent that field from retaining its setting.

[nsemple]

Nope. Eventually we will, but not now.

I have a new project where I created a topic, opened up the Properties dialog box from the Content Explorer, deselected the checkbox, and then clicked OK.

I then immediately open up the Properties dialog box again and see that it has been reset to selected.

I've done this several times, and the same thing continues to happen.

[LTinker68]

Does the project reside on your local machine or a networked drive? That's probably not it, but I suppose if the network is slow then the changes to the topic aren't being shown immediately, kind of like you're looking at a cached copy of the file properties. But if it were that slow then I would expect it to be slow as you typed in the topic, unless Flare saves the topic in a temp directory and only makes the changes to the topic in the project when you save it.

Can you edit in that same topic? The topic file didn't somehow get set to read-only, did it? And if you edit in the topic, you're saving it before you're trying to change the search field in the properties screen, right?

[nsemple]

The project and all files are local. Nothing has been set to read-only. I can edit and save the files with no problems. I just can't get the setting to stick...

[LTinker68]

I suggest you contact tech support then.

[Cecily]

Snippets are great too - not just for content that appears on more than one page - because they only appear on the Search if/where they are in a topic.

Consequently, they are useful for lists of notes, queries, things to do, text that's been removed but you may want to reuse later. You, the author, can view them easily within Flare, but no danger of the customer seeing them.