Version numbers in output

[helseykc]

Hello,

I'm not sure if I'm trying to do the impossible or the pointless! I have integrated my Flare projects with our version control system - we are using Tortoise. When I generate/publish output, mainly to pdf at the moment but I'll also need to create WebHelp eventually, I want to be able to put a version number somewhere so the reader can see what version they are looking at and check they have the most up to date one. I have currently set it to manually update a version number based on a combination of user defined variables plus the system date (something like 1.0.110503) but this seems a bit silly when there are already version/revision numbers provided by Tortoise. So my question is, is there any way to access those version/revision numbers and then use them in the output?

Hope that made sense!

Thanks in advance,

Helen

[i-tietz]

Honestly - I wouldn't insert a cryptic version number the user doesn't understand immediately - I would simply insert a date. I assume you don't release a help more than once epr day - then the date is enough information.

This something you can easily do via a variable. Insert it into the masterpage or manually into the topics where you want it: Insert | Variable, Variable Sets: 'System', ShortDate. The current date will be inserted instead of the variable when you build the help.

[helseykc]

Thank you for your reply... The only problem with using Flare's system variable ShortDate is that it is in American date format which is less meaningful to British readers. I cannot find any way of formatting this date differently - hence I have reformatted my own system date (yymmdd) which is obviously applied across everything...

[i-tietz]

??? Really ???
I am using the language German in the project and get the date in german notation ... that doesn't work for BE and AE? Maybe you should report it then: (I would classify that as "bug") http://www.madcapsoftware.com/bugs/submit.aspx

Oh - hang on ... this could be a matter of the Windows settings and not of Flare ... maybe you should try changing that first?

[helseykc]

I have had to change my windows settings and use that value instead. So Flare does not pick up Windows formatting because that is fine (well a bit funny looking for the purpose of using it for this)!

Flare ShortDate: 5/3/2011

My original Windows setting: 03/05/2011

Reformatted Windows setting: 110503

[i-tietz]

And you have language English (United Kingdom) in the Project Properties?

[helseykc]

Yes

I wonder if I should try changing the language to something the comes up with my desired date format?! Wonder what else that affects though...

[i-tietz]

Then you should post it as a bug.

Workaround: insert a javascript into every topic that has that variable. With javascript you can rewrite document content - as that date.
E.g. You can insert teh javascript into the masterpage and and assign an id or class to the date paragraph to mark it as the date. In the javascript you can find the object via its id or its class, parse it, dissemble it and assemble it the wanted way 'round ... shouldn't be more than a few lines.

[wclass]

What version of Flare are you using? The bug with the ShortDate format was fixed in v7 - we had the same problem here in Aus.
The date now shows correctly in both Word and PDF output.

[helseykc]

Oh gosh, I'm so sorry. I have been trying to sort out this problem for SO LONG that I have gone in circles and got myself confused! Flare DOES pick up the system date for the output (it doesn't display it in Flare itself though - it is in American format there). The problem I have is that to use the date in my version number in the 110504 format, I have to change it in Windows which affects EVERYTHING. I'd much rather be able to reformat it in Flare itself, which is the only place I want to use this particular format.

Sorry to waste everyone's time - I think you have convinced me to stick with using the date as the version number (as in 1.0.110504) and it looks like I'll have to stick with and get used to my Windows format being slightly strange...

Thank you!

[wclass]

Time has not been wasted - there are still date and version number issues here.

First, we should be able to format the date in Flare - I raised this as a request AGES ago. For example, sometimes I just want the month and year inserted and this should not depend on my Windows settings. This is a separate issue to the actual short date bug that was around for a while (and thankfully has now been fixed).

But as for your version number, it looks like you really want your version control number - I think you will have to create a script to extract this somehow - people who know about web services might be aboe to help here.

When I print version numbers, I have the version number in a variable and then print the date but I don't make the date part of the version. For example: "Version: 3.6 - 4-May-2011". The help version doesn't change with overnight builds, but I can refer to the content and build using the date (which is in my short date format).

[helseykc]

Thanks Margaret! Your response has helped clear my conscience! Glad I'm not the only one who has this requirement... Hope we hear something sometime as I have logged a bug/enhancement request too...