Puzzled over alias/map files, linking to topics

This forum is for all Flare issues related to the Microsoft HTML Help target.
This target produces "CHM" files in the output.
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JoeWeinmunson
Propeller Head
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2018 12:05 pm

Puzzled over alias/map files, linking to topics

Post by JoeWeinmunson »

A while back I imported our software's Help file from Microsoft HTML Help into Flare. It went great, but I've run into a problem and I'm going in circles. The old project had two files, alias.h and map.h. If I search for alias in the QuickLaunch bar my only option is to create a new Alias file, not open an existing one. However, I presume those old identifiers must exist SOMEWHERE in the finished .chm file because on a spot check most of the old links still work. So, are those old identifiers preserved somewhere in the Flare project? If so, where? If not, how do I go about recreating it so I can point our programmers to which topics should open with which screens in the program?
NorthEast
Master Propellus Maximus
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Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:33 am

Re: Puzzled over alias/map files, linking to topics

Post by NorthEast »

Files with a .h extension are header files, and you'll find them in your Flare project somewhere inside the Project Organizer > Advanced folder.

The alias file in Flare just contains the mappings between the identifiers/values and the topics. But the actual identifiers/values displayed in the alias editor come from your header files.

If you have missing identifiers from your old project, you can manually copy the header files into your Flare project (Project\Advanced folder) and they'll appear in the alias editor.
JoeWeinmunson
Propeller Head
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2018 12:05 pm

Re: Puzzled over alias/map files, linking to topics

Post by JoeWeinmunson »

Thanks, this was helpful in getting me toward an understanding of how this works. Next problem: I used a tool to create identifiers and somehow ended up with a bunch of duplicates. Should I ignore this? Delete the duplicates? My programmers do use the identifiers to link certain topics in the Help file to different windows in our software. I only have one header file for this project.
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