Table of figures is displaying without the figure values

[sdcinvan]

Hello all,

Still making the transition from PDF output to PDF/HTML5 output.

I am experiencing a number of puzzles while tweaking the HTML5 output, using the TopNav skin.

For this puzzle, the figure (and table) values are missing; instead... there is a 58px gap where the values should be listed. Only the Figure (and table) names are appearing. The styles (medium: default) related to this puzzle are:

Code: Select all

p.tableoffigures	/* Used for table of figures */
{
	color: #58585a;
	border-top-style: none;
	white-space: nowrap;
	text-align: left;
	text-align-last: left;
	mc-column-count: 1;
	mc-leader-format: 'dot';
	mc-leader-align: right;
	mc-leader-offset: 25px;
}

MadCap|listOfProxy.tableoffigures
{
	mc-list-of-tag: div;
	mc-list-of-class: figure;
	mc-list-of-paragraph-class: tableoffigures;
	font-family: Calibri;
	font-size: 9pt;
	border-top-color: #ffffff;
	border-top-style: none;
	border-top-width: 0px;
	margin-top: 1px;
	padding-left: -40px;
	padding-top: 1px;
}

These styles are the same for both PDF and web output.

This is what I am seeing:

HTML5-Table of figures(tables) values missing.png

Thank you,
Shawn

[Lydia]

Hi Shawn,
autonumbers in HTML5 output for most scenario's doesn't sound like a useful addition. E.g. in your list you have the Figure 6-n, where I guess that the 6 refers to a chapter. HTML5 output isn't about chapters, so what will the number mean to the user? I can see some use in numbering instruction steps, if you don't want to use the numbered list. But else, I would step away from the concept of autonumbers in HTML5 as it simply looses its meaning in the online world of documentation.

Best Regards, Lydia.

[sdcinvan]

Hi Shawn,
autonumbers in HTML5 output for most scenario's doesn't sound like a useful addition. E.g. in your list you have the Figure 6-n, where I guess that the 6 refers to a chapter. HTML5 output isn't about chapters, so what will the number mean to the user? I can see some use in numbering instruction steps, if you don't want to use the numbered list. But else, I would step away from the concept of autonumbers in HTML5 as it simply looses its meaning in the online world of documentation.

Best Regards, Lydia.

Hello Lydia,

I see your point. Furthermore, I am thinking that the figures table probably doesn't add much value in HTML format.

So... I should just remove 'Figure x-x' from the caption by resetting mc-auto-number-format to null, in the web media style.

That's better! Thanks Lydia!

[Nita Beck]

But else, I would step away from the concept of autonumbers in HTML5 as it simply looses its meaning in the online world of documentation.

Playing devil's advocate here, and not addressing Shawn's problem directly. I have a client for whom I produce API documentation. The PDFs have auto-numbered thingamabobs (headings, figure titles, table titles) but the online docs do not. My client has now explicitly requested that I DO use the auto-numbers in the next editions of the online stuff, complete with chapter and appendix numbers, because their developer community does refer to the content by section number, whether they're consuming it "in print" or "online." Just sayin'...

[NorthEast]

But else, I would step away from the concept of autonumbers in HTML5 as it simply looses its meaning in the online world of documentation.

Playing devil's advocate here, and not addressing Shawn's problem directly. I have a client for whom I produce API documentation. The PDFs have auto-numbered thingamabobs (headings, figure titles, table titles) but the online docs do not. My client has now explicitly requested that I DO use the auto-numbers in the next editions of the online stuff, complete with chapter and appendix numbers, because their developer community does refer to the content by section number, whether they're consuming it "in print" or "online." Just sayin'...

Probably worth a separate post, but out of interest, how would you autonumber the topics in an online output?

From my experiments, I found it extremely awkward.
Simple autonumbering works fine within a single individual topic, but I had problems trying to get continuous numbering from one topic to the next.
I ended up trying global autonumber formats, and inserting a volume or chapter break each individual topic - at which point I gave up the will to persevere.

[Nita Beck]

@Dave. Don't know how yet. The request has just been made and I'm starting the next round of updates next week. Your questions raise perhaps a cautionary tale! I'll let you know how it goes.

[sdcinvan]

But else, I would step away from the concept of autonumbers in HTML5 as it simply looses its meaning in the online world of documentation.

Playing devil's advocate here, and not addressing Shawn's problem directly. I have a client for whom I produce API documentation. The PDFs have auto-numbered thingamabobs (headings, figure titles, table titles) but the online docs do not. My client has now explicitly requested that I DO use the auto-numbers in the next editions of the online stuff, complete with chapter and appendix numbers, because their developer community does refer to the content by section number, whether they're consuming it "in print" or "online." Just sayin'...

Probably worth a separate post, but out of interest, how would you autonumber the topics in an online output?

From my experiments, I found it extremely awkward.
Simple autonumbering works fine within a single individual topic, but I had problems trying to get continuous numbering from one topic to the next.
I ended up trying global autonumber formats, and inserting a volume or chapter break each individual topic - at which point I gave up the will to persevere.

Hello and Happy Friday all,

Dave, this was exactly my dilemma! Never mind the missing Figure values, the other issue was that I formatted figure values as Figure x-y, where x=chapter and y=incremental value within a chapter. The problem was that the web version values were not aligning with each chapter.

That is why I embraced the idea of removing chapter numbers and figure values entirely!

Nita, I can actually see the point of your client's request. That was my originally reasoning for mirroring the chapter and figure values in the HTML docs. Fortunately, I have relatively free reign over our docs...so, I took the easier path!
IMO, your client is missing the point of the online docs (which was my original problem, too!); they were never meant to be duplicates. If they want an exact match to the print version, then publishing the doc as a PDF converted for web viewing (Scrib style) might be all they require. Flare's HTML target was designed for an immersive and interactive experience.

You may have a tough road ahead...

[Nita Beck]

IMO, your client is missing the point of the online docs (which was my original problem, too!); they were never meant to be dupicates. If they want an exact match to the print version, then publishing the doc as a PDF converted for web viewing (Scrib style) might be all they require. Flare's HTML target was designed for an immersive and interactive experience.

You may have a tough road ahead...

They pay the bill so I have to try to address their request to the best of my ability. They want traditional PDFs (cover pages, tables of contents, chapters, appendixes, headers, footers, index) AND responsive HTML5 output for desktop, tablet, and mobile. I'll post back!! Hope my hair doesn't turn gray on this one. Oh wait... my hair went gray a long time ago. Well, I hope I don't pull out fistfuls of hair!

[sdcinvan]

IMO, your client is missing the point of the online docs (which was my original problem, too!); they were never meant to be duplicates. If they want an exact match to the print version, then publishing the doc as a PDF converted for web viewing (Scrib style) might be all they require. Flare's HTML target was designed for an immersive and interactive experience.

You may have a tough road ahead...

They pay the bill so I have to try to address their request to the best of my ability. They want traditional PDFs (cover pages, tables of contents, chapters, appendixes, headers, footers, index) AND responsive HTML5 output for desktop, tablet, and mobile. I'll post back!! Hope my hair doesn't turn gray on this one. Oh wait... my hair went gray a long time ago. Well, I hope I don't pull out fistfuls of hair!

I am getting close to release time but I'll certainly watch your progress and help where I can. I am finding Flare's HTML target both frustrating and fascinating. It's a little bit like starting over... now that I can make the PDF side sing!

[NorthEast]

@Dave. Don't know how yet. The request has just been made and I'm starting the next round of updates next week. Your questions raise perhaps a cautionary tale! I'll let you know how it goes. :wink:

Good luck, I tried it a while back but gave up.

Getting the autonumbering to work for help is tricky. I also had problems trying to get it working for both help and print, due to differences in how TOCs are generated (online is based on the TOC file, print is based on heading levels).

[MaryY_SouthernCo]

Nita Beck: Did you every figure out how to get an online target to number-match back to the PDF print output?

I've just started with FLARE and work for a utility. We're converting our policy material into FLARE - both online and print. The user community is very used to referencing sections of the policy specifically by number.

I don't want to hard code numbers into the topics (i.e., and condition text them so they can be excluded by others using the topics in targets outside of the policy manual). But I'm thinking this may be my only option.

I know this is an older thread but maybe someone is still watching it?

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!!!!