External Resources - Editing Word Docs vs. Table of Contents

[Daniel Lemke]

Hello Friends!

I am using Flare 12. I have added a folder to my external resources and created a mapping for the folder so its contents are copied to my content explorer somewhere. I created a TOC file that includes some of the files, including some word docs.

When I have a word document in there, and I edit and save the word document while my TOC is open in Flare, the link in the TOC is automatically updated to the .tmp file created by Word. The TOC link is then broken and I either have to update it in its properties or replace it with a new one.

Anybody run into this before? It's my first time meddling with external resources, so I don't know if this is new to Flare 12, old news, nobody knows because nobody ever puts word docs in their TOC, etc.

Thanks,
Dan

[ChoccieMuffin]

Rather than using external resources, would it be worth your while using global project linking? I haven't used external resources but I find GPL works REALLY well for what I need, and imports both Flare and Word files very well.

[Daniel Lemke]

Rather than using external resources, would it be worth your while using global project linking? I haven't used external resources but I find GPL works REALLY well for what I need, and imports both Flare and Word files very well.

I'm using GPL for a lot of other stuff, but after some more testing yesterday, I realized the problem isn't related to external resources. I just happened to be trying it out at the same time I was also trying to add word docs to a TOC. I have the same problem regardless of how the Word files get into the project.

[ChoccieMuffin]

I didn't even know you could put Word docs in your TOC, I thought you HAD to import them and then put the generated html topics in your TOC instead.

[Daniel Lemke]

As far as I can tell, you can put any file in your TOC as long as it exists inside the Content folder of your project. You're limited, I am sure, by what each output type can support. For example, a PDF target is not going to include any content or attachments from Word or snippet files in a TOC, but an HTML5 output will serve them up--the Word file will open like normal and the snippet will just show its raw xhtml.

[mruryk]

Hello Friends!

I am using Flare 12. I have added a folder to my external resources and created a mapping for the folder so its contents are copied to my content explorer somewhere. I created a TOC file that includes some of the files, including some word docs.

When I have a word document in there, and I edit and save the word document while my TOC is open in Flare, the link in the TOC is automatically updated to the .tmp file created by Word. The TOC link is then broken and I either have to update it in its properties or replace it with a new one.
...
Dan

Why would you want to include Word docs in your Flare project? Why not import them into Flare?

[Daniel Lemke]

Why would you want to include Word docs in your Flare project? Why not import them into Flare?

I was setting up something like this, http://techwritingengineer.com/setting- ... cap-flare/, and I wanted to include Word files in the workflow. We have some content that requires Word as the source because it is owned by other teams who do not have access to Flare or willingness to learn, use, and pay for Contributor.

[2bemused]

Hi Dan,

Have you tried inserting a link to the Word doc inside a topic, and use the topic file in the TOC instead?

Regards,

Philip

[Daniel Lemke]

Hi Dan,

Have you tried inserting a link to the Word doc inside a topic, and use the topic file in the TOC instead?

Regards,

Philip

I have not, but that might be a feasible workaround for us.

Thanks