How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
I don't get it. I've messed with the "Output Folder" field in the target, and I've tried setting up Publishing locations in the Publishing tab of the Target.
No matter what I do, I get a folder named "Output", and then my target name as a folder inside that, and then my actual WebHelp files inside that. I have to open up the folders and drag everything back to the directory I specified.
Isn't there a way to simply publish WebHelp to a folder?
I feel like I'm missing something simple, here... I want a publishing workflow that doesn't involve a bunch of clicking and dragging.
-D
No matter what I do, I get a folder named "Output", and then my target name as a folder inside that, and then my actual WebHelp files inside that. I have to open up the folders and drag everything back to the directory I specified.
Isn't there a way to simply publish WebHelp to a folder?
I feel like I'm missing something simple, here... I want a publishing workflow that doesn't involve a bunch of clicking and dragging.
-D
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
The path to the output folder specified in the Target Basic tab can be (generally is) a different location than the path specified in the destination. There is no way to have it not create the Output folder and its subfolders; you can build output without publishing, but you can't publish without building. So publishing is generally for copying/uploading the output to a location outside the project, whether that location is another file server, another location on the same file server, or a web server.
Lisa
Eagles may soar, but weasels aren't sucked into jet engines.
Warning! Loose nut behind the keyboard.
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
I think I understood most of that, though the whole "location/outside" thing is confusing me. Everything I publish is outside the PROJECT. I mean, the project is that folder with all my uncompiled files inside it, right? Or are compiled targets also considered part of the "project"?LTinker68 wrote:The path to the output folder specified in the Target Basic tab can be (generally is) a different location than the path specified in the destination. There is no way to have it not create the Output folder and its subfolders; you can build output without publishing, but you can't publish without building. So publishing is generally for copying/uploading the output to a location outside the project, whether that location is another file server, another location on the same file server, or a web server.
Semantics aside, my goal is simple:
I want to place my published target (WebHelp) into a folder in one of "My Network Places" that I've already set up to be available on the Web. How do I tell Flare to put my published target into that folder when I rebuild the target.
Your reply suggests that by using some COMBINATION of the field in the Basic tab AND setting up a destination, I can do that?
I guess I'll go mess around with it a bit...
-d
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
The output folder, as set in the target, is the base folder where your output is generated to. In order to generate output, Flare creates temporary files (viewable under UserName\Temporary\TargetName) and thus there are subfolders in the output directory, structured by user name and output type.beagley wrote:I think I understood most of that, though the whole "location/outside" thing is confusing me. Everything I publish is outside the PROJECT. I mean, the project is that folder with all my uncompiled files inside it, right? Or are compiled targets also considered part of the "project"?LTinker68 wrote:The path to the output folder specified in the Target Basic tab can be (generally is) a different location than the path specified in the destination. There is no way to have it not create the Output folder and its subfolders; you can build output without publishing, but you can't publish without building. So publishing is generally for copying/uploading the output to a location outside the project, whether that location is another file server, another location on the same file server, or a web server.
Semantics aside, my goal is simple:
I want to place my published target (WebHelp) into a folder in one of "My Network Places" that I've already set up to be available on the Web. How do I tell Flare to put my published target into that folder when I rebuild the target.
Your reply suggests that by using some COMBINATION of the field in the Basic tab AND setting up a destination, I can do that?
I guess I'll go mess around with it a bit...
-d
The publishing destination, on the other hand, is where your output files are copied to so that you can place them on a web server - it doesn't copy any of the temporary files required.
In order to do what you describe, you would create a Destination that uses the File System type, and set the directory to your network location (e.g. something like \\Documentation\Helpv2\ ). Then, in your target you simply need to make sure that this Destination is checked under the Publishing tab.
When you Publish this target, only the files and folders needed to display the output will be copied into the destination directory.
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
Thanks Ryan!
Here's where I'm at now:
1. I set the Output field of my WebHelp target to a local folder on my PC.
2. Then I created a new Destination, and browsed to my Network Places and selected where the WebHelp should go. I checked the "Publish" box in the Publishing tab of my WebHelp's target.
3. Then I click, "Build Primary" (that target is my default) on Flare's menu bar.
4. When I'm finished, I click "View Output," and it opens up a browser and displays the local copy on my PC. That's okay, though-- I mean, heck, I could have lots of destinations.
5. But when I pop open a Web browser (or my command line app) and hunt for the published version, I don't find it. I thought I understood.
6. Suddenly, I notice the "Publish Primary" button on my menu. I click that, and my WebHelp project is copied into it's online location and it works.
Step #6 was the part I was missing. I didn't know the "Publish Primary" button existed. I thought having the destination checked off in the Publishing tab of the target meant that my built target would be published to that Destination when I clicked "Build Primary". So I've got a two-step process: Build Primary, then Publish Primary. I never knew that.
That's all fine, but it leads to my next question: How do I publish things that aren't my primary? The "Build Primary" has a nice little pull down menu, but the Publish Primary does not. I have a lot of targets.
Here's where I'm at now:
1. I set the Output field of my WebHelp target to a local folder on my PC.
2. Then I created a new Destination, and browsed to my Network Places and selected where the WebHelp should go. I checked the "Publish" box in the Publishing tab of my WebHelp's target.
3. Then I click, "Build Primary" (that target is my default) on Flare's menu bar.
4. When I'm finished, I click "View Output," and it opens up a browser and displays the local copy on my PC. That's okay, though-- I mean, heck, I could have lots of destinations.
5. But when I pop open a Web browser (or my command line app) and hunt for the published version, I don't find it. I thought I understood.
6. Suddenly, I notice the "Publish Primary" button on my menu. I click that, and my WebHelp project is copied into it's online location and it works.
Step #6 was the part I was missing. I didn't know the "Publish Primary" button existed. I thought having the destination checked off in the Publishing tab of the target meant that my built target would be published to that Destination when I clicked "Build Primary". So I've got a two-step process: Build Primary, then Publish Primary. I never knew that.
That's all fine, but it leads to my next question: How do I publish things that aren't my primary? The "Build Primary" has a nice little pull down menu, but the Publish Primary does not. I have a lot of targets.
-
- Propellus Maximus
- Posts: 1985
- Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2007 8:18 am
- Location: Darn, I knew I was around here somewhere...
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
AFAIK, you don't have to build before publishing. The publish process should detect if the built output is up to date (the same way that Build can) and if it isn't it should build the output then publish it all in one go.beagley wrote:So I've got a two-step process: Build Primary, then Publish Primary. I never knew that.
Until next time....
Kevin Amery
Certified MAD for Flare
Kevin Amery
Certified MAD for Flare
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
When you open a target, there are three icons shown on the Target Editor toolbar: Build, View, and Publishbeagley wrote:That's all fine, but it leads to my next question: How do I publish things that aren't my primary? The "Build Primary" has a nice little pull down menu, but the Publish Primary does not. I have a lot of targets.
Click Publish here, and Flare will check to see if your project has been altered since the last build; if it has, you will be prompted to rebuild, otherwise it will publish the last built version to your selected destinations.
-
- Propellus Maximus
- Posts: 1571
- Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:30 pm
- Location: Horsham, Pennsylvania
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
This is one of the questions I should have asked when I was a Flare newbie in 2007. I learned the hard way.
Craig
Lost in Disturbia
Lost in Disturbia
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
Cool, thanks!
Seems kinda odd to have to open up the target to publish, when the "Build" and "View" menus let me do things right from the menu bar.
Ah well, I'm sure there is a logic behind it. Maybe I'll go find that Bug/Feature request link for Flare and send it in.
Eventually I'll probably learn all those nifty command line tricks and schedule builds and publishing automatically... then I won't have to worry about all this GUI stuff.
All the best,
d
Seems kinda odd to have to open up the target to publish, when the "Build" and "View" menus let me do things right from the menu bar.
Ah well, I'm sure there is a logic behind it. Maybe I'll go find that Bug/Feature request link for Flare and send it in.
Eventually I'll probably learn all those nifty command line tricks and schedule builds and publishing automatically... then I won't have to worry about all this GUI stuff.
All the best,
d
-
- Sr. Propeller Head
- Posts: 238
- Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:41 pm
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
Most user rally don't want to publish every single time, They just want to check the output to make it sure it looks good before they publish
Rick Ferrell
____________________________
Former Flare and Robohelp Support
____________________________
Former Flare and Robohelp Support
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
Yeah, agreed. I guess it's a workflow philosophy.Madcap Guru wrote:Most user rally don't want to publish every single time, They just want to check the output to make it sure it looks good before they publish
Once I have created a Target and selected all its various settings,
I don't see the need to EVER open up the Target again. Why would I?
I'm done editing the Target.
Now I know why: I have to open the Target in order to publish it.
It's just sorta weird that I have to open a file (the target file) that I'm not editing in order to perform part of the document editing workflow.
No big deal, I guess. I'll put it in the wish bucket.
-D
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
1. When I published, the "Remove Stale Files" box was checked by default, and Flare deleted a whole list of things. Woah! What files qualify as Stale Files? That was really weird and scary and I'm having trouble figuring out what it removed since the log doesn't show the full path. I'm uploading multiple targets to the same location... and it seems to be DELETING the other targets? This is really, really odd.
2. Kinda jumping topics here, but when I publish my PDF target, it also uploads a bunch of other files, source images, an "mcbook", etc. I seem to recall running into this bug a few months back, is it still the case? Seems like it would be an easy bug to fix. I want to use my PDF target to publish a PDF.
-Douglas
2. Kinda jumping topics here, but when I publish my PDF target, it also uploads a bunch of other files, source images, an "mcbook", etc. I seem to recall running into this bug a few months back, is it still the case? Seems like it would be an easy bug to fix. I want to use my PDF target to publish a PDF.
-Douglas
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
Yep, I never really worked out why the View and Build toolbar icons let you view/build any of your targets, but the Publish icon only lets you publish the primary target.beagley wrote:Once I have created a Target and selected all its various settings,
I don't see the need to EVER open up the Target again. Why would I?
I'm done editing the Target.
Now I know why: I have to open the Target in order to publish it.
It's just sorta weird that I have to open a file (the target file) that I'm not editing in order to perform part of the document editing workflow.
No big deal, I guess. I'll put it in the wish bucket. ;-)
-D
Also, you don't have to open the target to publish, you can right-click on the icon, but still that's not a awful lot quicker.
Re: How do you publish WebHelp? No, seriously...
Dave Lee wrote:Also, you don't have to open the target to publish, you can right-click on the icon, but still that's not a awful lot quicker.
Sure!
It's one click and a three-centimeter drag quicker.
(Every little bit helps. *grin*)