Breadcrumbs for topics not in TOC

This forum is for all Flare issues related to the HTML5, WebHelp, WebHelp Plus, and Adobe Air Targets
Post Reply
TeSol
Sr. Propeller Head
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 12:02 am

Breadcrumbs for topics not in TOC

Post by TeSol »

Hi,

This is another breadcrumbs questions. Apologies if this has been asked before - but despite searching within the forum I could not find anything about this.

My problem is -

All my topics are linked to the TOC. This therefore goes up to almost 6 levels. Now in the TOC I am able to restrict entries (using Conditional text) so that only 4 levels of TOC appear. But when I access a topic that is in the 5th and 6th level (through internal links) the breadcrumbs path is not displayed. This is strange considering that it is taking the master page settings correctly and I have set the breadcrumbs count in the CSS to 9 (maximum).

I need to have the TOC with only 4 levels (as it is now) but the breadcrumbs in all the topics. It shows only for topics that are in the TOC now - i.e. 4 levels. I want it to show for all 6 levels.

Any ideas on how I can achieve this? Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks and regards.
NorthEast
Master Propellus Maximus
Posts: 6359
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:33 am

Re: Breadcrumbs for topics not in TOC

Post by NorthEast »

The breadcrumbs will match the TOC structure in the output; so if you use conditions to exclude topics from the TOC, then those topics won't have breadcrumbs.
If you want the topics to have breadcrumbs, then the simple answer is not to exclude them from the TOC.


The only way to achieve what you're describing is to set up a browse sequence, and use that instead of the TOC (i.e. in the skin, switch off the TOC and switch on the browse sequence). Then your topic breadcrumbs would follow the TOC structure, but the user would navigate using the browse sequence which could have a different structure. Note that a drawback of using browse sequences is that they don't support TOC synchronisation.

However, I think I'd find it confusing if the 'contents' and breadcrumbs didn't match.
crdmerge
Sr. Propeller Head
Posts: 248
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 5:37 am

Re: Breadcrumbs for topics not in TOC

Post by crdmerge »

Could you create browse sequences for those non-TOC L4/L5 topics? AFAIK, you can create multiple sequences (I personally haven't used them in ages, and not in this tool, either). Maybe other users with Flare browse-sequence experience could chime in.

Good luck,
Leon
NorthEast
Master Propellus Maximus
Posts: 6359
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:33 am

Re: Breadcrumbs for topics not in TOC

Post by NorthEast »

crdmerge wrote:Could you create browse sequences for those non-TOC L4/L5 topics? AFAIK, you can create multiple sequences (I personally haven't used them in ages, and not in this tool, either). Maybe other users with Flare browse-sequence experience could chime in.

Good luck,
Leon
Yep, that's what I said just above - use the browse sequence as your contents (instead of the TOC), and topic breadcrumbs will use the TOC structure.
TeSol
Sr. Propeller Head
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 12:02 am

Re: Breadcrumbs for topics not in TOC

Post by TeSol »

Thanks Dave and Leon...but :(

Created the browse sequence and linked to the TOC. Apart from the synchronisation problem, another issue is that the Browse sequence accordion item is now last in the list..should have been first. But while I can live with that, the L5 onwards topics still do not show the breadcrumbs....so this cannot be used as a solution :(...Unless I am missing something?
crdmerge
Sr. Propeller Head
Posts: 248
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 5:37 am

Re: Breadcrumbs for topics not in TOC

Post by crdmerge »

No TOC entry = No breadcrumbs. Sorry.

You could always fake breadcrumbs in the non-TOC topics, but there's the maintenance issue there.


Good luck,
Leon
NorthEast
Master Propellus Maximus
Posts: 6359
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:33 am

Re: Breadcrumbs for topics not in TOC

Post by NorthEast »

TeSol wrote:Thanks Dave and Leon...but :(

Created the browse sequence and linked to the TOC. Apart from the synchronisation problem, another issue is that the Browse sequence accordion item is now last in the list..should have been first. But while I can live with that, the L5 onwards topics still do not show the breadcrumbs....so this cannot be used as a solution :(...Unless I am missing something?
You won't get any breadcrumbs if you're still excluding the topics in the TOC. The entries will need to be in the target's TOC (whether displayed or not) to get breadcrumbs in your topic, as already mentioned. So you need to switch off the 'exclude' for those conditions in the target (or remove the conditions from the TOC).

I think the only way to reorder the accordion items is to edit the skin file in the text editor, and change the sequence; e.g.

Code: Select all

Tabs="BrowseSequences,Index,Search,Glossary,Favorites"
Michelle_Gardner
Propeller Head
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:22 am

Re: Breadcrumbs for topics not in TOC

Post by Michelle_Gardner »

@TeSol, did you ever find a solution for this? I, too, want to see breadcrumbs in topics that are Level 4 or more in the TOC, but I don't want my TOC for the SideNav and hamburger menus to be longer than, say, 5 levels.
TeSol
Sr. Propeller Head
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 12:02 am

Re: Breadcrumbs for topics not in TOC

Post by TeSol »

Hi Michelle,

Sorry...never managed to get it to work the way I wanted (and you too).
I've just got the latest Flare (2019) and will need to play around with it to see if it can be achieved with this version.
Will post a reply if I am successful.

Regards,
TeSol
Post Reply