Student tech writer new to MadCap-New project best practices

[LTinker68]

You can actually do this with almost any Windows program (guys and gals, I'm right on that, yes?).

Depends on the program. Some of the Office 2003 apps wouldn't allow multiple instances -- you had to open the files in the same instance and set them to cascade to be able to see them side-by-side. I've had a few others that wouldn't open multiple instances either. And sometimes it would depend on the available resources (i.e., if you had enough RAM available).

[seasonedrookie]

note boxes screen capture.png

tables screen capture.png

I've got a lot of these note boxes (above) throughout the manual that I'm building. Would it be a good idea to make a snippet out of each box now? Is that an appropriate use of a snippet? I haven't used this feature yet.

[RamonS]

If it is always the same boxes with the same content that you need, then YES! This is the perfect example for a snippet.

If I follow correctly, these boxes are images? You may want to see if you can craft snippets that contain a single row table that look the same as the image. All depends on what the file sizes of the images are, but you may be able to save some storage space and make the topic load a wee bit quicker. I know this can also be done using div tags, but that is still foreign to me. Hmnmmm, maybe something to look into when the help project is done and time comes for refinements.

[ccardimon]

Minimize Flare and start Flare again, that will then run a second Flare application that is independent from the first.

Cool. I just learned something!

[seasonedrookie]

If it is always the same boxes with the same content that you need, then YES! This is the perfect example for a snippet.

If I follow correctly, these boxes are images? You may want to see if you can craft snippets that contain a single row table that look the same as the image. All depends on what the file sizes of the images are, but you may be able to save some storage space and make the topic load a wee bit quicker. I know this can also be done using div tags, but that is still foreign to me. Hmnmmm, maybe something to look into when the help project is done and time comes for refinements.

Ok, I'm headed in the right direction. What if the content in the box changes? Will I then need to put a variable tag within the snippet? Within the note boxes, the graphic and bold text will remain the same. For example, for the "Caution" note box, the bolded "CAUTION" and the yellow triange with the exclamation point should always appear. However, where the para text says, "Specific safety precautions shall be taken.", appears, I'd like to be able to change that text at every instance where this box appears in the manual. How can this be achieved?

[LTinker68]

What if the content in the box changes?

I usually set up a snippet that asks as a template. The snippet would contain the table formatted the way I want with the image in the first column, then I put placeholder text in the second column. I'd create a snippet for the other two types of tables (note, tip, caution, warning...). When I need a particular type of callout, I insert the snippet that contains the appropriate image into the topic, then I right-click on the snippet and click whatever the option is to break the link to the snippet (I don't have Flare open so I don't remember the text). When I do that, what used to be a snippet block is now a block of editable text, so I change my placeholder text with the text needed for this topic. The downside to this workflow is that if I make a change to the snippet then it won't affect this topic because the link has been broken to the snippet. So nail down the format of the snippet before you insert it into too many topics and break the links. By that I mean put the snippet in a few topics and build all the outputs so you can make sure the format works in all the outputs.

[seasonedrookie]

Getting the note boxes in is going pretty well.

Any idea on how to get my MS Word tables to transfer and look the same when I put them in the Flare project?

MS Word Table:

tables screen capture.png

How the table looks in Flare after a little clean up:

table after Flare import.png

[seasonedrookie]

Bump. What do you all think? Screen capture the MS Word table and insert the image, build a new table in Flare...?

[crdmerge]

1. Copy all the cells in the Word table.
2. Paste that into a spot in your topic. DON'T CLICK ANYWHERE, YET!
3. Directly below the end of the last line, you'll see a little folder icon. Press its down arrow, and then select the Paste Table option.
4. Voila! Instant table! Now you can format the table or assign a table style to it.


Good luck,
Leon

[seasonedrookie]

1. Copy all the cells in the Word table.
2. Paste that into a spot in your topic. DON'T CLICK ANYWHERE, YET!
3. Directly below the end of the last line, you'll see a little folder icon. Press its down arrow, and then select the Paste Table option.
4. Voila! Instant table! Now you can format the table or assign a table style to it.


Good luck,
Leon

Leon,

The method you describe is the method I used in the second screen capture above. I guess there is no way to import a table and have it look the same.

[RamonS]

The question is what you consider 'looks the same'. The bold font and the lines are styles, which need to come from the style sheet or table properties. Those get set within Flare and it is a good thing that those do not get copied over (would need to be inline styles, which are ugly and should be prevented). Leaves the spanning cell, which is possible in HTML. I do not know if there is any indication for that to be present in the clipboard content, but if present it should be detected and the inserted table configured as such. => Bug report: https://www.madcapsoftware.com/bugs/submit.aspx

[crdmerge]

That "look" is the default HTML table, no styles, no borders. You are expected to be in charge of that part.

Try creating a table style (which you would apply to this content when you're ready) and formatting it as you choose. Don't worry, if you don't like it just delete it and start over.


Good luck,
Leon

[seasonedrookie]

That "look" is the default HTML table, no styles, no borders. You are expected to be in charge of that part.

Ha! Thanks! I figured that part out. The tables are looking much better.

[seasonedrookie]

When I build my MS Word output file I get error messages concerning my images that says, "link points outside project file." Is this an error I should be concerned about?

[RamonS]

As a general rule, anything not inside of the Project folder will not be included in the output. I do not know how much of an issue that is for Word output, but that begs the question: are you missing anything in the Word document that Flare creates?

[wclass]

When I build my MS Word output file I get error messages concerning my images that says, "link points outside project file." Is this an error I should be concerned about?

It depends!
If you embed the image in the output (Target > Advanced Tab > check "Embed images in output"), then the image will be included OK and you will be able to move or send the document without worrying that the image will have to be sent as well.
If not, the initial build of the Word file will look OK, but the image will only be linked. If linked to a central storage area this will work, but if linked to your local drive, others may have problems accessing your machine/folders.
However, generally I would recommend that you keep the images needed within the project folder, or, set it up as an external resource, so that the document is built without that error - you never know when you will move the project or need another output format.