Is it possible to output a section of the help to PDF?

[MarinaMichaels]

We have some very long topics (tutorials) that we are currently providing as PDF files within a WebHelp project. The largest is 67 pages long. We
would like to convert the tutorials into the native WebHelp format (so I can index them and also so people can more easily search for the information in the tutorials).

When we do that, I would like break up each topic into smaller pieces. Howeever, the project manager would like users to be able to easily print out the tutorials, so she'd rather see them each as all one long topic. It seems wrong to make the users scroll through topics that large, and yet it wouldn't be convenient for users to have to print out each topic page individually either.

Is there a way to have Flare create a PDF of just a subset of topics? I.e., could I have a set of tutorial pages be output as a PDF in addition to being in help format? Or is there another solution that would accomplish what we want to do? For example, is there a way to print a range of topics, or a topic section?

[lacastle]

I make separate PDFs for sections of my help all the time. I have a print TOC that i use to replace the content as needed to make a PDF. then i add the PDf to my online TOC (as a hyperlink). for example, i have online versions of 9 different manuals and at the end of each online version i have a link to the PDF version. if you add a icon-size picture of the PDF icon, you can even change the icon that displays in the online TOC.

[MarinaMichaels]

Thanks! Could you be a bit more specific about how I can make a PDF of just a section of the help?

[lacastle]

i have 2 different TOCs in flare. 1 is for webhelp - includes everything. 1 is for PDF/print. i keep everything in the webhelp version all the time, and the PDF one is empty except for a title page topic, the confidentiality topic, and a toc proxy topic. when i want to make a pdf of a particular section, i drag that section from the webhelp toc to the print toc so it copies over (or you could recreate it in the print toc). then i have a target just for making pdfs, so i generate that and save it back to a location inside my content explorer so i can link to it in my webhelp toc. when i want to make a different pdf, i delete the section that i had added and add a new one (changing the title to match).

the only part that gets a little confusing for me is that i have lots of conditions, so i need to make sure the print target has the correct conditions (some are print- or web-only).

[MarinaMichaels]

Thanks! That's perfect!

[wclass]

There are a couple of approaches.

Create separate PDF
I create a PDF version of the help I want by creating a separate target with its own TOC that includes just the topics I need. I would then add the generated PDF document to a Resources subfolder called "PrintableDocuments" and provide links to that PDF from the web topics via links like "Printable Version". This does not generate a PDF on the fly, but that works for me.

Create single topic with "tabs"
Another option is to keep the web help information all in one topic, but display it under different tabs. Users click through different tabs which is a lot easier that scrolling a long topic, however, the content is all stored in the one place - have a look at the site (http://www.barelyfitz.com/projects/tabber/). This site shows examples and provides the CSS and javascript you need to get this to work. It is mainly the CSS that manages the layout - I think you can then print a whole topic that uses the print medium that has each tabbed section printed one after the other.

[MarinaMichaels]

Also very interesting options. We are pressed for time so for the first release, the tutorials are staying in PowerPoint format, PDFed and linked to within the help. The project manager wants the tutorials to be printable and also usable as presentations, so the tabber idea might not work for that purpose, but is very awesome. I may use it for my personal Web site.

[MarinaMichaels]

i have 2 different TOCs in flare. 1 is for webhelp - includes everything. 1 is for PDF/print. i keep everything in the webhelp version all the time, and the PDF one is empty except for a title page topic, the confidentiality topic, and a toc proxy topic. when i want to make a pdf of a particular section, i drag that section from the webhelp toc to the print toc so it copies over (or you could recreate it in the print toc). then i have a target just for making pdfs, so i generate that and save it back to a location inside my content explorer so i can link to it in my webhelp toc. when i want to make a different pdf, i delete the section that i had added and add a new one (changing the title to match).

the only part that gets a little confusing for me is that i have lots of conditions, so i need to make sure the print target has the correct conditions (some are print- or web-only).

I am finally implementing this. Thank you so much for your help! I have one question (right now; probably will have more later): What do you mean when you say you drag the section over? Is there a way to display the tabs side by side? I tried copying the online TOC and pasting it into a TOC for print, and the result doubled every topic that wasn't at the very top level. Which I can edit, of course, but your method sounds like it is much faster. Thanks!

[wclass]

...<snip> Is there a way to display the tabs side by side?

In the XML editor area, you can grab the tab of any topic/toc etc that is displayed and move it up to undock it, and then have several window side by side. There is probably a formal approach to moving windows around but I've not looked it up. If you grab and drag and things get too untidy, you can always hit Reset Windows Layout.

[MarinaMichaels]

Thanks! That worked.