Single sourcing numbered lists

[Rene Severens]

Hi,

In the current project I am trying to create multiple documents (pdf) in which numbered lists are used. In document A a numbered list is used, describing several procedural steps. In Document B almost the same steps as within Document A occur within this list, however, at one or more "steps" the action to be executed is different. In Document C, the same issue. In a future document D, the same issue will occur again, and the list might be split up even more.
The list is saved as a snippet, since it is used in multiple documents, but even within each document this list occurs in several places, but again with several steps different.

I am looking for a way to "use conditional text tags within numbered lists, the list being inside a snippet, and the list re-used within the same document and between different documents such, that the conditional text tag excludes or includes one or more lines of this numbered lists, and still have the numbering at level 1 (1,2,3) and level 2 (a,b,c) correct.

I know, this is very complex. What is the best way to use single sourcing for this type of numbered list? Or is there another procedure to follow to have this list simgle-sourced?

I appreciate any help!

Greetings,
Rene Severens

[NorthEast]

I'd suggest reading the help topic about snippet conditions; see http://webhelp.madcapsoftware.com/flare ... itions.htm

Snippet conditions allow you to use conditions on a per topic basis to the snippets within that topic; which sounds like what you need to do.

[nickatwork]

I have a similar thing with my project, multiple lists that are usually very similar but have a few slight differences.

What I do is to create a snippet for each list item. This snippet has no P formatting which allows me to format it when I add it to the list in the topic.
I manually make a list in my topic, add each snippet item to it, format it as appropriate. numbered, bullet, P styles etc. Also means that these first steps that might be the same in even more lists, something generic like Open the X application and go to the File menu. or something similar can be shared in loads more places.

The way I see it, make snippets as small as possible (within reason) so you can use them in as many places as possible.

Also, you can copy/paste these lists that are made up of snippets and Flare knows that they are snippets, so I sometimes end up making a list of 9 steps that contains 3 variants, paste it where its needed and then remove the list items I dont need.

It sounds really long winded but its pretty simple.

[i-tietz]

If you have one of those lists in one topic you do that with conditioned snippets and snippet conditions for those topics containing the list.

If you have MORE THAN one of those lists in one topic it gets complicated. I never produced PDFs so I don't know whether splitting up a PDF into more than one topic is possible ... if it is, you can use the rule for "one list - one topic".

[Rene Severens]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

It looks like the solution for this is:
Create the snippet with the bulleted list, so it contains all exceptions.
Apply one or more snippet condition to these exception(s).
Then use the snippet in topics in such way that the snippet does not occur multiple times in one topic. So for a "chapter" that contains several variants of this snippet, the chapter must be constructed out of multiple topics, each topic containing the snippet only once.
Then apply the snippet conditions to the topics.

OK, that sounds like the idea of single sourcing I am looking for!

Thank you all!
Rene Severens