Expanding and Dropdown --> PDF

[kevinmcl]

Projects started in RoboHelp, aeons ago, converted to Flare at version 1, and grown-and-modified to make WebHelp for the past half-dozen years (ok, recently, it's what MC calls "HTML5"). No PDF. A few customers lamented, but HTML content was fine for the majority.

Lately, we have lots more customers (so the absolute numbers wanting PDF.... or both... have increased) and some new big customers who are accustomed to PDF in their world, and have much clout. So I need to start producing both outputs from projects that have taken much advantage of Expanding Text, Dropdowns and even a few Togglers.

My co-writer, who took on the templating chore for both the latest re-branding and the push to enable PDF output, has a phobia about footnotes.
So, we won't be converting Expanding Text and Dropdown text to footnotes for PDF.

Any other suggestions, short of what I'm probably going to be doing - rewriting hundreds of pages?

-kevin

[techwriter31]

If not footnotes, maybe use the "Expand text inline" option in the PDF target?

[kevinmcl]

Unfortunately, most of them are not built that way. They are contained in square brackets and they usually don't just smoothly continue a sentence. Rather they are often several complete sentences, and often a graphic or screen-cap as well. . . and then the sentence or action continues after the break. . . which looks fine when it's closed up, and doesn't matter when it's open for a peek. . . but would be horrible in a PDF.

I foresee enormous re-writing in my very near future. Object lesson for others...

Even if you aren't "single sourcing", plan and execute all your work as though it's for multiple outputs. Someday, you will thank yourself.

[techwriter31]

Even if you aren't "single sourcing", plan and execute all your work as though it's for multiple outputs. Someday, you will thank yourself.

I agree completely!