MadCap Software Forums

First off, I'm new to Flare, so go easy on me if there's an obvious answer to my question.

I'm converting a lot of existing documentation from a a wiki into a Flare project for eventual single sourcing and all-around better ease of use from a doc management perspective. I am working with another writer, and we're taking advantage of source control features. I'm wondering if there's a way in the project file to mark the status of individual pages (preferably with something customizable, but even with a done/not done flag)? There are some topics that I don't want to reopen again just to discover I'm finished with them, and I'd prefer not to have Flare update cross-references and hyperlinks by introducing a folder structure in the project just to keep the status straight. Any suggestions?

Hi Eric,

Welcome to the forums!

Flare has just the thing you need. It's called a file tag. Flare comes with some default file tags (I'm pretty sure at least!) and you can create any additional ones you like. Then, having applied file tags to topics, you can see a list of topics sorted by their file tags in the File List window. (You may need to configure the File List's columns, as I'm not sure if the file tag column is shown by default.) You can also generate a report based on file tags.

For detailed information, check out these topics in Flare's help system:
http://webhelp.madcapsoftware.com/flare ... g%7C_____1
http://webhelp.madcapsoftware.com/flare ... %7C_____70
http://webhelp.madcapsoftware.com/flare ... s%7C_____1

Hope these point you in the right direction.

Here is an example of the file tags that I use. I then generate reports on those File Tags, which identify all the topics that have been tagged. Very handy!

Damdam, if you're still out there two years later, could you tell me how you run reports your status file tags? I have been searching for info on how to do this for a while and haven't found it. Thanks in advance!

Caroline

Go to Project > Reports to open or create a report. In the top half, you see a huge list of sections with selections, most of which are unchecked. Scroll down to the File Tags section, select "Files with File Tags".

click Generate to run the report.

I don't use this, but it will probably sort by file tag (I hope)

Alternatively to running a report, consider exporting.

Open the File List, sort by whatever column you want (such as one of the File Tags columns), select whichever rows you want, and then export those rows to a .csv file that you can then open with a spreadsheet application such as Excel. Alternatively, export the entire File List to a .csv file.

I much prefer this method to a report because I can then use the spreadsheet as a checklist.

Another possibility (but I don't recommend this over file tags) is using conditions. You can condition a file or topic as, say, "incomplete" and exclude those files from your output if you desire. You should also be able to run reports against files with conditions.

So, file tags. The report I create does not sort by file tag. It sorts by topic, which is not useful. I want a report of just the topics that have a specific file tag. See the advice to export instead of report, but not sure what is meant by "open the File List". My project file list/folder structure is highly nested and I don't see a way to sort by file tag.

TR Lisa wrote:See the advice to export instead of report, but not sure what is meant by "open the File List". My project file list/folder structure is highly nested and I don't see a way to sort by file tag.

Go to the View ribbon and click File List (third button from the left). That will open the File List. You can sort the file list by any of the columns. Also, you may need to reorder the columns and even hide those you're not interested in. On the File List's toolbar, click the Show/hide columns buttons (first from the left) and then configure the columns as you wish. Back on the File List, sort as you wish, and then use either of the export buttons (5th and 6th from the left) to export the data you're interested in.

I suggest you study up on the File List in Flare's Help. It is very handy for all kinds of things.
http://help.madcapsoftware.com/flare201 ... Window.htm

Thanks, I'll do that. I confused file list with Content Explorer. This project is massive. The file list is still loading...10 minutes and counting.

Well that works, sort of. Not so well if topics have multiple search tags and the tag you're looking for isn't first, alphabetically. Will have to work that out via exported file I guess.