What does "Processing topic" really mean?

[ccardimon]

I have some old, out-dated topics that I don't use any more, but don't dare delete. When generating a build, the message window reads "Processing topic" for each of these old topics that are not part of the TOC. So, what does "processing topic" mean? And how do you folks handle out-dated topics?

[emsachs]

One possibility: if you are creating HTML5 output and you don't have "Exclude content not linked directly or indirectly from the target" selected, then the outdated topics are being indexed for search.

To turn that option on, In Project Organzier, find your Target, double-click to open Properties, go to Advanced and select the option.

Regardless of where the activity is coming from, I would go to the file system, copy the files you are worried about and back them up to another location. then go back to Flare, open one of the topics, and open the Link Viewer (View > Link viewer) to verify that is not linked to anything. Delete the topic and build your project. Open Build Log for the target, go to the Warnings tab, and see if there are any errors. If there's no problems, and you feel comfortable, delete everything outdated and build again. If there are errors, you will have the information you need to go forward.

[ccardimon]

Thanks, emsachs! I appreciate the advice.

[Nita Beck]

Another idea is to try instead of or in addition to the prior suggestion is to create a condition called Obsolete and apply that condition to those out-dated files that you don't dare yet delete. Then have your target exclude the Obsolete condition.

[ccardimon]

Another idea is to try instead of or in addition to the prior suggestion is to create a condition called Obsolete and apply that condition to those out-dated files that you don't dare yet delete. Then have your target exclude the Obsolete condition.

Thanks, Nita! Very cool idea!

[RamonS]

I always thought processing topics was when the topics get stuffed into the master page. It merges the master page with the topic pages. Not sure if applying an exclude condition will skip that step.

[Nita Beck]

I always thought processing topics was when the topics get stuffed into the master page. It merges the master page with the topic pages. Not sure if applying an exclude condition will skip that step.

I was following up on the reply immediately before mine in which it was suggested that the out-dated topics that Craig thought were being kept out of the build were actually IN the build because Craig had not selected the "Exclude content not directly or indirectly linked to the target". I was suggesting that another way to keep his out-dated topics out of the build is to apply a condition to them and then have the target exclude that condition. I wasn't attempting to answer the question of what the "Processing topics" message really means or to suggest that a step in the build can be skipped.