Setting page layout header for sub-sections within topic

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sdcinvan
Propellus Maximus
Posts: 1260
Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:46 am
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Setting page layout header for sub-sections within topic

Post by sdcinvan »

Greetings all,

I am having some difficulties with using the system variable Title (aka Title of Topic).

After placing this variable in the header of my Page Layout, I thought that by setting the topic name by adding the following to each topic...

Code: Select all

<head>
<title>Topic Title</title>
</head>
...that would be enough to reset the topic header for each sub-section or topic (its own html) within a chapter.

Unfortunately, this title setting, inside each topic, is overridden by the <title> setting on the first topic page of the chapter. My layout is as follows...

Code: Select all

Topic_into_page.htm  ( [i]<head><title>Title Name 1</title></head>[/i])   - publishes with "Title Name 1" in the page heading.
   sub-section_page1.htm   ( <head><title>Subsection title 01</title></head>)   - publishes with "Title Name 1" - the new title is ignored.
   sub-section_page2.htm   ( <head><title>Subsection title 02</title></head>)   - publishes with "Title Name 1" - the new title is ignored.
   ... and so on.
Having failed to find a way to make the system variable Title work for me, I tried other variables, such as...

Level2 (first H2 header on page) - unfortunately, the header also includes the chapter number (e.g. "10.1 Subsection title 01") but I want only the text title, without the number. Is there a way to remove the chapter number without affecting the heading in the body of the page?

What other variable options are available? I also tried FirstIndexTerm but that had no affect (blank header) so clearly I misunderstood what how that variable works. I thought it would take on the first index keyword (F10) that I assigned.

Hopefully, my description is clear enough in terms of what I am trying to accomplish.

Thank you,
Shawn
Last edited by sdcinvan on Tue Jan 12, 2016 3:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Shawn in Vancouver, Canada
Main tools used: Flare 11.x, InDesign, Google Docs, Lectora, Captivate.
Report bugs: https://www.madcapsoftware.com/feedback/bugs.aspx ▪ Feature requests: https://www.madcapsoftware.com/feedback ... quest.aspx[/i]
sdcinvan
Propellus Maximus
Posts: 1260
Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:46 am
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Setting header in pagelayout for sub-sections within top

Post by sdcinvan »

I thought I was being clever by using the system variable Level6 (First H6 on page), which is an unused header. I set it up with a small font and white text (so it was 'invisible') and I published... it worked, I could now control the page header in sub-sections!

EXCEPT there is a big caveat!

I noticed that this H6 header also appeared in the index... this was undesirable and unintended. So, I added mc-heading-level: 0; to the header style but unfortunately, that also removed it from the page header.

Anyone?
Shawn in Vancouver, Canada
Main tools used: Flare 11.x, InDesign, Google Docs, Lectora, Captivate.
Report bugs: https://www.madcapsoftware.com/feedback/bugs.aspx ▪ Feature requests: https://www.madcapsoftware.com/feedback ... quest.aspx[/i]
kkelleher
Sr. Propeller Head
Posts: 163
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:42 pm

Re: Setting header in pagelayout for sub-sections within top

Post by kkelleher »

sdcinvan wrote:I noticed that this H6 header also appeared in the index... this was undesirable and unintended. So, I added mc-heading-level: 0; to the header style but unfortunately, that also removed it from the page header.
I bumped into something similar a few weeks ago: mc-heading-level fighting with Heading.Level1 variable.

Nita suggested a workaround that won't help your case, but no one else had suggestions. I tinkered with a few of the same workarounds you tired, but had no luck. I think I'll log an enhancement request for this.

Thanks,

Kristen

PS: I realize this isn't the most helpful post, but I just didn't want to leave you hanging!
Kristen Kelleher
Director of Tech Pubs, TIBCO Jaspersoft
sdcinvan
Propellus Maximus
Posts: 1260
Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:46 am
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Setting header in pagelayout for sub-sections within top

Post by sdcinvan »

kkelleher wrote:
sdcinvan wrote:I noticed that this H6 header also appeared in the index... this was undesirable and unintended. So, I added mc-heading-level: 0; to the header style but unfortunately, that also removed it from the page header.
I bumped into something similar a few weeks ago: mc-heading-level fighting with Heading.Level1 variable.

Nita suggested a workaround that won't help your case, but no one else had suggestions. I tinkered with a few of the same workarounds you tired, but had no luck. I think I'll log an enhancement request for this.

Thanks,

Kristen

PS: I realize this isn't the most helpful post, but I just didn't want to leave you hanging!
That fact that you replied is nice and emotionally helpful. :D

After exhausting every idea I attempted, I gave up and allowed the entire chapter to use the same chapter name. Honestly, the only person who will notice is me. :)

This also reminds me that I have asked repeatedly for MadCap to implement custom inline variables or in other words, variables that we can change per topic... either from the topic properties or inline (the XML).

Take care,
Shawn
Shawn in Vancouver, Canada
Main tools used: Flare 11.x, InDesign, Google Docs, Lectora, Captivate.
Report bugs: https://www.madcapsoftware.com/feedback/bugs.aspx ▪ Feature requests: https://www.madcapsoftware.com/feedback ... quest.aspx[/i]
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