Need to make Links to PDFs searchable

ktbCA57 · Post by **ktbCA57** » Fri Jan 03, 2020 8:07 am

So, i have SEVERAL links to PDFs in my project.

The PDFs are in a folder in the Resources folder.

Access to the PDFs is from a list of links in a single topic.. so you go to that topic and look for the PDF... however, you have to go that page and manually search.

Our Tech Support Manager wants to be able to search for those PDFs (for example, one doc is an SMTP Config guide, he wants to be able to enter SMTP and have the link for that document appear in the search results)... from anywhere in the project.

I thought by adding a tag to the PDF itself, it would solve the issue, but instead, it only brings up the link to the page on which all the PDFs are listed... it doesn't give you the directly link for the PDF itself...

Is this functionality possible? I am using the latest version of Flare on Windows 10.

Thanks!

Post by **NorthEast** » Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:05 am

Flare supports searching PDFs using what it calls "HTML5 Server-Based Output".
To use this, you'll need to be have your output hosted on a Windows IIS server.

There's a bit of setting up required, but it's all in Flare's help:
https://help.madcapsoftware.com/flare20 ... Output.htm

ktbCA57 · Post by **ktbCA57** » Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:07 am

Thanks, Dave... not sure this is an option, but I will check it out...

i was wondering if setting each link up in a snippet with some description might help... there's that new thing now "micro content" i think it was called... might using that work rather than the IIS set up?

Post by **NorthEast** » Mon Jan 06, 2020 12:27 am

ktbCA57 wrote:Thanks, Dave... not sure this is an option, but I will check it out...

i was wondering if setting each link up in a snippet with some description might help... there's that new thing now "micro content" i think it was called... might using that work rather than the IIS set up?

No, that won't help you search content inside the PDFs.

However, you could just make sure the topic that contains links to the PDFs has good descriptive text that contains key words like "SMTP".

ktbCA57 · Post by **ktbCA57** » Mon Jan 06, 2020 6:41 am

Sorry, Dave... i think I wasn't clear about what the functionality needs to be...

We don't need to search inside the PDF, i just need for the link to the pdf to show in the search results... right now, only the link for the topic in which the PDF links... so right now in the help, there's a topic named Configuration Guides. That topic consists of several links to various PDF documents, such as STMP Admin, SSL Configuration, etc.

I want for someone to be able to search for STMP, and have the link for the document actually show up rather than just the topic...

WHAT HAPPENS NOW (only links to topic) - search results turns up this link: https://help.docuphase.com/6.3/Content/Configuration Guides/

WHAT WE WANT (link to open the PDF itself) - search results turns up this link: https://help.docuphase.com/6.3/Content/Configuration Guides/DP-SMTP_ServerSideEmailConfig.pdf

Our Tech Support Mgr wants the user to be able to click on the PDF link and open it directly from search results. He doesn't need to search the PDF itself... just turn up the link.

Is this possible?

THANKS!

Feebeegeebee · Post by **Feebeegeebee** » Mon Jan 06, 2020 8:33 am

ktbCA57 wrote:
We don't need to search inside the PDF, i just need for the link to the pdf to show in the search results... right now, only the link for the topic in which the PDF links... so right now in the help, there's a topic named Configuration Guides. That topic consists of several links to various PDF documents, such as STMP Admin, SSL Configuration, etc.

I want for someone to be able to search for STMP, and have the link for the document actually show up rather than just the topic...

Well, one way I have found to do this is to set up a dummy topic that acts as a redirect to your PDF file.

For example:
Create a new topic and give it the filename STMP_Admin.htm.
Open that new topic and switch to the Text Editor. In the <head> section enter a <meta> tag which will redirect the user to your chosen pdf.
You can also boost the search results by adding a MadCap:keyword term for the name of the PDF.

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<html xmlns:MadCap="http://www.madcapsoftware.com/Schemas/MadCap.xsd">
    <head>
        <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;URL=STMP_Admin.pdf" target="_blank" /><title>STMP Admin Guide</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <MadCap:keyword term="STMP Admin Guide" />
    </body>
</html>

When you then search for "STMP" or "STMP Admin Guide" this redirect topic should appear in your search results, and show "STMP Admin Guide". Clicking on the hyperlink will just redirect and launch the PDF.
I've used this successfully many times

I hope that covers what you need.
Regards,
Feebeegeebee

Post by **NorthEast** » Tue Jan 07, 2020 1:22 am

If you just want the guide to appear in search results, then I'd suggest using micro content.

Create a micro content response for each guide, and enter the phrase and all the alternative phrases you want to use for that guide ("SMTP", etc.)

In the body of the micro content response, insert a hyperlink to the PDF. (You can't use the "Add link" because the link can only be to a topic, not a PDF or other file.)

ktbCA57 · Post by **ktbCA57** » Tue Jan 07, 2020 6:50 am

Thanks, Dave! I'm going to try this as soon as I get a chance... I was hoping this was going to be the answer rather than having to redirect... and THANK you for the tip about pasting in the link rather than "adding" the link! As soon as I find out if I'm doing this correctly, I will come back and respond that it worked for future reference!

THANKS AGAIN TO BOTH RESPONDERS!

ktbCA57 · Post by **ktbCA57** » Tue Jan 07, 2020 2:40 pm

So... I've almost got it exactly the way I want it. BUT....

So... i wanted to try to single source each link so i don't have to update the links in 2 places. So, I created the micro content from the link and its description from within the topic where it already exists. The link that comes up looks JUST like the one in the topic and opens the PDF itself rather than going to the topic first.

However, even though i don't mind the link to the related topic showing, it's showing text relating the micro content... is there a way to get rid of THAT?

microcontent link.PNG

Post by **NorthEast** » Wed Jan 08, 2020 12:13 am

ktbCA57 wrote:However, even though i don't mind the link to the related topic showing, it's showing text relating the micro content... is there a way to get rid of THAT?

That text is just the path to the topic htm file, and it's displayed for every topic in the search results.
You can hide that in the skin, but it'd be hidden for every topic.

Psider · Post by **Psider** » Wed Jan 08, 2020 12:26 am

It looks like some formatting is possible on the "Search Micro Content Response Path". You'd want to set display to none, if possible.
https://help.madcapsoftware.com/flare20 ... ontent.htm

Otherwise, I reckon you could use the browser developer tools to check how that section is coded, and manually add the right code for the output.

Post by **NorthEast** » Wed Jan 08, 2020 1:09 am

Ah, I'd assumed that the link underneath was just a regular search result, not part of the microcontent.

Looking at the screenshot again, I'm assuming you set up the microcontent as a link to a bookmark in that topic, rather than just creating microcontent text (that's not in a topic).

So if that's the case, then yes Psider is correct and you can hide the link using Search Micro Content Response Path in the skin (set Layout > Display > None).

ktbCA57 · Post by **ktbCA57** » Wed Jan 08, 2020 6:53 am

You guys are freaking BRIL! It worked! WHEW!

So... I created the micro content directly from the topic so that it's single-sourced.... then as you guys suggested, i went into the skin, found the micro content settings and set it to "none" for the link itself (since there's already a link to that topic further down in the list of search results, as well as that weird little tag line! Now I just have to repeat the process for each PDF!

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH!

Post by **NorthEast** » Thu Jan 09, 2020 12:30 am

For info, the reason you saw that link was because you set up the microcontent so it was linked to that topic (a bookmark in the topic).

If you have the text in the microcontent itself, not the topic, then you wouldn't see a link in the microcontent search result.

There's not a right/wrong way, just pointing out why you saw a link.

ktbCA57 · Post by **ktbCA57** » Thu Jan 09, 2020 7:05 am

Thanks, Dave.... I sort of figured that was why that link was showing up.... i originally tried setting up the mc by putting the info directly in.. but that didn't work the way i needed it to... and also, doing it that way means i'd have to remember to make any updates in two places... and my memory ain't so great... and this way also maintained the formatting i wanted...

But... that said, I was able to hide that stuff i didn't want...

Thanks, Dave for going the extra mile to clarify... you are ALWAYS so great!

ktbCA57 · Post by **ktbCA57** » Thu Jan 09, 2020 7:05 am

Thanks, Dave.... I sort of figured that was why that link was showing up.... i originally tried setting up the mc by putting the info directly in.. but that didn't work the way i needed it to... and also, doing it that way means i'd have to remember to make any updates in two places... and my memory ain't so great... and this way also maintained the formatting i wanted...

But... that said, I was able to hide that stuff i didn't want...

Thanks, Dave for going the extra mile to clarify... you are ALWAYS so great!

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