Target keeps creating "Output" and "TargetName" Folders?!

[beagley]

I want to output productname.pdf to a particular folder.

That appears to be impossible.

I set "Output File" in the Basic section of the target to "productname.pdf"

I set "Output Folder" to the path to the specific folder I want to put it in.

When I compile, I get a \Output\TargetName\productname.pdf in that location.

That's nuts. How do I turn it off?

Alternatively, I've tried mucking about with the "Publishing" tab, but it doesn't seem to let me compile to a Network location. When I browse to it, it puts it in with \\\ and // all funky in the Target description. And produces a, "The mounted file system does not support extended attributes" message.

I've looked in the Flare online guide and searched the Knowledge base, they just tell me to edit the Output File and Output Folder, with no reference to the folder baggage.
-d

[RamonS]

That is a question many of us asked many times and so far the only way to accomplish this is to generate the output to the default folder and then publish the results to the place you want it to go. Unfortunately, it is an extra step, but it will get the file to the place YOU want it to go not where Flare insists on putting it.

[beagley]

I'm not sure what you mean.

Do you mean:

1. Set the Output File and Output Folder to some place locally. Nothing you can do about the nutty nested folders.

2. Then open up a window, navigate to the folder, and drag the output file to the appropriate location.

?!

Or do you mean that there is a way to get the "Publishing" option to send the PDF to a specific folder?

(I am messing with that now, but it is not working.)

-d

[beagley]

When I add a Publishing destination and assign that to my target, it actually copies a "Resources" folder and a whole bunch of other cruft to that location.

To sum up:

I want to output one thing:
a PDF file,
to a specific network folder.

Is there really no way to do this?

Seriously, "Save As..." from any program written in the last ten years can do this.

I must be missing something obvious. I confess I'm an amateur...

-d

[KevinDAmery]

Nope, you're not missing anything - that's really how it works.

If you'd like Madcap to be more flexible on this, you can submit a feature request here:

http://www.madcapsoftware.com/bugs/submit.aspx

Odds are it's been requested before, but Madcap always tell us the more people ask for something the more likely it is to be implemented (so give'em an earful).

[beagley]

Thanks for confirming.

This is... utterly bizarre... the inability to pick a publishing location/file name... and a bunch of stuff that makes it look like you CAN when really you can't? It's just... bizarre.

It looks like they spent a great deal of time designing their publishing system. The idea that it does nothing but set a general location and then add a bunch of confusion is just mind-blowing.

I doubt I will submit a bug/feature request. I don't know where I would start. What the program needs to do is so... obvious. I would feel like I was telling them that 2+2=4.
-d

[Andrew]

That's odd...I don't know why the publish feature pulls all that crap along with it. When you publish a CHM, the only thing that gets published is the CHM file. I'm going to call support about this, since it's going to mess with my current plans to automate a mixed-mode PDF/online help file. It would suck to have to compile a dozen PDFs, and then have to manually copy/paste each one to the correct location.

Update (edit): According to MadCap, they are looking into this. I asked them to add my name to the list of folks who would like PDF publishing to publish only the PDF. Until then, looks like I'll just have to copy/paste manually.

[RamonS]

That is exactly why you need to tell them. I feel bad for the developers, all these DotNet fumes may have blurred their minds at times. This is in Flare since the first release and everyone I recall mentioning it didn't like it. I don't know if there is any technical reason for that, but I doubt it. This is why open-source is the way to go. You can either fix it or at least look at the comments in the source code that may give a clue.

[KevinDAmery]

I doubt I will submit a bug/feature request. I don't know where I would start. What the program needs to do is so... obvious. I would feel like I was telling them that 2+2=4.
-d

Sometimes people need to be reminded of that - just take a look at Wall Street....

[NorthEast]

Alternatively, I've tried mucking about with the "Publishing" tab, but it doesn't seem to let me compile to a Network location. When I browse to it, it puts it in with \\\ and // all funky in the Target description. And produces a, "The mounted file system does not support extended attributes" message.

Yep, Flare doesn't seem to like you selecting a network location as the destination, it only seems to like paths with drive letters.
To get round this, you can either:
a) Set up a mapped drive letter for the network folder, and select that as your destination.
b) Edit the destination file in a text editor, and set your network path in the Directory part, e.g. Directory="\\your network\your folder". Flare will publish fine to this network path, you just can't select a network path in the dialog.

[help_dude]

Yep, Flare doesn't seem to like you selecting a network location as the destination, it only seems to like paths with drive letters.
To get round this, you can either:
a) Set up a mapped drive letter for the network folder, and select that as your destination.
b) Edit the destination file in a text editor, and set your network path in the Directory part, e.g. Directory="\\your network\your folder". Flare will publish fine to this network path, you just can't select a network path in the dialog.

There's even an easier way. I access the location in Windows Explorer and simply copy/paste the address into Flare's Directory location. Works like a charm.