How to Auto-Merge Alias Files?

[amatsumoto]

I've recently upgraded to 4.2 from 3.1. We have a project that includes content files for the master project and also one merged project. The merged project generates an Alias file and the master project generates a different Alias file. In 3.1 we had to manually merge the two alias files into one and copy it to the \Output\Data directory. I was under the impression that 4.1/4.2 can automatically merge multiple Alias files into one, but cannot figure out how to do it. Did I misunderstand, or are there some extra steps I need to use for setup?

[NorthEast]

Yes, it works in v4 (for WebHelp at least), CSH calls can be made using identifiers in your sub-project.
No setting up is required.

One thing I noticed is that if you have identifiers/values that are duplicated in both the master project and sub-project, the topic in the master project will take priority and be displayed in a CSH call.

[amatsumoto]

I'm afraid I don't understand. Is this something the developers need to change on their side? I don't get if I'm supposed to combine the IDs into one file on my side (in Flare) so that output always generates with main projects/sub-project IDs, or is it that the developers change their help calls to reference the sub-project output somehow?

[Kleb]

Last time I looked into this (Flare 4), I was told that Context IDs do not automatically merge (and I verified this by testing URL calls to MCHelp). The response was that the alias files would need to be merged manually after building the help (and I suppose you would want to automate this somehow).

Maybe things have changed in Flare 4.2...

[NorthEast]

I'm afraid I don't understand. Is this something the developers need to change on their side? I don't get if I'm supposed to combine the IDs into one file on my side (in Flare) so that output always generates with main projects/sub-project IDs, or is it that the developers change their help calls to reference the sub-project output somehow?

Your developers don't need to change anything. You make the help calls to the master target output, it will handle all IDs in the master project and sub-project(s).

Last time I looked into this (Flare 4), I was told that Context IDs do not automatically merge (and I verified this by testing URL calls to MCHelp). The response was that the alias files would need to be merged manually after building the help (and I suppose you would want to automate this somehow).

I take it that's for DotNet Help? I've only tested it out with WebHelp.

[amatsumoto]

Sorry for being so dense about this, but I still need more specific information. I'm very familiar with how to do things in v3.1, but have had v4.2 only a couple of weeks. If it helps, here's my setup:

• The project consists of the help topics and all of the usual files you have for a single project (including an alias file and a header file).

• This same project also includes a link in the WebHelp TOC to another project that we created. The sub-project has topics plus its own alias file and header file.

• The two projects are located under the same directory (e.g. \Flare_Projects\ProjectA and \Flare_Projects\ProjectB).

I do not understand what you mean by making the help calls to the master target output. How? In what file(s)? If I open the alias file for the main project in \Project Organizer\Advanced, I can only add IDs for topics that are physically located with that main project. The sub-project topics are not available. Am I supposed to open the alias file in the internal text editor and enter the IDs for the sub-project that way?

Thanks.

[NorthEast]

I do not understand what you mean by making the help calls to the master target output. How? In what file(s)?

You open the help in the same way as you do in v3.1, using the Javascript or URL method.
http://www.madcapsoftware.com/support/w ... lopers.htm

If project A is your master project (i.e. its TOC has a link to project B), then you make the CSH calls to the project A target, and you can use any identifier from project A or project B.

If I open the alias file for the main project in \Project Organizer\Advanced, I can only add IDs for topics that are physically located with that main project. The sub-project topics are not available. Am I supposed to open the alias file in the internal text editor and enter the IDs for the sub-project that way?

You don't need to manually edit the alias files, just set up them up in each project as normal.