How do you duplicate topics in Flare?

[Ericam]

It seems silly to ask, but I created a topic that I want to use as a template. It has all the styles in it that I want for a CSH. I can't figure out how to duplicate it. I just want to be able to use it 265 times! It would save a lot of work. They only way I can think of doing it is using Dreamweaver and making the topic in there and then importing all the topics into Flare.

[Darci]

If I am understanding your question, you want a topic template. To do this, you need to go into your flare project folder and into the Content folder. Copy the topic.htm file you want to use as a template. Then go to your My Documents folder. You should have a folder in there called My Templates. If you don't, create a new folder, and name it My Templates. Then open the My Templates folder. In this folder create a folder named Content. Open the newly created Content folder and paste your topic.htm file inside.

Next time you add a new topic, instead of using the Flare default 'empty' template, click on the My Templates option and select your topic.htm file.

Hope this was helpful!

[Bibba1bro123]

I do not know that you want to create a template (from which to build a bunch of other topics). It sounds like you want to use the information more as a variable. You can do this both within Flare itself or independent of Flare (for example, as a JavaScript variable). I do not know how large your help system is, but if you are trying to use one topic hundreds of times, it might be worth considering a flexible documentation structure like DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture).

Ray

[KevinDAmery]

Depends what you want to duplicate.

1) If you want to duplicate the structure and appearance of the topic but not the content, then you can use a Master Page or a Page Layout. These arrange elements on the page, but typically do not contain content (basically they're a framework to hold your text and images).
2) If you want to duplicate the content, I would look into Snippets. Snippets are chunks of styled content that can be inserted into topics. Usually these are built as small chunks, but there is no inherent limit to how large you can make them so you could put the entire topic in one if you want (although usually I would leave the first heading out so that the topics can be differentiated in some way). You can also apply snippet conditions that allow variations between topics if required.

[SteveS]

There are some other options...

You can save the topic in your templates folder (Flare created it when it installed).

You can copy the template into another project using Window's Explorer.

You can use Global Project Linking.

The main problem you will have is with any links within the topic. When you 'import' the topic (whatever method), don't forget to add it to your master TOC so it will be included in the build.

HTH

[beagley]

The two things I have done:

1. Snippets.

2. Clicked on a topic in my Content Explorer, selected "Copy", selected "Paste" (sometimes in a new location), and changed the name.

-d

[Darci]

Ah...yes, I am a big fan of snippets if you are trying to duplicate content in more than once place. We have some snippets that are used in 5 places. I follow the process of not including the H1 in the snippet so that the H1 can be associated properly for each location to the TOC. It has saved us a lot of time, and when we make updates, we only have to do it to one file vs. replacing 5 files.

Good luck!