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> "Try using conditional compile tags in your rtf file. This should do
> the trick. Chet Cady also posted a trick to the winhelp list which may
> solve your problems. I'll forward it to you if you like, but it's kinda
> tricky (albiet rather elegant.)"
> I'd love to see it. I haven't done anything using conditional compile
> tags before -- what are they?
Conditional compile tags are fairly simple. From what I gather from
your earlier post, you have three "types" of topics: some which are
unaffected, some are in your "normal" build, and some which are "custom."
Essentially, you label the "custom" topics as custom and the "normal"
topics as normal. When you compile the help file, you can include either
the "custom" or the "normal" or both. What you get is a help file with
all the unlabeld topics plus all the ones you specify. You should note,
however, that you can only label entire topics -- even if you are only
changing a word or two.
> Do most help development tools support
> them or am I going to have to wade around in RTF to do this?
It depends. I use the basic, plain vanilla, Windows SDK help authoring
tool. It provides complete support for conditional compiles. In any
case, look for the [BUILDTAGS] and BUILD option section of your help
authoring documentation. I can provide a few more details if you'd like
them. I'm also certain that HyperHelp supports them (I use conditional
tags to differentiate Windows/Unix versions).
> Does this
> workaround mean that any term the user enters is adjusted in the help
> file?
Since what you will essentially do is copy each custom topic and change
the relevant words (you may want to do this for the entire document
rather than one topic at a time), it can be as complete as you like:
key words, graphics, whatever.
------------
glen accardo glen -at- softint -dot- com
Software Interfaces, Inc. (713) 492-0707 x122
Houston, TX 77084
