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Merging Output from DotNet Help Projects

Use this merging method if you are developing DotNet Help and you want to merge the output files from your "master" project with the DotNet Help output files from an external project. This method is useful, for example, if another author is working on the external DotNet Help project to which you are linking and you only have access to the output files (not the project files).

Note: There are occasions when projects cannot be merged because the file name is the same in two or more of the linked projects (e.g., multiple DotNet Help projects all named "MyDotNetProject.mchelp," multiple WebHelp projects all named "MyWebProject.mcwebhelp," or multiple HTML Help projects all named "MyHtmlHelp.chm"). The way to solve this dilemma is to make sure each linked project has a different output file name. To do this: (1) open the target, (2) select the Basic tab in the Target Editor, and (3) enter a unique name in the Output File field.

Before your master project can be merged with an external Help system, the output folders and files for the external (or "child") project need to be copied to a folder called "Subsystems" in the same location where the master project is being published. The child's target folder containing these output files also needs to be included at this location.

example

For example, if the master project's output files are being published to C:\MyHelpSystem\Master\Master.mchelp, the output folders and files for the child project should be copied to the folder C:\MyHelpSystem\Master\Subsystems (e.g., C:\MyHelpSystem\Master\Subsystems\AnotherHelpSystem\AnotherHelpSystem.mchelp). In this example, "AnotherHelpSystem" is the target folder that you generated, which holds the output folders and files, and "AnotherHelpSystem.mchelp" is the main output file for the child project that was created. Not only does the main .mchelp output file need to be included in this folder, but also the ancillary output folders and files (e.g., Content, Data).

You can merge DotNet Help outputs using an automatic or manual method.

How to merge output from DotNet Help projects (automatic method):

1. Generate the output for the child project.

2. Open the TOC in the Flare project that will serve as the "master" project.

   Note: You can also merge projects by linking them from a browse sequence, as well as from a TOC. If you want to do this, simply follow these same steps after opening your master browse sequence.

3. In the TOC Editor, select the TOC entry or book where you want to link the output from the other DotNet Help project. (The TOC of the linked project will be inserted at that spot in the "master" TOC.)
4. In the local toolbar of the TOC Editor, click . The Properties dialog opens.
5. Click Enter External Help System. The Link to Help System dialog opens.
6. Click Browse.
7. In the Files of type field, click the down arrow and select MadCap DotNet Help Files (*.mchelp). Then find and select the MCHELP output file to which you want to link.

8. Click OK.

   The full path to the file is displayed in the field.

9. (Optional) If you want the merged TOC to replace the entry that you selected, do the following:
   1. Select the Advanced tab.
   2. Click the check box labeled When merging, replace node with merged TOC.

   For example, you might have a TOC in your master project that looks like this:

   

   If you select the option in this step to replace the node, the merged TOC would look like this in the output:

   

   And if you do not select this option, your merged TOC would look like this:

   

10. In the Properties dialog, click OK.

11. Build the output for the DotNet Help target in your "master" project.

    Flare automatically creates the Subsystems folder for you. It also copies the target folder and .mchelp file (along with the ancillary output files and folders) to the appropriate destination. When you open the TOC in the output, you will see the integrated TOC from the linked project.

How to merge output from DotNet Help projects (manual method):

1. Generate the output for the child project.
2. Open the TOC in the Flare project that will serve as the "master" project.
3. In the TOC Editor, select the TOC entry or book where you want to link the output from the other DotNet Help project. (The TOC of the linked project will be inserted at that spot in the "master" TOC.)
4. In the local toolbar of the TOC Editor, click . The Properties dialog opens.
5. Click Enter External Help System. The Link to Help System dialog opens.
6. Type the name of the child target and main output file (e.g., AnotherHelpSystem/AnotherHelpSystem.mchelp).
7. Click OK.
8. (Optional) If you want the merged TOC to replace the entry that you selected, do the following:
   1. Select the Advanced tab.
   2. Click the check box labeled When merging, replace node with merged TOC.

   For example, you might have a TOC in your master project that looks like this:

   

   If you select the option in this step to replace the node, the merged TOC would look like this in the output:

   

   And if you do not select this option, your merged TOC would look like this:

   

9. In the Properties dialog, click OK.
10. Build the output for the DotNet Help target in your "master" project.
11. In the master Flare project, right-click on the target and select Open Output Folder. Within that folder, manually create another folder and name it Subsystems.
12. In the child Flare project, select Build>Open Output Folder.
13. Copy the target folder to be merged with the master project.
14. Paste the target folder within the Subsystems folder that you created in the master output folder.

Note: If you want to create navigation links from content in one project to content in another project, see Inserting Links to External Files.

Note: If you merge projects, synonym files will remain separate in each project. For example, if you create synonyms in Project A but not in project B, only the topics from Project A will use the synonyms when users perform searches in the output.

See Also

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