1. The document provides tips and tricks for using MadCap Flare, including importing documents, creating styles and classes, using variables and snippets, and formatting help outputs like WebHelp and printed documentation. 2. It describes ways to customize aspects of Flare like non-scrolling regions, cross-references, page numbers, and help control links using CSS and JavaScript. 3. The document concludes by sharing resources for support and training on Flare and offers contact information for the author's training company.

1. Flare Hot Tips and Cool Tricks Scott DeLoach [email_address] Founder, Click Start Certified Flare Instructor Author, MadCap Flare Advanced CSS Training Guide Co-author, MadCap Flare Training Guide

2. Tips and tricks Importing Word and FrameMaker documents Styles Variables and snippets Printed documentation WebHelp Hacks…

3. Importing Word and Frame documents To set the topic order in the TOC: Organize (using Move Up / Move Down ) the imported documents on the Source Files tab. To map styles: 1 Select the document(s) to import . 2 On the Stylesheet tab: Don’t select a stylesheet. Select Preserve MS Word Styles . Don’t select Convert Inline Formatting to CSS Styles . 3 Map your paragraph and character styles as needed. 4 After you import, assign your new topics to your stylesheet.

4. Styles Creating a span class Creating a non-scrolling region

5. Creating a span class To create a span class: 1 Select the span tag in the stylesheet editor. 2 Click Add Class . 3 Type a name and click OK . 4 Format the style as needed. To apply a span class: 1 Select content in a topic. 2 Select the span class from the style drop-down list.

6. Creating a non-scrolling region 1 Open your stylesheet in the Internal Text Editor. 2 Add the following properties to the body style. padding: 5em 0 0 0; background:url(nothing) fixed; 3 Add the following properties to the h1 style: position:fixed; _position:absolute; top:0; _top:expression(eval(document.body.scrollTop)); margin-top:0; padding-top:0; left: 0; padding-left: 10px; width: 100%; _width:expression(eval(document.body.clientWidth)); background:gray; .

7. Variables and snippets Using a variable for a TOC book or page label Using a variable as a link’s target Overriding variables in a target Replacing text with variables

8. Using a variable in a TOC label or link target In a TOC: For the book or page label, type: mcvariable: variablesetname . variablename In a link: 1 Open the Insert hyperlink dialog box. 2 Select topic in project, external topic, website, or email. 3 For the link location, type: mcvariable: variablesetname . variablename

9. Overriding variables in a target 1 Open a target. 2 Select the Variables tab. 3 Click the variable’s definition. 4 Type a new definition.

10. Replacing text with variables 1 Press Ctrl-F . The Find and Replace window appears. 2 For Find what , type the text you want to replace. 3 For Replace with , type the following: <MadCap:variable name=&quot; variablesetname . variablename &quot; /> 4 For Find in , select (whole project) . 5 For File types , select Topics . 6 Select Find in source code . 7 Click Start . 8 Click Replace All . .

11. Printed documentation Creating cross references Setting margins Setting a page numbering format Including a TOC, index, or glossary in print documents Removing heading levels from the TOC

12. Creating cross references 1 Open a topic. 2 Position your cursor where you want to add the link. 3 Select Insert > Cross-Reference . 4 For Link To , select Topic in Project . 5 Click Topic and select a topic. 6 Select an xref class. 7 Click OK .

13. Setting margins and a page number format 1 Open or create a master page for printed documentation. 2 Right-click the topic body proxy. 3 Select Edit Body Proxy . 4 Click Printer Page Properties .

14. Including a TOC, index, or glossary in print 1 Add a new topic. 2 Delete the content in the topic. 3 Select Insert > Proxy > Insert TOC Proxy . 4 Open your TOC. 5 Add a page that links to your proxy topic.

15. Removing heading levels from the TOC 1 Open your stylesheet. 2 Select the print medium. 3 Select a heading level. 4 Open the PrintSupport group. 5 Set the mc-heading-level to 0. .

16. WebHelp Formatting help control links as buttons Adding search acronyms Adding an email button to the toolbar

17. Formatting help control links as buttons 1 Open your stylesheet. 2 Select one of the following styles: conceptLink keywordLink relatedTopics 3 Add a border. Use a thicker bottom and right border. 4 Consider changing the background color and font size and/or color.

18. Adding search acronyms 1 Select Project > Advanced > Add Synonym File . 2 Type a name for the synonym file and click Add . 3 Add a directional or group synonym: To add a directional synonym, type the Word and Synonym. To add a group synonym, type the group items separated by =. 4 Select the Stem option to include plurals and gerund phrase versions of your terms.

19. Adding an email button to the toolbar 1 Open a WebHelp skin and select the Styles tab. 2 Select the ToolbarItem style group. 3 Click Add Class and type a name for the style class, such as &quot;Email.&quot; 4 Open the Basic property group. 5 Select Icon , PressedIcon , and HoverIcon images. 6 Type a Tooltip , such as &quot;Send an email.&quot; 7 Open the Type property group. 8 Set the OnClick value to: document.location=’mailto: emailaddress ?subject= subjectofemail &body= bodyofemail ’; 9 Select the WebHelp Toolbar tab and add your button. .

20. Tricks and hacks Tricks Drag-and-drop index keywords Moving table rows and columns Hacks Opening/Closing all drop-down, expanding, toggler, and glossary links Auto-expanding drop-down, expanding, toggler, and glossary links when printing Changing related topics, keyword, or concept link text in a topic (not globally)

21. Opening/Closing DHTML links function showHideAll() { var showHideLink = document.getElementById(&quot;showHide&quot;); var allSpans = document.getElementsByTagName(&quot;span&quot;); var allDivs = document.getElementsByTagName(&quot;div&quot;); var allPs = document.getElementsByTagName(&quot;p&quot;); if (showHideLink.innerText == &quot;Show All&quot;) { showHideLink.innerText = &quot;Hide All&quot;; for (i=0; i<allSpans.length; i++) { allSpans[i].style.display = &quot;inline&quot;; } for (i=0; i<allDivs.length; i++) { allDivs[i].style.display = &quot;block&quot;; } for (i=0; i<allPs.length; i++) { allPs[i].style.display = &quot;block&quot;; } }

22. Opening/Closing DHTML links (cont) else { showHideLink.innerText = &quot;Show All&quot;; for(i=0; i<allSpans.length; i++) { if (allSpans[i].className == &quot;MCExpandingBody&quot;) allSpans[i].style.display = &quot;none&quot;; } for(i=0; i<allDivs.length; i++) { if (allDivs[i].className == &quot;MCDropDownBody&quot;) allDivs[i].style.display = &quot;none&quot;; } for(i=0; i<allPs.length; i++) { if (allPs[i].outerHTML.indexOf('MadCap:targetName=') != -1) allPs[i].style.display = &quot;none&quot;; } } }

23. Auto-expanding links when printing - A @media print { span.MCExpandingBody { display: inline !important; } div.MCDropDownBody { display: block !important; } p { display: block !important; } }

24. Auto-expanding links when printing - B <script> document.write(&quot;<style> @media print {&quot;); document.write(&quot;span.MCExpandingBody { display: inline !important; }&quot;); document.write(&quot;div.MCDropDownBody { display: block !important; }&quot;); document.write(&quot;p { display: block !important; }&quot;); document.write(&quot;}&quot;); document.write(&quot;</style>&quot;); </script>

25. Changing help control link text Add this code to a js file function changeMCLinks() { var links = document.links; for (i=0; i<links.length; i++) { if (links[i].className.indexOf(&quot;MCRelatedTopics&quot;) != -1) links[i].innerText = &quot;See Also&quot;; if (links[i].className.indexOf(&quot;MCKeywordLink&quot;) != -1) links[i].innerText = &quot;See Also&quot;; if (links[i].className.indexOf(&quot;MCConceptLink&quot;) != -1) links[i].innerText = &quot;See Also&quot;; } } Add this code to your topic before the </body> tag <script>changeMCLinks();</script>

26. Resources Forums forums.madcapsoftware.com Knowledge base kb.madcapsoftware.com Getting Started guide www.madcapsoftware.com/assets/FlarePrintedManual.pdf WebHelp skins www.madcapsoftware.com/downloads/utilities/flareskingallery.aspx WebHelp examples forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewtopic.php?t=1015

27. Questions? Scott DeLoach Founder, Click Start Certified Flare Instructor [email_address] MadCap Flare Certified Test Review + Developer’s Guide available www.lulu.com/clickstart

28. About Click Start Click Start provides certified training and consulting for: MadCap Flare Adobe RoboHelp Adobe Captivate We offer public, online, and private (onsite) classes, and group discounts are available. See www.clickstart.net for more information. If you need help: Learning Flare, RoboHelp, or Captivate Migrating to Flare from RoboHelp or another product Designing stylesheets for online help Creating use cases and wireframes/prototypes Developing Web-based training Adding embedding user assistance or context-sensitive help to an application Give us a call: 404.520.0003