Can a PDF behave like context-sensitive help?

[Yves Barbion]

Hi Beverly

I'm not saying that it's a good idea, but you can make a PDF behave like
context-sensitive "help". We have done this recently for one of our
customers. The idea is that you insert "context hooks" (custom markers) in
your FrameMaker files and then use those markers in the URL which points to
that PDF file, for example:

http://www.datacard.com/documentation/user_guide.pdf#nameddest=M5.8.newlink.topicA

This URL wil open the PDF file on the page where this marker (a "named
destination" in the PDF file) is used, typically on a title.

The problem with these named destinations, however, is that they also get a
prefix, for example "M5.8", where "M5" refers to the fifth file in the
FrameMaker book. So, if the content gets updated, and a new file is added
to the book before this fifth file, the prefix will become "M6" and you
will have to update all URLs. To avoid this, you can use MicroType
Timesavers:

http://www.microtype.com/TimeSavers/TimeSaversDlg.pdf

It works, but still, PDF is not really an ideal format for
context-sensitive help. But you're using FrameMaker 12, so why don't you
publish to an HTML-based format?

Kind regards

-- 
Yves Barbion
www.scripto.nu
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.frameusers.com/pipermail/framers-frameusers.com/attachments/20140520/a3180dc2/attachment.htm>