Within a topic, you can link from any frame to one or more attachments. Attachments linked at this level provide information to your users as they view a topic. For example, you might link from a frame to a spreadsheet listing department codes or other reference information that users need at a particular step in a procedure. Like concept and bubble text links, links to attachments from topic frames become part of the parent document. If you then move the topic or reuse it elsewhere in your content, the linked attachment remains associated with that frame of the topic. Conversely, deleting the link to an attachment from a topic frame in one location removes the link in all places where the topic is used. 


The Frame Link toolpane of the Topic Editor provides the tools for linking to and managing the links to attachments from topic frames. When linking to a package file or web page, you can filter the display to include packages or web pages only and navigate through the Library folders to the specific file you want to link. When linking to a URL, you can type or paste a base URL and then follow links in the preview displayed in the results pane of the Insert Hyperlink dialog box to reach your desired target.


Note: An absolute URL represents the fixed location of a piece of content without regards to its context. A Relative URL is a shortened version of the full URL that only makes sense when used in context. The full URL is constructed by taking a Base URL (set in the General Content Defaults) and appending the Relative UR set when creating a hyperlink). Here is an analogy to help clarify. Let's say you asked me where my brother lives and I said "right next to my house". If you didn't know where I lived, this information would not be useful. However, if you did know where I lived, then you could find my brother's house by locating my house and then find his next door. In this case, my house is an example of the Base URL and "right next to my house" is an example of the Relative URL.


Relative URLs are useful when the content developer is not sure of the location where the content will be deployed. They allow the content developer to link to content outside of the Library in the Developer.


The Base URL can be set in the Developer and can be changed, if necessary, in the Player Package after publication.


Note: If a Base URL is set in the General Content Defaults, you can enter a Relative URL (beginning with../) when inserting a hyperlink for a URL on the Insert Hyperlink dialog.


The procedure for linking to an attachment from a topic frame differs slightly from that for concepts and bubble text. When you link to an attachment from a topic frame, you can select an icon for the link and add a tooltip. The icon appears in the frame bubble when the user views the topic in the Player, and the tooltip appears when the user rests the mouse pointer over the link icon. The icon and tooltip are stored with the link itself, rather than with the attachment. Therefore, when you link to the attachment from another location in your content, you can choose to add a different icon and/or tooltip, if desired.


Unlike concepts and bubble text, which can link to only one attachment, a single topic frame can link to multiple attachments. You manage all of the attachments linked at the frame level from the same dialog box, but you can assign a different icon and/or tooltip to each of the links. You can also change the order in which multiple attachments are linked to a single topic frame. As you navigate among the frames in a topic with the Frame Link toolpane open, the display updates dynamically to show the links for each frame. This provides a simple means of managing all frame links in a topic and analyzing the overall topic layout.

 

To link to an existing package file or web page from a topic frame: 

  1. With the topic open in the Topic Editor, navigate to the frame from which you want to link to a package file or web page.
     
  2. Display the Frame Link toolpane, if necessary.
     
  3. In the empty row in the Frame Link toolpane, click the Name field to activate it.
     
  4. Click Create link Create link.
     
  5. In the Link to pane, select Document in Library Document in Library.
     
    If desired, you can select Packages or Web pages in the Type field to further filter your selection.
     
  6. Navigate the Library to the folder containing the package file or web page to which you want to link.
     
  7. Select the desired package file or web page document.
     
  8. Click OK or press ENTER.
     
  9. An icon is added to the link by default. If desired, change the link icon.
     
  10. The word "Link" is added as the default tooltip. If desired, change the link tooltip.

Note: You can repeat steps 3-10 to link to additional package files or web pages from the same frame or click Close to close the Frame Link Properties toolpane.


Note: At step 4, you can also click Create new web page Create new web page to create a new web page and link to it in one step. When you do so, you first specify the name of the web page and the Library folder in which it should be saved. The main Developer window then becomes the active window, displaying an empty web page in a new tab. After you complete the web page, you can continue managing frame links in the topic by reactivating the Topic Editor window; the Frame Link Properties window remains open throughout the process.


To link to a URL from a topic frame:

  1. With the topic open in the Topic Editor, navigate to the frame from which you want to link to a URL.
     
  2. Display the Frame Link toolpane, if necessary.
     
  3. In the empty row in the Frame Link toolpane, click the Name field to activate it.
     
  4. Click Create link Create link.
     
  5. In the Link to pane, select URL URL.
     
  6. In the Address field, type or paste the target URL.
     
    If a Base URL was set, you can enter a relative URL beginning with ../.
     
  7. Click Go Go or press ENTER.
     
    While selecting a URL, you can also enter a base URL and then follow links in the preview displayed in the results pane to reach your desired target.
     
  8. Click OK or press ENTER.
     
  9. An icon is added to the link by default. If desired, change the link icon.
     
  10. The word "Link" is added as the default tooltip. If desired, change the link tooltip.

Note: You can repeat steps 3-10 to link to additional URLs from the same frame or click Close to close the Frame Link Properties toolpane.


To create and link a new package from a topic frame:

  1. Display the Frame Link toolpane, if necessary.
     
  2. In the empty row in the Frame Link toolpane, click the Name field to activate it.
     
  3. Click Create new package to launch the Package Wizard and click Next.
     
  4. Browse to and choose the files/folders that you want to add to the package and click Next.
     
  5. Type a name for the new package and browse to a location in the Library where you want it saved (if you do not want to save it in the default location).
     
  6. Click Next.
     
  7. Choose a file in the package that will launch from the frame. Navigate through any folders contained in the new package, if appropriate.
     
  8. Click Next to finish.

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