Style sheets are documents that contain one or more styles that are used to format text and other elements in web pages. In order to use a style, the style sheet containing that style must be assigned to the document. A style sheet can be assigned to a document in two ways: through manual assignment or through inheritance from the document's parent.

 

A style sheet can be assigned only to modules, sections, topics, and web pages. You can manually assign a style sheet while working in the Library, Outline Editor, Web Page Editor, or Topic Editor using the Style Sheet property on the Properties toolpane. A style sheet can be assigned to multiple documents from the Library or Outline Editor. Style sheets only affect web pages, but assigning a style sheet to a module, section or topic is useful for inheritance purposes, as described below.


Tip: You can select multiple documents using the standard Windows selection keys (CTRL+click and SHIFT+click). However, you must select only document types that support style sheets. If a multi-document selection in the Library includes a document type that does not support style sheets, such as a package, the Style Sheet property does not appear in the Properties toolpane.


Warning! Be careful when changing a property for multiple documents that already contain values for the same property. The new values you enter for the property overwrite any existing values for all selected documents.


Style sheets can be assigned through property inheritance. If you assign a style sheet to a parent document, all new module, section, and topic documents that you link as children of this document while working in the Outline Editor, and more importantly, all new web pages linked as concepts inherit the parent's style sheet setting.

 

Any new web page that you create from the Concept pane of the Outline Editor inherits the style sheet of its parent. Likewise, if you assign a style sheet to a topic, any new web pages that you create while working in the Topic Editor, for example, as new frame attachments, inherit the topic's style sheet setting. However, new documents that are not linked (documents that are created using the File, New command), and existing documents that you link, do not inherit any property settings.


If a style sheet is no longer appropriate for a document, you can change or remove the assigned style sheet using the Properties toolpane. Changing or removing the style sheet assigned to a parent does not automatically change the style sheet for any child documents, even those that inherited their style sheet from the parent. You must change the style sheet for each child document manually.


Note: You can view the style sheets assigned to selected documents in the Related Links toolpane. However, you cannot use the Related Links toolpane to change style sheet assignments.

 

Multi-user Considerations Multi-user Considerations

ProcedureTo assign a style sheet to a document:

  1. Display the Properties toolpane.
     
  2. From the Library or Outline Editor, select the document(s) to which you want to assign a style sheet.
     
    You can select multiple documents using the standard Windows selection keys (CTRL+click and SHIFT+click). However, only modules, sections, topics, and web pages can be included in the selection.
     
    Note: You cannot change the style sheet property for a web page from the Outline Editor. You can change the property from the Library or Web Page Editor.
     
  3. In the General category, click the Style Sheet cell then click Browse.
     
  4. In the Select a Style Sheet Document dialog box, navigate to the desired style sheet and click Open.

ProcedureTo remove a style sheet assignment from a document:

  1. Display the Properties toolpane.
     
  2. From the Library or Outline Editor, select the document(s) for which you want to remove a style sheet.
     
    You can select multiple documents using the standard Windows selection keys (CTRL+click and SHIFT+click). However, only modules, sections, topics, and web pages can be included in the selection.
     
    Note: You cannot change the style sheet property for a web page from the Outline Editor. You can change the property from the Library or Web Page Editor.
     
  3. In the General category, click the Style Sheet property name and press DELETE to clear the style sheet name from the field.

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