Topic templates

You can create HTML topic templates to reduce the amount of time it takes to create each topic file and to enhance consistency. A topic template is an HTML file that contains all the font, style, heading, and design elements you use most frequently. Topic templates can be used as the basis for all the content in your help system or Web site.

Design your templates to contain all the basic elements a help author will need to create a specific topic type. For example, in an information system containing many overview topics, you can create an Overview template that contains all the basic style and design elements, in addition to boilerplate text.

Example topic templates

When you create a new help project, a \templates sub folder is added to your project folder, containing example topic templates. You are encouraged to adapt them to your project's standards.

• The overview topic template can be used for overview topics that introduce or describe general concepts.
• The Decision topic template can be used for topics that briefly introduce concepts, and then list links to procedures a user might want to perform.
• The multi-step procedure template can be used for step-by-step topics where there is more than one step in the procedure.
• The one-step procedure topic template can be used for procedure topics that have only one step.

Creating a topic template

To create a topic template

1. Create an HTML file and add the sample text, fields, tables, forms, and other design elements that all the files of this type should contain.
2. Save the file in the \templates subfolder of the help project folder.

Editing a topic template

1. In the Project Folder, open the  \templates sub folder.
2. Open the template you want to change