What’s New In Flare 6?

Paul Stoecklein MadCap SoftwareTechnical Writer

Major New Stuff

• WebHelp Mobile• Batch Targets• Link Viewer• File Tagging

Other New Stuff• Topic Reviews (Improved)• Index/Concept Window Panes (Improved)• Templates (Improved)• PDF Output (New Engine/More Settings)• Multimedia (More Formats)• And More…

WebHelp Mobile• New target type• Like WebHelp, but much smaller for mobile

devicesSkin to change appearanceCSH, language support, multimedia, etc.Place output on Web server• Works on the major platformsiPhoneWindows MobileBlackberryAndroidPalm Web OS

Adding WH Mobile Targets

The Output

The Output

The Output

The Output

Mobile Skins

Mobile Skins

Regular Vs Mobile Skins

Skin Styles

Batch Targets• Special targets• Generate and/or publish multiple regular

targets• Schedule processes• What about command line?

Adding Batch Targets

Selecting Actions For Targets

Scheduling Tasks

Trigger Options

Link Viewer• See how files are linked to each other

Incoming linksOutgoing linksAssociated targets• Lock the window pane• Open files• View broken links

See How Files Are Linked

Lock Pane/Open Files

View Broken Links

File Tagging• “Flag” any file for any purpose

Authors assigned to topicsTopic statusWhatever else you can think of• Run reports• Great for topic reviews

Add File Tag Set

Add File Tag Set

Create Tags

Assign Tags

Create Reports

Topic Reviews• Sending topics to reviewers who are

using MadCap X-Edit or X-Edit Review• Do not need to open a topic• Send multiple topics• Can save emails

New Wizard

New Wizard

Best Practice: Use With File Tags

Index/Concept Window Panes

• Merged old window panes with explorers• Can now perform tasks from explorer area

Create keywordsAssign keywordsRename keywordsDelete keywordsAs a result, you can manage keywords in multiple topics much faster and with much greater consistency. But you don’t lose the benefit of having keywords inserted in individual files.

The New Index

Window Pane

The New Index

Window Pane

Templates• Process is much easier and less manual• Creating templates (save files or entire

projects)• Template Manager

Create template folders (great for sharing templates on network)Open/edit template filesEdit template file descriptionsMore…

Template Manager

Save a File as a

Template

Save a Project as a

Template

PDF Output• New engine• New options tab in Target Editor• More settings

Downsampling (reducing pixels in images)Security options

New PDF

Options Tab

Multimedia• Flash• Windows Media• QuickTime

These multimedia files are embedded in the topic or snippet.

New Menu Options

Settings

Movie Inserted In A Topic

Movie In Output

What Else?• HTML/XHTML files (import/convert multiple)• Language skins (text strings only)• Links (improved UI when inserting)• RoboHelp 8 (import)• Source control (merging and other changes)• Structure bars (context menus and moving

content)• TOCs (find issues)• Target Editor (improved)

Questions