Managing modules in the TOC

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Managing modules in the TOC

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You can manage module entries in the Table of Contents (TOC) in exactly the same way as regular TOC items.

Click to expand/collapseMoving module entries

You can move module entries and change their level in exactly the same way as any other TOC entries.

To move a module entry:

Modules can be moved around in the TOC in the same way as ordinary topics. You just need to select the main module node in order to be able to manipulate it like a topic entry:

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Select the main module entry in the TOC with the mouse and drag it, or use the normal copy and paste methods to move by copying and pasting.

Select the entry and use cut and paste.

Use the BTN_TOC_up and BTN_TOC_down buttons in Write > Manage Topics.

To change the level a module entry:

Select the entry and click on the Promote BTN_TOC_promote and Demote BTN_TOC_demote buttons in Write > Manage Topics.

To delete a module entry:

Select the entry and press DELETE, or select Add Topic > Delete in Write > Manage Topics. (This does not delete the module project, it just removes the module entry from the current TOC.)

Click to expand/collapseForbidden: copying modules, second copies of modules, circular module references

Copying modules:

"Copying" modules is not possible because they are really only references to entire help projects. Also, you cannot copy modules within the same project because duplicate module references are forbidden. If you want to insert the same module in a second project you must do this directly.

Duplicate modules:

Similarly, you cannot insert a second copy of a module entry within the same project. This is not allowed because it would cause irreconcilable conflicts because of the duplicate topic IDs and context numbers it would create.

Circular module references:

This is something you need to be aware of yourself because Help & Manual cannot prevent it automatically and it can cause serious errors. A circular reference is a module that contains another module that then contains the first module. For example, suppose Project A contains Project B as a module. If you then open Project B on its own and try to insert Project A as a module the results in your output can be both unpredictable and unpleasant.

Click to expand/collapseUsing include options on your modules

You can use conditional output include options on entire modules in the same way as you can on individual topics. To do this select the main module entry in the TOC and then select Project > Change > Include in Builds to select the include options for the module. You can also access the include options by right-clicking on the main module entry in the TOC. See Modular projects include options for full details.

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Click to expand/collapseHow to access a child project's files and configuration settings

Even when the TOC of the your child project is visible in the master TOC you cannot see all the child's Topic Files and Configuration settings directly. Only the topics with TOC entries are actually displayed in the master TOC. You can access topic files without TOC entries and the child's configuration settings in the Merged Projects section in the Project Explorer:

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This section is located right at the bottom of the Configuration section. Note that like the TOC, the files and settings of merged projects are only shown for projects inserted in publish-time merging mode. Runtime-merged projects are just placeholders and are not really part of your project, they must be opened and edited separately.

See also:

Modular Projects (Reference, more background information)