Doc-O-Matic - Documentation Web Help

You are here: Creating Documentation > Topic Editor > Word-processing Features > Editing Links > Using Link Databases

Doc-O-Matic 6

Using Link Databases

Collapse All

Related Settings

Project Database, Link Database Options in PDF, Link Database Options in HTML

This topic describes how you can create external links to HTML Help systems, PDF documents and Windows Help systems using link databases.

Doc-O-Matic creates a project database for all Doc-O-Matic projects. Link databases contain Topic IDs of a Doc-O-Matic project as link targets for HTML Help (1 and 2), WebHelp, PDF and Windows Help.

You can use project databases of existing projects to create links from your current project to other Doc-O-Matic projects. Links created with databases are output independent and Doc-O-Matic verifies the link targets. For example, a link in Windows Help always goes to the matching topic in Windows Help. A link in HTML Help output always goes to the matching HTML Help topic.

To use project databases to create external links

On the Views Bar, click Project Manager.
Right-click in the Project Manger, to see the shortcut menu.
Point to Manage Other, and then select Add Project Database.
Add the link database of the project you want to link to (project 2) to your current Doc-O-Matic project (project 1).
In the Topic Editor click Insert Link , and then click .
In the Pick Topic dialog box, select Show link database links.
Scroll down in the list to get to the topic ID to which you want to link.
Under Type, click Native Topic.

Notes

HTML Help 1.x, Help 2 and WebHelp use other target IDs. To make sure that the link database contains all target IDs you are required to generate all HTML Help systems.

Advanced User Information

In addition, to your own link databases Doc-O-Matic includes several prepared link databases for MFC, .NET Framework SDK and VCL. Linking to MFC, NET Framework SDK and VCL works in the same way. You can find the project databases in the Project Database subdirectory in the Doc-O-Matic directory.

To MFC you can only link from HTML Help, to .NET Framework SDK you can only link from MS Help 2 and to VCL only from Windows Help. For more information about how Doc-O-Matic resolves these links, see Resolving External Links.