Creating Topics
Create a Topic
- In the content library, navigate to a folder and click Create New.
- Select the topic type you want to create.
- Enter a title and file name.
- Optional: Create the file in a folder different from the current folder by clicking Change and selecting a new location.
- Optional: Assign the file to collections by clicking Collections and selecting collections from the list.
- Optional: Assign metadata to the file by filling in the Metadata fields.
- Do one of the following:
- To create and open the file, click Create & Edit.
- To create the file and return to the content library, click Create.
Topic Elements
The Content Editor enables you to view topic elements in different tag modes.
For detailed information on the DITA attributes, see DITA 1.3 Specification.
Option | Description | Example |
---|---|---|
Full Tags With Attributes | Displays the entire DITA element syntax including any attributes. | |
Full Tags | Displays only the DITA element name. | |
Short Tags | Displays a blue tag indicator wherever a DITA element occurs. | |
No Tags | Turns off all tags in the Content Editor |
Insert an Element to a Topic
You use the quick insert menu to insert elements into your content.
Copy and Paste an Element in a Topic
You can copy and paste elements it in the same topic or different topics by using the footer or tags.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- To copy an element by using the footer, do the following:
- Place your cursor in the element that you want to copy.
- In the footer, click the element that you want to copy.
- From the context menu, select Copy.
- To copy an element by using the Tags context menu, right-click a tag and select Copy.
- In the same topic or a different topic, right-click where you want to paste the element and click Paste.
Move Elements in a Topic
You can reorder elements in topics by using the footer or by dragging and dropping tags.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- To move an element by using the footer, do the following:
- To move an element by using the Tags context menu, drag and drop a tag to a new position.
Wrap an Element in a Topic
You can wrap elements in other elements by using the footer or tags.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- To wrap an element by using the footer, do the following
- Place your cursor in the element that you want to wrap in another element.
- In the footer, click the element that you want to wrap.
- From the context menu, select Wrap Element.
- To wrap an element by using the Tags context menu, right-click a tag and select Wrap Element.
- In the quick insert menu, do the following:
- Type an element name or scroll through the list of available elements.
- Insert the element by pressing Enter or by clicking the element.
Unwrap an Element in a Topic
You can unwrap elements by using the footer or tags.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- To wrap an element by using the footer, do the following
- Place your cursor in the element that you want to unwrap.
- In the footer, click the element that you want to unwrap.
- From the context menu, select Unwrap Element.
- To unwrap an element by using the Tags context menu, right-click a tag and select Unwrap Element.
Replace an Element in a Topic
You can replace elements with other elements by using the footer or tags.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- To replace an element by using the footer, do the following
- Place your cursor in the element that you want to replace.
- In the footer, click the element that you want to replace.
- From the context menu, select Replace Element.
- To replace an element by using the Tags context menu, right-click a tag and select Replace Element.
- In the quick insert menu do the following:
- Type an element name or scroll through the list of available elements.
- Insert the element by pressing Enter or by clicking the element.
Remove an Element from a Topic
You can remove elements from a topic by using the footer or tags.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- Place your cursor in the element that you want to remove.
- To remove an element by using the footer, do the following:
- In the footer, click the element that you want to remove.
- Click Remove.
- To remove an element by using the Tags context menu, right-click a tag and select Remove.
Images
Annotations
Adding annotations to an image places the image element in an svg-container element, which allows you to add annotations over the image without modifying the image itself. This enables you to reuse the original, non-annotated image elsewhere.
You can add annotations to any image that is supported by Heretto CCMS.
The Annotations interface enables you to:
- Drag and drop the following elements from the Topic Preview
pane on the right into the Image Preview pane on the left.
- Ordered list items
- Steps
Note: The callouts that you annotate images with update automatically as you add, move, or remove the ordered list item elements or step elements. - Move and rotate callouts in the Image Preview pane.
- Edit the DITA content in the Topic Preview pane.
- Switch between different images by using the image context menu in the Topic Preview pane.
Insert an Image
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- Place your cursor where you want to insert an image.
- In the toolbar, click the Image icon.
- In the Select Media window, do one of the following:
Option Description To insert an existing image, navigate to the image, select the image, and click Select. To upload and insert a new image, do the following: - Click the Upload icon.
- Click Select files to upload.
- Select the files that you want to upload.
- Click Upload.
- Select the image and click Select.
- To align the image, change the image width, or add alternate text, select the image and use the context menu.
- To annotate the image, see Annotate an Image.
Change an Image
You can change an image added to a topic by using the image context menu.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- Select an image and in the context menu, click Change.
- In the Select File window, navigate to and select a new image.
- Click Select.
Remove an Image
You can remove an image added to a topic by using the image context menu.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- Select an image and in the context menu, click Remove.
Annotate an Image
- An image element is in a topic. See Insert an Image.
- An ordered list element or step elements are in a topic. See Insert an Element to a Topic.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- Insert an annotation by doing the following:
- Optional: Edit an annotation by doing any of the following:
Option Description To rotate the annotation, do the following: - Select the annotation.
- Click and hold .
- Move your mouse.
To combine multiple graphical elements, do the following: - Press and hold Shift.
- Click the elements that you want to combine.
- Right-click any selected element.
- Select group.
To move a graphical element, do the following: - Click and hold the graphical element.
- Move your mouse.
- Optional: In the Image Preview pane on the left, remove an annotation by right-clicking the annotation and selecting Delete from the context menu.
- Do one of the following:
- To save your progress and keep the Annotations interface open, click Save.
- To save your progress and return to the Content Editor, click Save & Close.
- To discard your progress, click Cancel.
Insert an Image Map
You can define linkable areas over an image by using image map elements.
Videos
Heretto CCMS enables you to insert videos into topics. We recommend inserting videos from external services like YouTube or Vimeo.
Example
Insert an External Video
You can insert a video to a topic by using the Insert Video icon in the Content Editor toolbar.
Insert a Video from the Content Library
You can insert a video to a topic by using the Insert Video icon in the Content Editor toolbar.
Insert an Ordered or Unordered List
Insert a list to organize your content.
Insert a Definition List
Definition lists are useful if you want to explain different terms in the main flow of a document.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- Place your cursor where you want to insert the definition list element.
- Open the quick insert menu by doing one of the following:
- Press (Windows) or (Mac).
- Click the plus icon.
- In the quick insert menu, enter dl or definition list
- Select Definition List.
Manage a Definition List
Heretto CCMS enables you to easily add, remove, and alphabetize definition list entries.
Tables
Use the Table menu to create a table and determine the properties of the table.
Insert a Table
Insert a table to organize information in a grid.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- Place your cursor where you want to insert a table.
- In the toolbar, click the table icon.
- Set the table parameters.
- Click Save.
Merge Table Cells
Create tables with cells that span several columns or rows.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- Place your cursor in the cell you want to merge.
- From the context menu, next to Join, select Left , Right, Up, or Down.
Split Table Cells
Reconfigure a table by splitting joined cells.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- Place your cursor in the joined cell that you want to split.
- From the context menu, next to Split, select Horizontal or Vertical.
Add Table Row Headers
Use the Attributes tab to add row headers to a table.
Footnotes
Footnotes supplement content with references to additional information and are typically placed below the main body of the document.
Numerical Annotations
By default, footnotes are indicated by numerical annotations. Heretto CCMS automatically manages their order. For example, if you insert a new footnote between existing footnotes, their order updates accordingly to their position in the topic.
Symbolic Annotations
You insert symbolic annotations by modifying the callout attribute value of a footnote. Symbolic annotations do not update automatically. For example, if you insert a new footnote between existing symbolic footnotes, you need to update their annotations manually.
Multiple Annotations
You can annotate multiple items in a topic with a single footnote.
Output
Depending on the output, footnotes can render differently. For example, in some outputs, footnotes may be rendered as endnotes. You can change the way footnotes render by modifying publishing scenarios.
Insert Footnotes
Supplement content with references that are placed outside the main body of the document.
Do any of the following:
- If you want to modify the footnote annotations type, see Modify Footnote Annotations.
- If you want to insert multiple footnote annotations, see Insert Multiple Footnote Annotations.
Modify Footnote Annotations
Modify the footnote annotation type by editing the callout attribute value of a footnote element.
Insert Multiple Footnote Annotations
Remove Footnotes
Remove unwanted footnotes.
Insert an Equation
You add an equation to your topic by inserting a mathml element.
Edit an Equation
You can quickly edit equations that need to be updated.
Remove an Equation
You can quickly remove equations that you no longer need from your topics.
Insert Special Characters
Add special characters from the Symbol menu to your topic.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- Place your cursor where you want to insert a symbol.
- Click the Symbol menu and select the symbol you want to insert.
Insert a Non-Breaking Space
Heretto CCMS enables you to see non-breaking space characters.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- Press (Windows) or (macOS).
XML Comments
Heretto CCMS enables you to add XML comments in the DITA source that show in the Content Editor.
XML Tip Comment Example
<concept id="concept-7143" xml:lang="en-us">
<title>Concept A</title>
<shortdesc>Short description.</shortdesc>
<prolog>
<author translate="no" type="creator">User Name <user.name@organization.com></author>
</prolog>
<conbody>
<section>
<title>Section A</title>
<p>Paragraph A</p>
<p>Paragraph B</p>
<!-- TIP: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. -->
<p>Paragraph C</p>
</section>
</conbody>
</concept>
Add an XML Tooltip Comment
You add an XML comment by modifying the DITA source code.
Check Spelling
You can check the spelling of your topics.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- If the spell check is disabled, click the spell check icon.
- Replace a misspelled word by right-clicking the word and selecting a word from the Did you mean list.
Add Words to the Dictionary
Add words to the dictionary so that spell check recognizes the correct spelling.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- If the spell check is disabled, click the spell check icon.
- Right-click a misspelled word and select Add To Dictionary.
Topic Element Attributes
Assigning attributes enables you to manage the properties of elements in a topic.
For detailed information on the DITA attributes, see DITA 1.3 Specification.
Edit Topic Element Attributes
You edit the attributes of an element in a topic to manage its properties.
- In the content library, double-click a topic.
- In the Content Editor, on the right, click Attributes.
- In the Content Editor, place your cursor in the element that you want to edit the attributes for.
- In the Attributes tab, fill in the relevant fields.
Topic XML Code
Heretto CCMS enables you to edit the source code of your topics.
Edit the Topic XML Code
You edit the XML code in the Source Editor.
Find and Replace the Topic XML Code
You can find and replace the XML code of a topic in the Source Editor.