Application and text files are the kind of files that are processed by an editing or browsing application instead of a commonly known 'media player'. Many of these kind of files represent documents in a independent format such as the pdf file. Archived or zipped files to ship software releases and upgrades are also treated by HelpServer as 'application files' . Even Microsoft Office files. On the other hand, plain documents files are treated as 'text files'
You include an application or a text file in a topic by inserting the file from the file system or by re-sing the file from the project gallery. You actually insert a link to the file at the cursor position. The behavior of the file is determined by properties included in the link object and are saved in the topic body.
In the next example a pdf file is included in the 'Topic: About the falcon' of the 'Animal information' project. Popup the menu of the file link and select 'Application file link properties' to see and change the properties.
Opening the application file link properties
The application file link properties
The target
This is the actual file that remains on the database. If you click on 'File properties' you can see the file details.
The file properties
On this window you can reload and restore the file.
The invocation
These options determine the way the application or text file is invoked. This can be the following.
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The hotspot
The hotspot automatically gets the 'File' character style.
The hotspot is the clickable area that represents a link to the file. By default the name of the file is used as a textual hotspot.
Using text as a hotspot
You can change the text in the entry field of properties window or you can change it directly in the topic body, it won't influence the link mechanism.
Using an image as a hotspot
If you like to present the file as an image you can click on the 'Browse' button and then select the image from the project gallery or from your file system.
