HelpServer displays content in a typical tri-pane web browser window. In the left pane the table of contents is shown. In the right pane the user can view the topics by selecting them one by one in the table of contents. To support this approach, each topic’s description appears in the table of content.

In printed output however it could be desirable not to have a topic’s description printed. For example, if the topic is an introduction in a book or a chapter. In such cases you are able to hide the description for printed output. Most of the time this approach will only be applicable to the first topic in a folder but you are able to hide the description of any topic.

As an example, we have added an ‘Introduction’ topic to the ‘Chapter: The eagle’ in the 'Animal information' project.

Introduction topic added

In the next image you see how the printed output looks.

Topic description shown in printed output

The introduction topic’s description looks a bit unrealistic. It also appears in the table of contents.

Topic description shown in table of content

To change this behavior, follow these steps.

Hiding a topic description

Popup the menu of the 'Introduction' topic in the ‘Chapter: The eagle’ and select the 'Properties > Hide description' option. Now, re-launch a print of the ‘Book: Birds’ and the result will look like in the next images.

Topic description hidden in printed output

This is definitely an improvement and the description does no longer appear in the table of contents.

Topic description hidden in table of contents

Changing the classes

You can also indicate this behavior in the folder class. For example you could create a new topic class that is used for introductions in chapters. Make sure that this topic class is added to the ‘Chapter’ folder class and select the option 'Hide description' on the right window.

Option 'Hide description' indicated in the classes

If authors then add a new ‘Introduction’ object to a chapter then the description will be hidden automatically in the printed output.