Custom Toolbars for RoboHelp Classic

August 2001 RoboHelp Classic for WinHelp Tip

Hunting down a command on a menu bar can be slow. I rarely use menus anymore. It's easy to create a custom toolbar, attach it to the Robohelp.DOT template file, and add tools to the toolbar.

For example, most help authors use Non-scrolling regions in RoboHelp Classic. The command in Word that performs this action is Format: Paragraph: Keep With Next. Wouldn't it be great if you could add that command to a toolbar? In this month's tip you learn how.

Adding custom toolbars in RoboHelp Classic

First let's create a custom toolbar to attach to the Robohelp.DOT template. This way it will only be available when Robohelp is open.

  1. Open any project in RoboHelp Classic.

  2. In Microsoft Word choose View: Toolbars: Customize.tip990102.jpg (21992 bytes)

  3. On the Toolbar tab click the New button.
    tip990103.jpg (1318 bytes)

  4. Type a Toolbar name (i.e. MyRHTools).

  5. Choose the drop down list and select the RoboHelp.dot file (this will make the toolbar appear only when you have Robohelp open).
    tip990104.jpg (9764 bytes)

  6. Click OK (a new empty toolbar appears on the screen)
    tip990105.jpg (1192 bytes).

  7. Position the new toolbar on the screen by dragging.

  8. On the Customize dialog box, click the Commands tab.

  9. Under Categories scroll down and choose All Commands.

  10. Under Commands scroll down and choose ParaKeepWithNext.
    On a Swedish menu the name will read:Stycke håll ihop med nästa
    tip990106.jpg (25887 bytes)

  11. Drag ParaKeepWithNext onto the new toolbar.tip990108.jpg (3483 bytes)

  12. Repeat this dragging action for other commands that you want available. Some examples are:

Next, Renaming custom tools