MadCap Flare 2022

Meta Tags

• Meta Tags in Previous Versions of Flare:
  • Until now, you could open the properties for a topic and enter a description on the Topic Properties tab. This created a description meta tag, which is one of the most common types of meta tags used by browsers to make an HTML file findable. The Description field is no longer found on this tab. It has been moved to the new Meta Tags tab, and any description meta tags that you have created in the past for topics are retained and can be found here.
  • Flare now also has a field in the Advanced tab of the Target Editor (for online output formats), where you can add meta tags.
• Content Management - After adding meta tags to your files, there are various ways that you can find and manage that information. This includes several features available in the Analysis ribbon, the Find and Replace window pane, and the File List window pane. New features in the Analysis ribbon include:
  • Duplicate Meta Tags.
  • Invalid Meta Values.
  • Used Meta Tags.
  • Undefined Meta Tags.
  • Unused Meta Tags.
• Where Meta Tags Can Be Added in Flare - You can set meta tags at any of the following levels in a Flare project:
  • Meta Tag Set.
  • Project.
  • Target.
  • Template page.
  • Snippet.
  • Topic.
  • Micro content file.
  • Micro content phrase.
  • Image.
  • Multimedia.
• Meta Tag Sets - You can now add meta tag sets to your project to set up a schema of meta tags to be used at various file levels. There are three categories of meta tags that are available: text, list, and file tags.
  • A meta tag set isn't absolutely necessary to add text meta tags, because you can add those at any file level that supports meta tags.
  • However, if you want to use lists or file tags, you need to set them up first in a meta tag set.
  • The values associated with them will then become available at the various file levels.
• Custom Meta Tags in Files - In addition to using meta tag sets, you can also add custom text meta tags to any of the files that support them in a project.

Micro Content Enhancements

• Micro Content and Meta Tags - A meta tag is a type of metadata that you can use in MadCap Flare files for search engine optimization (SEO) and content management. You can now integrate meta tags with your micro content which gives you more flexibility and control over what micro content displays in the output and where.
• Added new Options for Featured Snippets - In previous versions, micro content displayed automatically in HTML5 search results as featured snippets, according to phrases closely matching an end user's keyword(s). Starting with this version, featured snippets are still shown in the same area (above the regular search results), but you can now use a filter to more specifically determine which micro content might display as featured snippets.
• Knowledge Panel - Micro content can now be displayed in HTML5 search results in an area called the "Knowledge Panel."
• Added FAQ, Knowledge, and Promotion Proxies - Following are the three micro content proxies available in Flare.
  • FAQ Proxy - The FAQ proxy lets you generate a list of phrases and responses for the selected micro content file(s) in most outputs.
  • Knowledge Proxy - The Knowledge proxy lets you display filtered micro content items in HTML5 output.
  • Promotion Proxy - The Promotion proxy lets you display random micro content items in HTML5 output.
• Micro Content Proxy Styles - You can use micro content proxy styles to control the look of those containers.
  • faqProxy - Modifies the FAQ proxy container holding micro content.
  • knowledgeProxy - Modifies the Knowledge proxy container holding micro content.
  • promotionProxy - Modifies the Promotion proxy container holding micro content.
• Skins and Skin Components for Micro Content Containers - For HTML5 targets, you can use a full HTML5 skin to edit the look and behavior for all of these micro content elements.
  • Alternatively, for the proxies, you can use separate micro content skin components (FAQ, Knowledge, Promotion) if you want to have different settings for various instances of a proxy in your project.

Skin Enhancements

• HTML5 Skin Editor Updates - The Skin Editor includes a redesign that improves navigation and editing capabilities. The updates are most evident in its Styles tab and Setup tab. There are a few new style groups and properties pertaining to micro content and proxies.
• Truncated and Dynamic Skin Options - In the Skin Editor Styles tab, the user interface has been changed. The skin options (i.e., style group and properties) are truncated and dynamic (i.e., displayed or hidden) based on what is applicable to the selected skin and setup options.
• Horizontal or Vertical Viewing - You can now view the style groups section and properties section in a horizontal way (i.e., columns stacked one on top of the other), or in a vertical fashion (i.e., side-by-side). You can change the position to your preference, and also set all the style groups to display as expanded or collapsed.
• Search Result Style Group and Properties - In the Skin Editor’s Styles tab, expand the Search Results section to see style groups and properties for featured snippets and the Knowledge Panel. This allows you to control the way these two items appear and behave in the HTML5 search results output.
• Topic Proxy Style Group and Properties - You can now use the Topic Proxies section in the Skin Editor’s Styles tab to control the look and feel for content associated with an FAQ, Knowledge, or Promotion proxy.
• Setup Tab View Mode Options - The Skin Editor’s Setup tab now lets you select between truncated, drop-down, or plain text view modes for micro content (e.g., featured snippets, Knowledge Panel) and proxies (e.g., FAQ, Knowledge, Promotion). This is simply a way to customize the look and behavior of this type of content in your HTML5 output.
• Micro Content Skin Components:
  • You can now add micro content elements to your HTML5 output using a regular full skin such as Side Navigation or Top Navigation, without worrying about additional skin components. Both the featured snippets and Knowledge Panel search results can be included from the Target Editor using default styles.
  • You can also add a micro content skin component and proxy (e.g., FAQ, Knowledge, Promotion). When you add a micro content proxy to a content file, you can select a specific skin for filtered micro content files.
  • The micro content skin types are:
    • Micro Content - FAQ.
    • Micro Content - Knowledge.
    • Micro Content - Promotion.
  • Each skin takes on slightly different default styles and options that cater to the intended use.
• Micro Content Skin Editor - When you add one of the micro content skin types, it now automatically opens in the Micro Content Skin Editor. This editor is a slimmed down version of the regular Skin Editor, but it focuses just on the selected skin component and proxy.
  • Micro Content - FAQ: The FAQ proxy lets you generate a list of phrases and responses for the selected micro content file(s) in most outputs.
  • Micro Content - Knowledge: The Knowledge proxy lets you display filtered micro content items in HTML5 output.
  • Micro Content - Promotion: The Promotion proxy lets you display random micro content items in HTML5 output.
• Skins and the Target Editor:
  • The Target Editor now includes a Skin tab for selecting an FAQ skin component.
  • The Target Editor's Search tab (for HTML5 outputs) now has featured snippets and Knowledge Panel filters.
• Print Medium in Skins - In the HTML5 Skin Editor, the user interface now displays a Print medium button next to the Web, Tablet, and Mobile mediums.
  • The main purpose of the Print medium is for controlling how the skin looks when printed from an online source. The Print medium in the skin is its own entity, separate from the other mediums, and it does not share the same purpose as mediums in the stylesheet or in responsive output.
  • When you have HTML5 output in a browser, you can send an online page to print. The Print medium lets you adjust style properties to control how the printed output looks for skin elements, otherwise the styles default to the Web medium. This is true for main HTML5 skins (e.g., Side Navigation, Top Navigation) or for some smaller skin components.

Copyright Metadata for PDF Output

• New fields have been added to the PDF Options tab in the Target Editor. These let you add copyright metadata to your PDF output, providing information about the document's status (Unknown, Copyrighted, Public Domain), notice text, and a URL for information.

Document Properties in Word Output

• A new tab called "MS Word Options" has been added to the Target Editor for Microsoft Word.
  • This tab provides new fields that let you specify the way that document properties are handled in the output.
  • Existing fields have been moved from the Advanced tab to this new tab.

Source Control Enhancements

• If you are bound to a source control provider, but do not want to see any user interface elements in Flare associated with source control (i.e., Source Control ribbon, Source Control Explorer, various dialogs), you can now disable the provider.
• Added a new option in the Source Control Explorer to add or edit an ignore (.gitignore) file for your project bound to Git.