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Filter Elements

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Anders
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In this section, you can learn how to apply filters to block elements, such as paragraphs, lists, and images. These filters apply to an entire block of content. If you want to filter inline content, such as one sentence or one word in a paragraph, see Filter Inline Elements.

Filtering block elements is useful when you have entire elements that you want to include or exclude, depending on certain criteria. For example, you could have a paragraph that is only relevant to Mac users, so you could add a filter to include or exclude it, depending on whether the publication is for Windows or Mac.

Note

To apply filters to elements in a topic, use the "regular" type of filtering (you cannot use taxonomy filters for filtering elements in a topic).

To filter elements in a topic:

  1. Mark Up Elements for Filtering. For filtering elements in a topic, use the "regular" type of filtering. You cannot use taxonomy filters for filtering elements in a topic.

  2. Apply Preview Filters to see how the filters will affect your content (this is an optional step).

  3. Apply Publishing Filters and then publish.

Mark Up Elements for Filtering

Before you can apply filtering to your publications, you need to tell Paligo what elements can be filtered, and what filter conditions apply. You can do this by "marking up" the elements that you want to filter.

To mark up your content, you can select an element and then apply a filter attribute and a filter value. The filter attribute tells Paligo which type of filter to use, and the filter value sets the condition for the filter.

element-para-os-windows.jpg

Element (1), filter attribute (2), filter value (3).

Paligo does not have one generic filter for everything. Instead, it has a range of filter types, called Filter Attributes. There are different filter attributes for filtering by product name, by audience, by country, and by market, among others.

Note

Marking up the content tells Paligo what content can be filtered. It does not apply the filter. You apply the filter in the publishing settings when you publish the content.

  1. Edit the topic that contains the element you want to filter. Select any part of the element so that it is shown in the Element Structure Menu.

  2. In the Element Structure Menu, select the element you want to filter and then select Go to element.

    select-step-element.png

    Tip

    If you want to filter text inside a paragraph, and not the entire paragraph, highlight the text and add the phrase element to it. You will then be able to apply the filter attribute and value to the phrase element so that it can be included/excluded when you publish.

  3. In the Element attributes section, select Add attribute and search for the filter attribute you want to use. Note that the Add attribute list includes all attributes, not just filters

    There are many different types of profile attribute (filter) that you can use, including product name, country, and audience. To find out about the different profile attributes, see Filter Attributes.

    select-filter-attribute.png

  4. Use the Profiling values dialog to set the filter value. Think of setting the value as a way of telling Paligo where the content is applicable.

    For example, if you have a paragraph that is only applicable to a product named "ACME 1050", you could give it the xinfo:product filter attribute and set the filter value to ACME 1050.

    You can have single values or you can add multiple values, where Paligo will include the content if either of the values are a match.

    Choose from any of the available values or use Add value to create more values if needed.

    profiling-values.png

    Note

    We have included some more detailed examples of how you can use filter conditions to include and exclude content at the end of this section.

  5. Repeat steps 2-4 inclusive to apply filters to as many elements as needed.

You have now set the profile attributes and values for the content you want to filter. We recommend that you preview the filters to see how they work before you publish.

Example 2. Use multiple filter values to create an OR filter

Let's say you have a paragraph that is only applicable for customers in North America and the EU. You want to include the paragraph when you are publishing to those markets, but want to exclude it when you are publishing to the Middle East, Australia, and other markets. This is where you need an OR filter, as you want the content to appear when the market is North America OR the EU.

To mark up the paragraph, you:

  1. Select the para element.

  2. Add the xinfo:market attribute in the Element Attributes Panel.

  3. Set the attribute value.

FILTER-MARKET-EUNORTHAMERICA.jpg

When you publish the content, you can choose the filters for the publication.

FILTER-MARKET-PUBLISH.jpg

  • If you set the publication's market filter to North America, EU, or both North America and EU, the filtered paragraph is included.

  • If you set the publication's market filter to another region, such as Australia, the filtered paragraph is excluded.

  • If you do not set a market filter for the publication, the filtered paragraph is included. It is only excluded from the publication if the market filter is applied and the value for the market filter does not match North America or EU.


Example 3. Exclude a filter value rather than include it

Paligo's filtering is inclusive, which means that when you set a filter, you are telling Paligo what content you want to be included in the output. But there may be times where you want to exclude certain content rather than include it. For these situations, set up filter values for:

  • The conditions where you want the content to be included

  • The conditions where you want the content to be excluded.

Then, when you publish, you can tell Paligo which content to include. By including one condition, you automatically exclude the other possible conditions.

Note

The "inclusive" filtering strategy may take a while to wrap your head around if you are new to filtering or if you come from another environment where you used filters for both including and excluding specifically. But once you get the idea, the inclusive strategy is very powerful in that it can accomplish exactly the same, but with a much cleaner structure, so you will have a more robust long-term solution.

Let's say you have three types of users: administrators, engineers, and operators. You have a paragraph that you want to be included for the engineers and operators, but excluded for the administrators. To set this up you:

  1. Select the para element.

  2. Add the audience attribute.

  3. Select the value for the audience attribute and create these values: "administrators", "engineers", "operators".

    Note that it is important to create values for where you want the content to be included and also for where you want it to be excluded.

    profiling-values-audience-add.jpg

  4. Set the audience attribute value to "engineers" and "operators".

    profiling-audience-engineers-operators.jpg

When you publish the content, you can choose the filters for the publication.

To publish for the administrator audience, you set the audience to "administrators".

publish-administrators-audience.jpg

The published output will then include:

  • Any content that has an audience filter with a value of "administrators". The paragraph that you marked up has an audience filter with a value of "engineers" and "operators", and so it is not included in the published output.

  • All content that does not have an audience filter

To publish for the engineers or operators, you set the publication's audience filter to "Engineers" and "Operators".

publish-engineers-audience.jpg

The published output will then include:

  • Any content that has an audience filter with a value of "Engineers" or "Operators". So the paragraph that you marked up is included in the published output.

  • All content that does not have an audience filter.


Apply Preview Filters

When you mark up your content for filtering, you can use the preview feature to see the effects of the filters. This is a good way of making sure that the filters work as expected, and is especially useful if you have used a combination of filters.

The filter is applied to the preview applies to any content that is:

  • Not marked up to use the types of filter you have applied is included in the content.

  • Marked up to use the filters you have applied, with the same values you have set, is included in the content.

  • Marked up to use the filters you have applied, but with different values, is excluded.

Example 4. To show the market filter attribute

If you set the preview to show the Market filter attribute with a value of Europe, the topic would show any content that is:

  • Not marked up to use the Market filter attribute

  • Marked up to use the Market filter attribute and a value of Europe

The preview would exclude any content that has the Market filter attribute and any other value, such as Asia, North America or Australasia.


To preview the filters:

  1. Select the topic or component in the Content Manager to open it in the Editor.

    Content Manager in Paligo. It shows the Documents section contains an Acme 100 Topics folder. Inside the folder there is a publication and many topics, including "Connect to Network (100).

    Alternatively, you can Create a Topic and edit that.

  2. Select the Preview tab in the Toolbar.

    Preview_menu_small.png

  3. Select Profile settings. Profile_settings_button_small.png

  4. Select the Profiling tab.

    profile-settings-blank.png

  5. Select the filter to be applied for each filter attribute for the preview.

    profile-settings-values.png

    If you do not want to apply a particular filter, leave its field blank.

  6. Select Apply.

    Paligo updates the topic to show the filters that will be used with the variant you have selected.

  7. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to change the filters for the preview and see how they affect the content.

Tip

To stop applying the filter preview, display the Profile settings dialog select the Profiling tab, and then select Reset.

Apply Publishing Filters

When you publish your content, you can choose which Filter Attributes to apply to the output. There is a field for each profiling attribute and you can set one or more values. Note that filter attributes are also known as profiling attributes.

If you choose a single value, Paligo will:

  • Include any content that has the filter attribute and the value you defined (for that filter attribute)

  • Include any content that does not have the filter attribute

  • Exclude any content that has the filter attribute, but with a different value.

If you choose multiple values, the filter works as an OR filter. Paligo will then filter like this:

  • Include any content that has the filter attribute and any of the values you defined (for that filter attribute)

  • Include any content that does not have the filter attribute

  • Exclude any content that has the filter attribute, but with a different value to the ones you defined.

When you apply filtering, it is important to understand the "inclusive" filter behavior we have described. Also, be aware that each filter attribute is handled separately. Choosing a value for one filter attribute does not mean Paligo automatically applies the same value for other filter attributes. The example at the end of this article shows how you can include and exclude content with filters.

To apply publishing filters:

  1. Select the dotted menu (...) for the topic or publication in Content Manager.

    selectpublish.png

  2. Select Publish. Publish_button_small.png

    publish-document-jan23.png

    Paligo displays the Publish document dialog.

  3. Select an Output type (PDF, HTML, HTML5, Word, XML, eLearning or SCORM).

  4. Set the Languages, Variables and Optional Parameters.

    Tip

    These are common publishing settings, see Publish Content.

  5. Select Edit in the Profiling attributes section. Filter_symbol_small.png

    Profiling attributes dialog. There are many filter fields available, including Audience, Condition, Country, and Market.

    The Profiling attributes dialog contains a field for each available filter attribute.

  6. Decide which filter attributes and values you want to apply to your publication. Then, for each filter that you want to use, select the profiling value from the menu.

    Profiling attributes dialog. The Audience filter is selected and the Beginner value is chosen.

    To learn how to create more profiling values, see Create Profiling Values.

    Note

    If there are any filter attributes that you do not want to use, leave their fields blank. When there is no attribute set, Paligo ignores that type of filter.

  7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each profiling attribute you want to apply.

  8. Select OK.

  9. Select Publish document to publish your content.

Example 5. Include and exclude content using an audience filter attribute

Let's say you have a publication with these topics:

The publication structure for a publication called CMS documentation. It has an Install the shield app topic, a Set your preferences topic, and a Learning the basics topic.

  • Install the shield app

    This topic is only for IT admin users.

  • Set your preferences

    This topic is suitable for all users.

  • Learning the basics

    This topic is only for beginner users.

You want to publish a help center designed for IT admin users. For this, you need to include "Install the shield app" and "Set your preferences" but exclude "Learning the basics". To make this possible, you add the audience filter attribute to the section element in the appropriate topics, and set the values as follows:

  • You give "Install the shield app" the audience attribute on the section element. You set the attribute value to:IT admin (you add a value with this name).

    Element attributes panel. The section element is selected. It has an audience filter attribute with the value IT admin.

  • You leave "Set your preferences" with the default settings. It does not need an audience attribute as this content is suitable for all users.

  • You give "Learning the basics" the audience attribute and set its value to Novice. Again, you add a value with this name and the attribute is on the section element.

    Element attributes panel. The section element is selected. It has an audience filter attribute with the value: Novice.

You then publish your content. In the publishing settings, you apply the audience filter and you choose the IT admin value.

Publish document dialog. The publishing settings are for an HTML5 help center output. The profiling attributes have Audience: IT admin set to be included.

When Paligo generates the output, it:

  • Includes "Install the shield app" as it has audience:IT admin. You chose to use content that has the audience filter attribute with the admin value.

  • Includes "Set your preferences" as this does not have the audience filter attribute. By default, Paligo includes any content that does not have the filter attributes you chose to use.

  • Excludes "Learning the basics" as it has the filter attribute, but it does not have admin as the value. Instead it has novice, which does not match your filter criteria, and so the content is excluded.

HTML5 Help Center output. It has panels and links for the Install the shield app and Set your preferences topics. There is nothing for the Learn the basics topic as it has been filtered out of this publication and is not included.

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