Create a fall-back path for software releases

Variants for Software Releases

Acme's requirements

Acme needs to create and maintain content for several releases. The content for each release must be available for publishing at any time. The content must also be available for updating to accommodate changes in the software.

Solution

Create a list of values organized into a "stepped" structure, also known as a fall-back path. This helps to define which variant content is used if there is no topic matching the current filter selection.

Requirements and behavior:

  • Each topic has a value assigned using the "release" variant criteria.
  • When you filter the book for a release, the system checks each topic for a matching variant, otherwise the most appropriate variant based on the fall-back path is used.

Note: If you have special releases you can also create a branched fall-back path.

Fall-back path

If there isn't an object matching the current filter selection Author uses the fall-back path, which you defined in the variant criteria List of Values window.

For example, when publishing for release 2.0 Author checks if there is variant topic for this release. If there isn't a variant for 2.0, Author looks for a variant topic for release 1.2. Author looks down the fall-back path until it finds a variant topic.

Fall-back Paths No Branches