16.5.3 Limiting length of index entries for HTML Help or WinHelp

DITA2Go enforces a limit on length of index entries for the following Help systems:

HTML Help

WinHelp

HTML Help

For HTML Help, the default limit is 488 characters:

[MSHtmlHelpOptions] 
; KeywordLimit = 488 (default), max length of Help index entries
KeywordLimit=488

WinHelp

For WinHelp, the default length is more conservative, because too many characters in a keyword can negatively affect the Help compiler. WinHelp documentation says the limit is 255 characters. DITA2Go sets the default to 64, based on experience:

[HelpOptions]
; KeywordLimit = max characters total (all levels) in keywords
KeywordLimit=64

You can test the limit yourself, watching for compiler errors as you increase the setting.

Previous Topic:  16.5.2 Preparing index entries for Microsoft Help Viewer

Next Topic:  16.5.4 Treating commas as potential index level separators

Parent Topic:  16.5 Configuring index entries for Help systems

Sibling Topics:

16.5.1 Understanding how DITA2Go creates Help index entries

16.5.2 Preparing index entries for Microsoft Help Viewer

16.5.4 Treating commas as potential index level separators

16.5.5 Combining index levels for HTML-based Help

16.5.6 Configuring See and See also entries for HTML-based Help

16.5.7 Specifying index link destinations for HTML-based Help

16.5.8 Customizing index sort order