04/10/231

RoboHelp - OverviewRoboHelp - Overview

04/10/232

AgendaAgenda

What is Online Help?

What is a Help-authoring tool (HAT)?

Different Help-authoring tools available

Features available in Robohelp

Difference between Robohelp and Webworks Publisher

04/10/233

Help-authoring tool Help-authoring tool

Online Help: Documentation/Help in electronic format

A help-authoring tool or HAT is a software program to create online help manuals

Online Help file formats:– Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF)

– Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)

– Microsoft WinHelp (.HLP) – based on Rich Text Format

– Microsoft Compressed HTML Help (.CHM)

– Mac OS X Help (.HELP)

– Sun JavaHelp (.js)

04/10/234

Help-authoring tool Help-authoring tool

The basic functions of help-authoring tools are: File Input/Create => Edit => Help Output

File Input Formats: HATs obtain their source text either by importing it from a file produced by another program, or by allowing the author to create the text within the tool using a text editor. File formats that can be imported include HTML, Microsoft Word, MIF (FrameMaker Interchange Format) and compiled help formats such as Microsoft WinHelp and Microsoft Compressed HTML Help. The ability to import compiled help formats is useful when the source text for those files has been lost.

Help Output Formats: The output from a HAT can be either a specialised help file in a format such as WinHelp or Microsoft Compiled HTML (CHM), or a general-purpose document file such as Adobe PDF or HTML.

04/10/235

Help-authoring tool Help-authoring tool Some HATs provide extra functions like:

– Automatic or assisted index generation

– Automatic table of contents

– Spelling checker

– Image editing

– Image hotspot editing

– Import and export of text in XML files, for exchange with computer-assisted translation programs

04/10/236

Common Help-Authoring Tools(HAT)Common Help-Authoring Tools(HAT)

Some common help authoring tools include:

RoboHelp: An easy-to-use tool to create professional Help systems and documentation for desktop and web-based applications

AuthorIT: A collaborative authoring tool used for single-source content management.

Chm maker: An easy-to-use help authoring tool for creating help files in CHM format.

Doc-To-Help: An authoring tool that creates various online Help formats and printed manuals from Microsoft Word or HTML source documents.

Webworks Publisher in association with Adobe FrameMaker: The most common tool for large technical documents.

Epic Editor: An XML-based authoring tool.

04/10/237

About RoboHelpAbout RoboHelp

RoboHelp is a Help authoring tool (HAT) created by the eHelp Corporation and now owned by Macromedia.

Used by technical writers to create help files in various formats, including:

– FlashHelp– Microsoft WinHelp– Microsoft Compressed HTML Help– Sun JavaHelp– WebHelp– Oracle Help for Java– XML – Microsoft Word – PDF

04/10/238

System RequirementsSystem Requirements

RoboHelp Office - System Requirements:– Pentium 300 MHz or faster

– 128 MB RAM (256 MB recommended)

– 32-bit operating system - Windows XP, ME, 2000, 98, or NT 4.0

– MS Word 2003, 2002, 2000, 97 for authoring in MS Word-based environment

– Internet Explorer 5.0 or later

– 200 MB available disk space

04/10/239

Features in RoboHelpFeatures in RoboHelp

Help Topics

Easily create Help topics using WYSIWIG editor to individually explain the features in your application.

04/10/2310

Features in RoboHelpFeatures in RoboHelp

Graphics

Integrate graphics, such as screenshots of particular application features, into your Help topics.

04/10/2311

Features in RoboHelpFeatures in RoboHelp

Hyperlinks, Pop-Ups & Image Maps

Add links to text and graphics that go to other topics, roll-over messages, customized pop-up windows, or URLs.

04/10/2312

Features in RoboHelpFeatures in RoboHelp

Table of Contents & Index Easily add comprehensive navigation features so end-users

can quickly find the information they need.

04/10/2313

Features in RoboHelpFeatures in RoboHelp

Search Function Include a powerful natural language search or full-text search.

(Natural language requires RoboHelp Office Pro.)

04/10/2314

Features in RoboHelpFeatures in RoboHelp

Glossary Define unfamiliar terms for your end-users without requiring

them to leave the topic they are viewing.

04/10/2315

Features in RoboHelpFeatures in RoboHelp

Context-Sensitive HelpAdd context-sensitive Help links to your application that connect directly to specific Help topics.

Importing ContentImport content from HTML, Microsoft Word, Adobe FrameMaker, PDF documents, XML, or existing Help projects.

04/10/2316

Features in RoboHelp

Automated WizardsTable of Contents Composer

Index Designer

Glossary Wizard

Browse Sequence Editor

Related Topic Wizard

04/10/2317

Features in RoboHelpFeatures in RoboHelp

Single Sourcing Generate multiple online formats from a single project,

including – FlashHelp

– WebHelp

– HTML Help

– WinHelp

– JavaHelp

– Oracle Help for Java

– HTML

– XML

04/10/2318

Difference b/w RoboHelp & Webworks Difference b/w RoboHelp & Webworks PublisherPublisher Webworks Publisher generates files that are ready to be

compiled in the Microsoft Help Compiler. Unlike RoboHelp, you do not modify the source files directly.

RoboHelp provides an easy-to-use interfaces, but the problem is that you have to export the information out of FrameMaker to RTF, and you lose a lot of formatting this way.

– Spend weeks in cleaning up the RTF output from RoboHelp before you can really develop the help.

– If you use in your Online Help, look at direct conversion alternatives from FrameMaker to WinHelp to avoid redoing all your formatting.