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Subject:Re: My test drive of RH 2002 MIF Imports... From:Charles E Vermette <cvermette -at- juno -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 23 Jan 2002 12:59:25 -0500
David Spreadbury wrote:
<<RoboHelp 2002 now uses FrameMaker MIF files, just like WebWorks does.
The
only difference, and I talked to a RoboHelp representative, is where
WebWorks opens the Frame source and creates the MIF, with RoboHelp, you
have
to do that step. But there are macro utilities around that can automate
the
task for you...>>>
>From the eHelp website:
"Direct FrameMaker Import (MIF)
Import your FrameMaker documents, including their table of
contents, index and glossary, into RoboHelp - even without
FrameMaker installed on your computer. RoboHelp turns your
FrameMaker files into a complete Help project, without any
effort on your part."
I have an eval copy and want to really see if it will do all that it
states,
especially the part about ... without any effort on your part...>>>
I downloaded RH 2002, and then opened FM files that I had successfully
converted in WWP. (i.e., they were clean files that had already been
involved in a WWP conversion.)
I found the following when I played with the eval copy:
- RoboHTML will import Frame docs, but THE OPTION IS NOT AVAILABLE IN
ROBOHELP CLASSIC. ForeHelp users who are creating WinHelp should be aware
of this.
- RH will not import an FM book file. You must create MIFs of each
chapter of the book file, and then import each MIF in the RH project.
- I had numerous graphic frames with screenshots, drawing objects and
callouts in them. THE CALLOUTS DID NOT APPEAR.
- TOC and index imported fine. RH will recognize a generated FM TOC and
ask if you want to create a help toc from it.
- RH does not allow you to directly map frame styles to HTML styles as
WWP does. You can reformat the styles in the RH (as you do with Word,)
but I did not attempt to reattach the CSS to different docs. (If I *had*
to import more than 10 docs into an RH project, I'd hope that the CSS
would only need to be updated for the *first* occurrence of a given
style.)
In short, the MIF import will work fine if:
- you have only a few FM files to import
- you use composite graphics in your FM files, and:
- you are NOT creating WinHelp
I would NOT want to use this feature if I had a large amount of
documentation to convert.
If eHelp is serious about offering a Frame to help solution, I'd
recommend the following:
- Allow for importing of entire books at once (as WWP does.)
- Offer a solution for WinHelp users
- Add as much of the functionality of WWP and Mif2Go as possible.
Charles E. Vermette
85 Washington Park Drive, Norwell MA 02061
781-659-1836
e-mail: cvermette -at- juno -dot- com
web: http://www.charlesvermette.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Attention ForeHelp and Doc-to-Help Users! Upgrade your existing product to
RoboHelp for only $299, through January 31st. RoboHelp can import your
existing Help projects! Learn how else RoboHelp can benefit you. www.ehelp.com/techwr
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