Re: Embedded help advice

[dmbrown -at- brown-inc -dot- com]

Regarding embedded help, "Jones, Colleen" wrote:
> 
> I've been consulting some articles in TC and elsewhere about the general
> concepts and research; now I'm looking for some nitty-gritty advice and
> info.

Of course, embedded help can take several different forms:  text near each UI element, text pop-ups for each element, a "?" or similar icon near each element that displays a separate page (typically in a new window), and a reserved help "area" in a consistent location on every page, just to name a few.

In web-hosted applications, my experience has been with the last, and it was very well regarded by users.  We simply reserved some real estate on the right side of the app window, where the help appeared.  The help was visible by default, but you could click a show/hide icon if you didn't want to see it.  We found most people left it on, because it was helpful (!), it didn't get in the way, and it wasn't visually disruptive.

The help text was simple HTML, loaded from a separate file as the page was assembled for delivery to the client browser.  (Putting it in a separate file made it easier for writers to get to the content without getting in the developers' way.)  We developed it in HomeSite, which we use for all our HTML work (though any HTML editor will do.)

We hope to add minor improvements (such as scroll bars in a fixed-size area, rather than elongating the page to accommodate a wordier help topic), but I haven't seen anything I like better.

Have fun!

--David 
 
========================================================================

HTML Indexer 4 is still the easiest way to create and maintain indexes 
for web sites, intranets, HTML Help, JavaHelp, and other HTML documents.

HTML Indexer 4 includes fully integrated cross-references, target frames 
and windows, multiple-file output, "one-step accept" of default entries, 
and more!

http://www.html-indexer.com/

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Robohelp X3, from eHelp, lets you quickly and easily create 
professional Help systems for all your Windows and Web-based 
applications, including Net. 

Order RoboHelp X3 in May and receive a $100 mail-in rebate, PLUS
free RoboScreenCapture and WebHelp Merge Module. 
 
Order RoboHelp today: http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.