RE: XML-based Help Authoring tools for customized help

["Bill Lawrence" <scribe -at- matrixplus -dot- com>]

Karen,

The tool-chain for Docbook that should do exactly what you is the
Modular Docbook Stylesheets.  These are freely available from
Sourceforge, and transform Docbook into HTML-Help, HTML, XHTML,
JavaHelp, or PDF.  They are written in XSL, updated regularly, and are
fairly simple to customize.  I set up my former employer (who daily
transforms over 10,000 pages of documentation into both HTML-Help and
PDF) with these tools, and I use them in my current position.

If you decide to go this route and write to me off-list, I can help you
get things set up.

You might also check out the DITA dtd and its tool chain.  DITA was
designed for this sort of thing, but the available tools are a bit more
limited.

I use Emacs to edit some things, but frankly I think Epic is the way to
go.  I've used Epic for years, but I switched to Xmetal for about a
year.  I just ordered Epic to replace it.  For complex, single-source
documents, Epic has quite a lot of convenience tools that you'll really
appreciate.

Bill Lawrence

Senior Technical Writer
Matrix Solutions




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