RE: Online Help question

[Ronald Schwarz <RSchwarz -at- cosmocom -dot- com>]

Melissa,

In the software applications I am familiar with, the developers need to know the default file, e.g. index.htm, to which that they need to link their application - at the minimum. Some applications use context sensitive help. Every topic then needs a context identifier so that the "pages" in the user interface can link to specific topics in the help. I so far did not have to develop context sensitive help. Most HATs let you create context sensitive help.

So that should help you get started.



Message: 5

Date: Thu, 6 May 2010 11:24:00 -0400

From: Melissa Nelson <melmis36 -at- hotmail -dot- com>

Subject: Online Help question

To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>

Message-ID: <BAY149-w38CBBAA60517D1D2A75AE5D9F50 -at- phx -dot- gbl>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"





Hi All,







I have a couple of questions and I am not quite sure how to ask them, so I hope I make sense!







Ok Here goes....







I started a job as the first technical writer at a company a few weeks ago; by the way thanks for all the tips! :)







Anyhow...they are looking at starting an Online Help system, or at least a series of FAQs that can be searched. I suggested using RoboHelp or FLARE for producing the content, I have experience with RoboHelp and Help and Manual but not FLARE. Is FLARE better than either RoboHelp or Help and Manual? I know it seems to be the most popular lately, but is it really any better?







Also, I have produced the content for Online Help and then passed it off to developers, so when they asked me in the meeting what happens with the content after I produced it, my only reply was "I do not know..I send it to developers!" I kind of need a better answer if I am actually going to get this system..and it is really needed! Does anyone on here know of a great answer for what steps Online Help goes through from producing it in an HAT to actually being able to access it when you click a Help button?







Hope that made a little sense..just came out of a two and a half hour meeting on it and my brain is fried! :)







Thanks so much,







Melissa






















Ronald Schwarz
Senior Technical Writer
CosmoCom, Inc.
121 Broad Hollow Road
Melville, NY 11747 USA
Phone:   +1 (631) 940-4320
Fax:     +1 (631) 930-3252
EMAIL:   RSchwarz -at- cosmocom -dot- com<mailto:chwarz -at- cosmocom -dot- com>
URL:      http://www.cosmocom.com

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