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Subject:RoboHELP question -Reply From:Floyd Jones <FloydJ -at- FUNDWARE -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 13 Jun 1997 10:59:21 -0400
Hi Tom --
I've just done battle with tons of What's This help, so I think I can help you on the IDH thing.
You don't need to have the IDH prefix. In fact, I don't use it for our field-level help. But an IDH prefix is a pretty good idea. It triggers RoboHELP to look at that IDH topic, to see whether it's assigned a map number. If an IDH topic isn't mapped, RoboHELP will tell you. It just keeps topics from falling through the cracks, especially if you're using your own numbering system rather than RoboHELP's, like we are.
While I know that the list isn't specifically designed for online help issues, as a
tech. writer I have a RoboHELP 4.0 question for all you experienced RoboHELPers. I am
starting my first online help project. I am documenting a Win 95/Win NT software product
used in hospitals for equipment management, specifically data collection and reporting.
The development tool is FoxPro 5.0. I have two questions.
First, in regards to general organization and files, I have set up nine help project
documents, one top-level and eight for the main program areas. Is this a good plan in
comparison to some advice I've read and heard that a person establish files for
context-sensitive help topics, glossary topics, how-to topics, and overview topics?
Second, I'm concerned about ensuring that context-sensitive topics can be linked by the
programmers to their software project. I define my own topic IDs using a naming
convention that follows file structures. I view the .hh files for ID names and map
numbers. So I know that I can supply map numbers to the programmers. I am confused by
the use of IDH identifiers for context-sensitive topics. Do IDHs need to be attached to
every context-sensitive topic ID? Is knowing the map number sufficient for
this?
Our developers think that the great majority of topics will be context-sensitive. I know
that moving topics from file to file can create a great deal of work. So while the
software is not completed, I do want to get a good start on my first project.
Your help would be appreciated.
--
** *í* ß
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