Java help options

[Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- AXIONET -dot- COM>]

I've been asked by a non subscriber to post the following message:


First, many thanks to Lori Guillory for her very thorough summary of
     July 31- she saved me untold time and grief by publishing her
findings
     on TECHWR-L in July. I have a question for the list. Please post
all
     replies to the list directly, as I think many of us will be
     interested.

     First, some background:

     I am developing an online help system for a Java application, and I
     have a requirement that the help is context-sensitive. It seems
that
     there is a library in Java called HotJava which provides interfaces
to
     display HTML from an authoring program that writes out HTML, (such
as
     Frame's new HoTaMaLe feature, Front Page, etc.), but to implement
     context sensitive help using HotJava would be a significant
     programming effort.

     It seems, then, that I need a tool that provides the hooks for us
to
     make simple calls that will bring up the appropriate help page from
     within our Java application. Jelp is the only such tool I am aware
of.
     My question is 2-part:

     1) To anyone's knowledge, might I be off-base on my conclusion that
     using HTML help files will not allow context sensitivity without
     siginificant development effort from the Java programmers? ForeHelp
is
     the only vendor I've really quizzed about this, since we already
have
     in-house licenses and expertise with that tool, and they claim
     (contrary to the opinion of the Java programmer I've consulted)
that
     HTML context-sensivity is supported by Java.

     A side note: Sun's JavaHelp spec looks like a possible solution,
but
     it's too far away for me (Q2, 1998).

     2) Does anyone know of any tools similar to Jelp? Jelp was in beta,
as
     Lori said in her summary, in July of this year, so I have doubts.
I'd
     rather not be a tool pioneer, given the choice, when there are more
     proven tools out there with legions of experienced tech writers
like
     you who can give me advice. Also, Jelp uses RTF files, which I'd
     rather avoid, especially if it forces me to use Word.

     Thanks in advance for all and any advice you can provide on this.


--
Bruce Byfield, Outlaw Communications
(bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com)  (604) 421-7189 or 688-6211 L. 290
http://www.axionet.com/outlawcommunications
Job Bank Team, STC Canada West Coast Chapter
http://www.stc.org/region7/cwc/www/job_bank.html

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