Which help output should I use?

[smurray]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to Flare and want to create a standalone Help for a desktop application. This desktop application is only available to Windows users so I don't need a cross-platform help. Does this mean I should output in HTML help? I want to have context sensitive help so that if users select F1 they will receive Help for that particular page of the application. Can I do this with HTML help?

Thanks

Susan

[QBF]

Does this mean I should output in HTML help?

Hi Susan, Fortunately, we are not limited to just HTML help output from Flare for CSH. I generate WebHelp with Context-Sensitive topics.

Hope that helps!

Richard

[RamonS]

Based on the quite limited amount of output formats that Microsoft supports for help in Windows CHM (Microsoft HTML Help) is a safe bet. If the application is written on top of the DotNet runtime then you might also consider DotNet help.
Context-sensitive help is possible with both CHM and DotNetHelp, for that it is best to create alias and MapID files. Look in the Flare help for the relevant topics. It looks more complicated as it actually is. Flare takes a lot of the scary stuff away and makes it easy to set everything up.
You do want to make a decision if you want field-sensitive help or just area-sensitive help. Field-sensitive help is a lot more work, but when the user hits F1 they will get help for exactly the user interface component that currently has focus. Otherwise they'd get a topic that relates to that area in the software and from there other topics may branch out that describe each component in detail. That depends on how much assistance your audience needs and also how much time you have for finishing your project.

[RamonS]

Richard correctly also indicates that WebHelp is an option. WebHelp displays in a browser and can be used locally. It depends on the setup of the targeted systems, I find since IE is such a crappy browser, but many still use it for no real reason, making use of WebHelp spells trouble. If the application is really just a pure desktop app I find that WebHelp with the limitations of Windows / IE is not first choice, but for sure an alternative to consider.

[smurray]

Hi Richard,
Thanks - everything helps!
...So I can output in both HTML help and WebHelp for CSH? Is it easier to generate WebHelp with Context-Sensitive topics than it is to generate HTML help with Context-sensitive topics?
The application developers seem to think that it will be easier to call HTML help CSH than WebHelp CSH.

Susan

[RamonS]

Both is easy to do and even calling WebHelp is not more difficult than calling CSH help. The developers may have a routine already that calls CHM topics, which would save a bit of time. Most developers worked with CHMs before so they tend to be more comfortable with that format.

[QBF]

The application developers seem to think that it will be easier to call HTML help CSH than WebHelp CSH.

My developers have no problems with Webhelp. However, if your developers find HTML help easier for them, than that is what you should go with.

[smurray]

Thanks for all of your input!

Susan

[smurray]

After discussion with the developer we decided that HTML Help would be our best option. We are trying to understand, however, how calling CSH from the compiled (.CHM) HTMLHelp file will work. Can anyone describe how this works?

Thanks.
Susan

[Pete Lees]

Hi, Susan,

Here are some resources that may help:

• Microsoft HTML Help Application Programming Interface (API) Reference
• MSHelpWiki HTML Help 1.x Articles page
• Helpware HTML Help - Context Help Ids and .NET Application Help

Typically, a developer adds help calls like the following one at the appropriate places in the application code:

Code: Select all

HtmlHelp(0, "YourHelpFile.chm", HH_HELP_CONTEXT, 1001);

The number at the end is a context integer that, within your help file, is routed through to the required help topic via alias and header files that you have added to your help project. See the topics on Context-Sensitive Help in Flare's help system for guidance on how to set these up.

Rather than use context integers, a developer can pass the file names of the required HTML topic files to the help system (HH_DISPLAY_TOPIC command), or index keywords (HH_KEYWORD_LOOKUP), or ALink keywords (HH_ALINK_LOOKUP). But I think it's much more common to use context integers.

Pete

[smurray]

Thanks very much, Pete.
We'll have a look.

Susan

[KevinDAmery]

Also, in the Flare help take a look at the topics "Overview - Connecting HTML Help to an Application" and "Connecting HTML Help - Developers." My developers and I were able to get it to work based on the content of those topics.

[smurray]

Thanks!