Our product is a relational database software that allows different levels of users to log into the same system. For example, when a "system admin" logs in, they may see different fields or features than perhaps a "general clerk" might see. It's the same product.. just a different "level"...
So, I'm trying to figure out how to create online help that varies for these levels. My first instinct is to make it "field-level".. that way, page level can be generic to a page.. then when a user only has certain fields, only help will appear for those fields - and that user won't see a bunch of information for fields/features he doesn't have.
Our developers so far are not liking the idea of dealing with field-level help... so I'm trying to explore the possibility of using conditional-text... however, from what i'm reading this only works with multiple targets... however.. I only one a single out put..
Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this... or am i being a total ditz?
Thanks for any/all suggestions or advice...
kb
Using Conditional Help for different User Levels
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doc_guy
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Re: Using Conditional Help for different User Levels
KTB, welcome to the forums.
Conditional text is generally controlled at the target level, so yes, generally you'd publish several different versions of help; one for each user level. However, another option would be to create all your content in snippets using snippet conditions. Then you'd create separate books for each version of your product, and import the snippets into the topics, setting the snippet condition on the topics themselves.
That might give you a hierarchy like this:
> Generic User Level Guide
>--> Topic A (with generic snippet condition applied)
>--> Topic B (with generic snippet condition applied)
> Manager User Level Guide
>--> Topic A (with manager snippet condition applied)
>--> Topic B (with manager snippet condition applied)
> Administrator User Level Guide
>--> Topic A (with administrator snippet condition applied)
>--> Topic B (with administrator snippet condition applied)
Conditional text is generally controlled at the target level, so yes, generally you'd publish several different versions of help; one for each user level. However, another option would be to create all your content in snippets using snippet conditions. Then you'd create separate books for each version of your product, and import the snippets into the topics, setting the snippet condition on the topics themselves.
That might give you a hierarchy like this:
> Generic User Level Guide
>--> Topic A (with generic snippet condition applied)
>--> Topic B (with generic snippet condition applied)
> Manager User Level Guide
>--> Topic A (with manager snippet condition applied)
>--> Topic B (with manager snippet condition applied)
> Administrator User Level Guide
>--> Topic A (with administrator snippet condition applied)
>--> Topic B (with administrator snippet condition applied)
Re: Using Conditional Help for different User Levels
Ok.. I'm SO new to Flare I haven't even been able to open it yet.. but I get the gist of what you are saying because I've used RH previously... so your suggestion is MOST appreciated...
my next question is then... how do our developers implement these into our product... I assume identifiers are (or can be) associated with each of these... and they use those to associate to each field? How far off the beam am i on THIS one?
Thanks again, doc-guy!
my next question is then... how do our developers implement these into our product... I assume identifiers are (or can be) associated with each of these... and they use those to associate to each field? How far off the beam am i on THIS one?
Thanks again, doc-guy!
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doc_guy
- Propellus Maximus
- Posts: 1979
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:18 am
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Re: Using Conditional Help for different User Levels
Yeah. Essentially, there is a different CSH call depending on the permission level of the user.
If you want to have the same CSH ID, then you have to have different help systems, which are determined by the permission level of the user.
If you want to have the same CSH ID, then you have to have different help systems, which are determined by the permission level of the user.
Re: Using Conditional Help for different User Levels
There are a couple of ways to do it, (a) use separate help systems for each user type, or (b) use separate CSH identifiers for each user type.
a) You would use separate help systems when you don't want one type of user to see the help topics intended for another user, e.g. you don't want clerks to be able to see topics written for system administrators. In this case you would need to build a different help target for each user type (only including what you want each group to see). For context-sensitive help, you could use the same CSH identifier for each link, and the app would need to open the appropriate help system for the user. For example, if you were in Window A, the app might open Admin/Help_CSH.htm#WindowA or Clerk/Help_CSH.htm#WindowA.
b) If you don't mind one type of user being able to see topics for another user, e.g. clerks can browse through system administrator topics if they want, then you can use a single help target. For context-sensitive help, for each link you would need to set up a separate CSH identifier for each user group. For example, if you were in Window A, the app might open Help_CSH.htm#WindowA_Clerk or Help_CSH.htm#WindowA_Admin .
a) You would use separate help systems when you don't want one type of user to see the help topics intended for another user, e.g. you don't want clerks to be able to see topics written for system administrators. In this case you would need to build a different help target for each user type (only including what you want each group to see). For context-sensitive help, you could use the same CSH identifier for each link, and the app would need to open the appropriate help system for the user. For example, if you were in Window A, the app might open Admin/Help_CSH.htm#WindowA or Clerk/Help_CSH.htm#WindowA.
b) If you don't mind one type of user being able to see topics for another user, e.g. clerks can browse through system administrator topics if they want, then you can use a single help target. For context-sensitive help, for each link you would need to set up a separate CSH identifier for each user group. For example, if you were in Window A, the app might open Help_CSH.htm#WindowA_Clerk or Help_CSH.htm#WindowA_Admin .
Re: Using Conditional Help for different User Levels
Hi...
New question based on Dave's solution A above... this is the one we'd HAVE to go with I think... at least for now... it seems perhaps the simplest (if we don't go with "field" level help - a different post)...
so my question then would be.. considering option A (fairly easy for me i think)... how would the developers implement this... would it be more complex or would they use the same "hook-in" process without having to really pay attention to the different targets?
Thnx.
New question based on Dave's solution A above... this is the one we'd HAVE to go with I think... at least for now... it seems perhaps the simplest (if we don't go with "field" level help - a different post)...
so my question then would be.. considering option A (fairly easy for me i think)... how would the developers implement this... would it be more complex or would they use the same "hook-in" process without having to really pay attention to the different targets?
Thnx.
Re: Using Conditional Help for different User Levels
They would need to have the different CSH calls point to the different help locations. To go with Dave's example, if it was an admin who was logged in, then the CSH would point to Admin/Help_CSH.htm#WindowA. If a clerk was logged in, then the help would point to Clerk/Help_CSH#WindowA.
If the login is being performed via your software, then it would be relatively easy for the programmer to use an if/then statement to select the correct CSH call based on the user's logged in status.
If the login is being performed via your software, then it would be relatively easy for the programmer to use an if/then statement to select the correct CSH call based on the user's logged in status.
Lisa
Eagles may soar, but weasels aren't sucked into jet engines.
Warning! Loose nut behind the keyboard.
Re: Using Conditional Help for different User Levels
Yep, both methods need the developers to modify the help link, based on the type of user who is logged in.
In (a) they would modify the the path to the help, to choose which help system to display.
In (b) they would modify the CSH identifier, to choose which topic to display (only required if you need to display different topics for the same window/feature).
It won't be difficult to implement, this should be bread and butter for a developer.
In (a) they would modify the the path to the help, to choose which help system to display.
In (b) they would modify the CSH identifier, to choose which topic to display (only required if you need to display different topics for the same window/feature).
It won't be difficult to implement, this should be bread and butter for a developer.
Re: Using Conditional Help for different User Levels
Thank you BOTH so much... this is really helpful.. sorry to be so dense...
Please stay tuned as I will be presenting this to the developers over the next couple of weeks... so we shall see how receptive to this they might be!
Thanks!
Please stay tuned as I will be presenting this to the developers over the next couple of weeks... so we shall see how receptive to this they might be!
Thanks!