Skip to main content
rccrcoleman
rccrcoleman
Inspiring
October 5, 2009
Question

Customizing a .chm file for a customer

  • October 5, 2009
  • 5 replies
  • 887 views

Currently using RoboHelp 7 HTML (WebHelp)

We have a customer that is requesting the customization of the help file.  I believe, but have not confirmed that our client server version of help was written using RoboHelp v5.  I'm being asked by our consultant what the level of effort would be by us (me - rookie) or the customer (possibly more of a rookie if this is even fathomable).

The next question is that when this customer migrates to the web version of our product what happens to the customized help?

Thanks for any help,

Renee

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    5 replies

    A
    Anonymous
    October 6, 2009

    Hello Renee,

    Please can you be more specific with your customer's requirements? What level of customization of the help file is your customer requesting? Is it to customise topics with specific information for fields? To add bespoke topics for that company?

    If so, the level of effort would be all yours as you would need to edit the source files with the information. That is unless your customer was willing to buy a copy of RoboHelp and edit any help files that you sent to them. We once sent our help files to a business partner in Australia who said they were happy to learn the application and do the work - I don't recall hearing from them since their initial thanks.

    If you do create a second bespoke set of help for that customer you will need to really keep control of your help files and change any updated topics in both sets of help files - not quite twice the work but certainly more than required without the customer changes.

    I do not know of a standard option to add a note to a chm file but our developers wrote a a JavaScript application to display an RTF file that is stored locally. The customer can then edit the RTF File to add simple notes. We use module specific RTF files but I suppose that the links could point to any RTF file to make it specific to a program.

    Regards,

    John E

    rccrcoleman
    rccrcolemanAuthor
    Inspiring
    October 6, 2009

    This is what the customer is thinking of:

    Ability to click and access a linked training document / text with screen shots etc. that supports their business process and screen configurations.  Make the help files more relevent to their company.

    (I see a response from one of the IT guys back in June stating that the Help files were written using RoboHelp Office. If they have the software they can make changes or add content or edit the .chm file.  I'm not sure about any of his responses.)

    P
    Pete_Lees
    Participating Frequently
    October 6, 2009

    Hi, Renee,

    Maybe you can use the technique that Peter Grainge describes in this page of his site:

    http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/customising/editable_links.htm

    Pete

    Captiv8r
    Captiv8r
    Legend
    October 6, 2009

    Hi Renee

    Sorry, but we need a teensy bit of clarification here.

    The thread title refers to customizing a CHM file. Microsoft HTML Help. I'm not sure though about the next bit where you say you are using RoboHelp 7 HTML (WebHelp). Are you saying that WebHelp is your primary layout? If so, where does the CHM come into play?

    You said:

    We have a customer that is requesting the customization of the help file.  I believe, but have not confirmed that our client server version of help was written using RoboHelp v5.

    I'm guessing this means you are using WebHelp? (The "client server" phrasing is throwing me a bit.)

    So until we know the answer to those questions, we can't really offer a meaningful answer.

    Cheers... Rick

    Helpful and Handy Links

    RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form

    Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 within the day - $24.95!

    Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training

    SorcerStone Blog

    RoboHelp eBooks

    rccrcoleman
    rccrcolemanAuthor
    Inspiring
    October 6, 2009

    Rick,

    Yes I am currently using WebHelp for our Help files.  I work at a software company and our product is going 'Web'.  Thus I've been writing the help files for the Web product in Web Help.  However we have many customers that still have older versions of our software and are not prepared to upgrade at this time.  One of these customers has what I call a client server version of our product.  I'm still fairly new to the technology world so I don't know if I'm using the proper terminology but I'll give it my best shot.  I believe that the previous help files (which I refer to as .chm) were distributed as part of the software package to all customers, these are the files I believe were written using RoboHelp v5.  One customer in particular is requesting the customization of their help file.  Does this clarify it at all or do you need additional information.

    Firefly Community Gallery
    Adobe Firefly

    Remix with Firefly Community Gallery

    Thousands of free creations to fall in love with and remix in Firefly.

    Explore now
    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices