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rlauriston
Inspiring
September 23, 2011
Answered

How can I add moderated comments to WebHelp?

  • September 23, 2011
  • 3 replies
  • 3948 views

Has anyone added moderated comments to topics in RoboHelp Webhelp output?

I know that's built into AIR help but I'd prefer not to use a proprietary viewer.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer rlauriston

This free, open-source PHP script seems like it might do the trick: http://www.commentics.org/

3 replies

R
rlauristonAuthorCorrect answer
Inspiring
September 26, 2011

This free, open-source PHP script seems like it might do the trick: http://www.commentics.org/

R
rlauristonAuthor
Inspiring
September 26, 2011

The following's an example of the script Commentics uses. Would I want to put these in a master page header and footer or what?

<?php

session_start();

ob_start();

?>

<html>

<head>

<title>Example</title>

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/>

<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="comments/css/stylesheet.css"/>

</head>

<body>

<h1>Example</h1>

<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</p>

<?php

$page_id = "1";

$reference = "Page One";

$path_to_comments_folder = "comments/";

define ('IN_COMMENTICS', 'true'); //no need to edit this line

require $path_to_comments_folder . "includes/commentics.php"; //no need to edit this line

?>

</body>

</html>

Peter Grainge
Community Expert
Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 27, 2011

You do realise:

  1. Any PHP solution is going to require the help to be on a PHP enabled server?
  2. Something is going to need to be set up on the server to store the comments. I haven't poked around the site to see if they supply that?

Exactly how you intergrate the script and how well it will work with RoboHelp is something that you will have to trial with your developers. If it were a javascript solution I put javascript solutions in a js file and reference that from each page. This script however appears to have values specific to each page, thus ruling out a master page. In any event, putting it in a master page will not add the script to the body of existing topics.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

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R
rlauristonAuthor
Inspiring
September 25, 2011

The RoboHelp Server 9 datasheet says LDAP integration allows "LDAP users to ... comment on the Adobe AIR® help output integrated with RoboHelp Server 9":

http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/products/robohelpserver/pdf/91030571_rhs_9_datasheet_ue.pdf

There's also a "Web Administrator tasks / Specify moderation settings for Adobe AIR Help comments" in the RoboHelp Server 9 online help:

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/robohelp/roboengine/WS9DE2BAEA-1C51-4a90-8252-039D750230C0.html

I'm not sure how to reconcile that with the previous comments here.

johndaigle
johndaigle
Legend
September 25, 2011

Hi, I can certainly see your confusion!

Let me see if I can sort this out.

WebHelp Pro and Flashelp Pro are the only two RoboHelp outputs that can be published to RoboHelp Server presently. Unfortunately, neither one of those outputs supports commenting at this time.

So, how can it be that RoboHelp Server is mentioned in the same breath as AIR Help?

It happens that some folks who deploy AIR Help would like to have a secure, authenticated way for the comments to be stored and moderated via HTTP. That's where RoboHelp Server may be used strictly as a convenient repository for comments, etc.

Here is a scenario that might explain it better:

  1. A company has deployed AIR Help because it likes the functionality as well as the local installation and updateability of the format and the moderated commenting feature as well.
  2. Normally those comments would be stored and moderated on a corporate server behind a firewall. Some of these companies would prefer to store the comments and have password protected authentication on an HTTP server instead.
  3. The same company coincidentally happens to have RoboHelp Server for their main online help or knowledge bases because they like the idea of Feedback Analytics and authentication and have the option to use LDAP for convenience.
  4. So they deploy AIR Help for its benefits and avail themselves of the RoboHelp Server to "park" and authenticate their comments.
  5. This is discussed in the online help topic you referenced.
    http://help.adobe.com/en_US/robohelp/robohtml/WS1b49059a33f77726-2db1c75912bc47baaf8-7fea.html

Not all companies have this need, but if they do, there it is.

  • AIR Help for its benefits.
  • RoboHelp Server for its benefits.
  • AIR Help uses RoboHelp Server to "host" and store comments and authenticate and nothing more.

Of course it would not be cost-effective to purchase RoboHelp Server just for the AIR Help commenting, but if a company already has RH Server, they might as well use the "hosting" benefits for the comments.

Even after this, I can well understand the confusion. Clearly what we want is a RoboHelp Server output that has commenting. Personally, I'm hoping  the next release will have this enhancement and that's why Peter and I were plugging the wish form

John Daigle

Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate Instructor

Evergreen, Colorado

www.showmethedemo.com

John DaigleAdobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate InstructorNewport, Oregon
R
rlauristonAuthor
Inspiring
September 26, 2011

Specify moderation settings for Adobe AIR Help comments

  1. In RoboHelp Server Web Administrator, click Settings > Moderation.
  2. Select Allow Post Anonymous if you want to let users comment anonymously on Help content.
  3. Select Mark New Comments As Pending if you want to display user comments on Help content only after a moderator approves them.
  4. Click Apply.

What does "display user comments on Help content only after a moderator approves them" mean in that context? Who can see the comments?

Peter Grainge
Community Expert
Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 23, 2011

If they have, it would not be via RoboHelp. You may find third party ways of incorporating comments but then you are into proprietary methods.

Right now it is a desktop AIR help feature only.

The more people who report a bug or request a feature, the more likely it is to be actioned. Please follow this link.

http://www.Adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform&product=38

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

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R
rlauristonAuthor
Inspiring
September 23, 2011

Well, yes, it would have to be something other than RoboHelp. I'm figuring some sort of script or include in the topic footers to link into a commenting application.

Peter Grainge
Community Expert
Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 23, 2011

My thinking was that you were reluctant to use AIR because it is proprietary but the only solutions available are also proprietary.

I don't know if they are any applications where the comments would be local but there are web services where the comments are stored on the internet, viewable only by users of your help.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

Use the menu (bottom right) to mark the Best Answer or Highlight particularly useful replies. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here.
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