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Tejas Dandekar
Tejas Dandekar
Inspiring
February 22, 2018
Answered

RH 2017 - Single output with content serving multiple versions and multiple users

  • February 22, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 456 views

Hello,

We have a scenario where we have 2 versions of a ProductX that are being used by 2 different customers.

ProductX v1.0 - Customer A with a license for v1.0 only.
ProductX v1.5 - Customer B with a license for v1.5 only.

Condition: Customer A should not be able to view the content of ProductX v1.5 and Customer B should not be able to view the content of ProductX v1.0.

The help output is hosted on a help server and accessible via web URL for example http://help.domain.com/productX/help/index.htm. This help URL is integrated into ProductX.

Can we have a single help output, as mentioned above, serving ProductX but also satisfying the condition mentioned?

Is it achievable by using tags or any other way?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Captiv8r

While it sounds nice in theory, the simple fact is that you will likely be better off with two separate help outputs. This is because of the desire that neither customer should ever see the content intended for the other customer.

You aren't telling us what your output type is, but if it's Responsive HTML 5, you have some ability to control the output using the recent filtering mechanism. But if you took that approach, I might think it would be a nightmarish scenario trying to anticipate all the possible arrangements and bizarre links and whatnot that it would take to ensure the user was only exposed to the version of the help that applied to him or her.

So the bottom line opinion I would have is that you just need to bite the bullet and create two separate outputs.

Perhaps others will have better suggestions.

Cheers... Rick

1 reply

Captiv8r
Captiv8rCorrect answer
Legend
February 22, 2018

While it sounds nice in theory, the simple fact is that you will likely be better off with two separate help outputs. This is because of the desire that neither customer should ever see the content intended for the other customer.

You aren't telling us what your output type is, but if it's Responsive HTML 5, you have some ability to control the output using the recent filtering mechanism. But if you took that approach, I might think it would be a nightmarish scenario trying to anticipate all the possible arrangements and bizarre links and whatnot that it would take to ensure the user was only exposed to the version of the help that applied to him or her.

So the bottom line opinion I would have is that you just need to bite the bullet and create two separate outputs.

Perhaps others will have better suggestions.

Cheers... Rick

Peter Grainge
Community Expert
Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 22, 2018

Why would a Version 1.5 user want to see the Version 1.0 help and why wouldn't you want the Version 1.0 user to see the Version 1.5 help if they choose to turn it on? Might persuade them they need the later version.

Problem is, whilst you can open responsive help with a filter applied, in your scenario you don't know which filter to default to.

So it's back to what Rick has said, two outputs or a default topic telling users to apply the filter for their version.

See www.grainge.org for free RoboHelp and Authoring information.

@petergrainge

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