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J
J41
Participant
September 8, 2009
Question

RoboSource capable of???

  • September 8, 2009
  • 2 replies
  • 1584 views

Hi,

I'm using RH7 - I've read the documentation and tried to install RoboSource, but have been unsuccessful. Rather than go any further with trying to install it, I'd like to understand RoboSource's capabilities a little better. After reading the documentation, it appears that we can single source content. Essentially, have one single help topic included in several different RoboHelp projects. I know that an owner can open RH and "Get Latest Version All". What I don't understand is how the owner knows when to complete this process when a help topic is updated by another author that is essentially sharing the help topic and updating it on their end?

Hope this is clear enough. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

MergeThis
MergeThis
Inspiring
September 8, 2009
  1. The RoboSource Control server is installed on a server.
  2. The RoboSource Control client is installed on each user's machine.
  3. An Admin creates the documentation database and assigns users.
  4. Users assign a local path for connection to the database.
  5. Users Check Out topics for editing (this essentially "locks" the topic, although other users can "Get" a copy for viewing).
  6. Users Check In topics once editing is complete (this "unlocks" the topic).

Good luck,

Leon

J
J41Author
Participant
September 8, 2009

Thank you both for the response. Your description helps me understand the process by which multiple help content developers building multiple RoboHelp projects can work on the same material at the same time. However, I'm still unclear on one aspect. Perhaps the scenario below will help clear it up.

Scenario:

Developer One creates the help topic "How to Send an Email Using Outlook" in RH for his RH project. Once finished, he checks it into RoboSource and publishes his RH project to the production server. One year later, Developer Two needs to include the help topic "How to Send an Email Using Outlook" in her RH project. However, the process has been updated since it was created by Developer One. So, she checks out the current version of the existing topic and updates it, checks it back in, and publishes her project to the production server. Now her RH project has the latest version of the help topic - "How to Send an Email Using Outlook".

How does the RH project created by Developer One display the version of the help topic created by Developer Two? - Does he have to explicitly open his project, check out the latest version of the help topic, and then republish it? - If so, how is he notified the help topic has been updated and that the new version is available?  Or is the latest version, regardless of whether or not the RH project has been published to production, pulled in at runtime and displayed? In other words, is the latest version of help topics automatically proliferated to all RH projects that use the latest version of help topics stored in RoboSource?

Again, thank you for you answers. 

MergeThis
MergeThis
Inspiring
September 8, 2009

If the two outputs are destined to receive the same updates, both Developer One and Developer Two would include that same publishing destination path (along with possibly others?) in a particular layout. The source-controlled source file would continue to be checked out / edited / checked in.

As circumstances might change, the destination path could be unchecked (or changed).

Good luck,

Leon

Peter Grainge
Community Expert
Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 8, 2009

Source control is not my area but someone can add more later if necessary.

Only one person can edit a topic at any one time. I cannot imagine any HAT can allow more than one editor. Others can check out a read only copy but not make edits until the first person checks it back in.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

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