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SusanCVineyard11968757
Known Participant
July 25, 2016
Answered

Upgrading Questions

  • July 25, 2016
  • 4 replies
  • 528 views

Since we have ordered Adobe Technical Suite already, I hope I like the answers to these questions. I'm having a hard time finding the answers.

  1. When the new product arrives, can we just install it and open our previous projects (with merged TOCs) and work on them with no problem? The TOCs and merged projects are my biggest concern in the upgrade...
  2. Can I create HTML5 Help with its nice formatting and maybe other features and create a chm output for now? That sounds counter-intuitive, but I was told by Adobe I could do that. Isn't it that you create your help and choose the output you want and it can be either HTML5 or chms? or is the HTML5 just compiled like regular HTML help? (We are hoping to get away from chms soon, but we do need to start with them.)
  3. If creating chms from HTML5 help does work, do all of the features offered in HTML5 work that way? Responsive, the really nice new layout, dynamic filtering? Some of these we really want to use more down the road, but I just want to know. I especially want to go to the new HTML5 look for our help right away.

Answers to these questions will really help for now. I have worked a lot in really old RoboHelp packages (6 and 7), but haven't been involved in setting up the systems. I've inherited old ones. For now, I am just going to be learning to use the snippets and variables, etc. because they haven't even been used in the systems I've inherited, and we really, really, need them.  So thanks for any suggestions, folks.

Susan

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Captiv8r

Hi there

  • When the new product arrives, can we just install it and open our previous projects (with merged TOCs) and work on them with no problem? The TOCs and merged projects are my biggest concern in the upgrade...

Generally speaking, it's as simple as that. The truth, however, is that sometimes you have to take an extra step or three once you have upgraded the project. You won't know for certain what you will need to do until the upgrade process is complete.

  • Can I create HTML5 Help with its nice formatting and maybe other features and create a chm output for now? That sounds counter-intuitive, but I was told by Adobe I could do that. Isn't it that you create your help and choose the output you want and it can be either HTML5 or chms? or is the HTML5 just compiled like regular HTML help? (We are hoping to get away from chms soon, but we do need to start with them.)

With RoboHelp it's like working in your kitchen. Think of all your topic content as being similar to base ingredients. What you end up with after combining the ingredients depends on the recipe you use. So you edit all the content, then choose the recipe you want to create. And you have lots of possibilities. CHM is one possibility. It's like baking a cake in that you end up with one solid output you take away. WebHelp, FlashHelp, Multscreen, and Responsive HTML 5 are all like different batches of chocolate chip cookies, or muffins or whatever. You end up with more output files than you have actual ingredients. So to answer your second part of this question, HTML 5 is NOT compiled, but a collection of modified output files. So sure, you just use the CHM recipe until you are ready for HTML 5. But you need to clarify. There are now TWO DIFFERENT "HTML 5" outputs. One is Multiscreen and the other is Responsive. Likely you want Responsive, but you do need to be careful with terminology.

  • If creating chms from HTML5 help does work, do all of the features offered in HTML5 work that way? Responsive, the really nice new layout, dynamic filtering? Some of these we really want to use more down the road, but I just want to know. I especially want to go to the new HTML5 look for our help right away.

CHM output does not include the things Responsive HTML 5 offers. This is because the CHM output relies on an older version of the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser that does not support the HTML 5 standard. And another clarification, you create CHM files from the source content of HTML topic files and images. The HTML 5 stuff happens when you choose to create that output recipe.

Hopefully this helps a bit... Rick

4 replies

S
SusanCVineyard11968757Author
Known Participant
July 25, 2016

OK. Thanks. I just saw that Adobe advertises the great new formats as HTML5 and I hope I can get them in my chms as well. And they did tell me that I could produce a chm output from HTML5. They did. 

We know we'll have to wait for HTML5 to get responsive and dynamic filtering. We are in the process of being sold/purchased/spun off so we have to wait and see what our new bosses will let us do, but we want to be able to have both of those capabilities.

So...I was talking to my Visual Studio Guru and we wondered if we'd be OK with the backup from TFS or if we needed to do another backup/duplicate  before we upgrade. We currently have over 40,000 html files in our help system. I know! I know! Solving that problem is one of my challenges! Getting this new tool is just the first step.

I will pass everything you say over to him. We're in this thing together. Thanks again.

Captiv8r
Captiv8r
Legend
July 25, 2016

Here's my own view. With CHM output, every time you compile a CHM, you create another backup. This is because nearly everything you need is inside the CHM. Recovering from a catastrophe is pretty straightforward. You decompile the CHM file. As long as you have a valid HHP (the master project file for a CHM) it's pretty easy to get back up and running in RoboHelp.

Bottom line is that while it wouldn't hurt anything to make another backup for our dear friend Justin, there's really not much of a need in your case, as you say you have one already.

As far as Adobe advising that you "could produce a chm output from HTML5.", methinks they are confused.

Cheers... Rick

S
SusanCVineyard11968757Author
Known Participant
July 25, 2016

I don't know that they advertised it, but the sales person told me I could. Most her answers were less than reassuring. Sales.  Thanks!!

P
prhmusic2
Inspiring
July 25, 2016

As with all upgrades, make sure to have a complete backup of your projects prior to upgrading.

Captiv8r
Captiv8rCorrect answer
Legend
July 25, 2016

Hi there

  • When the new product arrives, can we just install it and open our previous projects (with merged TOCs) and work on them with no problem? The TOCs and merged projects are my biggest concern in the upgrade...

Generally speaking, it's as simple as that. The truth, however, is that sometimes you have to take an extra step or three once you have upgraded the project. You won't know for certain what you will need to do until the upgrade process is complete.

  • Can I create HTML5 Help with its nice formatting and maybe other features and create a chm output for now? That sounds counter-intuitive, but I was told by Adobe I could do that. Isn't it that you create your help and choose the output you want and it can be either HTML5 or chms? or is the HTML5 just compiled like regular HTML help? (We are hoping to get away from chms soon, but we do need to start with them.)

With RoboHelp it's like working in your kitchen. Think of all your topic content as being similar to base ingredients. What you end up with after combining the ingredients depends on the recipe you use. So you edit all the content, then choose the recipe you want to create. And you have lots of possibilities. CHM is one possibility. It's like baking a cake in that you end up with one solid output you take away. WebHelp, FlashHelp, Multscreen, and Responsive HTML 5 are all like different batches of chocolate chip cookies, or muffins or whatever. You end up with more output files than you have actual ingredients. So to answer your second part of this question, HTML 5 is NOT compiled, but a collection of modified output files. So sure, you just use the CHM recipe until you are ready for HTML 5. But you need to clarify. There are now TWO DIFFERENT "HTML 5" outputs. One is Multiscreen and the other is Responsive. Likely you want Responsive, but you do need to be careful with terminology.

  • If creating chms from HTML5 help does work, do all of the features offered in HTML5 work that way? Responsive, the really nice new layout, dynamic filtering? Some of these we really want to use more down the road, but I just want to know. I especially want to go to the new HTML5 look for our help right away.

CHM output does not include the things Responsive HTML 5 offers. This is because the CHM output relies on an older version of the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser that does not support the HTML 5 standard. And another clarification, you create CHM files from the source content of HTML topic files and images. The HTML 5 stuff happens when you choose to create that output recipe.

Hopefully this helps a bit... Rick

Jeff_Coatsworth
Community Expert
Jeff_CoatsworthCommunity Expert
Community Expert
July 25, 2016

What are you running right now? TCS2015 will be able to produce CHMs, WebHelp, HTML5 outputs from either RH2015 or FM2015. You’re not creating CHMs from HTML5, you’re creating output based on your project.

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