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MackDuff
Known Participant
February 25, 2016
Answered

What is the best way to deliver WebHelp output files to the development team in TFS?

  • February 25, 2016
  • 1 reply
  • 1165 views

I am using RoboHelp 2015 to generate WebHelp output.

The development team would like me to check in the files into TFS so that they can pick up the files and integrate them into the build.

I am looking for some best practices here as I am running into some issues every time I try to check the files back in. For example, I need to manually track the files I have added/renamed/deleted in the RH project.

We have discussed the following options:

  • Deleting the contents of the WebHelp output folder in TFS every time I want to check in the  new files.
    • This works, but does not seem like a very elegant option.
  • Zipping up the contents of the WebHelp output folder and checkin/checkout this single file
    • This works well for me, but the devs have to create a separate process to unzip the file every time they generate a build, which they are not crazy about.
  • Checking out all files in folder, overwrite the files with the new files, manually add the new files, and then check everything back in.
    • This work fine, but it requires you to manually add files every time you check in and also leaves old/legacy files that have been deleted from the RH project.

Does anyone have any other ideas on how to do this?

Any help would be much appreciated.

James

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Willam van Weelden

Hi Mack,

I think that unzipping a file is a very simple action to add to a build process, so that may be the easiest way to go. But there are other options as well.

You can check in the sources in TFS and use RoboHelp with source control. You then include RoboHelp in the build process so that the latest sources are fetched from TFS and the help is generated on the server. A nice solution, but more work to implement. I like this solution because I don't believe storing an output is very useful. As long as you have the sources, you can always create a new output.

For your developers, just adding all the output files in a specific folder is the easiest. And you can automate this option for yourself as well. Both TFS and RoboHelp can be controlled from the command line. Meaning that you can create a batch file that (1) generates a RoboHelp output. (2) Removes the current help from TFS. (3) Adds the new output from 1 to TFS. (4) Checks in the changes into TFS. A single file would automate it all for you. I used this method in the past and once it is set up, there is almost no maintenance for you.

1 reply

Willam van Weelden
Willam van WeeldenCorrect answer
Inspiring
February 26, 2016

Hi Mack,

I think that unzipping a file is a very simple action to add to a build process, so that may be the easiest way to go. But there are other options as well.

You can check in the sources in TFS and use RoboHelp with source control. You then include RoboHelp in the build process so that the latest sources are fetched from TFS and the help is generated on the server. A nice solution, but more work to implement. I like this solution because I don't believe storing an output is very useful. As long as you have the sources, you can always create a new output.

For your developers, just adding all the output files in a specific folder is the easiest. And you can automate this option for yourself as well. Both TFS and RoboHelp can be controlled from the command line. Meaning that you can create a batch file that (1) generates a RoboHelp output. (2) Removes the current help from TFS. (3) Adds the new output from 1 to TFS. (4) Checks in the changes into TFS. A single file would automate it all for you. I used this method in the past and once it is set up, there is almost no maintenance for you.

M
MackDuffAuthor
Known Participant
February 29, 2016

Thanks William. This information is very helpful.

I have spoken to the lead developer on the team and he thinks we can create an automated process to generate the WebHelp files and integrate them directly into the build.

Thanks again!

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