AIR Help Install

[Jack DeLand]

I am able to generate and install AIR Help for my context-sensitive app no problem.  Also, I can use the installed files without running the installer, i.e., I can take the already installed files, copy them  "under" my application on another machine, and they will run, apparently without incident. Because this seems to work, I now have a programmer who does NOT want to run the installer to distribute our AIR Help files; he wants to just copy them in.

This doesn't sound kosher to me. I would think the installer modifies the registry, and don't know what else it does.  However, I need solid reasons why we should not use this method.  What is the official Adobe position on using this method?

TIA

[Peter Grainge]

Where is your sense of fun?

You let the developer go ahead and wait until the calls start coming in. Try to keep the smirk on your face to reasonable levels at that point.

AIR help is an application that needs to be installed in Program Files. The .AIR file is the installer and works in the same way as the exe your developer uses to install the application. The .AIR file installs the exe that opens the help and writes to the registry.

If you want an official Adobe answer, this is not the place to ask. This is a user to user forum.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

[Jack DeLand]

Sense of fun long gone.  I'll try Ankur.

[Peter Grainge]

I wasn't serious about that. I was making the point that as you surmise, it has to be installed. I'm pretty sure Ankur will confirm that just copying the files will not work.

Would your developer settle for setting up Installshield, or whatever you use, to install both?

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

[Peter Grainge]

Just one other thought, it might help Ankur to learn of the developer's reasons for wanting to work that way.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

[Captiv8r]

Hey folks, I'm moving this thread to the AIRHelp forum.

[Guest]

This post relates somewhat to my post to this forum a couple of weeks ago about running AIR Help from an application (which no one seems to have any input on).

So if our application is currently calling help by opening a CHM file (we don't have context sensitive help), what will the app call if we want to move our help to the AIR platform?  Is the basic approach that when the app is installed we will need to install the AIR help (the .air file), but to display the help the application calls the AIR help executable that has been installed on the client workstation?

We also have some apps that run on web servers. For those we provide help via WebHelp, For these sorts of apps, is the process basically the same? That is, the AIR Help is installed, then the application, instead of calling the WebHelp start page, calls the AIR Help executable?

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

StephenD1957 wrote:

This post relates somewhat to my post to this forum a couple of weeks ago about running AIR Help from an application (which no one seems to have any input on).

You seem surprised about that. You have to understand that virtually everyone is a newbee with respect to AIR help. Sure, Adobe hopes it will catch on, but the sad truth is that very few will adopt to a new help technology. Presently there are a very select few individuals with any real experience to offer. Everything is is pure speculation, trial and error.

Cheers... Rick

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[Peter Grainge]

For the locally installed version of the help, then to the best of my knowledge, yes you just run the exe to open the help.

For the web version, you are not working with the same thing. The web version does not get installed. It is essentially webhelp with the look and feel of .AIR help but you call it in the same way as webhelp.

In the layout wizard you will see an option to generate both in one go. You will end up with two versions of the help, one for local installation and one for the webserver.

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[Guest]

Peter, thanks for confirming that, and for the tip on generating the webhelp version. My developers and implementation people are asking me for information on how this is going to work and I wanted to be able to give them the best answers I could.

Rick, I guess I am just realizing how new this platform is for help, so I apologize for any apparent impatience with the forum. The powers that be in my company are pretty excited about the potential of AIR Help, and so we've been given a mandate to move forward with this. I'm not used to being an early adopter of anything. It's fun, but can also be a little frustrating at times.

[Guest]

Peter, one slight addition to your post.  While it's true that the AIR browser-based Help is basically the same as FlashHelp/WebHelp, there is an option to launch the AIR application (.air file) from a web application.  It's the most complicated of the AIR deployments, but it can be done by using a Flash file called badge.swf.  Please see this Flex article for the instructions http://livedocs.adobe.com/flex/3/html/help.html?content=distributing_apps_3.html#1035834.

[Peter Grainge]

Becky

The article starts

The seamless install feature lets you embed a SWF file in a web page that lets the user install an AIR application from the browser. If the AIR runtime is not installed, the seamless install feature installs the runtime. The seamless install feature lets users install the AIR application without saving the AIR file to their computer. Included in the Flex SDK is a badge.swf file, which lets you easily use the seamless install feature.

so let's be clear that does not launch the help, it installs it, locally installed AIR help is an application just like Microsoft Word. Having created a page that enables the user to install the help, the web application would still need to call the locally installed help.

In our case the applications are installed as web applications because the number of users in any one organisation would be measured in hundreds or thousands. Many customers would not give their users the necessary permissions to install an application so the System Admins would need to install the help on many PCs. Not too many thanks going for that.

Unless you want the features of AIR help that only come with the locally installed version, why do you want locally installed help with a web application?

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[Guest]

My apologies.  You're correct that the badge.swf doesn't call the Help, it installs it. Once it is installed, however, the web app can call the AIR Help that is installed locally and can pass variable parameters such as map IDs or topic names via a flashVars command.  I believe you have to add the flashVars to the Action Script file for the badge, but don't quote me on that.

You'll notice the article says, "The seamless install feature lets users install the AIR application without saving the AIR file to their computer."  The .air file is never saved to the local PC, but the AIR application is installed there.  You're also correct about the security issues that can pop up as a result of this, so that is certainly a concern that requires careful consideration.  Airplane Help can be used in the call for Help so that the online (browser-based) output is displayed when a user does not install the AIR application.

The application we are developing is a web app that is installed at a client's site.  They do not go to our web site but to their own.  I understand that the installation can be configured to have all users' Help in this type of installation deliver comments to a common folder.  Again, this common folder is at our client's site.  This allows them to share comments within their environment, and, I've been told that these comments can be pushed back to me so I can get feedback from our clients.

It's a very challenging deployment, and it's taking us quite some time to work out the details and get over the learning curve.  If/when we're successful, I'll share more concise details.

[Peter Grainge]

Once it is installed, however, the web app can call the AIR Help that is installed locally

Yes but it does, as stated, require the help to be installed to each user's PC. Comments apart, is there a benefit in that for you or the customer? If not, why go that route?

I understand that the installation can be configured to have all users' Help in this type of installation deliver comments to a common folder. Again, this common folder is at our client's site.  This allows them to share comments within their environment, and, I've been told that these comments can be pushed back to me so I can get feedback from our clients.

My guess is that the file these get stored in would have to be copied to you.

I wish you luck and would be very interested to see your learnings when the setup is complete and working.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

[Guest]

For me, commenting is the reason to go with the .air file installed locally.  The other benefit is the ability to update content between releases, but that can also be accomplished with WebHelp/FlashHelp.

As I've told Adobe through numerous questionaires, it would be great to have what I refer to as "active" feedback (.air comments) in combination with the "passive" feedback (reports that indicate where users have clicked/searched) in RoboHelp Server.  My group develops new products so obtaining customer feedback is vital to make sure we're on target with their needs and to help them with any learning curve.

Thank you for your good wishes.  I'm going to need them!  And, like I said, I will certainly share successes with all of you.  I truly value the forums and the community they bring to so many tech comm users.