Clearly stated procedures for RoboHelp Server/Client installation and config?

[ZithRob]

I've been attempting to get RoboHelp Server and Client (Version 8) installed in my environment for a few weeks now.  Every day I make a little more progress, but I need to get this thing up and running and move on to other things.

I would like a clearly documented methodology for the installation of these products.  I have found the included documentation to be close to useless, beyond setting up Tomcat and running the install from the disk.

I need something along the lines of the following:

1. After verification of the RoboHelp Server by going to http://<servername>:portname/robohelp, you will now need to set up the folder structures to support development, testing and production environment of help materials.

2. To setup the development folder, do the following...

3. To setup a testing environment, do the following...

4. To setup the production environment, do the following...

5. To set up access to these folders, you will need to address the security for each.

5.1. To set up a development environment, do the following...

5.2. To set up the testing environment, do the following...

5.3. To set up the production environment, do the following...

6. To set up a database using Microsoft SQL on your server, do the following.

7. You'll need to set up accounts for SQL database, following are minimum, and this is how it's done.

8. To access reports for RoboHelp, do the following...

9. To integrate users when when working with a Microsoft Active Directory, this is what you must do...

10. This is how to set up RoboHelp clients....

Honestly, I've spent over 40 hours looking all over the web on how to set up this product, and have found no concise methodology to do so. How 'bout some basic illustrations on how the communication is supposed to work?  I frequently get re-directed to my IT administrator when reading through the documentation - but I don't know what to ask them.

It may be a great product, but if you're coming to the Robohelp 8 environment without any previous Robohelp experience, you're in for a frustrating experience.

[johndaigle]

Hi, ZithRob.

I can understand your frustration. No matter how useful server database applications may be, installation of any of them is not a trivial task. This is because of the complexity you so well articulated. I am decidedly not a network or database administrator. I am an author first, and work with servers and databases only occasionally. So, I too, had to confront the steps you did as a novice. I did successfully install RH Server 8 (and Tomcat) on two laptops (for testing) and one desktop. I documented my experience and am preparing an Adobe Captivate video(s) to show newcomers like you what I learned. Unfortunately the videos are not finished. If you email me at the address shown in my profile, I will share my "first draft" of the video which may help you sort some things out.

Meanwhile, I am not quite sure where you are in the process. After your hard work, what do you feel is left "undone" or that needs to be fixed. Or is it that you just want to make sure you've covered all the bases? If you will outline that, I will try to address it. Maybe my colleague, Colum McAndrew, will chime in as well (there is a link to his fine blog shown below.) I have spoken to Adobe engineers at various tech comm conferences and they are very committed to making the process easier, including more thorough documentation.

Meanwhile, thanks for your patience and I hope it will be rewarded soon.

Thanks

John Daigle

www.showmethedemo.com

No doubt you have already located some of these links, but here are the main ones in case you have missed any. First, server-related items and then some links to info regarding the authoring client:

Deploying Adobe RoboHelp Server on Windows (Online Help Topic)

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/RoboHelp/8.0/RoboHelpServer/WS5b3ccc516d4fbf351e63e3d11c0aaa9fd7-7ff4.ht...

Adobe RoboHelp Server 8 - Installation (Adobe Tech Comm Blog)

http://blogs.adobe.com/techcomm/2009/03/adobe_robohelp_server_8_installation.html

Colum McAndrews fine blog which has chronicled his success with Adobe Robohelp Server 8

http://notcolin.wordpress.com/2009/08/04/robohelp-server-8-areas-the-path-to-enligtenment/

As for the Adobe RoboHelp 8 authoring client, here are some resources to get you started:

• Adobe RoboHelp 8 Reviewer’s Guide:  A major document highlighting all the new features of RoboHelp 8 and RoboHelp Server 8 and how they can be used to increase your productivity.
• “Try it” exercises: These are a set of exercises that you can use to see for yourself the benefits of RoboHelp as described in the reviewer’s guide. An excellent way to familiarise yourself with the new features.
• 7 x videos of the new RoboHelp features: A set of Captivate videos each of which describes a new feature of Robohelp 8.
• RJ Jacquez’s blog: RJ is the Adobe Technical Communication Suite Evangelist and has lots of using information to hand. Also follow him on Twitter (rjacquez).
• RJ’s Webinars: RJ frequently performs online training sessions that are recorded for later use. These are a great way to see the features of the Technical Communication Suite at your leisure.
• Adobe Technical Communications Suite blog: Finally a blog with posts by the Adobe RoboHelp engineering team.

[RoboColum_n_]

Hi. To add to what John has already offered, maybe the below may help with setting up areas on the server. This to me seems to be the key to what you need to achieve. We have adopted an approach where we have an area for each version of each product help file. For example for Product A Version 1 we have an area PRODAVER1, for Product A Version 2 we have an area PRODAVER2, for Product B Version 1 we have an area PRODBVER1, for Product B Version 2 we have an area PRODBVER2, etc. This satisfies the development, production environment issue. What we have also done is have a variable inside the application that points it to the relevant area on the server. That way the application just needs to be changed once to redirect the help call to the appropriate file location.

To set-up an area, logon to the RH Server Web Administrator. The top icon is used to create the users who will have access to the various areas. They are grouped. So the process is:

1. Click Add next to the “Select a Group” field in the Users panel.
2. Specify your group name (e.g. Department A) and click OK.
3. Select your group in the “Select a Group” drop down.
4. Enter a new user name in the “Add new User“ field and click Add.
5. Click Yes in the resulting dialog and complete the username / password fields as required and click OK.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 for other users.
7. Click on the Areas icon (second one down).
8. Click Add next to the “Select an Area” field.
9. Specify an area name ensuring the “Protected” option is enabled.
10. Next you need to add the group you specified in step 2 by clicking Add next to the “Add new Group” field.

That’s about it and you’ll find that area is available to specify in the WebHelp Pro single source layout properties in the RoboHelp client. You just specify the area and publish. Once published, the project is displayed in the Projects panel on the RH Server Web Administrator.

Hope this helps.

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Read  the RoboColum(n) for a tips and tricks on Technical Communication Suite products.

[ZithRob]

John;

Thanks so much for the response.  Yes, I had discovered the links you had mentioned on server configuration.  I have to report that the link “Try it” exercises: did not work for me.

I'm your exact counterpart - 20 years involved in various types of network administration (Novell, Apple, Lotus Notes and Microsoft), no authoring experience.

The problem is, after much gnashing of teeth, and finally finding the links you mentioned and getting the server up and running, we come to the question:

"Now what?"

I have access to an Admin utility, but no instruction on it's use, a list of best practices, even a set of examples, just "here's the Admin window, good luck!"

OK, for the purposes of illustration, let's say I've completed the server installation, as I seem to have done.  What's my next step?  Do I set up users and groups?  Do I set up areas?  How do I test to make sure everything is working?  How do I test a security model?  How do I know if users will be able to access the help files?

More specifically, do I have to set up users accounts for every single user?  Can I not integrate with Microsoft Active Directory?  If I don't set up individual accounts, will I be able to track individual user activity to help files (Thus knowing which help files need improvement, and which users may need further training)?

I sometimes tell a classic joke, about a man of a certain ethnic (or regional) persuasion (usually my own), who one Saturday morning rents a chain saw.

He storms into the rental place the next Monday, furious.

"Mr., you lied to me!  You tell me this chain saw cut down maybe 10 trees in a weekend.  I work like the devil all weekend, only able to cut down three trees!  I want my money back!"

The clerk is perplexed.  "Gee, I don't know what could have been wrong.  This unit is brand new, and I tested it and fueled it up before you come in.  Let's take it out back and give it a try."

The walk to the back of the store, the clerk pulls the starter cable, and the chain saw roars into life.

"What dat noise?!" shouts our hero.

That's how I feel with RoboHelp.  I feel like I'd be a heck of a lot more effective, if I could just find the damned starter!

[RoboColum_n_]

LOL! I love the analogy. Anyway, check out this link for what to do next on the server. You don't need to setup userids for each user so long as the area you use to publish the output isn't protected.

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Read the RoboColum(n) for a tips,  tricks and musings on the Technical Communication Suite products.

[ZithRob]

Colum;

Thanks.

Now - How do I access these areas?  Please don't tell me about "Single Source Layouts pods" - I have no idea what a Single Source Layout Pod IS!  I just need to know, when I'm in RoboHelp HTML, how will I retrieve and Publish Help files to the server?

I guess I'll need to know how the users will access them as well?

ZithRob

[Captiv8r]

Hi Rob

I'm not Colum of course but suspect that as it's 1:18 am where he lives he may be asleep.

To view the Single Source Layouts pod in RoboHelp HTML, you click the View menu, then Pods and then Single Source Layouts.

This should present and/or focus the Single Source Layouts pod.

Now you right-click the WebHelp Pro or FlashHelp Pro layout and choose Properties. This should open a dialog that has different pages you view by clicking the Next > and < Back buttons.

On these dialogs you are able to specify different options.

Hopefully this will get you started down the right path for configuring the publish options.

As for how the user accesses the help, it will depend on how they access it. Using a Context Sensitive Help (CSH) call or just opening the start page. I'll have to leave it to others here to describe exactly how that will happen. But likely they will want to know if you plan on having CSH calls or not.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 within the day - $24.95! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[johndaigle]

Hey ZithRob.

Me again. Against my better judgement I'm going to post a link to my humongous Adobe Captivate Video for Adobe RoboHelp Server 8.

It is WAY too long (over 90 slides) and I am in the process of breaking it up into 3 parts and will ultimately add narration.

To build on what Rick and Colum have related previously I think it might help you if you can see parts of the process that may not be apparent with stepwise textual procedures.

http://www.showmethedemo.com/Transfer/RH8_Demos/RHServer8-FeatureTour/

The authors' publishing part comes at about slide 25 if you want to skip some of the introductory material. I've created "Next" buttons to help you move ahead through the material at your own pace.

I've labeled it a  DRAFT so that folks will hopefully understand that it is a work in progress. I welcome any comments or suggestions as I refine the videos. I'm hoping Colum, Rick and Peter will chime in with their critiques as well so that we can refine it, break it up and hopefully eliminate some of the mumbojumbo that has surrounded what is an excellent Adobe RoboHelp Server technology. Simply email me using the address in my Profile.

1. It begins with a review of the features available to the end user (Search, Navigation, etc.)
2. About slide 25, it continues from the RoboHelp Authors point of view as a project is published to a server
3. It finally wraps up with an explanation of deployment using Areas/Contexts/Permission and how to view Feedback Reports.

BTW, the  “Try it” exercises: link works just fine for me? Dunno what could have happened?

Thanks

John Daigle

www.showmethedemo.com

[karenp4]

You may remember helping me some time ago regarding getting my server up and running, for which I thank all of you.  I seem to pick up more and more information each time I check the forum.  Great job on the slides!  It is a bit long as you mentioned, but there is a wealth of knowledge I didn't even know I didn't know.  (I think that makes sense.) 

[johndaigle]

You're welcome, Karen

I hope to have a more polished slide/video tutorial next week.

Stay tuned.

John Daigle

www.showmethedemo.com