Multiple Formats

Report · Sep 13, 2007

Looking at purchasing RoboHelp 6 & Server for our company's online process documentation.

I'm a little confused about the different output formats:

Write once and publish to a range of popular help formats:
Generate multiple online formats — including Adobe FlashHelp®, Compiled HTML Help, JavaHelp, OracleHelp, WebHelp, and WinHelp — from the same source project.

How does each format differ? How do I know which format to publish in?

Thanks.

Report · Sep 13, 2007

Hi hughbetcha

It just looks a bit complicated. Really it's pretty simple. WebHelp and FlashHelp (or the "Pro" versions of each) are intended to be copied to a Web Server and accessed that way.

WinHelp - Fuhgeddaboudit. It's an old format and many are switching from it because of Vista issues.

Compiled .CHM format is used if you are creating a help file that will ship with a locally installed application. Think Internet Explorer. If you summon help while using IE, you are seeing a compiled .CHM.

JavaHelp and Oracle Help are rather esoteric formats. You won't find many authors with those skills. Primarily you will be in the world of either Compiled HTML Help (the .CHM file) or the WebHelp/FlashHelp world. Particularly if you are also purchasing RoboHelp Server. RoboHelp Server only works with the WebHelp Pro and FlashHelp Pro outputs. (or, more accurately, those outputs only work if RoboHelp Server is in use)

Hopefully this was helpful... Rick

Report · Sep 13, 2007

Thanks Rick.

So, I'll go further and ask how WebHelp Pro and FlashHelp pro differ, and if there's ever a case where you can only use one or the other?

Report · Sep 13, 2007

Hi again

If you are asking why they are "Pro" vs just regular WebHelp and FlashHelp, it's because their outputs only work with the RoboHelp Server. Click here for an article describing more about RoboHelp Sever. And click here for an article on my site explaining the differences between the regular and "Pro" versions of each.

If instead, you are asking about the fundamental differences between WebHelp and FlashHelp, the primary difference is that with FlashHelp, the navigation components of your project (TOC/Index/Glossary/Search) are handled using Flash components. The WebHelp output uses a combination of HTML, Java Applets and Dynamic HTML (DHTML - JavaScript combined with HTML).

Cheers... Rick