Use RoboSourceControl 3 without RoboServer?

Report · Nov 18, 2008

Hello. I see that the RoboSource Control 3.1 client ("Explorer") is installed along with RoboHelp 7. There is an application called database configurator installed, too. Is it possible to use source control without having Robo Server? If not, what are the recommended best practices for collaboration without having Robo Server? (And I assume Robo Server is the same thing as RoboSourceControl Server.)

Thanks!

Report · Nov 19, 2008

Hi hermi14, and welcome "a-board." Yes, you can use RoboSource Control without RoboHelp Server. The two products are independent of one another.

RoboHelp Server and RoboSource Control Server are not the same. By "RoboSource Control Server," I think you are referring to the part of RSC that operates on a remote server. This has nothing to do with RoboHelp Server.

HTH,
G

Report · Dec 03, 2008

I have a RoboEngine database and I am running on RoboHelp 7.0 HTML.

Can I use RoboEngine with RoboSource Control to set up my version control?

Rich21

Report · Dec 03, 2008

Hi Rich21 and welcome to the RH community.

If you are asking whether you can publish RH7 WebHelp Pro output using RoboEngine, then the answer is "No". You need to have RH7 Server to do this because of the changes to the underlying HTML in RH7.

Report · Dec 03, 2008

Hi Rich21, I too welcome you to our community

I'm reading your question a bit differently than my friend Colum did. So I'm offering a different answer.

RoboEngine and RoboSource Control are two entirely different applications that server two entirely different purposes.

* RoboSource Control is an application that provides source control functionality. File check out/check in. Rolling back to an earlier version. Etc.

* RoboEngine (nowadays known as RoboHelp Server) is a product that runs on a Web Server and allows you to publish specific RoboHelp output (from the WebHelp and FlashHelp Pro layouts). The RoboHelp Server provides features such as reporting on how often certain topics have been viewed, dynamic merging of projects (but merging is also available in plain vanilla WebHelp and FlashHelp with no special server software) and searching inside Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF documents while they are still in .DOC or .PDF form.

Bottom line is that the two products are separate and one wouldn't combine them as you seem to be asking if is possible.

Cheers... Rick

Report · Dec 03, 2008

More clarification.

At the first of this year I had RoboInfo 5.0 and Roboengine 4.0 and I was able to use version control, everything worked fine.

I upgraded to RoboHelp 7 and now I am unable to connect to the Roboengine database which I think should be used for Version Control. I had heard and been told that Roboengine would work with RoboHelp 7.0 HTML and WebHelp Pro.

Does it work or not? What should I do?

Rich21

Report · Dec 04, 2008

Hi Rich21.

You are still under the misunderstanding that you can use RoboHelp Server (previously called RoboEngine) for version control. Version control is handled by RoboSource Control - a completely separate application that comes as part of the RoboHelp 7 application. Therefore you can have version control with RoboHelp 7 and never install RoboHelp Server (or RoboEngine).

Now as far as your Robohelp 7 output is concerned. If you still want to use the RoboEngine application, you will have to upgrade to RoboHelp Server 7. This is because BIG changes were made to the underlying HTML in RoboHelp 7 projects which makes it unrecognisable by earlier versions of RoboHelp Server.

Report · Dec 04, 2008

I should have added that the RH Server 7 application is used to publish the webhelp pro output to a defined RH Server that allows you to gather statistics on the help file's usage and run reports on that usage. You can get further details of its use here.

Report · Dec 04, 2008

Ok I think I am beginning to understand, but I still have some questions.

#1
I also would like to be set up where multiple user can have access to the RoboHelp Source Topics to make updates besides myself, is this still possible?

#2
When I go into RoboSource Control 3.1, I am asked to either create or connect to a database. When I try to connect to the Roboengine database, I am told that 'the target machine will not let me connect and is refusing the connection'.

I have notice that there is a tip line that basically say 'to create a new database, 'run the RSO3serverconfig.exe application installed with server'. Do I need to create a new database and then connect to it?

Rich21

Report · Dec 04, 2008

The point of any source control application is to stop Author B changing the source at the same time as Author A. Therefore as long as you have your source control application set-up correctly, and your source files are controlled by it, you can do just that.

I have to say that I don't use RoboSource Control as we prefer to use another application but the premise is the same. You control the source and give the authors access to the "database" where the source is held. That "database" is completely separate to the RoboEngine database.

It sounds like you are trying to connect to the wrong database or you don't have a RoboSource Control database set-up. Is there anyone there who knows whether a RoboSource Control database exists? That would be the place to start before you go down the line of creating a new one.

Report · Dec 04, 2008

After looking at the RSO3serverconfig.exe, I think I need my IT person to set up a Robosource Control database on our server and then I will need to connect to it from my computer. My IT person is on vacation and will not be back for 5 days. I will give that a try.

Report · Dec 16, 2008

Hello. Well, one thing is for sure--the product naming committee has fallen off on the job--the names of the server products are too similar!

Gravenstein, thank you for your answer. I hear you saying that I don't need RoboHelp Server. I understand that.

Here is my question rephrased: Can we use the RoboSource Control clients that came with our RoboHelp 7 products WITHOUT purchasing RoboSource Control Server separately, i.e. just with a plain SQL database? Or do I have to purchase RoboSource Control Server?

Thanks!

Report · Dec 16, 2008

I'm with you on the importance of good product names, hermi14!

You don't need to buy anything else. The RSC piece that installs on a server is included with your RH7 disc. (Well, it was that way with RH6; I assume it's the same with RH7.) Your help authors should have the client part installed on their PCs; your RSC server should have the server part installed there. Use the same RH7 disc to do the install in both cases.

HTH,
G