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Shelley Bates
Known Participant
January 25, 2012
Question

Will the features of WebHelp and WebHelp Pro layouts ever be combined?

  • January 25, 2012
  • 3 replies
  • 1116 views

Why are they separate? I like the enhanced features of WebHelp Pro, but I lose other new and GREAT features of WebHelp.

I use the WebHelp Pro layout for the customization features like:

  • Conditional Build Expressions
  • Content selection (TOC, Index, Glossary, etc.)
  • Exclude unreferenced Topics and baggage files

I would like to also use WebHelp (not Pro) features like:

  • Turning off certain toolbar buttons when there is no content for them (i.e. Index, Glossary). I have customzed the skin, but am not able to delete these buttons from the navigation area. Turning them off in WHPro would be ideal.
  • Using Content Categories. I need to use this feature to keep the TOC pane from showing (great for mobile devices) and for offering specific navigational paths, but I would have to sacrifice the features of Pro to do. Namely, Excluding unreferenced topics and baggage files. Our client primarily uses the search feature instead of the TOC navigation. We can't have them "finding" unused or developmental content, so I have to use Pro -- unless there is a better solution.

Am I missing something here?

Thanks,

Shelley

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    3 replies

    S
    Shelley BatesAuthor
    Known Participant
    January 25, 2012

    Hi John,

    Thanks for your quick response. No, I do not currently have RH Server installed, though I have dabbled with it and RoboSource in the past. I have not fully learned what/how to use RH and how it may benefit me. Currently, all of our RH output is hosted on a website. Once I generate the output, we just uploaded it to a url that our company hosts via the FireFTP add-on in FireFox. I realize this means that we aren't using RH/RH Server to our fully advantage, I just haven't had time or reason enough to learn what it is and how to use it.

    I had not realized that the Pro output was intended for use with RH Server. I just discovered they each had slightly different features and went with the one that best suits my needs.

    I'm very interested in your help.

    Thanks,

    Shelley

    Captiv8r
    Captiv8r
    Legend
    January 25, 2012

    Hi Shelley

    Sounds like you could really use a bit of RoboHelp training. I say that because you are unaware of why you would need RoboHelp Server, unaware that the "Pro" outputs are intended for use only with that output and the grand daddy of them all: unaware that most (if not all) of the features you cited are simple to achieve with the standard WebHelp output if you only know what and where to tweak things.

    John and I are both Adobe certified instructors. Additionally, there are books on RoboHelp you may purchase that will help you learn how to effectively learn these features.

    Cheers... Rick

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    S
    Shelley BatesAuthor
    Known Participant
    January 25, 2012

    Rick,

    Books? Really?

    Granted there is always more to learn.

    Could you please point me to specific sources of the "tweaks" that explain how to address the "Grand Daddy of the all" using the standard WebHelp output?

    • Define and use Conditional Build Expressions. I have applied the build tags, but do not see a way to build the expressions to use them except in Pro.
    • Select a specific TOC or Glossary file to assign to a toolbar button. (not just check and uncheck the buttons. I know that much.). Some of my projects have multiple glossaries and depending on the situation, I need to select a particular glossary file to associate with the button.
    • Exclude Unreferenced content from search. I prefer to exclude unused content/topics from the output althogether, but that has not always been successful even when I use the "Exclude from Search" checkbox in the topic properties screen --- you may be surprised that I know about that screen.

    I, like so many others, am self taught, so yes there are gaps in my knowledge and experience, hence the reason I'm posting questions on this forum. Until now, my journey from RH5 to RH9 over the last 5 years has not led me to RoboHelp Server. Shocking, but true.

    I am currently reading the articles mentioned in Jeff Coatsworth's reply above along with other research on RH Server to further my knowledge.

    Any specific solutions to the 3 issues listed is much appreciated.

    Shelley

    
    johndaigle
    johndaigle
    Legend
    January 25, 2012

    Hi, Shelley. Many of the items you would like accomplished can be done with both SSL layouts. However, before I try to explain, you need to let me know if you have purchased and installed Adobe RoboHelp *Server* 9?

    The reason Jeff mentioned this, and I need to know, is that the WebHelp Pro layout is ONLY appropriate if you are publishing to the RoboHelp Server.

    Otherwise, if you are publishing to a conventional web server that doesn't have the RoboHelp Server application installed, then WebHelp NOT WebHelp Pro is the proper layout.

    Let me know and I'll try to fill in the blanks for you.
    Thanks!

    John Daigle

    Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate Instructor

    Evergreen, Colorado

    www.showmethedemo.com

    John DaigleAdobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate InstructorNewport, Oregon
    Jeff_Coatsworth
    Community Expert
    Jeff_CoatsworthCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 25, 2012

    Yup!

    You've fallen into the misimpression that "Pro" SSL layouts have something "better" or "enhanced" to them - they don't. They're expressly designed to work with features that are present in a product called RoboHelp Server. They shouldn't be used if you don't have that installed on your server where you serve up help pages. See articles by John Daigle and Colum McAndrew out there explaining how RH Server works.

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