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What is the best way to deliver WebHelp output files to the development team in TFS?

Community Beginner ,
Feb 25, 2016 Feb 25, 2016

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I am using RoboHelp 2015 to generate WebHelp output.

The development team would like me to check in the files into TFS so that they can pick up the files and integrate them into the build.

I am looking for some best practices here as I am running into some issues every time I try to check the files back in. For example, I need to manually track the files I have added/renamed/deleted in the RH project.

We have discussed the following options:

  • Deleting the contents of the WebHelp output folder in TFS every time I want to check in the  new files.
    • This works, but does not seem like a very elegant option.
  • Zipping up the contents of the WebHelp output folder and checkin/checkout this single file
    • This works well for me, but the devs have to create a separate process to unzip the file every time they generate a build, which they are not crazy about.
  • Checking out all files in folder, overwrite the files with the new files, manually add the new files, and then check everything back in.
    • This work fine, but it requires you to manually add files every time you check in and also leaves old/legacy files that have been deleted from the RH project.

Does anyone have any other ideas on how to do this?

Any help would be much appreciated.

James

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

LEGEND , Feb 26, 2016 Feb 26, 2016

Hi Mack,

I think that unzipping a file is a very simple action to add to a build process, so that may be the easiest way to go. But there are other options as well.

You can check in the sources in TFS and use RoboHelp with source control. You then include RoboHelp in the build process so that the latest sources are fetched from TFS and the help is generated on the server. A nice solution, but more work to implement. I like this solution because I don't believe storing an output is very useful. As

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LEGEND ,
Feb 26, 2016 Feb 26, 2016

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Hi Mack,

I think that unzipping a file is a very simple action to add to a build process, so that may be the easiest way to go. But there are other options as well.

You can check in the sources in TFS and use RoboHelp with source control. You then include RoboHelp in the build process so that the latest sources are fetched from TFS and the help is generated on the server. A nice solution, but more work to implement. I like this solution because I don't believe storing an output is very useful. As long as you have the sources, you can always create a new output.

For your developers, just adding all the output files in a specific folder is the easiest. And you can automate this option for yourself as well. Both TFS and RoboHelp can be controlled from the command line. Meaning that you can create a batch file that (1) generates a RoboHelp output. (2) Removes the current help from TFS. (3) Adds the new output from 1 to TFS. (4) Checks in the changes into TFS. A single file would automate it all for you. I used this method in the past and once it is set up, there is almost no maintenance for you.

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 29, 2016 Feb 29, 2016

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Thanks William. This information is very helpful.

I have spoken to the lead developer on the team and he thinks we can create an automated process to generate the WebHelp files and integrate them directly into the build.

Thanks again!

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Community Beginner ,
Mar 02, 2016 Mar 02, 2016

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Hi William,

A question for you. If RH is installed locally on my machine, how do the developers call RH via the command line?

Do we need a version of RH installed on the build server as well?

Thanks in advance for your help.

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LEGEND ,
Mar 03, 2016 Mar 03, 2016

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You will also need a copy of RoboHelp on the build machine. An RH license allows two installations: an office computer and a laptop. But you could also use that for your build machine. (Though I don't know about the exact licensing requirements for something like that.)

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Community Expert ,
Mar 03, 2016 Mar 03, 2016

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I think that would violate the license as it is for the same user and the installs must not be used at the same time. However, you would have to confirm directly with Adobe.

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RoboHelp Documentation
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