ZoomSearch Instructions for RoboHelp

[disneeprincess]

Hi,

I'm using RH 7, generating WebHelp/context sensitive help.

I'm thinking of incorporating ZoomSearch into my RH project. I'm trying to follow Peter's instructions for ZoomSearch, but I'm confused.

I publish my project directly to a server, not to my hard drive. So in Step 2, do I still need to add the folder? If so, how can I add it to a server?

Thanks,

Julie

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

Just an observation. You said:

disneeprincess wrote:

...I publish my project directly to a server, not to my hard drive...

You should be working locally. This means your project exists on your local C drive in a location such as C:\Projects\MyProject and you output locally such as C:\Projects\MyProject\!SSL!\WebHelp.

From what you posted it would seem that your output location isn't local and is the server instead. This is asking for trouble and is why the Publish function exists.

If I'm understanding what you wrote correctly, you seriously need to reconsider your workflow.

Cheers... Rick

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[disneeprincess]

Oh my. Now I have more confusion. I generate my output locally and the project is on my C: drive. When I publish, the application developer set it up to publish to the server. What am I supposed to do and why is it bad to publish to the server? This is context sensitive help for a web site. If we need to change the workflow, I will have to explain this to the application developer.

Thanks for your input,

Julie

[Captiv8r]

Hi Julie

Sorry if I caused confusion. Here's the deal.

Some folks think they can wisely save some time and effort by configuring the output location to be the server where the content lives. They think they can just skip the publishing step by simply generating directly to the final destination.

Perhaps an analogy will help here.

Consider generating WebHelp to be like baking a batch of cookies. Before you may bake a batch, the cookie sheet has to be empty, no? So a critical step is to clear the cookie sheet of existing cookies. In RoboHelp terms, clearing the cookie sheet is the action of deleting the files from the output folder.

So if your output folder is the server where folks may be actually using files, this could present an issue.

What threw me was your saying "You publish directly to the server". I mistakenly concluded that you were simply generating to the server instead of Publishing.

The act of publishing in RoboHelp is similar to taking the baked cookies from the cookie sheet and placing them into the cookie jar or the display case.

So as long as you generate output, then click a Publish button, your workflow should be fine.

Hopefully that helps clear anything up.

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

[disneeprincess]

Hi Rick,

I appreciate your explanation and that you took time to explain this. I've read enough forum posts that I did get the idea to keep the project on my hard drive and generate it locally before publishing. However, I didn't understand why that was important. I think you are saying that when you generate the project, RH clears the output files first and then recreates them. If you generate to a server where people are accessing the files, you are clearing those files and run the risk of creating a problem when you regenerate. If you generate locally, the files are in a stable, safe place. When you publish the project, RH moves the files to the server. I like your analogy of moving the cookies from the cookie sheet to a display case.

Meanwhile, I am back to my original question about the ZoomSearch instructions. I don't understand where I should add a folder since I publish to a server.

Thanks,

Julie

[Peter Grainge]

You have said you are publishing to the server but I don't think you are as you say your application developer is doing that.

You can publish to your hard disk and that is what you need to do. Then instead of handing over the files you are generating, not publishing, you hand over the files you have published to your hard disk. Just as done in the download from my site.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[disneeprincess]

Hi Peter,

So sorry to be muddled with my explanation. What I meant is: the application developer came to my computer and entered the server name on the WebHelp Publish screen in the servers box. That's what I meant by the application developer set up the publishing to the server. I'm under the impression that I'm not publishing to my hard drive; am I correct in this impression or am I still confused?

(I just have to say that after a year of working with RH, I should have pushed for taking a training class instead of trying to learn RH from a book. I am sorry that I have to keep asking these questions, and I thank you guys for taking the time to help.)

Thanks,

Julie

[Peter Grainge · Accepted solution]

If you are publishing to the server, you need to add the extra files manually.

If you can see the server via Windows Explorer, you can use that. Otherwise you need to use FTP. If you show the relevant section of my instructions to your developer, they will be able to help you and it should not take long.

None of this would be in a RH training course as you are stepping outside what RH provides.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[disneeprincess]

Ok, thanks. I will take this up with the developer.

(I just meant that understanding the generate vs. publish process - as well as some other things about RH - might have been easier if I had taken a training class. Meanwhile, we have the forums to help us, so thank you!!!)

[Guest]

Hi,

I'm using RoboHelp 8, gererating webhelp. I'm thinking of incorporating ZoomSearch into my project however we publish our help to the RoboHelp server. Do you know of any reasons why this might cause a problem or would it be ok to follow the instructions on this thread for publishing to servers in general?

Thanks,

Gavin

[Peter Grainge]

Instructions for incorporating ZoomSearch into WebHelp are on my site. I haven't tried with WebHelp Pro and RoboHelp Server but I cannot readily see any reason why the steps should not work.

Try it with a small demo project.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Guest]

Hi Peter,

Thanks very much, I'll give it a try and post the results.

Gavin