RH7 WebHelp doesn't do Fields??

[JLUCC]

Hi -
I was just reading the RH7 documentation (we're still evaluating apps) and I found something that I need clarification on.

I'm pretty sure that WebHelp is the output we need to use because no files or DLLs can be stored on the users computer while they fill out this online form. Maybe I have it wrong that Microsoft HTML Help projects do just that - compile the Help docs and install them on the users hard drive.

So then there is this definition in RH7 docs...
"Field level help - ...Briefly describes a field. A users accesses it by clicking a question-mark icon, then clicking a field in a dialog box.

Then there is this shocker...
WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, FlashHelp and FlashHelp Pro do not support field-level Help."

I assumed we could put little question marks near form fields for the user to click and get some kind of "popups" with Help content. But this says WebHelp won't do that.

Is there another way to get the same field level interaction using WebHelp? What am I misunderstanding here?

TIA some input.

JL

[RoboWizard]

Hi JL

I believe what is being referred to here is the old "What's this" style help. Essentially, you would have a separate help file used just for these. The content is typically in the form of text blurbs. But you could easily do this by just programming a normal HTML link.

So the info is a bit misleading.

Cheers... Rick

[johndaigle]

Hi, Josh.
Good news! Yes you CAN have field level help in Webhelp et al.

There seems to be a lot of confusion about the type of help and the type of application that's being supported. The "shocker" phrase you quoted was properly alerting you to the fact that "What's this field level help" (a format created by Microsoft) is generally thought of for use with the old WinHelp and MS HTML Help (.chm) files that support *desktop applications*. So the documentation was just trying to distinguish between that kind of field level technique vs the field level help for *web applications* that WebHelp/Flashelp absolutely supports.

FIeld level help with WebHelp is actually very easy. I have an example on my website and also wrote an article about it on the Adobe Developer Connection. http://www.adobe.com/devnet/robohelp/articles/context_help.html
Also to be clear, no DLLs or other files are required to be installed on a user's local computer fo WebHelp CSH help. I don't know where this idea could have come from?

To see a very brief sample of field level help working with WebHelp check out my site:
http://www.hypertexas.com/bdb/
It describes using RoboHelp's WebHelp API but there are many ways in which field level help can be called depending on what development environment the programmers are using.
(Note that the blue links could just as easily be questionmark icons.)

Thanx!
John

[JLUCC]

John - Thanks. I've seen that.

I get that - they look like regular HTML/Javascript popup boxes - common. That's useful.

So - (I never seem to run out of questions, do I?) - Watching your video "Play the demo: Accessing Help in a Web Application" I saw what I want. The bright, rounded rectangle, balloons that you use to explain the steps. THAT is the type of thing I want to show up when the user clicks the little question mark.
Possible?
JL

[Captiv8r]

Hi JL

What you are seeing are commonly known as Text Captions. Those are used in the Adobe Captivate demonstration John presented on the site. In other words, Captivate offers them. Not RoboHelp. You might be able to do this with some sort of fancy JavaScripting solution.

Cheers... Rick

[JLUCC]

Rick - You don't mean like a title tag that shows up like a tool tip, do you?
I was thinking like a call-out balloon.
Is there an online example of this - what RH/WebHelp can do - that you could send me to? (To get the screen cap that should have been in the docs ;-)

Much appreciated
jl

[HKabaker]

Sounds like a job for Flash.

Harvey