Robohelp Distribution Help

[JCT360]

I would like to suggest that Adobe build a feature into robohelp that assists with distribution of help guides. For example, offer to distribute the help guide after the first publish. Or, have a button that assists with distribution. The reason I suggest this is because I am currently getting ready to distribute my help guide on Robohelp 7. However, I'm finding it to be quite a tedious task to track down the htm file to use for distribution.

[RoboWizard]

Welcome to our community, JCT360

I'm a bit puzzled by what you are looking for. From what you have posted, it would seem that you are creating WebHelp output. This output exists as a swarm of files that typically need to be copied to a server of some sort before viewing. RoboHelp HTML has a transport mechanism built into the product. If you work your way through the dialogs, the last screen allows you to configure a destination for publishing the product.

Also, please note that if you have product suggestions for Adobe, you need to put them forth using the proper channel. That channel is called the Wish Form. The same form is used to request features as well as report bugs. You may view it using the link below.

Click here to view the WishForm/Bug Reporting Form

Have you considered RoboHelp training? You may find that it does far more than you think.

Cheers... Rick

[JCT360]

I think you misunderstood what I'm looking for. I am aware of the transport mechanism built into Robohelp. That simply puts the files where you direct it to. Ok. So once that is done, how do you distribute the guide to your audience? I am publishing, using Webhelp Pro. There is one htm file that needs to be distributed to my audience for them to be able to view the content of the help guide. Without digging through the folders on the server, how do you distribute that htm file? Better yet, how do you even know which htm file it is? I have been to Robohelp training, and that area, as well as Source Control was not covered.

[Peter Grainge]

Well I'm still not understanding. WebHelp Pro will only run from the server on which RH Server has been installed.

You cannot simply give your users one HTML file so that they can view the help. Maybe what you mean is what you need to do so that they can view the help from that server? If so the answer is not to give them a file but to give them a URL.

The file that starts the help is defined by you in Output Folder and Start Page in the wizard. Don't send that file to users, send them a link that points to it.

[JCT360]

This is true. But what is an easy way to identify which htm file is the correct one to send the url? Also, is there a way that Robohelp can help identify that url? I currently have priviledges to publish to the server, yet I don't have priviledges to view file and folder structures. How do I know what the url will be if I don't have those priviledges?

[Peter Grainge]

If you have privileges to upload to the server, I would have thought that you must have privileges to read what is there as long as you map down to the same location. You need a greater level of permission to write than you do to read.

What you should be doing is liaising with your IT guys. They will know where your files end up and be able to give you the URL.

[JCT360]

That is currently the way we do it. However there have been times where our Robohelp IT guy is out of the office, and we have a critical release that needs to be distributed, and we are unable to. That is why I suggested that Robohelp create a shortcut icon or something after the first publish of a new project. I submitted a feature request sheet. Thanks for your help.

[Captiv8r]

Hi again JCT360

I'm still a bit confused. You said: However there have been times where our Robohelp IT guy is out of the office, and we have a critical release that needs to be distributed, and we are unable to.

This would seem to suggest that you have distributed before. And if that's the case, the link should remain the same. Unless for some odd reason you are changing the link to the help with each release. But that would seem error prone.

Cheers... Rick

[Peter Grainge]

I doubt that it can be implemented. I would have thought RH would have to have access to the whole server to work that out and I suspect your IT guy would go mad at that idea.

Also it is not going to change just because of the update for the new release so once you know the path, that's it.

[JCT360]

I have published before, and distributed links to our help systems. However, these publishers are users who work independently from our main help system. They are responsible for issuing announcements, and resolutions to issues encountered in our systems. And add to the fact that we have just installed a new server to house our robohelp 7 html help systems. So, these users are not familiar with the new paths.

[hughbetcha]

I think I have similar issue as to what JCT360 brought up in this old post if I understand JCT's posts. I publish to a defined path on the server, but to then view the actual help website on our intranet, what would the URL be for users to view the site?

For example, I'm using RH8 publishing to WebHelp using File System. Destination Path is: \\servername\wwwroot

Now once I publish there, what would be the URL I could email to someone so they could view the site on our intranet? They should be able to access via an http:// address, right?

Looking at the folder on the server, can see the default topic, "Home.htm". Should URL I can use for users to vew the site be http://servername/wwwroot/Home.htm? If I try this link though, get page not found.

Hope that makes sense. I'm working on a new site. I had the http:// address to acccess the help site in my browser history. I cleared my history and now can't seem to figure out what the URL to the help site is.

UPDATE: I realized, I don't need the wwwroot in the path. Also, while my default home page is Home.htm, the actual URL for my help site is based on the name of my project. So correct URL is in this format: http://servername/Project_Name.htm

Message was edited by: hughbetcha

[Peter Grainge]

Hughbetcha

The start page name can be changed in the first page of the wizard. If you change it to index.htm and get your IT people to create a sharename, your users could type just the sharename and the help would open.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge