Robohelp 9.0.2 Access Project Files from Network Drive or SharePoint

Report · Jun 22, 2012

Hello everyone!

I was wondering if anyone has suggestions for the following scenario:

Mutliple content authors traveling around the world need to access centrally place project files.

I know using a network drive is a bad practice, and I've been testing it with little luck today. Has anyone used SharePoint to house projects in the past?

What is the best way to share these projects on a network? It's becoming very necessary for us to do so, and I was wondering if anyone has had any success.

Ideas anyone?

Thanks!

Jerry

Report · Jun 22, 2012

Hi Jerry

Assuming SharePoint can function as a Source Control system it should work. Note that Source Control systems perform a variety of tasks. Librarian, Traffic Cop, etc.

With any Source Control system the files are centrally located. They have to be, no? But in my experience, you configure each of them in a similar manner. You designate a "Working Folder" that is on your local C drive. As you check files out and work on them, they are copied to your working folder. When you check them in, they are copied back to the server and updated. So you are working locally but the content is centrally located. Assuming SharePoint works that way, it should work for you.

Cheers... Rick

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Report · Jun 22, 2012

Hi Jerry.

SharePoint is not designed for source control. At a push, and a really hard one at that, you can use it as Rick describes. The issue is that each RoboHelp project is a collection of many files. SharePoint does not allow you to easily check in and out multiple files. One way around this could be to zip your RoboHelp project files and add that to SharePoint. That way your authors could check out the zipped file, unzip it to their local drive, work on it, zip it back up and check it back in. Personally I'd suggest a proper source control application that is designed for that purpose. The problem with zipped files though is that they maybe viewed as a security risk inside SharePoint. If so this maybe a non-starter anyway.

Report · Jun 22, 2012

Thanks Rick and RoboColumn,

I'm about to have this dicussion with my boss, and wanted to make sure I consulted with you beforehand. She wants to have the project file where anyone, anywhere, at anytime can work on the project.

However, that being said I think it's completely pheasable to have an "owner" of the project file who works within it exclusively, and backs up to a network strictly for storage. (that's just my two cents).

Thanks for your advice!!

Jerry

Report · Jun 22, 2012

Yes that would work also provided you have strict procedures. For example the authors just write and the owner imports, indexes, compiles the TOC, etc.

Colum

Report · Jun 22, 2012

Hello again

As Colum indicated, it can work that way.

When I was using RoboHelp in the corporate environment, I "shared" projects with a colleague. As Colum indicated, she had a copy of the project and used RoboHelp to create new content and revise content. At the end of each day she would tell me what topics had been added and changed. And I was the "master" and I would open my own copy of the project and import her new and changed topics. Then I would generate, test and publish from my own PC.