Selecting an Output for an Access Database

[tnewland82]

I am preparing to start a new Online Help system that will be catered to an MS Access Database project. The developer will be adding Help tags to the project, but I am trying to figure out which RH output method I should use for a database. Does anyone have any suggestions or tips/tricks that I should know?

Thanks in advance!

[Peter Grainge]

Assuming the database will be installed on the users desktop rather than a server, you need a help system designed to run on the desktop, that pretty much means CHMs or AIR help.

I believe that from Access your developer can call CSH from a CHM, he will be able to advise you on that. I don't know AIR help can be called from Access.

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[tnewland82]

Thanks for your response!

We do not use Adobe AIR, so that is not an option. To my understanding, the database project will exist in our folder on our network and users will access it from there. Can HTML Help (.chm file) still be used for this?

Thanks again!

[RoboColum_n_]

CHM are designed to be installed locally. If you DB is intranet based you'd be better using an output format (e.g. WebHelp) that is specifically designed to be hosted on a web/intranet site.

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[Peter Grainge · Accepted solution]

You cannot use CHMs on a network unless you are willing and able to amend the users' registries. See http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/chm_mspatch/896358.htm. Make sure the developer and product manager are aware of this. You should not amend a user's registry in this way without their knowledge and consent.

For server based help you should use WebHelp.

Check carefully with your developer. I was once advised the application was server based so I produced webhelp. Later I was told the application was on the user's desktop and it was only the database that was on a server. You need the help where the application is.

Application Local (Desktop) = CHM

Application on Server = WebHelp.

Your developer does not have to use AIR. You would generate AIR help from RH7 or RH8.

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