Wiki/blog

[mollyid]

I'm wondering if there's anyway to incorporate a wiki/blog feature with robohelp, even if I have to look into purchasing a plug in or something that can integrate into RBH, I would be thrilled. This is a corporate mandate that we create features and I'm lost. I've tried searching but end up in the land of blogs ABOUT RBH, not on integrating blogs with RBH. I'm using RBH 8, and using WebHelp. We have to use a browser-based help system, we cannot use locally installed air as we are in a call center and cannot push updates as fast as our communication changes. Any ideas?

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

I think you first need to iron out the details of exactly what you are hoping to accomplish. I'm pretty sure that this is likely the result of some management PHB type that has heard the terms Wiki and Blog and they now have a bee in their bonnet that you absolutely MUST incorporate these lest your clients all abandon your product in favor of brand X because brand X after all, has this Wiki/Blog thing and the brand X customers are now precisely 37.6% more satisfied as a result.

So you need to be asking the hard questions such as:

What exactly is missing from our current help deployment?

What specifically will be gained by building in a Wiki or Blog feature?

What is it that a Blog currently does that our current RoboHelp output does not do?

Be as specific as you can about the features that are important. Once you know exactly the behavior you are looking for, the better equipped you will be to find product(s) that will fulfill these features.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 moments from now - $24.95! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcererStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[mollyid]

I am an internal employee, not developing for an external client. We have rapidly changing information and the request is that each department have a homepage that they have control over posting blogs/wikis updates. You've had so many other suggestions (the Index!) which have been critical in improving the adoption of the new help system, but we're stuck on this one. And even if it is a bee in a bonnet, it's my boss' bonnet, so here we are.....

[MergeThis]

We provide a folder at the root level of our merged WebHelp system, which is called "custom" (which could just as easily be called "wiki" or "Blog" or "RedRabbit"). We provide a few samples and explain how users can store all manner of HTML, DOC, and PDF documents of their own creation. They are responsible for maintaining their own "Index" page for links, etc.

Our installation/upgrade process keeps hands off this folder, so that users lose nothing from version to version.

Simple, but effective (and low maintenance for you).

Good luck,

Leon

[mollyid]

This sounds fantastic. I use RoboSource, so how should I create the folder? In RoboSource or RoboHelp? How is it in the Contents and Index of your help system? Are you able to provide a screen shot?

[MergeThis]

In our merged WebHelp project, we created the folder in the master project (imsportal in the screenshot) and placed our example files and example logo images inside that folder. The main example page (.htm file) was then added to the TOC and the Index.

It's been a long time, so I don't remember if we had to create the same folder in the output area with WinExplorer, or not.

Good luck,

Leon

[mollyid]

Thank you! This is great feedback. We don't merge our project, will that change our ability to do this? What do your instructions look like? What other files are in there in your folders? Do you create a blank topic? Thank you so much for your input.

[MergeThis]

Merged or not, the same will apply: create a folder that will appear at the root.

We provide one HTM file that is a sample, including a fake logo and a few headings with links.

We then provide another HTM file that includes:

Directory Locations (within the software application's structure)

File Descriptions (the HTM and GIF files)

Building and Linking Your Document Library (this and the next two sections include HTML examples for their assistance)

Changing the Logo Image and Page Title

Maintaining the Documents in a Different Folder

Good luck,

Leon

[mollyid]

Maybe this is a stupid question, but how to users build and link their document library?

[MergeThis]

They simply add their documents/images into the custom folder (and subfolders) thru WinExplorer, and add links to them from their "home" page. (They're not going to do this in RH, of course. They'll have to go into the HTM file with a text editor (like Notepad).

Good luck,

Leon

[Guest]

Hi,

Assuming that your help is for a sfotware application, why not have a series of options on the help menu of the software:

Help

     Help system

     Wiki

     Blog

     etc

That way it's simple and robust as well as easy to maintain...

[mollyid]

Unfortunately this is not for one software application, it is for a company wide knowledge management and P&P system.