> > I have an idea that may just solve most if not all of > these issues. We can use Eclipse. > > Check out the Cloudscape version of the help: > http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/cldscp10/index.jsp > > That entire site was created using Eclipse's help > system package. To learn more about creating an > Eclipse help system, read about it here: > > http://dev.eclipse.org/viewcvs/index.cgi/~checkout~/org.eclipse. > platform.doc.isv/reference/misc/help_standalone.html?rev=1.26.2.2 > > And to deploy a help system on the web: > > http://dev.eclipse.org/viewcvs/index.cgi/~checkout~/org.eclipse. > platform.doc.isv/reference/misc/help_infocenter.html?rev=1.27.2.2 > > Long story short, we could host it on the Derby site > using an Apache http server. I'm not good with the > technical aspects of this, so hopefully someone can > read up on whether the requirements for hosting this > would be allowed by Apache. > > But if we can, then all we have to do is use > saxon/cocoon to output xhtml from the DITA (I've > already tested that with success), as well as create > an XML nav tree from the ditamap, also using > saxon/cocoon (again, tested successfully), and then > throw those into an eclipse help system plugin. The > result would be almost exactly what you see on the > Cloudscape infocenter. We'd have full advanced > pre-indexed search on all the docs at once, a much > more advanced nav tree, and once we set it up and take > a look at how related links work within the system, we > could modify the dita files to add links between the > docs where needed. We'd still have PDF docs for those > who want them, of course. > > I took the liberty of throwing my tested xhtml and and > xml nav tree into a plugin and testing it locally, and > it looked alright. > > Does this sound like it could work? > > Jeff
Sounds like an option, although it means that everyone has to install another program to read the manuals. I agree we would still want the PDFs so the manuals can be printed. How big would a minimal configuration for stand-alone help be? Hoping it isn't too heavy weight.. John
