Btw, not NB related, we switched from JavaHelp to a set of static HTML pages (generated using custom XSLT stylesheets from DocBook XML source): + no internet access is required + preserving context help linking + easier styling + responsive layout - limited search capabilities (keywords processed by lucene are exported into simple text file, no complex queries can be used)
That search can be hardly improved without serving HTML pages via local webserver (which was rejected by lead developers). Without webserver there are many security constraints like inability to load external content dynamically or problematic cookie/local storage management. We also publish same document to online CMS portal, here with the full search capabilities. It is available there as a set of pages with advanced navigation (outline, breadcrumbs, prev/next buttons), but also as a single PDF file (which is stil requested by many users - it can be stored as single file and printed easily). These outputs we produce again from single DocBook XML source. It is up to the user if he choose online/offline (context) help. The default option is online help. That offline variant is considered as a fallback in case of none or poor internet connection. Jan > -----Original Message----- > From: Bernd Ruehlicke <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2018 5:22 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: Future of JavaHelp (or a replacement) in NetBeans? > > Uh ... my application is often used in areas without any network > connection. Even though the UI is not the most beautiful in the world it > is a very helpful tool and I use JavaHelp quite extensively. Of course I > am in line with Time, a chance is needed but we should have the case in > mind for off-line users. With JavaHelp I like that it is integrated to > my application and not some website - it ships with it integrated > nicely. This could of course be solve easy by simply add a Help->Update > Offline Help and it simply dumps the current online help to disk for > offline usage. Maybe even automatically avoiding a menu item, using the > same idea as the Update Server that on startup the app is checking of > the online documentation has been updated and pops up a suggestion to > the user to "Want to update offline documentation", i.e. the online help > always has a offline copy by default. > > Bernd > > On 9/22/2018 9:48 AM, Antonio wrote: > > +1 to online help. > > > > > > On 22/09/18 16:16, Tim Boudreau wrote: > >> I've been thinking for at least a decade and a half that javahelp > >> needs to > >> die. It's basically a clone of the Windows 3.1 help system. Evidence > >> was, > >> last I knew, that it was rarely used by real users. > >> > >> Online help would, IMHO, be fine in this era. > >> > >> -Tim > >> > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > > For additional commands, e-mail: dev- > [email protected] > > > > For further information about the NetBeans mailing lists, visit: > > https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/NETBEANS/Mailing+lists > > > > > > > > . > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected] For further information about the NetBeans mailing lists, visit: https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/NETBEANS/Mailing+lists
