On Tue, 2 May 2006 16:46:31 -0700, "Angela Akridge" <angela.akridge at gmail.com> wrote:
>I've never worked with setting up an Online Help system. I know how to write >in raw html/sgml, but that's about the extent of my experience with Online >Help. I'm familiar with single-source authoring (using Epic) to create >customized documentation, but have NO experience designing a help system I >currently edit existing context-sensitive online help. I don't use an Online >Help application (JavaHelp or RoboHelp). I simply have some hooks in the >code that call some html files (nothing sophisticated). > >I'd like to use the content that I produce in manuals to produce online help >topics. If this means that the Online Help can no longer be context >sensitive without a lot of infrastrucuture, then so be it (although a hybird >would be ideal). My company is okay with dumping the manual into a clean >collection of individual procedures (modules) if the design provides a >search box. What tool will take my Frame xml output and generate a pretty >look-and-feel for online help? I like MS Word's Online Help. First, there's another list that's devoted to Help, that you may want to join and ask on. The Welcome message gives you a set of questions to answer about your needs that you can use to make up a good query: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HATT/ One of the regulars there has developed a grid of Help tool comparison information: http://www.helpstuff.com That said, for single-sourcing from Frame, there are really two choices: Mif2Go (our product), and WebWorks Pro. Both have free eval versions, and you may want to try both: http://www.omsys.com/ http://www.quadralay.com/ HTH! -- Jeremy H. Griffith, at Omni Systems Inc. <jeremy at omsys.com> http://www.omsys.com/