Online Helps: Conversions



Technical writers and information specialists spend a lot of time converting documents to and from RoboHelp or other help-authoring tools. There are many tools that provide ways to convert among such formats as CHM, HLP, PDF, HTML, FrameMaker, Word, and others.

Learning the Procedures

Converting a RoboHelp project to a website. This is known as "WebHelp":

  1. Find that pp8 folder and open it.
  2. Output this project as WebHelp (File > Generate > WebHelp).
  3. Take some time to learn what the different settings means (consult the context-specific helps or read the RoboHelp helps). Take notes!
  4. Make a note of where the project files are saved.
  5. While RoboHelp enables you to view the website, use Windows Explorer to go find it and click on the start-up file.
  6. Test this website version of the helps to see how things work, what breaks.

Converting Word and FrameMaker documents to helps. An excellent program developed in Austin, Texas, is Quadralay's WebWorks. You can import practically any file type and generate practically any output type. For example, you can import a FrameMaker book and output helps! Only problem is that our temporary license has expired. But we can get a bit of a look:

  1. Click Start, select WebWorks, ePublisher, then ePublisher Pro.
  2. Using Windows Explorer, find the Quick Start Guide: Program Files > WebWorks > Quick Start Guide.
  3. Follow the steps in this guide as far as you can. Currently we seem to lack license keys, and the program fails us at that point. In any case, explore this application to see what you can import and what you can output.
  4. Try importing simple HTML and TXT files.
  5. Also, try importing a RoboHelp project.
  6. See if you can generate any of the outputs.

When we can get the license keys, we'll try this again.

Writing about the Procedures

Write quick-reference notes on these procedures.

Revising

Your instructor will review these quick-reference notes rapidly, requesting revisions if necessary and recording an "ok" in the gradebook when no revisions are needed.





Provided by hcexres@io.com.