HelpXplain - output to something emailable?

Nothing is perfect! This is where you can post your ideas and wishes for functions you'd like to see in Help & Manual. Current version only please (H&M7).

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Simon_Dismore
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Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 2:57 pm

HelpXplain - output to something emailable?

Unread post by Simon_Dismore »

Following up on the video suggestion, it would definitely be useful to have a way to output from HelpXplain a file with animations and mouse clicks that can be attached to an email. Video isn't ideal because it's not sufficiently interactive. I did think about using eWriter but it is [rightly] difficult to email executable files so they can be opened on demand.

Would it make sense to create an "xplain player" (that could be based on HelpXplain or eWriter) that renders either an actual xplain or a published version of one, and go through all the pain of registering it at all lthe relevant app stores?

Alternatively, could EC Software run a hosted Xplain service: registered/paid-up users could upload their .xplain files to be compiled in the cloud (excluding any external links, javascript, iframes) and then available for sharing. That could be the 'Pro' version of HelpXplain with a quota, annual subscription etc? That might also allow xplains from that domain to be embedded in the phpbb forum here.
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Martin Wynne
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Location: West of the Severn, UK

Re: HelpXplain - output to something emailable?

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Hi Simon,

HX already includes a stand-alone player. All that is needed is to record it with a screen recorder and export it as an animated GIF, for email etc. That takes only a couple of minutes. File sizes won't be too bad unless it contains JPG photos. This one is 127KB:
martin-24-06-2019-21-04-58.gif
cheers,

Martin.
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Simon_Dismore
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 2:57 pm

Re: HelpXplain - output to something emailable?

Unread post by Simon_Dismore »

Martin Wynne wrote:Hi Simon, All that is needed is to record it with a screen recorder and export it as an animated GIF
Hi Martin, you're right in a sense. You and I probably know how to get around anything missing in HX or H+M, but that's not really the point of giving feedback. When I demonstrate HX to someone earning big bucks in IT, I don't assume they've much experience of documentation, web design, or even using styles in Word*. If I can get them to use HelpXplain instead of Powerpoint, that's a win.

The point is that HX creators should be able to export something that demonstrates the animation and interaction directly, without needed to use third party tools.

*Seriously, I meet some people who can do all sorts of stuff with Kafka, Kali Linux, Kubernetes &k yet have no idea how to do the most basic tasks in Powerpoint, and others who can bend Office 365, Sharepoint and Azure to their will but wouldn't recognise a 10m high CSS3 filter.
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Martin Wynne
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Location: West of the Severn, UK

Re: HelpXplain - output to something emailable?

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Simon_Dismore wrote:Hi Martin, you're right in a sense. You and I probably know how to get around anything missing in HX or H+M, but that's not really the point of giving feedback. When I demonstrate HX to someone earning big bucks in IT, I don't assume they've much experience of documentation, web design, or even using styles in Word*. If I can get them to use HelpXplain instead of Powerpoint, that's a win. The point is that HX creators should be able to export something that demonstrates the animation and interaction directly, without needed to use third party tools.
Hi Simon,

Well this is the Wish List, so I was hinting that Alexander might not find it too difficult to add the necessary to HX.

He already has the xplain player; he already has the animated GIF compiler for the static slides. It might not to be too much extra work to capture the player canvas at say 10 frames per second and feed them to the GIF compiler. For short xplains, at least.

Just sayin'. :)

Martin.
pl labrie
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Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2014 5:11 pm

Re: HelpXplain - output to something emailable?

Unread post by pl labrie »

Would it be possible to make tables in a future update?

Thank you !
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