Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

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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Subash SL
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Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by Subash SL »

I posted this on the Off Topic folder but then I thought it would make sense to insert it here too. Now that newer help tools are being made almost every year how much will Help and Manual improve or incorporate newer features is my question. One in particular, MindTouch is veering towards these functionalities I have mentioned in my post such as SEO and Google Rankings.

http://www.learntechnicalwritingfast.co ... -the-hats/

Let me know your thoughts.
Subash SL
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by Subash SL »

Not to forget the newly launched, MadCap Central, The cloud based solution for Document Management. In fact it looks like MadCAp has taken a lot of WordPress features and functionality for its cloud based offering.
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cindynotbrady
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by cindynotbrady »

I like this idea, Subash. The only thing the WordPress doesn't do a good job of, though, is being able to compile all those links into a PDF. My concern is that we'll have customers still begging for a PDF. Is PDF dead in the water? Do you sometimes need a PDF or Word version of your help to give to someone else to read/edit? If not, then maybe this is a good solution.

Also, would this WordPress template allow for context-sensitive topics to be included on the page?
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Tim Green
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by Tim Green »

FYI: The current V3 skins in the Premium Pack include a WordPress plugin that allow you to embed your HM help in WordPress and use field-level topics and popups there as well. :)
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Andie Davidson
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by Andie Davidson »

I have the Premium Pack 3.2, but can't see any reference to WordPress -? But I do want to know how to host a number of H+M projects in HTML from an existing WordPress site used for support documentation etc.

In subdomains : project.mywebsite.com around a WordPress portal Index site of hyperlinks and its own static pages perhaps?

Or are you moving towards the idea of the master project being a website?
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Tim Green
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Andie,
Andie Davidson wrote:I have the Premium Pack 3.2, but can't see any reference to WordPress -?

You can find the extensive documentation in a new chapter called "Help+Manual Premium Pack 3.2" added to the main Help+Manual help after installing the Premium Pack. You can also access an online version. The section you are looking for is here in that version:

http://www.it-authoring.com/info/pp3hel ... press.html
But I do want to know how to host a number of H+M projects in HTML from an existing WordPress site used for support documentation etc.
You can use the plugin to display one WebHelp project within a Wordpress site. If you want multiple projects I wouldn't try to "host" them in WordPress. That wouldn't be practical. Instead, just link to them and make sure that your links use target="_blank" so that they always open in a new browser tab or window.
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Andie Davidson
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by Andie Davidson »

Thanks, Tim. That's helpful. That just leaves the question of searching seamlessly across WordPress pages and multiple webhelp projects.
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Tim Green
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by Tim Green »

Andie Davidson wrote:Thanks, Tim. That's helpful. That just leaves the question of searching seamlessly across WordPress pages and multiple webhelp projects.
The search in Help+Manual is implemented with a bundled version the Zoom web indexer from Wrensoft. The full version can spider multiple folders and also additional file types (Word, PDF etc) on your website. You can also integrate the full version with the setting in Configuration > Publishing > WebHelp > Zoom Indexer. However, that will still only index a single HM project, but with the additional configuration settings available in the full version.

If you want to index multiple folders and sites you need to create your own independent search page with Zoom, and then your WebHelp results can also be included. Another alternative would be to use Google Site Search, of course...

This Word document includes the basics you need for integrating the full version of Zoom in Help+Manual if you need it.

http://www.it-authoring.com/info/ZoomFull21.doc
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cindynotbrady
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by cindynotbrady »

Hi Tim,

That link you provided doesn't seem to work http://www.it-authoring.com/info/ZoomFull21.doc.

Can you look it over and let me know the real address?

Thanks!
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Tim Green
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by Tim Green »

cindynotbrady wrote:That link you provided doesn't seem to work
I just checked it, it's working fine... :?
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cindynotbrady
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by cindynotbrady »

Duh. It downloads a Word file. I kept looking up at the browser and not down in the download area. Wow! This was the information I needed! Thanks so much!
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Tim Green
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by Tim Green »

cindynotbrady wrote:Duh. It downloads a Word file. I kept looking up at the browser and not down in the download area. Wow! This was the information I needed! Thanks so much!
No problem, happens to all of us. :) Note that some of the references in the document apply to older versions of Zoom but the principles still apply.
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cindynotbrady
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by cindynotbrady »

I have some follow-up questions from that document. On the top of the document it says we should be using Premium Pack 2 (and I'm assuming above) to use the Full Indexer. I am using my own user-defined skin with results that are unsatisfactory. Perhaps could you look at my skin and file and see what I'm doing wrong? I have a feeling that I need to edit the search_template.html that is generated with the full-text search.

Also, will the log file option in Zoom Indexer work with this method? So far I keep getting an error.
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Tim Green
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Re: Keeping up with WordPress and the newer Help Tools

Unread post by Tim Green »

cindynotbrady wrote:I have some follow-up questions from that document.
Please direct questions like this directly to support by email at support AT ec-software.com (replace the AT with @).
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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