A help authoring utility for software developers and technical writers
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Posted On :
Jun-09-2011
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Article Word Count :
885
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A review of the help authoring tool, HelpSmith, which really takes the process of authoring Web Help and HTML Help files to a new level. If you create help files, then you should give this help authoring solution a try.
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All apps today provide their customers with a help documentation. Such a help file solves many important tasks, such as explaining to customers how to use a specific feature or to do something with the application, reducing the effort spent on support service, etc. Despite a comprehensive help system is an integral part of your app, its creation is most often still not an easy job. As the developer, you should define what help format to use, which help authoring tool as well as related utilities to use, how to connect the help system with your application and provide context-sensitive Help, and so on.
Why HelpSmith is considered one of the best help authoring software on the market
The main idea behind HelpSmith was to design a fine help authoring product, that includes a professional feature set and slight learning curve, and allow developers to produce high-quality help docs and printed documentation easily. HelpSmith currently supports multiple help formats such as HTMLHelp, Web Help, and Printed Manual. In addition, HelpSmith lets you compile PDF files with a third-party PDF printer program. The vendor of this help authoring product combined an easy-to-use interface with features making it possible to create excellent help systems and provide documentation in different help formats. It should be pointed out that single help project can be exported into multiple output help formats, due to single-source support.
The main features included in HelpSmith are a native word processor with live spell checker (dictionaries for many languages are available) as well as tools for quick creation of the Table of Contents, alphabetical index, and other navigation elements. HelpSmith also has support for Unicode, Dynamic Styles, Topic Templates, and Variables. There is a smart Project Merge feature that simplifies working on the same help authoring project by a team of technical writers and making translations into other languages. HelpSmith offers you an advanced way to manage multi media files and has support for any widely used multimedia formats, for example, SWF clips. Of course, it is also possible to integrate HTML Help and Web Help systems into your product and provide context-sensitive Help.
HelpSmith has text variables support, which are divided into system and user variables. A variable is an object which can be added into the text of a help topic, template, or in the text of some parameters. When you compile your help file, the variable objects are replaced with their actual values. This is actually useful, because you can store any value which appears in more than one place of your help system. And when you need to update a particular value, simply update it in the manager that controls all of the variables for your help system.
HelpSmith offers you an advanced way of working with images and video files. The help authoring tool automatically puts all such files into a single media repository saved with your help authoring (More info on this topic - helpsmith.com/help-authoring-on-steroids.php) project. This, in turn, gives you these benefits: you do not have to copy any media files manually (so it is much easier to distribute your help project), and it is easier to update a screenshot used in more than one help topic as you simply update the image in the media repository and do not have to open and edit the topics manually. The Media Repository feature is used in order to organize images and video files into folders, that is also useful for large help systems.
Writing help topics will clearly be the biggest part of work on any help system. Due to a full-featured text editor with dynamic styles and topic templates support, HelpSmith lets you concentrate on writing: you can use multiple languages, use graphical and video clips, tables, add hyperlinks to other help topics in your help system and also links to external resources located on the Internet, insert breadcrumb placeholders, and everything else you may need. Templates and styles are powerful possibilities that you can use for customization of the appearance of your help file, saving time alternatively spent on editing each help topic manually.
What about context-sensitive Help?
HelpSmith includes various features that allow you to quickly develop professional help files and manuals with customized designs, and good navigation. The help authoring program has even more possibilities than those mentioned here. But let us look at the result of working with this program - help systems written in the CHM HTML Help, Web Help, and Printable Manual output help formats.
Now you have seen how HelpSmith can help you a lot with your help authoring-related activities. Being a help authoring software for easily creating high-quality help files and documents, it allows you to produce a help project without the need to master technical aspects. You do not have to know anything of CSS/HTML to make professional help files. Thus, HelpSmith is a help authoring tool that allows you to actually concentrate on writing help topics - and to save your time and money as a result.
Want to try HelpSmith in action? HelpSmith is available for download from the official website as a free evaluation copy. You can download, install, and try out the product using the sample help projects which come with it.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_A help authoring utility for software developers and technical writers_63818.aspx
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Author Resource :
Quality help authoring solution - write quality help manuals, CHM, and WebHelp
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Keywords :
help authoring, help authoring tool, help software, html help, web help, printed manual, creating help files,
Category :
Computers
:
Software
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