Lightext Training Center 332 E Foothill Blvd. Arcadia, CA /Phone /Fax

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1 Lightext Training Center 332 E Foothill Blvd. Arcadia, CA /Phone /Fax LIGHTEXT ROBOHELP COURSE Audience This course is designed for individuals who are new to RoboHelp 9 or for experienced users who desire a refresher. Users who are building help/knowledge systems or have the responsibility for technical writing will find this course valuable. Class size is limited to 8 participants. Course Description The course will provide an understanding of all features and functionality of the software including editor layout, content editing, and publishing. Day 1 and 2 Course Objectives After completing days 1 and 2 of this course, the participant should have mastered the following: Complete understanding of the layout of the RoboHelp editor including all toolbars, Pods, design window, project manager tab, project set up tab, snippet tab and single source layout window. Basic understanding of style sheets and master pages including how they are created and modified. Thorough knowledge of how to create, modify and delete topics. This includes an understanding of all of the features available in creating topics including formatting options, hyperlinks, images and multimedia, DHTML, and navigational controls. Participant will understand how to properly edit topics using tools available in RoboHelp. Solid skills in organizing the layout/look of a project including TOC, index, glossary, conditional text and skins. Basic understanding of all of the publishing options available in RoboHelp 9. More emphasis will be placed on WebHelp, Printed Documentation, and Microsoft HTML outputs. 1

2 Day 3 Course Objective This is a half day course that goes beyond the basics of RoboHelp to include instruction on designing large implementations, managing multiple authors, handling frequent updates and more. It will also explore various ways of publishing large projects including merged Webhelp and server based help (Webhelp pro). This day of the course will provide the participant with the following: Understanding of how to plan a large implementation, including proper size and design of RoboHelp projects. Expertise in techniques used in creating sustainable projects (project, folder and file structure, naming conventions, etc.) Solid skills in utilizing advanced techniques such as conditional text, variable text, and using your help system for multiple purposes (e.g., training guides, content for auditors only), through the utilization of multiple glossaries, TOCs and indexes. Understanding of publishing server based help (Webhelp Pro) versus merged Webhelp and the advantages/limitations of both. Knowledge of how to manage edits to an existing help system to eliminate redundancy and maintain its ongoing usefulness to the end user. Thorough understanding of how to manage multiple authors and how to avoid common problems encountered with large help systems. Prerequisites Due to the nature of the class, pace, and the complexity of the software tool, users are expected to have a solid foundation in using computers, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, and applicable basic hardware (e.g., mouse, keypad, etc.). Course Materials Participants will be provided with two workbooks (to be kept by the participant) and the required software and hardware to be used during the class duration. 2

3 COURSE OUTLINE DAY ONE AND DAY TWO THE BASICS Module 1 RoboHelp Overview 1) Getting Started a) RoboHelp output formats and common terminology b) Opening a new or existing project c) Determining type of project (WebHelp, WebHelp Pro, Flash Help, Flash Help Pro, Microsoft HTML Help, Adobe Air) d) Naming project and determining location 2) Layout of the Editor Overview a) Horizontal Bar b) Project Manager c) Project Set Up d) Snippet e) TOC/Glossary/Index f) SSL (overview of all outputs) g) HTML/Design Editor/Link View h) PODs (File Status, Topic List) 3) Style Sheets a) Creating New b) Importing c) Multiple Style Sheets d) Modifying e) Relationship to Topics and Master pages f) Note text and other formatting within a style sheet 4) Master Pages a) Contents of a master page and its relationship to a style sheet b) Creating new master pages (headers, footers, reusable formatting such as tables, lists, images, etc.) 3

4 c) Importing master pages Module 2 Creating Content 1) Topics a) Creating New i) Adding from the TOC or Project Manager ii) New Topic Window (description of all tabs) iii) File Name Conventions and Folder Structure b) Adding Content, (editing functionality, tables, paragraph, styles, fonts, bullets, numbering, colors, borders, shading, etc.) c) Deleting d) Changing e) Reusing Topics in the TOC f) Viewing g) Tracking Status 2) Review and Collaboration of Topics a) Tracking changes in the Design Editor b) Creating PDFs for review c) Incorporating reviewers comments 3) Importing Documents a) Importing Word Documents b) Importing PDF Documents c) Importing HTML Files d) Importing FrameMaker and XML Documents 4) Linking Documents a) Linking Word or FrameMaker documents b) Tips and Tricks for content layout c) Generating.htm files from linked documents d) Updating Word documents e) Managing Linked documents 4

5 5) Snippets and User Defined Variable Text a) About Snippets and Variable Text b) When to use c) Adding, modifying, deleting, importing 6) Hyperlinks a) Links to topics within project (methods to link) b) External Links (websites, forms libraries, internal drives, addresses) c) Links to RoboHelp topics outside of project d) Popup windows e) Text only popups f) Bookmarks g) External URLs mapped to search terms 7) DHTML/Hotspots a) Drop Down b) Expandable Text c) Effects 8) Images and Multimedia a) Image Gallery b) Importing Images c) Modifying images d) Screen capture e) Image File Types (.gif,.jpg) f) Importing Multimedia g) Creating Triggers h) Working with Positioned Text Boxes 9) Navigational Controls a) Related Topics b) See Also c) Keyword Links 10) Reviewing Work 5

6 a) Spell Check/Find and Replace b) Broken Links identifying and resolving c) External URLs d) Unreferenced Topics Module 3 Organizing Content 1) Organizing Project files/creating Project Folders 2) TOC e) Creating Books (with or without links to topics) f) Organizing Topics under books g) Auto TOC h) Reusing Topics i) File Status and Topic List Pods j) Deleting books and topics in the TOC k) Naming and renaming topics and books l) Multiple TOCs 3) Index Terms a) Adding, deleting, modifying single index terms b) Index Wizard 4) Adding Glossary Terms a) Adding, deleting and modifying glossary terms b) Hotspotting glossary terms in topics c) Using the Glossary hotspot wizard d) Utilizing popup windows as glossary terms 5) Conditional Text a) About Conditional Text and when to use b) Creating conditional build tags for different outputs c) Creating conditional build tags text, topics, or books d) Removing conditional build tags 6) Browse Sequences a) About and when to use 6

7 7) Skins a) About Skins b) Importing Skins c) Selecting Skins from the Gallery d) Modifying Skins Module 4 Finalizing and Publishing Content 1) Reports a) Project Status b) TOC, Index, Glossary, See Also c) Topic Properties, Topic References, Unreferenced Topics d) Conditional Build Tags e) Other Reports 2) Single Source Layouts a) WebHelp when to use, how to generate and publish b) WebHelp Pro when to use, how to generate and publish c) FlashHelp when to use, how to generate and publish d) FlashHelp Pro when to use, how to generate and publish e) Microsoft HTML when to use, how to generate and publish f) Printed Documentation (generating Word or PDF documents) g) XML Output when to use, how to generate and publish h) Adobe Air when to use, how to generate and publish i) Locating your output in Windows Explorer j) Multi Devise Publishing 3) Publishing Options a) Publishing different output versions based on multiple TOCs, Indexes or Glossaries b) Selecting Conditional Build Expressions c) Selecting Skins d) Creating Custom Windows e) Creating Content Categories for user centric help 7

8 DAY THREE ADVANCED TOPICS Module 1 Design 1) Establishing the Foundation a) Creating a project plan and designing the right sized projects. b) Setting up projects correctly. c) Proper folder and file structures. Suggestions for file naming conventions to manage large databases. d) Setting up master pages. How many templates are required? What goes in a master template? e) Headers and footers for large projects. Managing issue dates. 2) Content Tips a) Creating an appropriate table of contents and index to help users find what they need b) Popups vs. DHMTL when to use for large projects. Screen shots and examples. c) Related topics how to use for large projects. d) Links to forms libraries, other RoboHelp projects, websites and addresses 3) Editing Existing Content a) How to manage content for users to edit. i) Creating proper sized Word documents, incorporating mark up text. ii) Best practices for incorporating Word, Excel or pdf content into your help file. iii) Exploring Conditional Text how to maximize usage for user review and unapproved content b) Creating maintenance pages as user tools (What s New, Instructional Pages, User Feedback Pages, Archived Procedure Pages) c) Splitting or merging projects d) Properly managing multiple authors Module 2 Publishing a) Features of Server Based Help versus Merged Webhelp b) Server Based Help Guidelines i) Creating the output file ii) Reviewing your content 8

9 iii) Cleaning up merged indexes and glossaries c) Merged Webhelp i) Creating parent and child projects ii) Publishing process iii) Reviewing your content iv) Cleaning up merged indexes and glossaries Module 3 Maximizing Usage of Your Help System a) Using Help for Multiple Purposes. i) Training workbooks and leader s guides ii) Management review documents iii) Policies versus procedures iv) Auditor only content b) Creating Multiple TOCs, Indexes and Glossaries c) Pitfalls with Large Help Systems and Techniques for Avoiding i) Importing Word Documents ii) Adding instead of Incorporating User Content iii) Improper indexing and TOC iv) Long file names v) Complex folder structure vi) Poor design d) Marketing Your Product i) Explore simple techniques used to increase usage of your help file, to solicit feedback from users, and to ensure that it is a trusted resource. 9