Welcome

This help file has been created to help you learn the basics of RoboHELP—the main component of the WinHELP Office Suite.

Refer back to this file as often as you need.

Enjoy!

Garrett Winn & Brett Allen


What is WinHELP used for?

Any technical writer who creates Windows-based Help systems, web sites, Microsoft HTML Help, and Netscape NetHelp uses WinHELP.  It focuses on content and usability because it handles the complex tasks for you behind the scenes.

RoboHELP is the main application you will be using within the WinHELP Office Suite to create your Help projects.  So, our instructions in this Help file will be based on this application.


Use the Project Toolbar

The RoboHELP Explorer Project Toolbar look like this:

Select a button for a description of what it does.

NOTE:  Most of these buttons are available on the Word Menu Bar also.


Create New Topic
Create new project

1.	When you first open RoboHELP, you will be asked if you want to open an existing project or create a new one.

2.	Select the “Create a new Help Project” option and then hit the “OK” button.

3.	You will be asked what kind of project you want to create.  For the purposes of this class, we will focus on creating a “Standalone Help ” file.  So make sure “Standalone Help” is selected, then select the “OK” button.

4.	Next, you need to setup the project by giving it a title and a name, as shown below.  The title is what is displayed on the top of the Help Window when it is run by a user.  The file name is the name it is saved as in Windows.  This could be something like MyHelpFile, wphelp, garrett, pjsand, or something that reflects what your Help file is for.

5.	We recommend that you let the program store the files at the default location (which you will need to remember so you can get to the Help file once it is finished).  However, you can save the files wherever you wish (the A Drive, for instance).

6.	Select the type of Help project you want to create: WinHelp 3 can only be used by Windows 3.1, and WinHelp 4 can only be used by Windows 95 and NT (however there is the option of making it WinHelp 3 compatible).

7.	Now, select “Finish”, and RoboHELP will start RoboHELP Explorer and Microsoft Word for you, with the options you selected in the previous steps.


Make books and pages
Make books and topics

In order to have a Help file that your users can use you need to create Books and Topics.

To create a Book, select the “New Book” button [image] from the Edit Toolbar.

Type in the name of the Book and press OK to create it.

To create a Topic, select the “New Topic” button [image] from the Edit Toolbar.

Type in the Topic title as you want your user to see it, and also any comments you feel are necessary.

One time-saving step in creating Topics is to select the “Add to Index” box when you create a topic (or make sure it is already selected) so that the topic will be added to your index automatically, thus saving you some time when your create your keywords later on.


Insert graphics

Inserting Graphics is a basic procedure that you will utilize often while creating a Help file.  There are two easy ways to enter a graphic into your Help file.

You can use the graphic button from the Project Toolbar which RoboHELP has added to your Word application.

You can also rely on your previous experience with Word and insert a graphic as you would when creating a normal document.

Procedures:

1a.  To insert a graphic using the RoboHELP menu button, simply click on the “graphic” button [image] and follow the onscreen instructions.

1b.  To insert a graphic using the standard Word procedures, select the “Insert” button from the main menu bar.

Next select “object”.

A.  You now have two choices:  you can “Create New” or “Create from File”.

If you desire to create a new graphic then select “Create New” and choose which kind or graphic you desire to create.

More often though, you will probably already have your graphics created and will only need to select “Create from File” and then “Browse” your system until you have found the graphic you are desiring.

B.  When you have selected the graphic of your choice, then select “ok” and the graphic will be inserted into your Help file.


Link pages together

Linking pages together can occur in many forms.  Links are (usually) underlined or highlighted words or areas on an image that can be clicked on with the mouse to move to a new topic.  This new topic is usually related with the word(s) or image which were highlighted on the previous page.

Links can be either “Jumps” to a new topic or a “Popup” definition that appears in a small window above the highlighted word/image.

Jumps

To create a “Jump” using words as the link:

1.	Select the word(s) you want to be the link.

2.	Select the “Jump” button [image] from the toolbar.

3.	Select the Help Topic you want this link to go to.

Alternately, you could create Hotspots on an image as “Jumps” or a button that “Jumps” to a new topic.

The “Macro Hotspot” button [image] and “Authorable” button  [image] on the toolbar create these “Jumps” in the same way as a normal “Jump”.

Popups

To create a “Popup” definition:

1.	Select the word(s) you desire to define in the “Popup” window.

2.	Select the “New Popup” button [image] from the toolbar.

3.	Highlight the area which says, “(type popup caption here)” and type in your own caption.

4.	Next, highlight the definition text area and type in your definition.

5.	Select “OK”  to create the “Popup” definition link.


Compile a project

Compiling a Project is how you create the one Help file that is included with your company software—typically it is called something that your user will easily identify with, like winhelp.hlp, or word.hlp, or garrett.hlp.  Basically, it can be anything your want, as long as it ends with the “.HLP” extension.  See also Save the Document and Make Help File buttons.

1.	Select the “Make Help File” button [image] (or “File | Make” from the RoboHELP Explorer menu).

2.	Select the kind of Make you want: either ActiveEdit or Shipping.

3.	Select what kind of compression , if any, you want.

4.	Click on “Make”

5.	You will see a window showing the progress.

6.	When it is through, you can either “ Run” the Help file, or “Close” the window to get back to editing.


Create keywords

Often you will want to insert words into the index of your Help file.  This is known as creating keywords.  Creating keywords is an important procedure to become familiar with because it will help your users search through the Help file for the specific information they desire.

To create a keyword, do the following:

1.	Type in the word or phrase you want to make a keyword, if you have not already.

2.	Select the keyword with your cursor.

3.	Right click on the selected word or phrase with your mouse.

4.	Select “Add Index (K-Keyword)”

The screen will momentarily flash and your word will be added to the Index.

You can double check to ensure your word is in the Index by selecting the “ Index” tab or the Project Tab in the RoboHELP Explorer.


Move books or pages

You can easily rearrange the order and levels of your books and topics within the project either by selecting and dragging them to new positions, or by using the Arrow keys on the “ Edit Toolbar”.

These arrows can move topics or books to the right (in a level), to the left (out a level), up (higher in the list), or down (lower in the list).

Choose an arrangement that will make sense to your audience—either alphabetical, or according to a chronological or other logical order (such as order of importance, as we have done for this set of instructions).


Use the toolbox

The Toolbox is designed the help you get the most out of your Help project files.  These tools are part of the WinHELP Office Suite, and are designed to help you create interactive, cutting-edge Help files.

See Toolbox for more information.


Toolbox

The Toolbox is a collection of various components for you to use in creating your Help file.  You can create example videos that show how to perform a task, find bugs in your files, insert graphics, get help, and do screen captures to use as graphics in your help file.

These are the available tools in your Toolbox:

Although explanations of most of these tools are beyond the scope of these simple instructions, we do provide limited instructions on how to use the Screen Capture and Software Video Camera tools.


RoboHELP

As a beginner, you will probably only use RoboHELP in creating Help files.  RoboHELP is the main application within WinHELP, and it consists of the RoboHELP Explorer on the left half of your screen and Microsoft Word on the right half.  Together, these two function to help you create professional Help files.


RoboHTML

This is a program that works with the WinHELP Office Suite to help you convert your Help files into HTML (or web page) Help pages for users to access either over the internet, or through their internet browser on their own computer.


WinHELP Office Suite

The Office Suite consists of many different software programs which have been put in one package to help you work quicker and easier. RoboHELP is the central program associated with WinHELP.  The many other programs associated with WinHELP are used to aid in developing the contents of your Help files (which you create in RoboHELP).


Enter text

Entering text is simple.  RoboHELP uses Microsoft Word (either Word95 or Word97) as your main editor when creating Help files.  If you are familiar with this word processing application or others similar to it, like WordPerfect, then you will find yourself right at home.

WARNING: Do NOT delete any of the characters that appear to the left of your bolded topic headings (such as “K#+ Enter Text”) at the beginning of each page—these are needed for the program to operate correctly.


Shortcut Keys
Problems

We have discovered a conflict between RoboHELP and the installed Virus software.

To get around this problem, you must first disable the Virus software before starting RoboHELP.

To do this, follow these steps:

1.	Double click on the virus scanner icon in the system tray of your Start bar.  It should be flashing green.

2.	Select the third tab: Online Protection.

3.	Click once on the “On / Off” button to disable the software temporarily.

4.	Select “OK” at the bottom of this window.  The virus scanner icon should now be flashing red (instead of green).

5.	You can now run RoboHELP without any problems.

6.	Once you are done using RoboHELP, please remember to turn the virus software back on by following the above steps.


Preview your Help Project

Occasionally, you may want to preview your Help project to see how it will look for your users.

To do this, select the Run Help File button [image] from either the RoboHELP Explorer or the Word windows.

You can go through the Help project much as your user would by selecting topics or searching for keywords.

Note:  Only those portions of your project that you have saved will be available in the preview, so you may want to save all files first before previewing.


Purpose of WinHELP

WinHELP is designed to help you, the technical writer, in creating professional-looking Windows-based Help Systems.  WinHELP simplifies the process of creating and maintaining Help files and integrating those Help files with any application software.


Help Systems

A Help system is the files created (usually for a software program) to help answer user questions and needs.  Additionally, it provides a valuable resource for training many different levels of users since the system in need-based.


Help Projects

A Help Project is a group of files that are compiled into a Windows Help (.HLP) file.  This HLP file can be distributed and viewed as a Help system in Windows.


Bugs

Definition: a bug is a problem in your program that will cause your users to get very frustrated and potentially angry.


RoboHELP Explorer

RoboHELP Explorer is the window (typically) on the far left of your screen.  This is where you setup how the Table of Contents will look and how the topics will be listed in the index.  This window has many different features you should become familiar with as you learn to use the Project Toolbar and the Edit Toolbar.

It also shows you the Project files, Table of Contents, the Index, and quick access to your Toolbox through the Project Tabs or the Show Component Menu button on the Project Toolbar.


Save the Document

 This button will save all the files you are working on into one place for easy access.

Tip:  Saving often is a good way NOT to lose any important information.


Run Help File

 This option allows you to preview your project so that you can test for usability and user-interface.

You will only see the information which you have already saved to file.


Go to Word

 This button loads the current project into Microsoft Word.

This is automatically done for you when you first open a project.

Note:  If Word is already running when you select this, then the  Word window will be made active .

Related Topics:

Use the Project Toolbar

Enter_text


Show Component Menu

 This button presents you with a list of options.

The first four options show you the Project view, Contents view, Index view, and the Toolbox.  These can also be accessed through your Project Tabs.

The last two options relate to the right pane, which is hidden by default.  Links View shows you how the currently-selected topic is linked to all other topics within your document.  Topics shows you a list of all the topics in your project, their name, and their status.


Hide Right Pane

 This will alternately hide or show the right pane: either Links View or Topic list.

Selecting Go to Word will also hide the pane and bring the Word window into view.


Show Links View

 This button shows you how the currently-selected topic is linked to all other topics.


Show Topic List

 Topics shows you a list of all the topics in your project, their name, their status, and any notes you’ve created about them.

This is especially useful when you are working in a group and need to assign certain sections to different people.


Make Help File

 This option creates a help file from the project you are working on.  You can use this button to create a “test” file that you can go through and use it just as your users will see and experience it.  After the project is created, select the “Run” button to test it.

Related Topics:

Use the Project Toolbar

Run Help File


Active

An active window is the window that is currently selected to work in (you can only work in one selected window at a time in Windows 95).


Screen Capturing

You can make an image of the screen or any portion of the screen so the user can see the same things that you are seeing.  This is also useful for showing users what something should look like after (or before or during) a specific task.

To create a Screen Capture:

1.	Select your Toolbox.

2.	Select the “Screen Capture” icon [image] by double-clicking on it.

3.	To capture an image of the screen, first set it up how you want the user to see it (with menus, etc.), then push the “Print Scrn” key on your keyboard.

4.	A new window will automatically open with your new image of your screen.

5.	To edit the image, select “Tweak”.  This will open the image up to full screen and allow you to manipulate the image by cropping it, resizing it, or cutting out parts of it.

6.	You can create Hotspots from the image (this is also available to do later—after the image is in your document).

7.	To edit the colors of the image, or to add your own text or art to the image, select “Edit”.

8.	To save the image, select “Save As”.  Give your image a name that represents what the image is (the name cannot be more than 8 characters).  All images need to end with the “.BMP” extension.  So your image could be named something like bigwindw.BMP.

9.	To insert this graphic into your project, see the instructions on Inserting Graphics .


Make Image Map

This is also known as creating Hotspots.  Hotspots are areas on an image that a user can select which will jump them to information about that part of the image.

To create a hotspot:

1.	You create a Hotspot either right after a screen capture, or after the image is in your document.

a)	Directly after a Screen Capture: Select the “Hotspot” button.

b)	With an image in your document: Right-click the image, select Graphic Object |  Edit, then select the

        “Shed” button [image] in the resulting window.

2.	Either choice will open the Hotspot Editor Window.

3.	Select an area to be a hotspot.

4.	Double-click the created area.

5.	You will be asked for a Topic ID.  If you do not know the exact name, select “Choose” to select one from a list of Topic ID’s in your project.

6.	Select “OK,” then “OK” again to create the hotspot.

7.	Repeat as necessary.


Use Software Video Camera

The Software Video Camera records your movements with the mouse during a selected time period.  This tool is useful in creating movie files that the user can view in order to see how to perform a certain task.

To use the Software Video Camera do the following:

1.	Open your Toolbox.

2.	Double-click the Software Video Camera icon.   A new window will appear on screen titled Software Video Camera.

3.	To begin recording your movements, press the “Num Lock” key (unless you’ve changed the default—a message in the bottom of the Software Video Camera Window tells you what to do to start and stop the recording) on your keyboard (or press the “Rec” button in the Software Video Camera window).

4.	Perform the task as shown here:

5.	To stop the recording, press the “Esc” key on your keyboard.

6.	Give the file a name with the extension “.AVI”

7.	Insert the file into your document by selecting the “Insert | Help Multimedia” option of the Word menu bar (or select the “Multimedia” button [image] on the toolbar).


Standalone Help

Standalone Help creates a Help file that anyone can view.  This is the kind of file we created for our examples.


Shipping

You would select this option when the Help project is completed because this saves everything to one place and integrates it with the software (if any).


ActiveEdit

This option is best when you are still going to be working on the project, but want to create a build for others to preview.


Compression

Compression determines how big or small your Help files will be.  Using compression will reduce the size of your files so that they can fit better onto a floppy disk, for instance.


Books

Books are the main headings of your Help file.  You can think of them like the main Roman numerals or numbers or letters (i.e. I, 1, A) in an outline.

It is possible to have books within books: these are considered the subheadings of your "outline."

Create at many headings as is easy for your user to find what they need.


Topics

Topics are the actual pages that contain the text of your instructions in the Help file.