Adobe RoboHelp 8: Help is in the AIR

by Kevin A. Siegel

Adobe AIR lets application developers create rich Internet applications that can run outside of a Web browser and will work identically across multiple operating systems. While Adobe AIR is a fairly new technology, many large companies such as eBay, Yahoo, AOL, and NASDAQ are already tapping into its vast power to deliver content right to the users' desktop-without the need for Internet Explorer, FireFox, Chrome or any other Web browser.

RoboHelp allows you to generate layouts for Microsoft HTML Help, WebHelp and FlashHelp. Given the ever-increasing popularity of Adobe AIR, RoboHelp developers will likely be required to deliver a generated project in the Adobe AIR format. And since Adobe created the AIR technology, it just makes sense that this format would be fully supported in RoboHelp.

Here is how to generate an Adobe Air help system.

1. On the Single Source Layouts pod, double-click the Adobe AIR layout icon (if the icon isn't there, click the Create Layout tool at the top of the Single Source Layouts pod and select Adobe AIR from the Output Type drop-down menu).
   
   
   
   
2. Type a number in both the Version field and the Help ID field.
   
   
   
   The Version number will simply help you keep versions of the AIR Application straight should you make updates available. The Help ID is used for creating Context Sensitive Help. You should discuss the numbers you should be using with your application developer.
   
   Now you'll need to create a Digital Certificate.
   
   
3. To the right of the Installer Settings area, click the Create button.
   
   The Create Self-Signed Digital Certificate dialog box appears.
   
   
4. Type your company name into the Publisher Name area.
   
   
5. Type a Password into both the Password and Confirm Password fields (write down the password you just typed).
   
   
6. Type a name into the Save As field.
   
   
7. Click the Browse button and open a folder on your hard drive.
   
   
   
   
8. Click OK.
   
   You are now back in the Adobe AIR settings dialog box.
   
   
9. Type the same password into the Password field that you used a moment ago.
   
   
10. Ensure Remember Password is selected.
    
    
    
    
11. Click the Save button.
    
    
12. Generate the Layout.
    
    
13. Right-click the Layout and choose View.
    
    
    
    Nice. The Help system appears in its own window--no need for a Web browser. 

***

 

Need to learn RoboHelp in a hurry. Come join Kevin's 2-day RoboHelp class. Click here for more information.

Comments

[aion kinah]

RoboHelp allows you to generate layouts for Microsoft HTML Help, WebHelp and FlashHelp. Given the ever-increasing popularity of Adobe AIR, RoboHelp developers will likely be required to deliver a generated project in the Adobe AIR format. And since Adobe created the AIR technology, it just makes sense that this format would be fully supported in RoboHelp.

[buying maple story mesos]

Nice. The Help system appears in its own window--no need for a Web browser.