RoboHelp 9 HTML Essential Training

Demonstrates the core features of RoboHelp 9 HTML, the industry-standard authoring tool for creating help systems for desktop or web-based applications.

In this course, author David Rivers demonstrates the core features of RoboHelp 9, the industry-standard authoring tool for creating help systems for desktop or web-based applications. The course shows how to work with RoboHelp pods, save custom workspaces, create new projects, and leverage existing content in other formats, such as Word and PDF documents. It also includes tutorials on merging projects, topic formatting, using graphics and multimedia, and using forms and frames.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Using the exercise files

1. Getting to Know RoboHelp

• What is RoboHelp?
• Touring the workspace
• All about pods
• Viewing and arranging pods
• Saving and loading workspaces
• Retitling and renaming projects
• Managing topics
• Creating a TOC book
• Managing TOC books
• Generating a project
• Using keyboard shortcuts

2. Creating WebHelp Projects

• Understanding workflow
• More about projects
• Creating and opening WebHelp projects
• Importing PDFs to create a project
• Importing Word documents
• Importing other types of files
• Changing project settings
• Setting localization options
• Creating project folders
• Auto-creating a TOC

3. Merging Projects

• What is a merged project?
• Creating a master project
• Generating a child project
• Managing merged Help projects

4. Formatting Topics

• Applying a style to a topic
• Applying a style to selected paragraphs
• Creating a new style sheet
• Creating a font set
• Using inline styles
• Linking to a Word document
• Generating compliant WebHelp

5. Creating FlashHelp Projects

• Generating FlashHelp output
• Inserting hyperlinks
• Inserting bookmarks
• Importing a PDF file
• Using auto-sizing pop-ups
• Inserting custom-sized pop-ups
• Inserting text-only pop-ups
• Using the Show Links view
• Resolving broken links

6. Using Graphics and Multimedia

• Adding graphics to a project
• Using image margins
• Adding a background image
• Adding hotspots to an image
• Adding sound to a topic
• Integrating with Captivate
• Creating a screen capture

7. Using Tags, Variables, and Snippets

• Creating and using build tags
• Using multiple TOCs
• Working with user-defined variables
• Creating and adding snippets

8. Working with Tables and DHTML

• Inserting tables, columns, and rows
• Using and duplicating table styles
• Modifying table properties
• Adding lines and symbols
• Adding a bulleted list
• Applying DHTML effects
• Creating a trigger

9. Working with Indexes and Searches

• Using the Smart Index wizard
• Adding and removing index entries
• Adding keywords from topic properties
• Adding subkeywords to an index
• Creating "see also" keywords
• Adding custom search terms
• Adding glossary terms

10. Using Forms and Frames

• Inserting forms and form elements
• Adding radio buttons
• Adding HTML code to a topic
• Adding checkboxes
• Inserting drop-down menus
• Adding a multi-line text field
• Adding submit and reset buttons
• Naming forms and setting actions
• Splitting your help screen using frames
• Creating framesets and modifying attributes
• Modifying frameset attributes
• Linking topics to frameset regions

11. Using Skins and Master Pages

• Assigning a skin to a layout
• Creating custom skins
• Customizing search highlight color
• Creating a master page
• Editing master pages
• Adding breadcrumbs to a master page
• Adding a mini-TOC to a topic
• Publishing a project

12. Reviewing Projects and Collaborating

• Understanding version control
• Preparing to review
• Creating a PDF for review
• Adding and reviewing comments
• Accepting and rejecting changes
• Collaboration options in AIR applications

13. Using ActiveX Controls

• Adding design-time controls
• Adding ActiveX controls
• Customizing ActiveX controls

14. Generating Printed Documents

• About printed documents
• Setting general print properties
• Organizing topics and chapter layout
• Organizing sections
• Using style mapping
• Setting printer options

Conclusion

• Next steps