Customer Reviews

Robohelp for the Web

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I've been a Technical Writer for over a dozen years, and have spent over a decade writing on-line help for various systens, and I can honestly say that this is the one book that you need to buy if you are going to use RoboHelp as your Help Authoring Tool (HAT) for the World Wide Web.

RoboHelp (RH) has dominated the WinHelp Authoring field for many years, and is extending its expertise into the area of web-based help. Those who have used RH before need to learn some new concepts, and those writing help for the first time are well advised to find a native guide to help with the unfamiliar territory.

Fortunately, John Hedtke and Brenda Huettener are skilled and expert guides, providing the information that users need when they need it (and sometimes before they know they need it; the chapter on "Creating a Documentation Plan" is a must-read for anyone who wants to reduce the number of headaches they might encounter. It's not JoAnne Hackos' _Managing Your Documentation Projects_, but they do give you the information you need to get the work done without feeling stupid or overwhelmed.

This is a book that you keep close at hand to answer the "how do I do ____?" questions that always come up when creating a documentation set. The clear and easily followed explanations of concepts and techniques are well-illustrated with screenshots, and there is just enough theory for users to understand why things have to happen in a particular way.

As I said at the top, if you are going to use RoboHelp as your Help Authoring tool for the Web, this is the book to get. Even if you are not going to be using RH, the book is worth getting for the Document Development and Help Logic material it contains.

As an experienced online help author (I've presented a full-day seminar titled Zen and the Art of Online Help), I was thoroughly pleased with this book. It presents clear, step-by-step procedures for beginning and advanced help authors alike. The book contains many, many screenshots to aid its cause. The notes, tips, and warnings alone are worth the cover price.

The book is organized to be used as a handy reference. Each chapter is divided into short, readable sections, ideal for helping readers find specific information. The included CD is a bonus for those who want to learn RoboHelp without buying a full copy. Excellent idea.

I would have liked to see a better cross-referenced index, but my biggest gripe is that the authors were TOO complete. They show how to do things -- like adding special effects and background images -- that should only be done with discretion. Special effects are cool, but when a user is trying to solve a problem or find information, they just get in the way.

If you're an online help author looking to transition from WinHelp to HTML Help, this book is a MUST HAVE. If you are interested in learning how to use RoboHelp Office or RoboHelp Enterprise, you cannot go wrong with this book.

As a former instructor on how to create and manage help projects as well as a help developer with over a decade of experience in the trenches, I can unequivocally state that "RoboHelp for the Web" is an invaluable resource for anyone involved in help development: beginning developers, seasoned developers, developers returning to the fold after forays into other technologies, managers, and consultants.

Of course I expected complete how-to information, and the book did not let me down. But there's so much more.

Beginners will welcome explanations of the advantages, disadvantages, and most likely uses for the various types of help.

Seasoned veterans will appreciate the extensive sidebars and tips on how to handle technology issues associated with new server-based features.

"Returning" developers will find it easy to discover what's new and/or different.

Managers and consultants will embrace the "Advantages to Using Online Help" section - it's great source material for selling executives on the idea of moving from printed to online doc.

And the section on "Creating a Documentation Plan" is a must-read for anyone who needs to "sell" any documentation project to management or clients.

RoboHelp for the Web is a fantasically helpful book if you want to build an online help system. Both the authors are pros, and the book is written in an informative and easy-to-comprehend style. The book has information valuable to beginners and veterans alike. I really liked the clear explanations for adding images and special effects, not to mention templates, skins, context-sensitive help, and how to work with Microsoft HTML Help Windows and WebHelp Enterprise Windows. I?ve been following the writing of John Hedtke for many years because of his clear prose and concise explanations. He and Brenda Huettner have written an invaluable guide. This is a definite MUST HAVE for anyone working with online help systems.

This is an OK book for a intro level tutorial. From reading some of the other reviews here I bought it thinking it would be what I needed. If you want indepth information on using Robo Help this book is not it. All functions are not covered just basic ones are.

John Hedtke and Brenda Huettner are knowledgeable professionals in the online Help field, and RoboHelp for the Web really showcases their knowledge. I'd recommend this book to any online Help developer. Newbies will benefit from the simple explanations and step-by-step procedures in the book. More experienced technical writers will find themselves learning quite a bit from latter chapters.

I had a client who was working with this back-leveled version of Robohelp. The book came quickly and was well-packaged.