Is there an HTML help authoring tool for LV?

Question

Ideally one tool fits all, LabView, C# and MSVC++.
I know RoboHelp is a good tool for non-LV languages, does any one know other good tools? Thanks

Answer 1

The standard Common User Access (CUA) states that the key F1 will open help. Unfortunatly you cannot associate this key with a help file and topic as you can in other development systems.
On windows systems the behaviour seem to be common with what I have tested with MS Outlook, MS Internet explorer, LV and my favourite Help authouring tool (HAT). All open the default topic of the help file.
On IBMs AS /400, now iSeries, F1 will open a window which depends on the field where the cursor is. On GUI system this is related to the control who has the key focus. If the cursor is outside any field a help window explaining the current screen will be opened.
LV allows you to simulate this using the event structure. Make a event case for "Key up". Look into help for scan codes and how the keys are mapped to the values in this case. This event exists for the VI and for each control/indicator. If you have detected a F1 key you can open the help file with the corresponding topic.
The other way of context sensitiv help is Shift-F1. This works different in different applications. MS Outlook will open a popup window depending on the part where the mouse cursor is. MS IE will open the default topic of the help. My HAT will change the cursor and when you click somewhere you get a corresponding popup window. LV will ignore this key. The best way LV has for that is the "Tip" or "Tip Strip".
I think that NI will not make a new property to VIs and controls containing help file information and to associate the F1 key with that properties because you can connect F1 to a control using Key Navigation. This is another method of providing help. Place a control outside the visible aera and connect it with F1 using key navigation. This way you can open a help file with a topic with the context sensitivity of the window.
Another thing I have to comment is that why will you use HTML files instead of HTML based help (Win98, this is the same help LV uses)? If you have a medium sized application you will have to be careful to deploy a lot of files (more than 30 I would expect, 1 for ech topic and two or three for the frame, navigation and table of contents). You have to take into concern various browsers (4 Versions of MS IE, some versions of Netscape, some versions of Opera) with various versions of JavaScript if you will use a dynamic table of contents. And you will loose such things like Search and Favourites. Win98-Help looks always the same because there is only one viewer installed with every Windows and there are no third party products doing some things different. The only answer I would really accept is you are not on a windows platform.
Waldemar
Waldemar
Using 7.1.1, 8.5.1, 8.6.1, 2009 on XP and RT
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