Single Source Authoring

Hi - I'm in the process of evaluating various eLearning
solutions specific to the capturing of applications (either
web-based or desktop apps), with the following criteria:
1 - need to be able to produce multiple playback modes,
including: show me, guide me, let me try, and test me.
2 - soluton of solution needs to be very light (small file
sizes) as the users may be from low bandwidth locations
3 - need to support and faciliate multiple language
interfaces (ideally, solution should be able to re-capture what was
originally captured in the initial language interface, so as to
avoid having to do everything all over again)
#1 - I'd like to know if there's a way in Captivate to simply
re-use any changes made in a single mode (e.g. DEMO) for other
modes without having to initially save the capture to multiple
modes (which currently requires you to correct any changes in each
individual project)
#2 - I realize that the output is in Flash, but is there
anything that can be done to further optimize/reduce the size of
the output. NOTE: Most captures will need to be performed in
1024x768 resolution
#3 - This is a big one - I've actually since solutions that
do allow for a re-capture capability (simply retracing the steps of
the initial capture over the same source app configured for a
different language). Is there any way to do this with Captivate.
Thanks!

Hello again
It's helpful to remember that RoboHelp wasn't always owned by Adobe. Adobe acquired it as part of their acquisition of Macromedia. As such, all the help systems were a bit different. The help system you see today in RoboHelp wasn't always a custom AIR based output. It used to be good old CHM files. And I have no clue what Adobe uses to create the PDF that is linked to from that help system. But yep, I'll bet it isn't RoboHelp.
Keep in mind that PDF output has never been RoboHelp's main purpose from the beginning. It's main purpose is creating nice functional Help output. PDF is decidedly NOT a help output. It's an output that works well to easily distribute content that in the end, is destined for Print. As I understand it, that's PDF's strong point. Faithfully printing the way you want it printed. And that's where Word sort of collapses, as its output is dependent on the printer you are using to print.
Cheers... Rick
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Similar Messages

Robohelp 9 Compiler/Single Source Layouts are dead

Hi
We are using Robohelp 9 on Windows 7 and after working on the same project for 2 years now, all of a sudden, the project will not close down without crashing it from the Task Manager, and also we select compile HTML file and it just does nothing.
We cannot compile any single source layout. We also cannot create a new single source layout - system just ignores all commands.
We tried deleting part of the project - thinking it was maybe too big, but that is not the case.
We tried copying the project to another computer thinking maybe the installation is corrupt.
We also tried deleting the cpd - no luck.
Can anyone put light on this matter - why do these things always happen just before a deadline?
Thank you
Melanie

First we need to ascertain if this is machine or project specific?
Did the copy work OK on the other machine?
What happens with one of the sample projects on the problem machine? Click Open on the RoboHelp Starter page and then click Samples in the ribbon on the left.
See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips
@petergrainge

Unable to view Single Source WebHelp properties, how to correct?

I am unable to view my Primary Layout single source webhelp properties in RH9. Several of the single source layout icons have "?" marks on them. How do I correct this? Thanks.

Hi Folks
If you ever noticed, the question mark is more of a standard symbol for "Help". Because RoboHelp is a help authoring tool, many of the icons sport a question mark. As Willam indicated, it doesn't mean that something is amiss, unfinished or undefined. Instead, it is simply the icon that represents the layout.
If you look in your Windows file system at any CHM file (a standard Windows help file) you will notice that it too has a question mark.
And the older WinHelp (.HLP) format (Pre-Windows 95) was a blue circle with a question mark:
Cheers... Rick

Mapping is inserting multiple records from a single source to Dimension.

Hi All,
I am very new to OWB. Please help me out. I've created Dimension with the help of the wizard and then a mapping which consist of single source and single dimension. The mapping is populating nearly 500 times of the actual records. Following are some details to give you a better understanding of mapping: I created a dimension with four levels and two hierarchy. Levels are L1, L2, L3 and L4 and hierarchies are H1-> L1, L2 and L4
and H2-> L3 and L4. L4 is lowest level of hierarchy. L1 and L3 are parent levels in the respective hierarchies. I assigned an attribute of each level as Business identifier that means business identifier attribute is different in each level. In mapping I mapped the parent natural key(Key for parent Level in a hierarchy) as the value which has been mapped for parent level. The result is coming 500 times of the record that exist in source table. I've tried even single common business identifier for each level but again the result is 5 times of the records. Please let me know the solution.
Thanks is advance.
Amit

Hi ,
You may not be having multiple records in your dimension.
To understand better the records insertion, try a snow flake version of the dimension and see how the records are inserted as per the levels in the respective tables.
Thanks

Faulty Single Source Layout from RoboHelp X5 for Word

I am running RoboHelp for Word X5.0.1 build 606 and
generating a Single Source Layout that is in Microsoft HTML Help
format. The output for the English version is fine. In the Spanish
version, a list of font names is inserted into pages in the output.
It looks like the pages that are littered with these font names
occur only in those topics that are at the beginning of their
respective Word documents. The text just before
Introducción that follows is an example:
Arial;Symbol;StarBats;Times;Times New Roman CE;Times New
Roman Cyr;Times New Roman Greek;Times New Roman Tur;Times New Roman
(Hebrew);Times New Roman (Arabic);Times New Roman Baltic;Times New
Roman (Vietnamese);Arial CE;Arial Cyr;Arial Greek;Arial Tur;Arial
(Hebrew);Arial (Arabic);Arial Baltic;Arial (Vietnamese);
Introducción
Has anyone seen this before? How can I avoid this?

Hi, Peter,
I think the usual advice, at least for non-western European
languages, is to compile an HTML Help file on a PC whose default
language is set to that of the help file. For example, you should
compile a Japanese help file on either:
A full Japanese Windows PC.
A non-Japanese Windows PC on which you've installed the East
Asian language files and set the language to Japanese via Control
Panel > Regional and Language Options > Advanced.
I don't think it's necessary to go to these lengths for help
files in western European languages.
The compile-time settings of both help file and PC have no
influence over the language in which the text labels of the toolbar
buttons are shown, as this is determined by Windows at run time.
So, a French help file will have French button labels when opened
on a French PC and English labels when opened on an English PC.
Pete

Multiple Destination Workbooks link to single source workbook - data dissappearing

We have a sales reporting system set up with ~30 Destination Workbooks that pull all of their data directly from
a single Source Workbook - using vlookup formulas (with full path name references to the Source Workbook).
When we open two or more of these Destination Workbooks at a time without opening the Source Workbook – or enabling data connections or links – all of the vlookup data disappears from all but the most recently opened Destination Workbooks.
The only work-around we have found for this is to open the Destination Workbooks in separate instances of Excel. This method is not practical for our analytical needs.
Is there any different way to have data visible in more than one Destination Workbook in a single instance of Excel that are vlookup-ing from a single Source besides re-structuring the entire setup?

Hi,
I tested with a simple source Workbook closed from my side, I was able to perform Vlookup from more than 3 destination Workbook without any issues.
To better assisting you on this, I will need some more information:
What is your Excel version, 2013/2010 or others?
How do your Vlookup be used, do you mind sharing me a sample through mail to: [email protected]
Does this working before? If so, what has been changed?
How do users get access to that source file?
Is there firewall settings on the share location of the source file?
Please update me with above information, so I can check further, thank you.

Checklist for Single-sourcing

Hi all,
I have a project that is written with RHX5 and delivered as a
CHM.
This project is two years old now, is mine right from the
start and pretty much looks as I wanted it to look like :-)
Now, the bad guys have rebranded the product that this CHM
document,
so I am asked to provide two CHMs, one for each brand, that
differ from each other as follows:
- some keywords (product name, key GUI elements, etc.)
- all Visio drawings (embedded as GIFs)
- all screenshots
- most of the topic names
- some of the topics
The project is about 100 topics long.
Both products are going to evolve similarly, but packed and
shipped differently, hence I will have to deliver the two CHMs.
Is it possible to keep a single source for this project,
or, should I split the project into two RH projects?
Thanks,
Avi

Hi there Avi
Hopefully Colum won't mind my offering a couple of links to
examine.
Build
tags
Conditionalizing
the TOC and Index entries
Cheers... Rick

RH9 - Can I restore layouts in "Single Source Layouts" pod from .ssl files?

RH 9 (latest)
Windows 7 x64
Due to some corruption somewhere in our main help project that prevented me from generating layouts using the RoboHelp command line (rhcl.exe), I deleted my .xpj file and .cpd file, and then recreated the .xpj project file from the .hhp file. This is the recommended fix to get things back to normal that I did two years ago when I got this same error. (For info, see Command line generation errors in log. How do I fix this?)
However, as expected, all my single source layouts are now missing from the Single Source Layouts pod. Is there a way to recreate the single source layouts from the .ssl files so they appear back in the pod with their previous settings? Like a way to re-import then into the project? I have 36 individual ssls just for printable output alone that I spent creating all day last Friday (1 per chapter), I really do NOT want to manually recreate them.
A related question is, where does RH store the link between xpj and ssl layouts? Because when I checked the xpj inside Notepad++ prior to deleting it, there weren't any references to the individual single source layout files there; I don't understand how deleting an xpj file removes references to the ssls when the .ssl files obviously still exist in the project folder.

I'm not at a Rh machine to check where the link is stored but this should work.
Move the old layouts from the project.
Recreate layouts with the same character perfect names. Leave default settings.
With Rh closed, open them in a text editor. Do the same with the old files
and copy the content across.
Backups everywhere of course.

How can I use single source images in text?

I'm using RoboHelp HTML 11, and I want to use single source images of icons in text, so that I have the ability to update the source image, as needed, and all instances of the image are updated automatically. The look is as follows:
I've tried snippets, but they force a paragraph return in the text which I don't want.
I tried inserting the source code for an image into a variable, but when I inserted the variable into the text, I got an error message in the text.
Is there a way to use variables to do this or some other method?
Thanks.

HI there
The one possible drawback to this approach would be if the image size changes. You *MAY* find that saving a different sized image and replacing one would result in perhaps needing to visit each instance of the image and right-clicking and choosing "Reset Size".
I'm not sure why your variable failed with the image. Generally, it's simple to insert an image into the variable. I typically start the process by typing something like "XX" as the variable value. Then in the UDV pod, select the XX and replace it with the desired image.
Cheers... Rick

Single Source JavaHelp Missing

I've created a project using RoboHelp HTML 7 and have the
WebHelp Single Source output as my primary output. The application
developer wants the JavaHelp output, but I don't have that
available in my Single Source Layout as a choice. It is available
in my RoboHelp Word 7 though.
Any ideas how to add it to RoboHelp HTML? I don't want to
have to copy the project to RoboHelp Word, just to output for
JavaHelp.
Thanks!

Welcome to our community, Cathy
You will need to install the Java Development Kit (I think
that's the name) and you will need to right-click the Single Source
Layouts area and choose to add a new layout. When you add a new
layout, you should see the option for JavaHelp.
I think it's not there by default because so few folks use
it. WebHelp is really a better way to go.
Cheers... Rick

Single source for different online help guides

I am glad that the single source layout pod in RH7 supports
different channels.
I also need to output to different online webhelps using
shared topics. This is what should be called single source.
Is it the best practice to create a set of taylored and
overlapping TOCs for a related set of online helps?
My working environment consists of a single software product
with different user interfaces for different types (and levels) of
users. For each type of interface, a different webhelp is mounted.
How can I make sure that the online help title displayed in
the web help browser tab is the correct one for each variation of
the online help?

Single source is anything that lets you get more than one
output from one source, be those outputs ten different webhelp
outputs or just one and a printed document output.
You can have as many webhelp outputs as you can manage. Right
click and add new ones or copy existing ones as a base.
Best practice depends on your content. You can have different
TOCs for each output or you can have a smaller number and apply
conditional tags. So with say 10 outputs you could have just three
or four TOCs and apply conditional tags to vary them. It's whatever
works best for you and can be understood by anyone you work with.
The scenario you describe would be ideal for the way RH
works.
The title bar and browser tab take their text from the
Project Title in Project Settings so you will need to change that
for each output.

Simple Single-Source Replication(error occurred when looking up remote obj)

Dears
I am following the "Simple Single-Source Replication Example"
(http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14228/repsimpdemo.htm#g1033597)
In Configure Capture, Propagation, and Apply for Changes to One Table; when I Set the Instantiation SCN for the hr.jobs Table at str2.net by following procedure
SQL> DECLARE
2 iscn NUMBER; -- Variable to hold instantiation SCN value
3 BEGIN
4 iscn := DBMS_FLASHBACK.GET_SYSTEM_CHANGE_NUMBER();
5 [email protected](
6 source_object_name => 'scott.emp',
7 source_database_name => 'str1.net',
8 instantiation_scn => iscn);
9 END;
10 /
DECLARE
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-04052: error occurred when looking up remote object
[email protected]
ORA-00604: error occurred at recursive SQL level 1
ORA-02085: database link STR2.NET connects to
ORCL.REGRESS.RDBMS.DEV.US.ORACLE.COM
Note also advise where should I have to execute above at (STR1.NET or STR2.NET)
regards;

Good morning Lenin,
Have you checked the implementation of the connectors and are your locations well registered?
Has a similar setup ever worked well?
Can you access the source table using SQL (e.g. with SQL*Plus or TOAD)?
Regards, Patrick

Single source layouts and publishing in RH7

Hi - this is my first experience with RoboHelp 7 HTML and
even after reading a lot of documentation, I am confused between
the WebHelp v. WebHelp Pro outputs and publishing to the RoboHelp 7
server.
Can you publish multiple Single Source Layouts from one
project up to the RH server? When creating the SSLs locally, they
are generated into separate folders, but I do not see where
distinguishing information is setup in the server destination
settings. Will the layouts overwrite each other on the server?
Any help/insights/suggestions would be great!

WebHelp works on the server without the need for RoboServer
and is published to a location other than within RoboServer.
WebHelp Pro whilst generated to your local drive like WebHelp
has different files in the output and they combine to provide the
additional WebHelp Pro features.
I don't work with WebHelp Pro but my understanding is that
each project will be generated to a different location and you will
have the option for those projects to be kept separate or merged.
First though, consider what it is in WebHelp Pro that you
want and then see if management will pay the extra cost.

Single sourcing tools for paper and html help

Hi
Today I started a new job where html help is made in RoboHelp
and the paper manual is made in Word. Both are translated to 5
languages, so the translators also use Word and RoboHelp.
Unfortunately there is no single sourcing at all.
I want to introduce single-sourcing so that I use the same
source for output to html help and paper.
I am used to FrameMaker for paper output and the WebWorks
Publisher plugin for the html help output.
If I were alone I might use FrameMaker and Madcap Blaze. I
think however that I can introduce one but not two new tools for
the 5 translators.
What Is your suggestion? Which tools should I use? Word
hasn't the conditional text feature I need. I don't belive that
RoboHelp can create a Word output which lives up to the Company
design standards. Besides, will Robohelp live, does it works under
Window Vista?

Hi Polle2. First of all there are many users on these forums
who use RH to single source with no problems. Sure RH single
sourcing requires a little thought and set-up - just like most our
"true single source" tools. There's a new version of RH planned
(version X6) and currently in beta test but we won't know what
included in it until it's formally released.
As far as product comparisons are concerned, I've not used
Madcap Blaze and neither has anyone else as I believe it's not
released yet. My two penneth worth is you are right to go down the
single sourcing line and that RH - and other tools - could all fit
the bill. It all depends on which one fits your specific
needs.

Single source can transmit multiple group in multicast

single source can transmit multiple group in a multicast domain

I am not sure how to start explaining this, but I will give it a try to my understanding.
1)
Look up the MAC Learning section in this link.
http://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=101367&rl=1
2)
Once you have read through then your question would be if switches deliver traffic based on mac address of the end hosts, how is this mapping achieved for multicast addresses, as they are not assigned to any host.
in this case the switch will consider the multicast packet as unknown as will broadcast it. To avoid that a simple mechanism of multicast
IP to mac conversion was introduced which would create these temporary mac's based on the membership report of end hosts
for a certain group. So when this conversion is done apart from the real host mac address pointing to the port where it is connected,
multicast mac also points to the same port. Based on which the switch is able to forward the traffic intelligently to a set of hosts
who want that group received.
3)
Now see this link which explains how Mcast IP to MAC convesion is done.
IP to MAC Conversion
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/cisintwk/ito_doc/ipmulti.htm#wp1020628
To summarize this, since only 23 bits are available for converting the IP to MAC, the 24th bit is lost .
which in terms of binary to decimal means you have lost 128 from the decimal. so it loops from the start of the multicast range of 224-239 at every 128 bits.
if the starting decimal was 224.1.1.1(if the received membership report was for 224.1.1.1) then next would be 224.129.1.1, 225.1.1.1 , 225.129.1.1 and so on till 239.......
hence when it loops through all the 224 - 239 addres range and it catches up 32 mapped addresses.
Now to conclude,
"32 IP multicast addresses corresponding to each MAC " In here the MAC referenced is not the host mac but the converted MAC.
Even though the conversion is done, because of the available bits the MAC address hence created overlaps 32 multicast IP
addresses. (closest resemblence would be the ACL example with the mask assigned. based on this mask and the starting value
it will keep catching values based on the mask. )
You can try this practically. Assume you have a host and it sends a membership report for 225.10.10.10. Now the switch has to convert this to Mcast MAC.
To do this yourself, write down the binary of this address, and look at the rightmost 23 bits (that is from the left ignore the first 9 binary values.) now if you look at the remaining binary values, these will map and look alike for 226.10.10.10 226.139.10.10 and so on. And hence if you run through from 224-239 you will get 32 adresses.
HTH-Cheers,
Swaroop

Single Source Authoring

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