3.4.2.1. Create Output

3.4.2.1. Create Output
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With Helptrix you can publish manuals in several formats:

HTML Help is a standard online Windows help format since Windows 98. Provides three pane user interface with help ToC on the left, indexes, quick search and context sensitive help (see “3.4.8. Context Help IDs“) for your users. It is an ideal choice to distribute along with your Windows applications.

PDF is a open de facto standard for electronic document distribution with great printing abilities. You can distribute PDF manual electronical way and your users can print it themselfs, or you can print it immediately and ship it.

HTML is used for a browser based help. Placing your manual on Internet or intranet is perfect solution for multiplatform environment. It comes as a simple continuos HTML page, similar to PDF.

HTML (frames) is more sophisticated version with frames and JavaScript functionality, which it makes look like HTML Help in three pane style, and it also provides context sensitive help (see “3.4.8. Context Help IDs“). All this is suitable for Internet and multiplatform environment

DocBook XML. XML is markup language designed to describe and carry data. DocBook is a very popular XML vocabulary for writing technical documentation, any kind of manuals or books. With your help in DocBook standard you have more opportunities to work with it further.

Note

To create outputs, you will need some third-party software (see “1.3. Requirements“).

Common features for HTML Help and HTML formats:

good obvious manual structure, good orientation
quick access to topics
hyperlinks
color images
context sensitive help

Common disadvantages for HTML Help and HTML:

need of computer to read
some users prefer printed manuals

Points specific only to HTML Help:

quick access (by Help menu or by pressing F1) from the application
provides indexes
provides quick search
Windows dependant

PDF format features:

very good printed results
tool for reading PDF files is provided by Adobe for free
PDF files looks always exactly as was created
platform independent
some users prefer printed manuals
no need of computer to read (after print)

PDF format disadvantages:

PDF is supposed to be published in printed form - grey images should be used
after print hyperlinks aren't working, search isn't available
longer looking for topic or desired information

To create a output from your book (publish), choose Create Output from the Tools menu.

Figure 3.58. Tools menu

The tool window is displayed.

Figure 3.59. Create output window

Choose output language from the Language combo box. Then choose format of Output you want to create. Besides, if you want to keep XML file in DocBook format, check Keep DocBook XML file check box. Click Properties button if you want to customize output appearance (see “3.4.2.2. HTML Help Properties“, see “3.4.2.3. PDF Properties“, see “3.4.2.4. HTML Properties“, see “3.4.2.5. HTML Frames Properties“). Output Properties window is displayed with four tabs according to four possible output formats.

Note

Output properties are not changed to default after application restart, they persist set as last time were.

Click OK button. Report window is displayed to inform you about state of creating output. Be patient, it may take several minutes.

Figure 3.60. Create output report window

If everything went well, "Done." should appear at the bottom of report window and Close button is now available Line "OUTPUT" tells you, were te result is stored. It is in "project folder/output" subfolder. You may use Show Result button to see the result immediately. If some error occurs output is not created and error report is shown in report window in red color.

Now you may close report window.