Re: [platform-help-dev] embedded help for web applications for InfoCente

["Erik Hennum" <ehennum@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, Dorian:

We're providing panel-level instead of field-level assistance.  That is,
we're supplying one topic for each application panel instead of individual
infopops for each field.

We chose this approach in part because we felt it was important to provide
orienting information about the panel as a whole including the task for
which the panel is used.  The panel topic also provides specific
information about each field in the panel.

Am I correct in understanding that a single infopop can't handle content of
such length and complexity.  (For instance, images might need to be
embedded in the topic.)  Also, the panel topics should be available through
search mechanisms (though the user won't search for them directly but
instead, need to see them as related to other queries).  Finally, the user
benefits if links to immediately related topics can be followed without the
interruption of opening a new window.

Does that seem reasonable?


Thanks for your suggestions,


Erik Hennum
SSG User Assistance
ehennum@xxxxxxxxxx
tie line:  544-8953               (Tuesdays 276-0273)




                                                                                                                                     
                      Dorian                                                                                                         
                      Birsan/Toronto/IBM@IBMCA        To:       platform-help-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx                                        
                      Sent by:                        cc:                                                                            
                      platform-help-dev-admin@        Subject:  Re: [platform-help-dev] embedded help for web applications for       
                      eclipse.org                      InfoCenter Eclipse                                                            
                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                     
                      09/17/2002 10:13 AM                                                                                            
                      Please respond to                                                                                              
                      platform-help-dev                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                     



Hi Erik,

If I understand your proposal correctly, the Task Assistant Page works a
lot like the context sensitive help (infopop, in eclipse help terms), with
the exception it is not triggered by F1, but it shown at all times. So,
instead of registering topics to application pages, this could be done by
registering a context id to each application page. All that's needed then
is to render the content of an infopop as html. Clicking on a related topic
inside the task asssistant page would then launch the help viewer opened to
that topic.

-Dorian



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  |       Subject:  [platform-help-dev] embedded help for web applications
for InfoCenter Eclipse               |
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Hi, Eclipse Help Gurus:

We're contemplating embedding help topics within a web application window.
We'd like to pursue a strategy that will not only be valid for Eclipse
2.0.1 but also Eclipse 2.1 and (one hopes) beyond.

For InfoCenter Eclipse 2.0.1, the best approach seems to be to extend the
Eclipse help web application.  Here is a more detailed explanation of that
approach:

    (See attached file: HelpEmbedded.zip)

Will this strategy work with the design planned for 2.1?

We also have a working prototype that can be installed on Tomcat +
InfoCenter Eclipse 2.0.1, if that would clarify our approach.


Thanks in advance,


Erik Hennum
ehennum@xxxxxxxxxx





#### HelpEmbedded.zip has been removed from this note on September 17 2002
by Dorian Birsan


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