SERVICES - Online help systems @ Keypoint Consultants

ONLINE HELP SYSTEMS

Online help provides information about a software dialog box, menu option, or process at the click of the mouse button. Online help can be accessed through the Help menu of the software or by pressing a context-sensitive help button or key. This information isn't linear, meaning it doesn't lead the user down a preset path. Online help systems come in a variety of flavors. Here are some.

Windows-based help
HTML-based help systems
Help in HTML pages

Windows-based help

Up until recently, most online help authors used to prepare Windows-based systems, also called RTF-based systems (based on rich text format files). Microsoft provided us with the Windows help engine, commonly called the WinHelp engine, which displayed our help topics.

HTML-based help systems

Several years ago, Microsoft announced the demise of WinHelp or RTF-based help and provided a new standard: an HTML-based help system. This help system includes a tri-pane look: one pane for navigation; one for the contents, index, and search; and the third pane for the topic text. This new help format has taken some time to get off the ground due to many problems, including help distribution difficulties. Now, third party help authoring tool vendors have jumped on the band wagon and have provided HTML-based help along with other help varieties.

Help in HTML pages

Companies are often documenting their products directly in Web-based publications. Because many companies are developing applications directly as Web-enabled applications, help systems are sometimes designed directly in HTML pages.

HTML pages as help

Online help in Web pages for Koz See an example of online help that is actually separate HTML pages authored with DreamWeaver and VisualStudio. We created context-sensitive HTML help for a Java-based application that helps users publish community Web sites.
The company staff commented on how quickly and accurately we completed the help files. The help displays as separate pop-up Web pages.

WebHelp for medical software

WebHelp for medical software We produced a help system for medical software using RoboHTML and formatting the output as WebHelp.

WebHelp with customized skin

Keypoint produced a WebHelp system for a company that produces software that enables hospitals to evaluate their performance against benchmark hospitals. The help included customized buttons and interface.

Online help for telephony, voice recognition, and sound editing

We developed many WinHelp systems, such as those for Intel's telephone management, voice recognition, and sound editing programs. We coordinated the release with Intel's hardware development and Articulate System's software.

National database online help

We provided expertise for a help system created with Doc-to-Help at the American Kennel Club (AKC).

Help from JavaDoc

We provided solutions for a large suite of online help systems for HAHT Software. We tested results after converting JavaDoc source documentation to WinHelp.