Re: Relative URLs/Query Strings as TOC/Index Links in HTML-based Help

[bcliver -at- manu -dot- com]

What you're doing sounds very cool.

>We are at the stage now where we are trying to determine if we can link 
to the XML-generated topics directly from >the help system's TOC and 
index. In order to do that, we would have to use relative links and query 
strings as TOC >pages and index links, because the XML files are going to 
actually be stored within the program itself, not with >the rest of the 
static help files (and because each customer will have different server 
names and therefore >different paths to the information). Here is an 
example of what the programmers would like to do to link to the XML 
>pages:

>help.aspx?topic=partpage&xml=file.xml

Basically, everything after the ? is a query in URL speak. We solved a lot 
of this by using variables stored in config files or database tables. Yes, 
developers still call the help with a URL. Use variables, lots of them. 
For example, the server name (and port) could be a variable, 
%URL%=http:\\servername:port. Each application can have a similar variable 
to provide the path to the help.

We also use categories of topics, for example, appa_topic1, appa_topic2, 
appb_topic1, etc. If the web page links to to appa_topic1, the developer 
builds the path to the help based on appa. The developer uses a properties 
file to associate appa with a path to a help file. In this way, appa 
becomes a variable for the application name. String the variables 
together, and you get the help.

It looks like you're a Microsoft shop, but I would use lowercase for 
everything. If you port to UNIX, case sensitivity won't give you a 
headache.

>Does anyone know if this is possible? We are not tied to any one tool, 
but ideally we wouldn't have to create the >TOC and index completely by 
hand. Browser will be IE (we could potentially dictate browser version), 
and we don't >have to worry about cross-browser compatibility.

We provide dynamic help based on the what the user has installed.  We use 
Webworks Publisher, but it did not provide a dynamic help solution.  With 
some minor programming, we build a merged and consolidated help system at 
installation.


Barry Cliver
Lead Technical Writer
Manugistics, Inc.

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