Re: updating rtf file without robohelp

["Dana Worley" <dana -at- campbellsci -dot- com>]

On Thursday, September 11, 2008, vmoskowitz -at- bellsouth -dot- net wrote: 

> I recently upgraded to Word 7.0 and can no longer use RoboHelp 5 to
> edit my Winhelp files (I get a message that an earlier version of Word
> is required). This is fine if I am just changing the existing topics
> but if I want to add a topic or an index entry it gets more
> complicated. Is there a way to create/edit winhelp 4 rtf files using
> another program besides Word/RoboHelp? 

You can update the RTF file in Word, outside of RoboHelp. I coded WinHelp like this for 
years. The WinHelp compiler uses footnotes as "codes" to tell it what to use for a topic title, 
context ID, context string, browse sequences, etc. You can insert all this manually into the 
RTF file and then compile. 

Josef Becker (who is no longer with us) put together an excellent source of information on 
WinHelp development:

http://www.helpmaster.info/hlp-developmentaids.htm

(I think Rob Chandler is the one who maintains this site now)

Of particular interest might be the WinHelp HAG (help authoring guide).

The caveat is that I have no idea what bits and bytes Word 2007 (rather than Word 7?) might 
be inserting into the RTF code that would wreak havoc with the WinHelp compiler. Also, 
coding by hand is really not for the faint of heart :)

Your best bet is to upgrade RH (or upgrade to some other tool that supports Word 2007), or 
revert back to a version of Word that RH5 supports. I would also suggest that you consider 
changing output formats, since WinHelp no longer ships natively in the Vista OS. 

2 cents,

Dana W.





***************************
Dana Worley
Software Product Manager/Manager, Software Support Group
Campbell Scientific, Inc. 
Microsoft MVP, Windows Help


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