Re: Recommendation on tutorial tools

[Glen Accardo <glen -at- SOFTINT -dot- COM>]

> For the next release of the product I am currently supported, the publications
> team would like to add a an online tutorial  we are not familiar with the
> tools that we could use to create the tutorial.  what I am requesting here
 your
> suggestions for these tutorials.  But wait do you want to know more about the

I am embarking on a similar project.  WinHelp (the standard windows help viewer)
will do what you are asking, but at a price.

1.  Everyone has WinHelp, and you can make some incredibly nice stuff with it.
2.  The CBT (Computer Based Training) calls allow you to have some control
    over and communication with your application.  IE.  "Only allow them
    to enter 'hello' in this field."  Then your program does whatever it
    is supposed to do with 'hello.'
3.  You have complete hypertext capabilities, so you have the ability to do good
    explanations and such in conjunction with your tutorial.

HOWEVER,

1.  It ain't the easiest thing to build, and you'll run into a gazillion
    gochas (like you should use hcp.exe instead of hc31.exe)
2.  The CBT calls are rather cryptic and you absolutely MUST involve your
    software developers in the design and construction of the tutorial.
3.  Some tools for building winhelp files are free, others are cheap, all
    have drawbacks, expecially if there are multiple writers involved in
    the project.

You might also try using some sort of presentation software such as PowerPoint.
Faking a demonstation is sometimes easier than using "live" applications.
Also, look at WINTUTOR.EXE (included with MS Windows 3.1).  It is a good
example of a tutorial program.

------------
glen accardo                         glen -at- softint -dot- com
Software Interfaces, Inc.            (713) 492-0707
Houston, TX 77084

Did the Corinthians ever write back?