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Subject:Re: One help file for Win NT 3.5 and 4.0 From:Mike Dean <mikedean -at- INTNET -dot- NET> Date:Tue, 3 Dec 1996 12:14:42 -0500
Debbie Lampert wrote:
> Hi All -
> We are developing online help for a software program that runs under
> Windows 95 and Windows NT versions 3.5 and 4.0. Naturally, we want to
> develop one online help file for all 3 platforms.
> We prefer to develop the online help file using the new Windows 95
> user interface. If we do this, end-users running Windows NT 3.5 will
> not be able to read the file, because Windows NT 3.5 uses the Winhelp
> from Windows 3.1.
> Does this mean that we have to produce 2 versions of the help file?
> Has anyone else encountered this problem, and does anyone have a
> solution?
> Thank you -
> Debbie Lampert
> Radview Software Ltd
Debbie,
I am have been working on a set of client/server applications under
Win95 and NT 3.5/4.0 for about 5 months now. We are running all three
operating systems on our Network. I primarily use Robohelp as my
authoring tool, (was RH95, just converted to RH4, relatively painless
and worth the trip and the 200.00 upgrade.) One engineer who had been
working on NT3.5 till a couple of weeks ago stated that the only
problems he noted running the Help files (developed as a win 95 help
file)were that he recieved a message about a DLL, but everything ran
fine. I am still running Win95, all the engineers are now on NT 4.
I do however have an NT 3.5 box here on the network, so I wandered over
and fired up my most recent hlp file on it. I did get the DLL error,
referencing the Dll required for the video clips I have, and then I got
a message stating that there was an error in the help file. (this could
be a bad link or something that was detected during the setup process in
NT). The file runs great, looks virtually the same, and even the videos
play fine. I expect most of our users to run Win95 on the Clients, and
hope they will run NT 4, but realize that those installing on existing
networks may run 3.5.
Summary. I find few problems that a little tweaking won't cure. I am
pleased with the way it looks in NT 3.5. I feel that you will be able
to run it, and that the difficulty of having a separate help file for NT
3.5 would be prohibitive.
As I work into final development on the product, I will test it
extensively on that NT 3.5 box I have lurking in the corner. I would
greatly appreciate anyone's input on this, and anyone who can point out
what I am missing that may be important.
--
Mike Dean
Technical Communications Coordinator
Dictaphone Development
Tampa FL
