Software Recommendations for the New Help System ??

Discussion:

(too old to reply)

Boopipi

2010-04-05 01:19:38 UTC

As you all know, the "HTML Help Workshop" is rather dated. However there
doesn't seem to be a "help workshop" program for the new Help system that
has replaced it, unless I buy the entire Visual Studio Suite.

I only need to make one small help file (not an entire application). What
software can you recommend ?

Thanks

Peter

Rob Chandler [MVP]

2010-04-05 11:55:27 UTC

Permalink

Hi Peter

HTML Help (.chm) is still all we have for application help.

VS 2002/2003/2005/2008 uses MS Help 2 (not available outside VS).
VS 2010 now has MS Help Viewer 1.0 (but again that's only for VS help).

Rob

Post by Boopipi
As you all know, the "HTML Help Workshop" is rather dated. However there
doesn't seem to be a "help workshop" program for the new Help system that
has replaced it, unless I buy the entire Visual Studio Suite.
I only need to make one small help file (not an entire application). What
software can you recommend ?
Thanks
Peter

Boopipi

2010-04-05 19:56:41 UTC

Permalink

I was afraid you'd say that.

How about Visual Studio Lite ? Does any version of "VS lite" contain the
"workshop" for the Help 2. I wasn't able to find any such version.

Do you know if Microsoft has any plans to make a separately downloadable
"Help 2 workshop" in the future ?

Thanks,

Peter

=======================

Post by Rob Chandler [MVP]
Hi Peter
HTML Help (.chm) is still all we have for application help.
VS 2002/2003/2005/2008 uses MS Help 2 (not available outside VS).
VS 2010 now has MS Help Viewer 1.0 (but again that's only for VS help).
Rob

Rob Chandler [MVP]

2010-04-06 07:54:04 UTC

Permalink

Hi Peter

VS 2002/2003/2005/2008

The Help SDK \ workshop \ Help Studio light is a separate download.

http://helpware.net/mshelp2/vs8/vs8help.htm
http://helpware.net/mshelp2/h20.htm

VS 2010 (to be release 10am PDT, 12th April) has a new Help viewer
http://mshcmigrate.helpmvp.com/

Rob

Post by Boopipi
I was afraid you'd say that.
How about Visual Studio Lite ? Does any version of "VS lite" contain the
"workshop" for the Help 2. I wasn't able to find any such version.
Do you know if Microsoft has any plans to make a separately downloadable
"Help 2 workshop" in the future ?
Thanks,
Peter
=======================

Post by Boopipi
As you all know, the "HTML Help Workshop" is rather dated. However
there doesn't seem to be a "help workshop" program for the new Help
system that has replaced it, unless I buy the entire Visual Studio
Suite.
I only need to make one small help file (not an entire application), so
buying the entire Visual Studio suite would be overkill. What software
can you recommend ?
Thanks
Peter

Rob Cavicchio

2010-04-10 17:15:33 UTC

Permalink

To expand on that, the Help compiler for the 2002-2008 versions is in the VS
SDK, which itself is free, but only works with the paid versions of Visual
Studio (not VS Lite).

Post by Rob Chandler [MVP]
Hi Peter
VS 2002/2003/2005/2008
The Help SDK \ workshop \ Help Studio light is a separate download.
http://helpware.net/mshelp2/vs8/vs8help.htm
http://helpware.net/mshelp2/h20.htm
VS 2010 (to be release 10am PDT, 12th April) has a new Help viewer
http://mshcmigrate.helpmvp.com/
Rob

Post by Boopipi
As you all know, the "HTML Help Workshop" is rather dated. However
there doesn't seem to be a "help workshop" program for the new Help
system that has replaced it, unless I buy the entire Visual Studio
Suite.
I only need to make one small help file (not an entire application), so
buying the entire Visual Studio suite would be overkill. What software
can you recommend ?
Thanks
Peter

Rob Chandler [MVP]

2010-04-11 06:23:29 UTC

Permalink

Thanks Rob. My 2am Answer wasn't at all clear. So they restict the
VS Express (Lite) version -- I don't think VS Express supports 3rd party
components either does it?

Post by Rob Cavicchio
To expand on that, the Help compiler for the 2002-2008 versions is in the
VS SDK, which itself is free, but only works with the paid versions of
Visual Studio (not VS Lite).

Post by Boopipi
I was afraid you'd say that.
How about Visual Studio Lite ? Does any version of "VS lite" contain
the "workshop" for the Help 2. I wasn't able to find any such version.
Do you know if Microsoft has any plans to make a separately downloadable
"Help 2 workshop" in the future ?
Thanks,
Peter
=======================

Post by Boopipi
As you all know, the "HTML Help Workshop" is rather dated. However
there doesn't seem to be a "help workshop" program for the new Help
system that has replaced it, unless I buy the entire Visual Studio
Suite.
I only need to make one small help file (not an entire application), so
buying the entire Visual Studio suite would be overkill. What
software can you recommend ?
Thanks
Peter

Rob Cavicchio

2010-04-17 16:02:22 UTC

Permalink

I don't know for sure, but that seems like a reasonable assumption.

Post by Rob Chandler [MVP]
Thanks Rob. My 2am Answer wasn't at all clear. So they restict the
VS Express (Lite) version -- I don't think VS Express supports 3rd party
components either does it?

Post by Rob Cavicchio
To expand on that, the Help compiler for the 2002-2008 versions is in the
VS SDK, which itself is free, but only works with the paid versions of
Visual Studio (not VS Lite).

Post by Boopipi
I was afraid you'd say that.
How about Visual Studio Lite ? Does any version of "VS lite" contain
the "workshop" for the Help 2. I wasn't able to find any such version.
Do you know if Microsoft has any plans to make a separately
downloadable "Help 2 workshop" in the future ?
Thanks,
Peter
=======================

Post by Boopipi
As you all know, the "HTML Help Workshop" is rather dated. However
there doesn't seem to be a "help workshop" program for the new Help
system that has replaced it, unless I buy the entire Visual Studio
Suite.
I only need to make one small help file (not an entire application), so
buying the entire Visual Studio suite would be overkill. What
software can you recommend ?
Thanks
Peter