Developer and HELP

From: Gary Stebbins <gbs_at_halcyon.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 10:06:04 -0700
Message-ID: <7f2htg$vmq$1_at_brokaw.wa.com>



I'm working on a project that is using Oracle Developer to develop the application. I am unfamiliar with Developer, and working in a project management role, not as a developer. The first release of the application will be client/server (both on WinNT). A future release will probably be WEB-based. One goal is to minimize rework when we change the application to be WEB-based.

We have hired a tech-writer to develop the help for this application. We don't want the (code) developers to need to deal with the help. There will be two major pieces to the help. The first is context-sensitive help (F1 on any field to access). The second will be a complete on-line manual, which should be selectable from the HELP menu.

What is the best way to accomplish out goals? Based on reading parts of the manuals and talking to some of the developers, I have come up with this method. There are some unknowns that need filling in.

The developers build the forms and the business rules. The tech-writer then uses Developer to add the context-sensitive help. The on-line manual is created separately (using Robo-Help, creating an HTML Help file). Thus, the context-sensitive help is handled entirely by the Developer environment. Picking the menu Help option would bring up HTML Help on the local system (in the client/server version) or HTML Help in a browser windoe (in the WEB version).

Is this reasonable? Is it the best (or at least a good) way?

In the Developer environment (client/server), how do we cause a menu pick to bring up an external applicaiton (HTML Help)? In the web-based app, how do we cause the menu pick to bring up the HELP in a browser window?

Thanks for any input and suggestions. (Email copies to gbs_at_halcyon.com would be appreciated.)

-gary- Received on Wed Apr 14 1999 - 19:06:04 CEST

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