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Re: [platform-help-dev] Can Eclipse help be separated from Eclipse for a standalone xplatform help system?


Hi Hedley,

The answer is yes, you can use the Eclipse help system as a "standalone" cross-platform help system--either called by an application's Help button or Help menu, or to even run without another application--just started up by a user or started and read off of a CD.

Basically, all that you need is the "minimal subset" of plug-ins that will run Eclipse 'headless' (without the whole Eclipse GUI and SDK 'stuff') and run the help system. Then the help system UI and all the other help system functionality (search, table of contents, etc) runs in a standard browser (IE, Mozilla, Firefox).

There are two modes in which you can run the help system separate from the whole Eclipse IDE: "standalone" and "infocenter". "Standalone" mode is classic help system use case: single user on a machine runs a help system local on that machine (off the disk or off CD). "Infocenter" mode can be used to run the help system in a network environment: backend on a server, and multiple users connecting and viewing using browsers on their clients.

Resource page that has links on how to set up for both modes: http://dev.eclipse.org/viewcvs/index.cgi/~checkout~/platform-help-home/dev.html
Standalone help set-up: http://dev.eclipse.org/viewcvs/index.cgi/~checkout~/org.eclipse.platform.doc.isv/reference/misc/help_standalone.html?rev=1.26.2.2
Information center set-up: http://dev.eclipse.org/viewcvs/index.cgi/~checkout~/org.eclipse.platform.doc.isv/reference/misc/help_infocenter.html?rev=1.27.2.2

Example of one of IBM's Eclipse-based information center ("infocenter" mode)--V2.1.3 Eclipse code level: http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/dzichelp/index.jsp

--Lee Anne
-----------------------------------------
Lee Anne Kowalski, Ph.D.
IBM Corporate ID Leadership Team - User Assistance Technology Lead
Phone: (781) 323-4130  IBM Tieline: 364-4560
Internet: kowalski@xxxxxxxxxx

"Think big, start small, and be pragmatic."



hedley.finger@xxxxxxxx
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06/08/2005 06:27 PM

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[platform-help-dev] Can Eclipse help be separated from Eclipse for a standalone xplatform help system?





Apologies for asking a question which has probably been asked many times
before, but it appears impossible to search the archive as you can with
Yahoo Groups archives.  So, can Eclipse help be run separately from
Eclipse, or is too closely tied to/emebedded in Eclipse the platform?

We need an open-source help system that we can hack so that the help system
reads the state of an app and automatically reconfigures to hide content
that should not be seen by a logged-in user with particular access
permissions on the app.  None of the established "standard" help systems
such as RoboHelp can do what we want out of the box, so that adding the
functionality to Eclipse help is an attractive alternative to working with
a help vendor.

Regards,
Hedley

--
Hedley Finger
Technical Communications Support Specialist
MYOB Australia <http://www.myob.com/>
P.O. box 371   Blackburn VIC 3130   Australia
12 Wesley Court   Tally Ho Business Park   East Burwood VIC 3151
Australia
<mailto:hedleyDOTfingerATmyobDOTcom>
Tel. +61 3 9222 9992 x 7421,   Mob. (cell) +61 412 461 558

(c) MYOB Technology Pty Ltd 2005

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