Webhelp introduction

WebHelp is an eHelp Corporation output type that is designed for authors who want to be sure that end users can view their Web-based or desktop application Help on virtually any browser and platform. Since Microsoft Windows (or a specific browser) is not required to view the output, you can publish your Help to the Web or distribute the files on a CD-ROM and be confident that end users can view the information as it is intended to display.
You create your WebHelp project in RoboHelp, authoring your content, adding features, and customizing the navigation pane. When you are ready to view and test the output, you generate the project. RoboHelp creates output files in a single folder (called "WebHelp") within your project folder that you distribute to end users or publish to another location.
Note: RoboHelp HTML X3 could be used for APAC languages only, and RoboHelp HTML X5, for EE and FIGS languages.

Localization work flow

Author provide the created source project files. The Help system was created with RoboHelp HTML. This information is located in the head of any html source file:
Explorer WebHelp


Sort and translate all the files that should be localized.

The topic files are located in the WebHelp subfolder, and listed in the RoboHelp topics list, and are available for edit in the RoboHelp WYSIWYG editor. The topic files are the files that should be localized.
Note: RoboHHRE.lng file contains tooltips, so this file should be also localized if any.

After defined the files that should be localized, send them to translators for translation. If your Help project is being localized by a professional translator, you need to provide them with certain files and bring other items to their attention. Following is a list of project source files you need to give to a professional translator. (Most translators do not use RoboHelp to localize Help projects - they use specialized utilities.)
Note: Do not use generated output files (files from the WebHelp subfolders) for translating a project. Only use source files from your project folders.

Localized Files Generation

RoboHelp authors should extract the project files to a workspace on their local drive or some other workspace, recognize the information they need to edit and re-generate the Help system. In summary, the information that your RoboHelp authors need includes the following:
The project open file is WebHelp.xpj. From within RoboHelp, navigate to that file in your workspace to open the existing project. Or, navigate directly to that file, double-click the file name, and it will open the project in RoboHelp if RoboHelp is present.
WebHelp is already designated the primary layout. When changes are made to the project, such as editing a topic file, the WebHelp files need to be re-generated. When generated, RoboHelp locates those files in the ..\!SSL!\WebHelp subfolder.
Put the localized files into the project file structure.

Change the Project language:

Open the project of the language you want to change.
From the File menu, select Project Settings.
On the General tab, next to Language, click the drop-down arrow and select the language you want to be displayed in your output.
Click OK.

Project generation:

Open the project you want to generate:
Click the Project tab to display the Project Manager.
Expand the Single Source Layouts folder.
Right-click the Source layout and select Generate. The WebHelp General dialog opens.
Setting the generation options as necessary, then click Finish to start the generation process.
When the process is complete, the compiled file should be in \!SSL!\WebHelp folder.

Compiled Webhelp structure

Because many kind of mistake during translation process may cause a different file structure, in order to make sure the Webhelp structure exactly same with source one in build, certain manual fix must be implemented after compilation.

If you have any questions on webhelp localization, may contact me via [email protected].