OT: Alternative to WWP

[Jeremy H. Griffith]

On Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:34:27 -0400, Murray Moore <m.moore at csdcsystems.com> 
wrote:

>FM 6.0, WWP 2003 for FrameMaker
>
>Using WWP and the WebWorks Help template I convert FM books to 
>individual Help files, e.g. FM Book A, B, C, and D becomes FM Book Help 
>A, B, C, and D.
>
>Customers of the company for which I work, from the company web site, 
>can download these Help files. But a client can use only one Help file 
>at a time.

Why is that?  Can't the clients just open another browser window,
or tab, for each one they want to view?  I often have a dozen tabs
open at once...  I'd be very surprised if WWHelp couldn't be used
that way.  OmniHelp certainly can be.

>On occasion, using WWP, I create multi-volume help for a client, e.g. a 
>Help file which is a combination of FM Book Help A, B, C, and D.
>
>My manager is keen for our customers to have the ability to download two 
>or more of FM Book Help A, B, C, and D and without my assistance create 
>a multi-volume Help file.

They'd have to merge the TOCs, IX, Search info, ALinks... I do not
know of any user tool for doing that.  It calls for the same tool
that made the help files in the first place.  Of course, you could
create a "master" Help file that merges *all* of the others; then
clients could just open the master, and they'd see whatever parts
it calls that they have.

>You are a client. You have downloaded FM Book Help A, B, and D, i.e. 
>three individual help files. How do you merge them?

I don't.  I view each in a browser tab, and flip back and forth as
I please.  If I need them side by side, I open a new browser window.

HTH!
-- Jeremy H. Griffith, at Omni Systems Inc.
  <jeremy at omsys.com>  http://www.omsys.com/