The software company I work for are thinking of implementing helpfiles within the software.
I was wondering if anyone knew of a help authoring tool which would allow us to use the video's we have made using Storyline and add them to our helpfiles?
I hope that makes sense, any help would be greatly appreciated.
The 'go-to' authoring tool for help systems is RoboHelp. What do you mean by "video's we have made using Storyline"? Storyline output is usually a bunch of files. Or do you mean the MP4 files that are created when a Storyline project that includes screen recordings is published?
What we would want to be able to do is record tutorial videos using Storyline and embed them in our helpfiles. I have used Robohelp before which allows you to embed Captivate videos but I'm not sure whether Storyline files would be compatible.
Also, having seen the how much better Storyline is than Captivate I was wondering if there was a better (easier to use) Help authoring product?
I really dig Flare. I've imported stuff like Presenter and Storyline into RoboHelp but it's not straight forward. I ended up including the packages as baggage files and coding my own embed on a page or launch in a popup window.
To import Storyline courses in Robohelp will take some html skills. It's been a while since I've played with robohelp, but you might be able to use an iframe to show the course. If this doesn't work, then you'll have to look into the html source and copy and paste the code from the story.html into the page.
It's not that I want to include entire courses, I just want to be able to add video demo clips which I currently make using Storyline's video capture functionality, does this make it any easier?
If not does anyone know whether any of the Help Authoring applications include video capture tools?
Madcap offers a capture tool in their kit. I think it's a separate product. Some things are easier. Robohelp is carrying more legacy baggage. Both do what they do well and have some of the same parents (Blue Sky was the original Robohelp developer, many of the Blue Sky devs left when Macromedia bought them to start Madcap.)
Madcap is more modern and less flakey to me. Robohelp can be the devil.
Madcap offers a capture tool in their kit. I think it's a separate product. Some things are easier. Robohelp is carrying more legacy baggage. Both do what they do well and have some of the same parents (Blue Sky was the original Robohelp developer, many of the Blue Sky devs left when Macromedia bought them to start Madcap.)
Madcap is more modern and less flakey to me. Robohelp can be the devil.
Agree with Steve. I've used both and prefer Madcap.
I will have a look at the madcap website, can anyone think of any other products I should be considering or are Madcap and Robohelp the best available?
I have been investigating this for the past several weeks and believe I have found a solution. Storyline HTML output can be integrated into your help using an iFrame. I believe this can be done with either RoboHelp or Flare though my preference is the latter.
The source for insertion of an iFrame looks like this:
Or for a file, rather than web, based source:
While this DOES get it displayed in your help system this solution has some drawbacks:
You do not get full text searchability into the content so you will need to tag your pages appropriately to ensure they are displayed during search.
Mobility may be an issue given the flash based nature of Storyline output and an inability to import this directly into your HAT.
Until Help Authoring Tools start to directly support the conversion of Storyline otuput this is the only solution. I don't believe many in the industry have done this to date so it is a nice bell (or whistle). Hope this helps.
11 Replies
The 'go-to' authoring tool for help systems is RoboHelp. What do you mean by "video's we have made using Storyline"? Storyline output is usually a bunch of files. Or do you mean the MP4 files that are created when a Storyline project that includes screen recordings is published?
What we would want to be able to do is record tutorial videos using Storyline and embed them in our helpfiles. I have used Robohelp before which allows you to embed Captivate videos but I'm not sure whether Storyline files would be compatible.
Also, having seen the how much better Storyline is than Captivate I was wondering if there was a better (easier to use) Help authoring product?
Another help authoring tool is Madcap Flare. http://www.madcapsoftware.com/products/flare/
I really dig Flare. I've imported stuff like Presenter and Storyline into RoboHelp but it's not straight forward. I ended up including the packages as baggage files and coding my own embed on a page or launch in a popup window.
To import Storyline courses in Robohelp will take some html skills. It's been a while since I've played with robohelp, but you might be able to use an iframe to show the course. If this doesn't work, then you'll have to look into the html source and copy and paste the code from the story.html into the page.
It's not that I want to include entire courses, I just want to be able to add video demo clips which I currently make using Storyline's video capture functionality, does this make it any easier?
If not does anyone know whether any of the Help Authoring applications include video capture tools?
Is Madcap easier to use than Robohelp?
Madcap offers a capture tool in their kit. I think it's a separate product. Some things are easier. Robohelp is carrying more legacy baggage. Both do what they do well and have some of the same parents (Blue Sky was the original Robohelp developer, many of the Blue Sky devs left when Macromedia bought them to start Madcap.)
Madcap is more modern and less flakey to me. Robohelp can be the devil.
That's helpful thanks guys
I will have a look at the madcap website, can anyone think of any other products I should be considering or are Madcap and Robohelp the best available?
Thanks all very timely indeed for me and I've been having a look at Flare over the past couple of day.
Flare is looking the goods for our needs.
I have been investigating this for the past several weeks and believe I have found a solution. Storyline HTML output can be integrated into your help using an iFrame. I believe this can be done with either RoboHelp or Flare though my preference is the latter.
The source for insertion of an iFrame looks like this:
Or for a file, rather than web, based source:
While this DOES get it displayed in your help system this solution has some drawbacks:
Until Help Authoring Tools start to directly support the conversion of Storyline otuput this is the only solution. I don't believe many in the industry have done this to date so it is a nice bell (or whistle). Hope this helps.
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