Announcements

We are currently experiencing an issue impacting some Autodesk Products and Services - please refer to the Autodesk Health Dashboard for updates.

Seeking recommendations for creating a custom "help" interface

Seeking recommendations for creating a custom "help" interface

jefries1683
Contributor Contributor
589 Views
5 Replies
Message 1 of 6

Seeking recommendations for creating a custom "help" interface

jefries1683
Contributor
Contributor

I have gotten to a point in development where I have created enough custom tools and commands where it is now too difficult to document for end users via PDFs.

 

I wanted to get an idea of how any of you handle this.  My best plan so far is to create a web application with ASP.Net which closely resembles the AutoCAD "help" interface.  Is this a good approach or are there better options?  Does Autodesk provide any useful templates or API to assist developers in this area?

 

Thanks,

Jeff

Detroit, MI

0 Likes
590 Views
5 Replies
Replies (5)
Message 2 of 6

wispoxy
Advisor
Advisor

You can just modify the AutoCAD help offline pages. Custom help interfaces are fun to create and use, I understand you.

By the way: Novi, MI. I'm close to you 🙂

0 Likes
Message 3 of 6

jefries1683
Contributor
Contributor

Andrew,

 

I searched further using your idea and stumbeled onto innovasys.  I might try it.

 

...and I'm closer than you think.  I claim Detroit in my sig seeing as only locals would know the smaller sities.  I actually work in Farmington Hills.  We should hook up for lunch some day.

 

Jeff

0 Likes
Message 4 of 6

wispoxy
Advisor
Advisor

A beer and sandwich sounds good. I'll private message you sometime soon.

0 Likes
Message 5 of 6

BKSpurgeon
Collaborator
Collaborator

One option would be to create a custom help file.

 

compiled HTML help file. i think they are called a chm file.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBgYKhsvQPI

 

i'm sure such a documentation method would be much simpler than working through asp.net which is  a mighty pain.

 

that's how i would do it

 

hope this helps.

 

rgds

 

BK

 

 

0 Likes
Message 6 of 6

Dale.Bartlett
Collaborator
Collaborator

I use Word2CHM. Possibly not the most efficient, but works well and has source code:

codeproject Word2CHM

Dale




______________
Yes, I'm Satoshi.
0 Likes