Dynamic Help

[KatieKelly]

I would be really curious to know how the OxygenXML team creates Dynamic Help. Is there a transform scenario that can create this?

Thanks much!

Katie

[Radu]

Hi Katie,

Oxygen is a Java application and we use a transformation scenario to convert DITA to an output called "JavaHelp" which can be used to embed the resulting documentation in a Java application's window along with ID mappings allowing us to map one ID to one documentation page.
For other types of application our DITA to WebHelp output auto generates IDs which can be mapped to web pages:
https://www.oxygenxml.com/doc/versions/ ... itive.html
So in your application you can map each component to IDs and when the end user focuses inside a component you can use that ID to open an internal browser window and display its help.

Regards,
Radu

[KatieKelly]

Thanks Radu. What is the specific name of the transformation for JavaHelp? I can't find anything in the list that is immediately obvious. I'm using v22.1.

Thanks again!

Katie

[Radu]

Hi Katie,
With a DITA Map opened in the Oxygen DITA Maps Manager view use the "Configure Transformation Scenarios" toolbar button, press "New->DITA OT Transformation" and choose "JavaHelp" as a transformation type. But this type of output can be included only with a Java based application and it's also quite a deprecated way to do contextual help.
As I previously said another way to do this is to publish WebHelp and then display it inside an internal browser window embedded in the application. Java-based applications can also embed an internal browser window using JavaFX components.

Regards,
Radu

[KatieKelly]

This is very helpful. We're actually doing the latter that you describe. Thank you!

Katie