About WebHelp Mobile Output

WebHelp Mobile is an output type that lets you deploy Web-based, XHTML output to mobile devices. WebHelp Mobile maintains an easy and intuitive interface that fits on a very small screen. The Home page in WebHelp Mobile output contains navigation links to access the various panes that you can include: TOC, Index, Glossary, Search, Favorites, Browse Sequences.

The WebHelp Mobile output consists of a collection of files that you distribute to users by placing them on a Web server. End users then use their mobile device to open those files, just as they would open any website. The output will be displayed in the user's mobile browser. The main entry file has an .htm extension.

WebHelp Mobile is a good choice if:

Your end users are on the move and need to be able to access your documentation on their mobile devices.

You want to be able to produce an output interface in various languages. This is possible through the use of language skins.

Your users are working on different mobile platforms. Some of the major platforms supported are iPhone, Windows Mobile, and Blackberry.

Note: Some older mobile browsers do not support certain features (e.g., DHTML, search), whereas newer mobile browsers do support them. Other features, such as "mouse over," are not supported in either older or newer mobile browsers.

Example

Output Type Comparison Table—Online Output Types

Following are the various online output types available, with the distinguishing features of each.

DotNet Help

HTML Help

WebHelp

WebHelp AIR

WebHelp Mobile

WebHelp Plus

General

.NET integration

Main entry file extension

.mchelp

.chm

.htm

.air

.htm

Output window

MadCap Help Viewer

Microsoft HTML Help Viewer

Browser window

Application window

Mobile Web browser

Browser window

Platform

Desktop

Web

Desktop

Mobile Web

Web

Single output file

Special requirements

MadCap DotNet Help Viewer

Internet Explorer

Java Runtime Environment (JRE)

Adobe AIR

IIS

ASP.NET

MS Indexing Service

Context-sensitive Help (CSH)

CSH supported

Embedded CSH supported

Feedback statistics and reporting features

Feedback supported

Search results

Generated content

Breadcrumbs

Browse sequences

Concept links

Glossaries

Indexes

Keyword links

Mini-TOCs

Related topics links

Relationship links

Scripts

Shortcut controls

TOCs

Topic toolbars

Language support

Content—display in any left to right language

Output interface—display in any left to right language

Output interface—display English, French, Japanese, or German

Possible with Help Viewer (end user selects language)

Master pages

Master pages supported

Merging output

Merge output supported

Merge output at runtime

Multimedia

Audio

If mobile browser supports it

Movies

If mobile browser supports it

Search

Search supported

Include/exclude topics in search

Only supported in newer mobile browsers

Search filter sets

Search non-XHTML files

Stop words

Only supported in newer mobile browsers

Uses indexing service

Synonyms

Only supported in newer mobile browsers

Section 508

Section 508 supported

Skin settings

About box

Accordion titles

Browser settings

Caption for output window

Elements (e.g., tabs, accordions)—specify default element

Elements (e.g., tabs, accordions)—specify which to include

Feedback user profile

Index—binary

Index—include bookmarks in index entries

Language skins

Navigation links in standalone topics

Navigation pane settings

Preview skin for output type

Size/position—specify

Styles

Only some styles (e.g., Feedback, toolbar) are supported.

TOC—binary

TOC—synchronize with topics

Topic toolbar custom settings

Limited settings

Target settings

Characters and spaces—replace with underscores

Content folder—omit from output

DOCTYPE declaration

Standard mobile DOCTYPE always used

File extensions—custom

Images—pre-compile resized

Images—Web-safe

Language—select for output interface

Mark of the Web

Master page

Skins—generate all

Startup topic

Style sheet medium