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

Accessibility (e.g., Section 508, WCAG)

Accessibility supported

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

	DotNet Help	HTML Help	WebHelp	WebHelp AIR	WebHelp Mobile	WebHelp Plus
General
.NET integration		.	.	.	.	.
Main entry file extension	.mchelp	.chm	.htm	.air	.htm	.htm
Output window	MadCap Help Viewer	Microsoft HTML Help Viewer	Browser window	Application window	Mobile Web browser	Browser window
Platform	Desktop	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
Accessibility (e.g., Section 508, WCAG)
Accessibility supported	.	.
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
Wildcard searches 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.	Only some styles (e.g., Feedback, toolbar) are supported.
TOC—binary	.		.	.	.	.
TOC—synchronize with topics					.
Topic toolbar custom settings					Limited settings
Target settings
Accessibility warnings	.	.
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