Specialist training on
User Assistance
and eLearning
Training course:
Mastering WebWorks ePublisher Pro
Who is it for?
This course enables novice and intermediate users of WebWorks ePublisher Pro to use the full range of key features with confidence. You have the option of learning how to use WebWorks ePublisher Pro with either Microsoft Word, Adobe FrameMaker, or DITA. The course also explains how ePublisher Pro should be used in conjunction with ePublisher Express and (optionally) ePublisher AutoMap.
The course can cover any version of WebWorks ePublisher Pro from 9.3 to the current version (2009.1).
No previous experience of working with WebWorks ePublisher Pro is required—however, familiarity with the Windows operating system (2000 or later) is required, and experience with either Microsoft Word, Adobe FrameMaker, or DITA is helpful.
How will I benefit?
After taking the course, you will be equipped to work more efficiently and effectively, and to maximise the benefits of this powerful single-sourcing tool. The course is customized to your needs, and provides many practical guidelines and tips for creating the most suitable output format for your technical environment.
Course duration
One to two days, depending on your objectives and previous experience.
Course outline
How
to get the best from WebWorks ePublisher Pro
- Devising an effective single-sourcing strategy
- Understanding and comparing the different Help formats (HTML Help, WebWorks Help, Wiki, JavaHelp, etc.)
- Designing user assistance that addresses the real needs of users
Introducing
WebWorks ePublisher Pro
- Understanding the fundamental principles, concepts, and workflows of the ePublisher Platform (ePublisher Pro, ePublisher Express, and ePublisher AutoMap)
- Understanding the
- Guided tour of the WebWorks ePublisher Pro user interface
- Customizing the workspace
- For Word user only: Overview of WebWorks Transit for Word
Creating
a new WebWorks ePublisher Pro project
- Working within the Document Manager
- Understanding and working with groups
- Adding Word documents, FrameMaker books, or Ditamaps
- Setting an appropriate scanning option
- Optional: Converting a RoboHelp project—issues to be aware of
- Selecting an appropriate output format
- Generating previews and output
- Generating multi-volume Help
- Generating PDF output
- Viewing the online output
Formatting
your online content
- Understanding the difference between the Document Designer and the Style Designer
- Tips for setting up paragraph and character styles
- Understanding how styles inherit properties from the source document and from parent styles
- Formatting multi-level bulleted and numbered lists
- Setting page break priorities to create separate Help topics (HTML pages)
- Understanding how and where to add bread crumbs and mini-TOCs
- Modifying the layout and appearance of pages
- Creating a table of contents (TOC)
- Strategy for creating a comprehensive and useable index
- Modifying how cross-references are mapped to online hyperlinks
- When and how to create Related Topics
- When and how to create popup windows
- When and how to add DHTML drop-down hotspots
- Understanding graphics formats and transparency
- Creating an optimised graphics style for your online requirements
- Modifying the size and position of images
- Creating thumbnail images
- Creating hyperlinked images
- Creating table styles
- Modifying the height, width, and appearance of tables
- Understanding the principles of context-sensitive Help
- Two alternative strategies for working with the application programmers
- Embedding topic IDs in the source document
WebWorks
ePublisher Pro Stationery
- Understanding the benefits of Stationery
- Creating suitable Stationery
- Using Stationery to create a new project in ePublisher Express
Advanced
WebWorks ePublisher Pro techniques
- Creating and working with conditional text to support your single-sourcing strategy
- Managing format settings
- Creating format overrides (used for customizing the properties of an output format for a specific project)
- Customizing page.asp
- Using a custom CSS document
How is this training delivered?
This course can be presented in any of the following ways:
- Individual face-to-face coaching at your own place of work
- Individual Web-based coaching as a series of 90-minute instructor-led interactive sessions
- Classroom-based training for groups of two to six students at your organisation's site
Introducing your trainer
Matthew Ellison has more than 20 years of experience as a user assistance professional in the software industry and was one of the earliest adopters of WebWorks ePublisher Pro. Matthew is a part-time lecturer for Portsmouth University's MA Technical Communication course, and is a qualified teacher (PGCE) and Certified Technical Trainer. Over recent years he has trained more than 900 authors how to develop online Help and user assistance.
