Blue Sky Software teams up with Microsoft and Netscape for emerging HTML-based Help Standards

Business Wire, Nov 6, 1996

LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 1996--Blue Sky(R) Software, leading provider of state-of-the-art Help authoring tools announced today RoboHELP(R) 4, the first Help authoring tool providing rich support for all Windows Help platforms and the emerging HTML-based Help standards. RoboHELP 4 turns Microsoft Word 7 into a full-featured authoring tool capable of creating professional Windows Help, HTML-based Help, printed documentation, and Intranet/Internet Web sites - all from a single source.

``We're delighted to be working closely with Blue Sky Software, the market leader in Help authoring technology,'' stated Corey Bridges, Product Manager for NetHelp at Netscape Communications Corp. ``Blue Sky Software has years of experience developing Help authoring tools. That, combined with Blue Sky Software's new, cutting-edge HTML-based Help authoring technology, makes RoboHELP 4 an excellent solution for creating NetHelp Help systems,'' continued Corey Bridges at Netscape.

1 Click Single Source Technology

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RoboHELP 4 supports all standard and advanced Windows Help features such as jumps, topics, popups, macros, multiple hotspot graphics, Contents Tabs, multimedia, shortcut buttons, etc. RoboHELP 4 also supports many new, innovative features, including Dynamic WYSIWYG, ActiveTest, ActiveEdit, WinHelp Internet Access, and more.

With the new, state-of-the-art 1 Click Single Source Technology, RoboHELP 4 automatically creates all the files needed for Windows Help, HTML-based Help, printed documentation, and Intranet/Internet Web sites - all from a single source. RoboHELP 4 supports Windows NT Help (both NT 4.0 and NT 3.51), Windows 95 Help, Windows 3.1 Help, Microsoft(R) HTML Help, and Netscape(TM) NetHelp.

Jump to the Internet from within Windows Help

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The new RoboHELP 4 is also invaluable for companies wanting to easily access the Internet from Windows Help. RoboHELP 4's new WinHelp Internet Access allows both Help authors and Help users to easily jump from Windows Help to any Internet/Intranet Web page using their favorite Web browser.

Full Support for all Help Formats

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``RoboHELP(R) 4 fully supports the creation of Microsoft(R) HTML Help and makes the transition to the new Microsoft HTML Help format extremely easy,'' said Tod Nielsen, General Manager at Microsoft Corp. ``Blue Sky Software's new AutoUpdate program is an excellent way to ensure that Help authors can always create HTML-based Help files that meet the most recent specifications from Microsoft and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). By choosing RoboHELP 4, Help authors are investing in a professional Help authoring tool for Windows Help that will carry them into the exciting future of HTML-based Help,'' continued Tod Nielsen at Microsoft Corp.

Easily Create Windows Help

RoboHELP is a rapid Help authoring environment that guides Help authors through the process of creating Help systems for Windows NT, Windows 95, and Windows 3.1.

Fully Supports HTML-based Help

RoboHELP 4 provides rich support for the emerging HTML-based Help standards: Microsoft HTML Help and Netscape NetHelp. RoboHELP 4 automatically creates all the new specific HTML-based Help features such as contents files, full indexes, navigation buttons, frames, related topics, mid-page jumps, and splash screens as well as HTML pages, Hyperlinks, GIF files, MAP files, and more.

Automatically Generate Printed Documentation

With the new Documentation Wizard, RoboHELP 4 users can easily create professional documentation. RoboHELP instantly generates a user manual complete with a Table of Contents, a full Index, and automatic page numbering.

Quickly Build Intranet/Internet Web Sites

RoboHELP 4 automatically generates the Home page, all the HTML, GIF, and MAP files, and Hyperlinks needed for an Intranet/Internet Web site. RoboHELP 4 fully supports the HTML 3.2 format, including the creation of HTML 3.2 tables.

Easily Create Context-Sensitive Help for Applications

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RoboHELP 4 revolutionizes the creation of Context-sensitive Help for Windows applications with a new and unique cutting-edge technology available only from Blue Sky Software.

What's This? Help Composer

The new What's This? Help Composer in RoboHELP 4 allows Help authors to quickly and easily add What's This? context-sensitive Help to any applications' dialog box controls without programming. The What's This? Help Composer automatically creates a Help topic with default text for each dialog box control and generates all the files needed for context-sensitive Help.

SmartHelp and WebPopupHelp ActiveX Controls

The new SmartHelp ActiveX control eliminates the need to program context-sensitive Help into any Windows applications developed with any development environment supporting the ActiveX or OLE Control standard.

With the WebPopupHelp ActiveX Control, RoboHELP 4 users can also easily add popup Help windows to any Intranet/Internet Web site using Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or any other Web browser supporting ActiveX controls.