How to configure web-based online help

Background

Traditionally, BlueCielo has delivered product manuals primarily in the Microsoft compiled HTML (CHM) and Adobe PDF formats. The exceptions have been the Meridian Explorer Administrator's Guide and User's Guide. Those manuals have been delivered in Adobe PDF and HTML formats because they are browser-based and don't use a Windows application that typically needs CHM help.

Description

Beginning with Meridian Enterprise 2013 SP1, users have the choice of using either local CHM help or online HTML help. The online help is hosted on the BlueCielo website and is updated with each service pack. It may also be updated with critical additions or corrections from time to time. The online help will always be the most up-to-date source available. Besides containing content for Meridian Enterprise, the site also features the manuals for all other BlueCielo products starting with release 2012. Future products will appear there too. BlueCielo customers have access to the manuals whether or not they have licenses for the products. This way, you can learn more about the products and consider them for your own organization.

Context-sensitive

Like the local CHM help, the HTML help is context-sensitive. Pressing F1 in the PowerUser, Configurator, or Administrator applications, in PowerWeb, or in Meridian Explorer or Meridian Enterprise Configurator will open help for the user's current location in the application. If the user has selected online help or is using a browser-based application, the content will open in the default web browser.

Available anytime, anywhere

The HTML help is available not only from within the applications mentioned above, but it is also browsable outside the applications by visiting bluecieloecm.com and in the Resources menu, selecting Technical Library. Once in the library, you will find an easy to use navigation tree organized by product name and version. The Welcome page contains helpful instructions on using all of the features of the website to:

Open and page through documents directly in the browser
Download documents
Search for documents by name
Print pages on a local printer
Return to the library Welcome page
Send feedback about documents or the website directly to the BlueCielo documentation team

All formats at your fingertips

Not only will you find HTML content on the website but the other available formats as well, depending on the product:

Printable Adobe PDF files in LTR and A4 page sizes
CHM files
Installable HTML help packages for Meridian Explorer
Installable MSHC help for MS Visual Studio (BlueCielo Meridian Enterprise .NET API Reference Guide only)

Do it yourself

We recognize that not all organizations can permit Internet access by their users due to strict security requirements. For those organizations, the HTML help content can be hosted on a local web server inside your own firewall. Installable archive files that contain entire websites for the BlueCielo Meridian Explorer Administrator's Guide, BlueCielo Meridian Explorer User's Guide, and BlueCielo Publisher User's Guide can be downloaded from the BlueCielo webhelp site. Packages for the other manuals are available upon request. Instructions for installing the content can be found in the BlueCielo Meridian Enterprise Administrator's Guide and in the BlueCielo Meridian Enterprise Server Administrator's Guide.

Being a customer has its privileges

Anybody can view the User's Guide, Quick Start Guide, System Requirements, Supported Software, and Release Notes documents for any BlueCielo product without having a BlueCielo account. To view any other document requires a BlueCielo account. These accounts will be communicated to existing BlueCielo customers and BlueCielo Partners in the coming months. If you are a system administrator, we recommend that you set your User assistance experience option to I prefer local help as described below until you receive your BlueCielo account credentials to access the secured documents.

By default, the BlueCielo products show local help, whether CHM or HTML format, depending on the product.

To configure web-based online help for the Meridian Enterprise applications:

Set the WebHelpBaseURL registry value in the following key on each client computer that you want to show web-based online help:
```
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Cyco\AutoManager Meridian\CurrentVersion
```
To show content from the BlueCielo webhelp site, set it to http://documentation.bluecieloecm.com/BCWebHelp.

To show content from a locally installed site, see the BlueCielo Meridian Enterprise Administrator's Guide.
Instruct users to enable the I prefer online help option in PowerUser Options dialog box as shown in the following picture. Alternatively, set the UseWebHelp registry value in the following key to 1 on each client PC:
```
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Cyco\AutoManager Meridian\CurrentVersion\Client\Settings
```
This setting affects all the Meridian Enterprise client and administrative applications.

Our hope is that this new channel of customer assistance will help our customers and partners to learn more about BlueCielo products so that they can take greater advantage of the benefits of these products to improve their businesses.