#### 16.1.8 Evaluating Eclipse Help

Eclipse Help is specific to the open-source Eclipse Platform. Eclipse is built on a mechanism for integrating and running modules the Eclipse Community calls plugins. An Eclipse plugin connects to an Eclipse Platform at an extension point, providing information about itself in an XML manifest file. For information about Eclipse, see:

http://www.eclipse.org/

Eclipse Help is based on an XML table of contents that specifies the structure of the Help system and references content in standard HTML files. Eclipse Help plugs into an Eclipse Platform, which provides the viewer. Eclipse Help can provide context-sensitive help (in the form of “infopops”) for other Eclipse applications.

Eclipse Help can be challenging to set up, and it is poorly documented as a Help format. It makes most sense if you are documenting an Eclipse plugin, where the environment is already installed on users' systems.

Previous Topic: 16.1.7 Evaluating JavaHelp and Oracle Help for Java

Next Topic: 16.2 Completing Help system construction

Parent Topic: 16.1 Weighing Help-system alternatives

Sibling Topics:

16.1.1 Considering Help-system features

16.1.2 Understanding the effects of mid-topic links

16.1.3 Evaluating Microsoft Windows Help (WinHelp)

16.1.4 Evaluating Microsoft HTML Help

16.1.5 Evaluating WebHelp

16.1.6 Evaluating OmniHelp

16.1.7 Evaluating JavaHelp and Oracle Help for Java