There are several ways that your Flare DotNet Help system can be "connected" to a software application. Features that are available include the following:
Detached Help or integrated Help The Help system can be connected so that the Help opens in a window separate from your software application (detached Help). To see an example of detached Help in MadCap Flare, select Project>Add Topic and then press F1. The topic for that dialog opens in a separate window.
Alternatively, the Help can be connected so that the Help opens within the software application (integrated Help). To see an example of integrated Help in Flare, select Help>Contents. The TOC for the Help opens within the application. If you click a topic page in the TOC, the topic opens in the application to the right.
Same process or different process The Help system can be connected so that it uses the same process as the software application (embedded). If the Help uses the same process, the Help will close when the application is closed. The online Help in Flare is connected so that it uses the same process as Flare.
Alternatively, the Help system can be connected so that it uses a different process than the software application. If the Help uses a different process, the Help can remain open even if the application is closed.
Basic Help or context-sensitive Help (CSH) The developer can connect the application to your basic DotNet Help output, rather than to a specific topic. For example, you might want a standalone version of the Help Viewer to open separately from the software application, displaying your startup topic and showing panes for the navigation elements (e.g., TOC, Index, Search, Browse Sequences) that you have created. Or maybe you want users to be able to open the different navigation elements within the application and access topics from each one. To see an example of this in Flare, select Help>Contents. The TOC for the Help opens within the application. If you click a topic page in the TOC, the topic opens in the application to the right.
Alternatively, the developer can use CSH to connect the application to specific topics in the DotNet Help output (as long as you have created CSH in your Flare project and share the header file information with the developer). To see an example of CSH in MadCap Flare, select Project>Add Topic and then press F1. The topic for that specific dialog opens.