Outputs Supported
Note This is supported in HTML5 Tripane output, but not in HTML5 Side Navigation, Top Navigation, or skinless output.
Important Feedback is deprecated in Flare, which means that it is slated to be removed in a future version.
Feedback is a live documentation reporting service that works in conjunction with Flare to provide Web 2.0 community benefits for your online output—including integrated user comments and statistics such as search keywords used and topics visited. Most of these benefits are available not only for Web-based Help (e.g., WebHelp, HTML5, and WebHelp Plus), but also for desktop Help (e.g., Microsoft HTML Help).
Note The topics in this Help system related to MadCap Feedback are intended for existing customers of Feedback. That product is no longer available for sale.
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Feedback Server
With MadCap Feedback Server, you install the necessary software on your own hardware to host the Feedback data. By using the MadCap Feedback Server Admin, your system administrator can enter the appropriate server information, create the necessary SQL database, and perform maintenance tasks such as scheduling automated backups of the data. Authors can use the Feedback license keys that are issued as needed for their various targets and projects. The Flare output files can be hosted on the same server hosting the Feedback data, but it is not mandatory; the output files can be published anywhere you like.
Features
Following are some of the features of MadCap Feedback:
- Retrieve, incorporate, and reply to user comments into your online output.
- View topic ratings.
- See search keywords entered by users, including terms that did not return results for readers.
- Add synonyms to enhance search results.
- View multi-color, multi-shape Feedback charts for your statistics.
- Use Feedback Explorer to see and track all reader activity with a user-friendly interface.
- Subscribe to a periodic email manifest (i.e., summary) to keep track of user activity.
Getting Started
The following will help you get started quickly with Feedback:
- Getting Set Up Check out the basic steps that are necessary for configuring your system and using Feedback. See Getting Set Up with MadCap Feedback.
- Features and Benefits Take a look at the many tasks that you can accomplish with Feedback. See Features and Benefits of MadCap Feedback.
- Feedback Explorer Feedback Explorer provides an interface that is used to view and track all reader activity in your online output. This is a standalone application that is separate from Flare. It displays user activity for the most recently opened Feedback file (which is associated with a target/license combination in Flare).
What’s Noteworthy?
Note MadCap Feedback is purchased separately from MadCap Flare.
Note When testing Feedback, make sure you are entering comments in the output that you generate, rather than in the Feedback incorporated into Flare. Otherwise, the comments will be sent to the Flare Documentation Team, rather than to you.