WebWorks Logo

ePublisher AutoMap.

ePublisher AutoMap is the command-line publishing tool for WebWorks ePublisher. It runs the same builds as Designer unattended, from Windows Task Scheduler, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or any CI/CD runner on Windows, and deploys the output to a folder or to Amazon S3.

How it runs

One command, every target.

AutoMap runs an ePublisher job, a Designer (.wep) or Express (.wrp) project, or a composition job from the command line. It builds the targets with the project’s Stationery and deploys them to a folder or to Amazon S3. --skip-reports speeds up large builds, and --dryrun shows what a deployment would change without making it.

A build machine needs AutoMap, plus a licensed copy of Word or FrameMaker if the project publishes those sources, because ePublisher runs them during the build. DITA projects need Java 17 or later.

jobs:
  publish:
    runs-on: [self-hosted, windows]
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Publish the help
        run: >
          & "C:\Program Files\WebWorks\ePublisher AutoMap\WebWorks.Automap.exe"
          --skip-reports --destination=docs-site docs\product.wep
A GitHub Actions job on a self-hosted Windows runner · publishes every target and deploys to a named destination
Why AutoMap

Why ePublisher AutoMap?

AI-ready output as a byproduct of every publish

AutoMap is what makes "AI-ready output as a byproduct of every publish" practical without a human in the publishing seat. Scheduled and CI/CD-driven runs republish the help and refresh the Knowledge Base archive on the cadence the team already uses.

The agent-facing CLI

AutoMap's CLI shape — explicit project file, target name, output directory, optional flags — is operable by automation and by AI agents alike. The publishing pipeline becomes part of the AI-driven authoring loop.

Designer and Express project support

AutoMap drives both Designer projects (.wep) and Express projects (.wrp) — the same engine, the same Stationery, the same output set. Recent additions include --skip-reports for faster CI/CD builds on large projects.

Native CMS and version-control integration

Works with nearly any version control or content management system. Pre-generation and post-generation scripts handle source retrieval, asset staging, and post-build deployment.

AI-agent orchestration

The publishing pipeline an AI agent can drive.

AutoMap's strategic positioning beyond CI/CD is as the publishing-pipeline surface that AI agents can natively operate. Agents draft Markdown++; agents publish via AutoMap; the resulting Reverb 2.0 helpset and Knowledge Files refresh on agent-driven cadence. No GUI in the loop; no human in the seat; the output is the same build a human triggers from Designer.

01 · Markdown++ source is AI-readable

Documentation teams that author in Markdown++ have a source format that AI agents can read, interpret, and modify directly. Plain text in, plain text out — no XML overhead, no proprietary binary format.

02 · AutoMap is the agent-facing CLI

An agent that has authored or modified a Markdown++ source can invoke AutoMap to publish it — running the same pipeline a human triggers from Designer. Explicit project file, target name, output directory, optional flags.

03 · A working integration ships today

A WebWorks Claude Code skill pack — public on GitHub — teaches an AI agent how to traverse ePublisher projects, run AutoMap pipelines, customize outputs, and apply WebWorks conventions. Ready-to-use AI tooling for ePublisher today.

quadralay/webworks-agent-skills
Key features

Key features.

Publish every target in one run

Generate all or selected output targets from a single AutoMap invocation — Reverb 2.0 helpset, Knowledge Base archive, PDF, ePUB, Eclipse Help, and the rest of the project Stationery configures.

Scriptable pre- and post-generation hooks

Built-in script editor with environment variables for pre-generation source retrieval and post-generation deployment — the publishing pipeline integrates cleanly with the build environment around it.

CLI-first batch operation

A complete command-line interface drives every operation. AutoMap runs on developers’ machines, in GitHub Actions, in Jenkins, and in any CI/CD environment that can invoke a Windows binary.

Questions

Common questions about AutoMap.

What is ePublisher AutoMap?
AutoMap is the command-line publishing tool for WebWorks ePublisher. It runs the same builds as ePublisher Designer with no one at the keyboard, and deploys the output to a folder or to Amazon S3.
Can AutoMap run in GitHub Actions or Jenkins?
Yes, on a Windows runner or agent with AutoMap installed. Any CI/CD system that can run a Windows program can call WebWorks.Automap.exe with a job, project, or composition file.
What does a build machine need?
AutoMap, plus a licensed copy of Word or FrameMaker if the project publishes those sources, because ePublisher runs them during the build. DITA projects need Java 17 or later for DITA Open Toolkit 4.4. Markdown++ needs nothing more.
Can AutoMap deploy to Amazon S3?
Yes. A destination can be a folder or an Amazon S3 location, defined in the job, in the machine’s deploy preferences, or in a file passed with --deploysettings. The --dryrun option prints the uploads, deletions, and invalidations a deployment would make without contacting AWS.
Can AutoMap run on a schedule?
Yes. AutoMap schedules jobs with Windows Task Scheduler and can send an email when a job finishes.
Does AutoMap keep the AI Assistant current?
Every Reverb 2.0 build produces a fresh Knowledge Base archive beside the help. Upload it to WebWorks Platform and the AI Assistant in your published help answers from the new content.
Get started

Take the publishing seat out of human hands.

Scheduled builds, CI/CD-driven publishes, and AI-agent-driven workflows all use the same AutoMap CLI. Talk to us about pricing for your team.

Contact WebWorks