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Question

Context-sensitive Help using Map IDs not working - is this related to missing js.map files?

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
January 28, 2025
4 replies
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I have created a Help guide with RoboHelp 2020.8.34 using the Frameless output preset for a piece of software that runs in a hosted instance of FileMaker Pro, but where the Help guide opens in a web browser. I have included a set of map IDs in the generated output and sent it to the developers to integrate into their system. However, the context-sensitive Help is not working as it should.

The developers have noticed warnings about missing js.map files, including one for csh-redirect.js.map in the template/scripts location of the RH output. Try as I might, I can't find any way of producing these files in RH. Is this likely to be the cause of the problem? And if so, what must I do to ensure they are present?

I believe I have created the Map IDs correctly, but I am only generating the output, not publishing it - is this significant?

A current workaround is to use URLs instead of Map IDs, and impose a short (300 ms) delay when calling the CSH anchors, as otherwise the focus moves instantly from the bookmark to the beginning of the topic. This solution came from a previous post in this community. Is this a better approach? It seems a bit ad hoc and the developers would prefer to use Map IDs but only if they can be made to work.

Sorry, there's a lot here to digest, I know... all thoughts appreciated!

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Adobe have confirmed that no redirect file is required. As previously, hand over the output and the map file (if required) and that's it.

If the developers then call the help in the format I have given, it should work. If not, let me have their log file and Adobe will take a look.

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My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

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robertp10792544Author

Known Participant

Thanks for following that up Peter, much appreciated. I will see how the developers get on and bear your offer in mind if problems persist.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

@robertp10792544 Did you assign the IDs or did the developers give you the numbers to assign? If the former, you will need to export the map file and send it to them. How they call is then on my site.

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

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robertp10792544Author

Known Participant

Hi @Peter Grainge I generated the Map IDs using RobHelp and sent the exported file to the developers, as well as adding the IDs to the generated output. The feedback from the developers was that they thought there should be various js.map files somewhere in the output, and that the lack of these might be causing the CSH to not work. Do such files exist in any output from RH, do you know?
Thanks to @Jeff_Coatsworth I have found the information on your site about the CSH API, so I think I will send that information to the developers and see if that works better for them.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I don't believe there are further files other than maybe the map file as I have posted. Along with what is on my site about the call, I think that is it but I have asked someone to look and let us know.

Are the developers calling the help using their own method or as on my site. The path there was confirmed by Adobe.

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

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Jeff_Coatsworth

Community Expert

I'd be asking - what method are the developers using to launch the CSH? There's a variety of programming hooks that can be employed - see https://www.grainge.org/RoboHelp/Calling_Help/Calling_Help.htm

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I need to check a couple of things before I can fully answer your points but publishing makes no difference.

Are you generating to a local drive and then passing that to the developers or are you generating to a network drive. The latter can cause issues and you avoid those by generating locally and then publishing to wherever. There will be no difference in the content with one exception.

Generating deletes everything in the target folder before creating a new output.
Publishing does not delete anything. That is deliberate as you might want files/folders left for some reason. Publishing updates existing topics and adds new ones as well as updating RoboHelp files. It leaves old topics or files not part of RoboHelp that you no longer need.
In your case, if you don't need extra files/folders in the publish location, you should delete everything manually before publishing so that the developers have a clean new version.

I will come back when I have checked one other thing.

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

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robertp10792544Author

Known Participant

Thanks Peter, it's helpful to understand the difference between those processes. I am generating to a local drive and then sending the zipped file to the developers, so at least that hopefully avoids any chance of old files creeping in.

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