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A
av_gchale
Known Participant
October 7, 2015
Question

Context-sensitive WebHelp topic calls not working in Firefox

  • October 7, 2015
  • 5 replies
  • 2633 views

Our web portal uses map IDs to open context-sensitive help topics. After being upgraded to Firefox version 41.0.1, I noticed the help links in the web portal no longer open the appropriate help topic. Instead, the links now open the default topic.

I tested the same help links in our web portal using Google Chrome and a few different versions of Internet Explorer, and the links open the correct help topic in those browsers.

Has anyone encountered this problem with Firefox? I'm using RoboHelp 2015 and outputting to WebHelp.

This topic has been closed for replies.

5 replies

A
av_gchaleAuthor
Known Participant
November 16, 2015

Does Responsive HTML5 handle context-sensitive help topics (map IDs) differently than WebHelp?

We're planning to move our web portal's help system from WebHelp to Responsive HTML5. I published our help system in Responsive HTML5 format to a test server, and none of the context-sensitive topics open (whereas they had previously opened on the test server when they were in WebHelp format).

Willam van Weelden
Willam van Weelden
Inspiring
November 19, 2015

Responsive HTML5 works different with context sensitive help. You can still open topics directly, or you have to use a different call. By modifying the two functions, you can get it working again. For the full syntax, see; http://www.wvanweelden.eu/articles/context-sensitivity-responsive-and-multiscreen-html5

A
av_gchaleAuthor
Known Participant
November 19, 2015

Hello Willam,

I started to suspect that the code we use in our web portal to call help topics only works for WebHelp.

I found the information about context sensitivity in RHTML5 on your website yesterday and I tried it out last night. It worked great, although I need to tweak it for field-level topics. For field-level topics, we only display the topic content without the left panel that houses the TOC, index, and search results. When I tried calling a field-level topic using the examples on your website, the window displayed both the topic content for the field and the left panel. For the field-level topic call, I tried using the rhwnd parameter with the field-level topic window that had been created in the project, but that gave me the same results. I'm going to try creating a new window in the project.

That leads me to my next, and hopefully last, questions. When I create a new window, RoboHelp asks me to select an output type, Responsive HTML5 or WebHelp. Regardless of the output I select, the Windows Properties dialog box for both output types is the same. Because the dialog box is the same, does RoboHelp differentiate between a WebHelp window and an HTML5 window behind the scenes?

Thanks,

George

A
av_gchaleAuthor
Known Participant
October 19, 2015

I implemented the fix, but it didn't resolve my problem. In fact, the fix introduced new issues in Internet Explorer and Chrome. I'm suspicious about how our web portal calls help topics. Am I making a relatively safe assumption that this fix would more likely work if our web portal were using the CSH API (in our case, JavaScript) than if our web portal were using some home-grown method to call help topics?

surbhi_maheshwari9120543
Community Manager
surbhi_maheshwari9120543Community Manager
Community Manager
October 20, 2015

Hi,

What issues are you facing in IE and Chrome?

Even if you are using your custom API to call CSH Help, it should work after applying the fix.

But if this fix is breaking your IE and chrome workflow also, can you please share your custom API and the way you are calling the help?

Regards,
Surbhi Maheshwari

A
av_gchaleAuthor
Known Participant
October 20, 2015

We have two different types of topics: page-level and field-level.

  • Page-level topics open via an option in the menu at the top of our web portal. When a page-level topic opens, it displays alongside the TOC/Index/Search pane.
  • Field-level topics open via a question mark next to a field on a give web page. When a field-level topic opens, only the topic displays--the TOC/Index/Search pane does not display.

The issues I see in Internet Explorer and Google Chrome after implementing the fix only affect field-level topics.

  • Internet Explorer - The field-level topic opens normally; however when you close the field-level topic window, a blank browser window opens.
  • Google Chrome - The field-level topic does not open. The topic window opens briefly, but only for a second before it disappears.

I'm working on getting the code our web portal uses to call both page-level and field-level topics.

A
A-Bel
Inspiring
October 13, 2015

We have the same problem.

  Firefox 39 is ok, Firefox 41 not.

  We are working with RH 11 and Map IDs.

  When you try to open the online help contex sensitive the start page opens, not the linked page.

Most of our users working with FF. So a solution is very important for us. Who can help???

surbhi_maheshwari9120543
Community Manager
surbhi_maheshwari9120543Community Manager
Community Manager
October 15, 2015

Hi,

Good news coming..

We have released the fix at Context-sensitive WebHelp topic calls not working in Firefox

Give it a try and let us know.

Edit: Fix is applicable for both RoboHelp 2015 and RoboHelp 11.

Thanks and Regards,
Surbhi Maheshwari

beatab1962
beatab1962
Known Participant
October 16, 2015

I've loaded your fix and have done some initial testing..so far, everything looks great! I will continue to test and let you know if I run into any other problems. Thank you for your help!

beatab1962
beatab1962
Known Participant
October 12, 2015

We are experiencing the same issue after being upgraded to Firefox 41.0.1. Our web portal also uses map ids to open the context-sensitive help. It no longer opens the appropriate topic and instead opens the default topic. I have tried other browsers, such as Chrome and Internet Explorer and they work fine.

Any resolution to this issue?

Jeff_Coatsworth
Community Expert
Jeff_CoatsworthCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 7, 2015

I’ve never been able to get any other browser by IE to be launched when my CSH WebHelp is called from our app; but I was concerned that FF had tightened up their security again, so I just updated to 41.0.1 and tested that the full help still works – and it does (phew).

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