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T
tfisher_rcs
Participant
January 10, 2014
Answered

How do you have the help file .chm hold its window position when the user resizes the help window.

  • January 10, 2014
  • 1 reply
  • 685 views

One of my customers is complaining that the help contents will scroll out of view when the window is resized.  Is there a way to anchor the position while the window is resized?

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Correct answer RoboColum_n_

My CHM is a help file for an application. The application uses F1 to open specific topics for help.  Therefore the help file needs to be visible but not cover the application to much. The Content in this situation is text however the help project contains Images, tables, text, etc. 

If the user searches for the word "audio" in the search and it takes them to a section or sub topic that is half way down in the Topic, they would like that section or subtopic to stay in the same place as they resize the help window.  Using Bookmarks if the topic is large enough clicking the search link will place the results in the top left of the doc view window, however this is not necessarily the top of the topic. 

Im not sure how else to explain what the user is seeing, sorry.

Please explain "Also whether it remains consistent depends on whether an absolute or percentage value has been added to it."


OK. I understand what they want now. Unfortunately there is no way of achieving what they want. A consequence of resizing the window is that you loose focus on what is selected in the topic. It is something that affects all windows, not just CHM files. Try selecting part of a web page and resizing the window. The same happens there.

1 reply

RoboColum_n_
RoboColum_n_
Legend
January 13, 2014

Text should wrap around onto the next line when a CHM window is resized. Tables and images work differently. Tables can be set to a percentage value rather than a specific width. This means they are also resized with the window. The same can apply to an image, however there is potential for loss of definition. If this is not helpful, can you confirm exactly what is scrolling out of view.

T
tfisher_rcsAuthor
Participant
January 13, 2014

This is the comment from my customer:

"I often find the default window size for help to be insufficient and will resize it upon selection of content from an index or search. Unfortunately, the section of help I was examining will scroll out of view on a resize. The top left of the document portion in view should remain consistent on resizes."

I was using a default window size height 500 width 500 set in the top left corner of the monitor.  My images are set to 400 to 450 so no resize is generally needed for viewing images.  I dont use text boxes so as the window is resized the text moves.

RoboColum_n_
RoboColum_n_
Legend
January 13, 2014

500 x 500 is quite small, especially with some of the screen resolutions you get nowadays. There is a maximum of 768px by 1024px for CHM files.

That said, I am unsure what is meant by "The top left of the document portion in view". I presume this is the content displayed in the top left hand corner of the displayed topic. If so, what is displayed there? An image, table, text, etc.? Also whether it remains consistent depends on whether an absolute or percentage value has been added to it.

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