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M
MeWrite
Known Participant
March 17, 2011
Question

Issues with Calling WebHelp Pro

  • March 17, 2011
  • 2 replies
  • 2522 views

We are creating WebHelp Pro using RH8 and the client is running IE7.  We decided on this format mainly because the search feature for FlashHelp Pro does not work.  Now we are finding issues in WebHelp Pro that are stumping us.  I think this may be mainly that we are calling for the incorrect URL.

In the end this will be Context Sensitive Help, however, due to development issues, I have built a landing page (htm page) with links to each departments help.  The user is saving the landing page in favorites and then calls the help from that page.

We have 3 projects total.  In RoboServer I have some helps with automatic merging and in others I have it off.  Since I have structured the project via the Parent/Child approach, the auto merge or not auto merging of the projects on the RH Admin side seem to have not discernable effects.  The Parent Project auto redirects to an Intro topic in the main help.  There are 3 child projects (Main, training, activities).

Depending on the URL we use, depends on the issues:

1)      http://{SERVERNAME}/robohelp/server?%26area%3D{DEPARTMENTNAME}%26mgr%3Dagm%26agt%3Dwsm%26wnd%3D{DEPARTMENTNAME}ParentProject%7COnlineHelp%26tpc%3D%2Frobohelp%2Frobo%2Fserver%2F{DEPARTMENTNAME}%2Fprojects%2F{DEPARTMENTNAME}ParentProject%2Fparent_redirect.htm%3FRINoLog28301%3DT%26ctxid%3D%26project%3D{DEPARTMENTNAME}ParentProject

Skin displays correctly with the merged TOC, with Contents, Glossary, Search, Print buttons.  This URL seems to be calling the window.  Windows are defined identically and we use only one. 

Search button – search works correctly.

ISSUE 1:  The main TOC does not display correctly.  The 2nd project has a TOC with baggage folders redirecting to PDFs.  IF we remove the 2nd Projects TOC the merged TOC displays correctly.


2)      http:// {SERVERNAME}/robohelp/robo/server/{DEPARTMENTNAME}/projects/{DEPARTMENTNAME}ParentProject/Help_Parent_Project.htm –

 

ISSUE 1:  Skin displays incorrectly:  The merged TOC, with Contents, Index, Glossary, Search, Print buttons, and Search in the Toolbar. This url does not seem to be calling the window.  Windows are defined identically and we use only one. 

Search button – search works returns PDFs prior to topics and in some case does not return valid topics correctly.

The main TOC does display correctly even with the 2nd project of baggage folders redirecting to PDFs.

NOTE:  The search is set to the default where the search is being on client not the server. 

ISSUE 2:  When I add a new button to link off to Reports it places it to the left of the Search in Toolbar instead of between the Glossary and the Print button as indicated in the Windows dialog box.

ISSUE 3:  Redirecting from a web page to a PDF does not work in either layout above.  I can redirect from web page to web page automatically, however, I cannot get a web page to redirect to a PDF.  I can link from a topic to a PDF and it does open in a new browser window in PDF, however, I would prefer to have 1 topic in the TOC that when click redirects to the PDF.  I have done this with older versions of RH, but for RH8 it does not seem to work as it used to. 

ISSUE 4:  We uploaded 2 baggage folders and added them to the TOC.  They are PDF files, unlike the other PDF files, these files do not ever return in a search, even when we search for the exact name on the PDF.  There is nothing special with them and they are no different then the training manuals PDFs, just a different help project and folder.  Any reason these PDFs are being blocked from the search engine?

I hope this makes sense cause I'm more than a little overwhelmed and frustrated with all the troubleshooting.

Regards,

CJ

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    M
    MeWriteAuthor
    Known Participant
    May 4, 2011

    So I took the test down to the bare basics and it's still not displaying the skin correctly.  I created a new area called Unmerged.  I published 1 WebHelp Pro project.  I assigned a window called WebHelp Basic.  I turned off the Index and the Web Search in the WebHelp Basic window.  I published the help to the new area (UnMerged).  I lauched the help:  {ipaddress}\robohelp\robo\server\UnMerged\projects\UnMergedEmpower\maintopic.htm

    The skin displays all the buttons including the Index and Web Search.  Nothing I do to the window displays only the selected buttons.  It's like it's stuck in default window mode.

    Does anyone know how I can call the window correctly for RH 8?  Or does the RH Sever have something to do with it calling all button options instead of the selected ones?

    Regards,

    CJ

    M
    MeWriteAuthor
    Known Participant
    May 4, 2011

    We found a thread in 2006 that stated the WebHelp Pro didn't allow for the buttons on the skins to be turned on or off.  Is this still the case?  Does turning the buttons on an off in the Windows Property not change the WebHelp Pro skin?  I noticed that even after I label my window it does not pull in that caption either.  It seems like other than taking on the color of the skin WebHelp Pro does not allow for any changes using the Windows screen.

    Regards,

    CJ

    A
    Anonymous
    June 1, 2011

    Hi CJ -

    The last part of this thread posted on May 4th is the exact same problem I am having with WebHelp Pro.  I removed buttons in the New Window then created another custom window and it continues to point to the default window setting with all buttons displayed.  It works for the WebHelp output but not Pro and like your customer, we want to track usage and reporting with Robohelp Server.  Any insight on whether this is still a problem would be helpful as Robohelp Server analytics was a big deal for us with our training and support groups.

    Thanks,

    P

    RoboColum_n_
    RoboColum_n_
    Legend
    March 18, 2011

    Hi CJ.

    You say that you have some projects using the auto-merge option and some that don't. Can I assume that the three projects you refer to are in an area with no auto-merge option and that they use the mergedProjects directory solution outlined here. Assuming you do, try the following URL:

    http://{SERVERNAME}/robohelp/server/{AREANAME}/{PROJECTNAME}/{FILENAME.HTM}

      The RoboColum(n)   @robocolumn   Colum McAndrew
    M
    MeWriteAuthor
    Known Participant
    March 21, 2011

    Colum -- I tried the path you suggested but it comes back with an Apache error that the path cannot be found.  Current structure is this:

    1)  Manual MergeHelp (yes I'm using the structure as outlined on Peter's site) and this test project is not auto merging projects of the same type.  Parent Project with merged TOC to 3 children project and 1 topic redirecting to the main topic in the 1st Child Project.

    Parent Project redirects to <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; url=./mergedProjects/Child_1/Introduction/SoftwareOverview.htm" />

    Parent Project TOC is merged Child_1, Child_2, Child_3

    Parent Project defines the window which has no index button.

    2)  Files are generated to local Generate folder:

    Parent Project

    Parent Project/mergedProjects/Child_1

    Parent Project/mergedProjects/Child_2

    Parent Project/mergedProjects/Child_3

    3) Parent Project is published to the server and it publishes all the Child projects with it:

    http://{IPADDRESS}:8080/robohelp/robo/server/TestHelp/projects/TestParentProject/Parent_Project.htm

    If I remove the :8080, the robo, or projects in the above url I get the error that the path cannot be found.  I tried entering the parent_redirect.htm instead of the Parent_Project.htm, however that redirects into Child_1/Introduction/SoftwareOverview.htm and then you have to click the SHOW link to display the TOC. The skin still shows all the buttons, including the Index.  I even went so far as to create the same window minus the Index button in all children projects, but it still shows up.  Even calling the Child_1 help directly still displays the skin with the Index button and (obviously) no other child TOCs.

    I feel like I'm missing something small, but can't figure it out.

    CJ

    RoboColum_n_
    RoboColum_n_
    Legend
    March 22, 2011

    Double check the spelling and case sensitivity of the path you specified in step 3 as it should work provided the area name is "TestHelp". I notice there is a space in the parent project directory "TestPar entProject". Could that be the cause?

      The RoboColum(n)   @robocolumn   Colum McAndrew
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