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T
Te-au-si
Participating Frequently
June 5, 2008
Question

Context sensitive windows

  • June 5, 2008
  • 4 replies
  • 684 views
Hi,
I've been working with an old Robohelp help file. There are two "windows" specified in the main project, one is the default window and another window for context sensitive help.

I'm now creating a new help file and would like to repeat this two-window setup.

How you set the project so that when someone uses context sensitive help, the context sensitive window is opened, not the default window?

Or is this developer stuff...?

Hope the question makes sense...

Simon
    This topic has been closed for replies.

    4 replies

    RoboColum_n_
    RoboColum_n_
    Legend
    June 5, 2008
    Sorry if I have confused you. If it is any consolation I have been on a star schema / data mart course for the last two days and my head is spinning!

    Anyhow, in a CHM file there is a deafult window created for your project. This window is used to display all topics displayed from inside the CHM except if an alternative window has been specified in the TOC properties. So if you have a topic in the TOC with a specific window specified it will ALWAYS open in that window.

    Where CSH comes into the equation, things get a little sticky if the TOC properties option is used. The call from the application can also specify the window that the help opens in. So if you want to have a topic open in a different window from the one specified in the TOC you may be able to override this. What I am unsure about is whether this would work.

    What I would do in your case is create another window specifically for the CSH calls but not assign that to any topics in your CHMs TOC. The call from the application only would specify this window. This means that if the topic is opened from within the CHM, the default window would be used. However if the topic is opened from the application, the alternative window would be used.
    T
    Te-au-siAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    June 5, 2008
    Thanks Colum,

    Yes, your last paragraph, in particular, covers just what I wanted to do, so thanks, great stuff. That must have been what the people did who created the "legacy" help file I've been dealing with.

    ...And it wasn't you confusing me, I was confusing myself (nothing new there then)!

    Regards
    Simon

    RoboColum_n_
    RoboColum_n_
    Legend
    June 5, 2008
    Hi Simon.

    With the webhelp output you can use the info on Peter's site to specify a window to open. With the CHM output, which window you use to open the topic is part of the API call from the application. All you need to do is set-up the windows as you require.

    The idea I mentioned of specifyng a window in the TOC properties for a topic in the CHM, I don't think would work in your scenario as the API call would have to override the TOC properties. Hope this makes sense.
    T
    Te-au-siAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    June 5, 2008
    Hi Colum,
    I think I've understood you
    I think it was this setting that was confusing me. As you can specify which window to open, I assumed that there would be another setting to open a different window under specific circumstances...

    But in short, very interesting and informative, thanks for your help,

    Simon
    RoboColum_n_
    RoboColum_n_
    Legend
    June 5, 2008
    If producing a CHM file, this is controlled by your application's call. That said, you can define which window is used to open a topic but only if it is in the TOC. This would however defeat your purpose as it sounds like you'd want the same topic to open in two different windows depending on how it was called.
    T
    Te-au-siAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    June 5, 2008
    Hi thanks both for these replies, very useful.

    I actually need to do both WebHelp and CHM file output. Colum, you're right when you say I want to be able to open one topic in two types of window. So there's nothing I can specify within Robohelp? I just, presumably, tell the developer how I'd like the help to behave and forward them the articles you (Mike) mentions?

    This is all new to me so thanks for your help,

    Simon

    M
    mr_scribbler
    Known Participant
    June 5, 2008
    hi simon, what is your help output format? If you are producing WebHelp and you are using map ids to call help from your application you can specify a customised window in the link string. See Peter Grainge's site here for more on this:
    http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/calling_webhelp/using_map_ids.htm
    hope this helps,
    mike
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