How do I map context-sensitive UI hooks to Multiscreen HTML5 Help Topics?

[SJL_Amplify]

My company has several products that are webapps, and we link to online help, which opens a context-sensitive topic for every page. We are now redesigning those webapps to be compatible with mobile devices and would like to use Multiscreen HTML5 output for the online help so the online help experience mirrors the webapp UI experience.

In the past, we have programmed simple direct URL links into the UI to link to online help (webhelp output). For example, if we had two pages, Page1 and Page2, these would be the URLs that the Help button in the webapp linked to:

For http://www.mycompany.com/product_name/Page1:  http://www.mycompany.com/robohelp/product_name/index.htm#Page1help.htm

For http://www.mycompany.com/product_name/Page2:  http://www.mycompany.com/robohelp/product_name/index.htm#Page2help.htm

However, with HTML5 output, we will now have four possible destinations from each help button depending on whether the event is initiated from a desktop, Android tablet, iPad, or iPhone/iPod touch:

For http://www.mycompany.com/product_name/Page1: 

http://www.mycompany.com/robohelp/product_name/desktop/index.htm#Page1help.htm

http://www.mycompany.com/robohelp/product_name/android_galaxy_tab/index.htm#Page1help.htm

http://www.mycompany.com/robohelp/product_name/ipad/index.htm#Page1help.htm

http://www.mycompany.com/robohelp/product_name/iphone/index.htm#Page1help.htm

Is there a way using map IDs to program a single URL into my webapp and have RoboHelp choose the correct path to follow based on the device specifications? For example, if Page1help.htm had a Map ID of 1, is there a URL convention similar to http://www.mycompany.com/robohelp/product_name/index_csh.htm#topicID=1 that would work in this context?

I haven't been able to find any support materials from Adobe that explain how to create a context-sensitive mapping under these circumstances.

Any help would be much appreciated.

- Steve Lorenzo

[Willam van Weelden · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Please see my article on HTML5 CSH: http://www.wvanweelden.eu/articles/context-sensitivity-multiscreen-html5

You can also use the default RoboHelp API for this. Check your RoboHelp installation folder, in the folder CSH API.

Greet,

Willam

[SJL_Amplify]

Thank you so much, William. If only Adobe had something nearly as helpful in its documentation.

- Steve

[Willam van Weelden]

Thanks for the compliment

Greet,

Willam

[lniles]

Hello,

Our developer is using the default Robohelp API from the CSH API folder and the instructions from your website. He is unable to call the topics with the map id's and is only getting the default topic. He is asking me for the file where the map id's are stored. I thought it was BSSCDefault.h, but I see it is not in the published files. Any ideas of what we could be doing wrong?

[Willam van Weelden]

The map id's in the RoboHelp project are stored in the .h files and the .ali file.

If I have to guess, the map files are probably not included in your output. Open your SSL settings and make sure to select all map files. They are sometimes deselected by default and then your CSH won't work.

Check the settings and supply your developer with a new output. If that doesn't solve it, please post back.

[lniles]

That was it!  thank you so much for your quick response.

[lniles]

Hello Again,

The call to the help files worked great for me using http://localhost/multiscreen/index.htm?rhcsh=1&rhmapno=1&rhnewwnd=0&rhwnd=NoNavPane

Are the developers able to use the default javascript API and also have a topic appear in a specific window using either the mapid or mapno or do they have to come up with their own API to call a topic in a specific window?

At this point, they are only able to display the default topic.

[Willam van Weelden]

The API included with RoboHelp (Check the folder CSH API in your RoboHelp installation directory) allows them to do just that. They can create their own API, but you can just use the default one.

The API is rather well documented, so if you give them the API for the correct language, they should be fine.