How to construct a shortcut to a topic for distribution?

[Guest]

RH10, WebHelp Pro

I  find  that if I "copy shortcut" of a topic in the browser (IE), the resulting shortcut looks like this:

http://server.server/context/directory/server/general/projects/Myproject/Myproject.htm#topicname.htm

When I then use this URL on our intranet, it does find the correct topic, however the Window is not correct. Specifically, it is using the correct skin but it displays buttons in the toolbar that are NOT selected in the window properties. For example, I do not have "Glossary" selected, but it gives me the glassary button anyway.

However if the help system is opened via the standard URL which opens the first topic, the window is properly configured, and I assume this is because the string that opens the help system includes the name of the Window.

Is there a way to insert the Window name in a copied topic shortcut so that if a user enters a topic directly (without opening the helpfile using the standard URL) they will see the correctly confugured toolbar?

Thank you.

[RoboColum_n_]

No. When you display your help on the RH Server it uses the correct configuration. Because you are trying to display the help away from the RH Server application it will always display all the buttons regardless of whether you have selected them in your skin. If you want to have an additional output placed on your intranet I suggest you create WebHelp from your project as well and publish this to your intranet.

[Guest]

It isn't that we want to bypass the server. We want to give people direct links to some topics (htm pages) on the server rather than sending them to the home page and making them navigate to the topics, but we want the links to activate the frame set and the designated window. Is that possible?

　　

[Willam van Weelden]

Hi,

Can't you use the CSH API for that? If you make it a CSH call, you can have the user call the correct page by using the map number.

Greet,

Willam

[Guest]

Willam, thank you.

Is this method available if I am not using application-based CSH?

We publish via WebHelp Pro but there is no associated application CSH. The users access the WebHelp content directly through the browser (IE) rather than through a program interface.

Most users, most of the time, will access the WebHelp by opening the default landing page and then use hyperlinks or the TOC from there to locate a particular topic page. However, as an alternative we  often want to provide a direct link to a page that may be 2, or three levels down the tree.

If we give them just the URL for that page, they get the page without the navigation pane. Our preference is that the navigation pane (and the Search buttons, etc.)  always open  together with the page.

In the RH9 documentation I have not found any guidance on how to construct a URL that activates the frameset except by going in via the default start page.

Mike

[Guest · Accepted solution]

I have found a way to do this. As far as I know, it is not documented.

1. In RH10, access the published output via File>View>Primary Layout from server.
2. In the browser, capture the URL of the displayed output.
3. In a text editor, change the target *.htm page from the default landing page to the page you want a link to. Remember to include a containing sub-folder if the page is not sitting at root level in the project.
4. Save and distribute the amended URL.

The URL contains a lot of escape characters, and is therefore a bit tricky to edit.

Cheers,

Mike