Inspiring

Answered

Improving WebHelp search results

Forum|Forum|17 years ago
November 4, 2008
7 replies
3920 views

For those who are interested there was a recent article about altering the way WebHelp presents its search results by tweaking the JavaScript. See http://www.helpscribe.com/2008/10/improving-webhelp-search-results-in.html.

Any thoughts, comments or related ideas?

WebHelp

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Greig at Lands

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for sending me the code Craig, and for updating your blog. I can confirm that it works but I didn't want to publish the code you sent me here as, obviously, it was not mine. But now that you have updated your blog it is there for all to see.

For those of you who are interested see http://www.helpscribe.com/2008/10/improving-webhelp-search-results-in.html.

H

hughbetcha

Known Participant

No, I couldn't get to work with RoboHelp Server either. If anyone finds a way to get this to work on server, please post..... or any other tricks you have to improve search results. I am hoping Adobe develops a better search function in next version.

O

ODoyle_Rules

Inspiring

I also would like to see if this works on the server. I have a question, I notice it says WebHelp, does this or can this work with WebHelp Pro? I checked the whthost.js file and I don't see a function displayTopics() command listed. We are using WebHelp Pro as our output.

A

Anonymous

Greig,

I tried it through Webhelp Pro and through the RH Server. I updated the .js file as descibed and the result outcome is not as descibed. If you link to the project on the server directly the outcome works but the minute you try to go through the RoboEngine all you get is the .pdf's, .doc, and .xls files listed first before the HTM pages.

H

hughbetcha

Known Participant

Yes, was wondering if would work for publishing to RH Server. I can log on to the server though and change whfhost.js there. I would think that would work. I'll test it out when I get a chance. Thanks.

RoboWizard

Inspiring

Please do keep us posted on the outcome!

I always thought the server ignored those JavaScript files and ran some special DLLs or other type of scripting to work its magick. Which is why I'm very curious to see if that tweak will actually work on the server.

Thus if that tweak works for the RoboHelp Server, it would seem to open some interesting possibilities.

Cheers... Rick

Greig at LandsAuthorCorrect answer

Inspiring

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for sending me the code Craig, and for updating your blog. I can confirm that it works but I didn't want to publish the code you sent me here as, obviously, it was not mine. But now that you have updated your blog it is there for all to see.

For those of you who are interested see http://www.helpscribe.com/2008/10/improving-webhelp-search-results-in.html.

Craig_Haiss

Participating Frequently

Thanks, Greig! I'm glad to hear it worked for you. Hopefully your users will find it beneficial.

H

hughbetcha

Known Participant

I have about 40 merged projects publishing to RoboHelp Server. Each project of course has its own whfhost.js file. Would I need to copy and paste this code into the whfhost for all 40 projects? or could I just change the whfhost.js in the 'Master' project?

H

hughbetcha

Known Participant

This is great! Thanks Craig. Before I test and modify the whfhost.js code. Can someone verify this absolutely works??

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

How about just creating a copy of your project and testing it yourself? :-)

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Craig_Haiss

Participating Frequently

Also, remember that this is performed on your output files, so if something breaks you can just regenerate and you'll get a fresh whfhost.js.

I tried it (simple copy and paste), and the code works fine.

Greig at LandsAuthor

Inspiring

Unfortunately I was unable to make it work. I have posted a comment on the blog asking for more details and will update this thread should I get some. My point in posting originally was to bring it to the community's attention and see if anyone else out there had done anything similar.

MergeThis

Inspiring

The blog owner's agenda seems unclear.

When presented with a query about the specific location of a seemingly simple one-line fix to the stated problem, he answers flippantly that providing the "bit more code involved," would be "bordering on infringement." Which begs the question: what was the purpose of presenting this quasi-solution in the first place?

Hmmm...

See my response to this other post, concerning the third-party Zoom Search product.

Good luck,
Leon

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Given that the blog starts with a reference to MadCap, might we guess where the code came from?

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

You need to remove the full stop from the end of the link,it breaks it.

Have you tried the method? How well did it work?

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T

TechWriter77

Known Participant

I would be interested to see how this works. Where in the code do you put the regex? And, is that all that's needed?

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Hopefully Greig made it work before posting the link and can advise us. If not post a comment on the blog. It doesn't appear to be the full story but I haven't looked inside the file that needs editing. Maybe that will make it clearer.

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