Navigation Pane

[jtncarter]

We are trying to work around the map file to link in an application. To do this we would like the navigation pane to open when a direct page is pulled in the browser. Is there a simple way this can be done?

Example: One of my topics is called suspensions.html I would like to be able to directly link to suspensions.html inside the application and when the page is displayed it also pulls the navigation pane with it. I know I can place a javascript in to accomplish this but I don’t want to have to do that for each page every time I publish.

[GEWB]

Hello jtncarter -

Do you call the Help from within the app? How?

We use a Help icon or hot key that tied to a JavaScript that reads the app "main" frame and passes that to the compiled Help startup html file - no "typical" App-to-RoboHelp map file involved. The JS is part of the app not the Help - I have nothing to do with it other than STRICT file naming to follow the app.

Using your post, we would have:

Application screen with Help button (calls Help): ../suspension/suspension.htm
Help calls to: ../help/startpage.htm
Help topic appended to call: ../help/suspension/suspension.htm

When in the app, on the "Suspension" screen, click the Help icon to launch context help for "Suspensions" along with the navigation pane.

Hope that help.

Regards,
GEWB

[jtncarter]

Yes its a big help. The problem is I have files in folders and that is creating a problem.

I have it linked in the application we are developing as...

Desktop\help\!SSL!\webhelp\help.htm#path\inspections\viewing_inspections.htm

The TOC pulls but I get a "page cannot be displayed" for the viewing_inspections.htm

[GEWB]

Hello jtncarter -

Having files in folders is not the problem - location of the folders and path linked from the app may be your problem.

Place your generated Help in a second level folder under the app (root) such as:

(root)/
(root/help/
(root)/help/topic/

Then have the app call:

../help/(yourstartpage).htm(yourtopicappendmethod)

If, as you replied, you are calling "Desktop\help\!SSL!\webhelp\help.htm#path\inspections\viewing_inspections.htm" it will never work because you are calling a file that exists only on your workstation desktop.

Regards,
GEWB

[jtncarter]

I guess yesterday was just not my best day.

Thanks but until I learn the difference between a ( \ ) and a ( / ) nothing is going to work.

After I changed everything to ( / ) it worked fine. Thanks for your help.