RH2017: External Sites in TOC Open in New Browser Window

[SL_Amplify]

I've created several TOC pages that link to remote URLs. I need these remote pages to open within the topic frame of the online help so the TOC is still available. After specifying the remote URL to which the TOC entry should point, I clicked the Advanced tab and selected Same Frame.

According to the RH2017 online help, selecting this option "Opens the topic in the same frame as the current topic." However, when I generate the project and click the TOC entries for these pages, the remote URLs open in a new browser tab/window instead of opening within the topic frame. Additionally, the HTML code for the <a href> in the TOC entry does not specify a target.

Is this is a bug (I recall being able to have remote URLs open within the help topic window previously), or is there something I'm overlooking in this process?

[Peter Grainge]

I have just tested in both 2017 and 2019 and get the same result in both but not what you are getting.

In both cases I created a link to my website and then selected Same Frame as you have done. The site then opens in the TOC panel which is not surprising as that is the same frame.

With the setting left at Default, it opened in the topic area replacing what was there before. Try Default.

The idea of Same Frame is for cross topic links to force the topic to open in the same frame.

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See www.grainge.org for free RoboHelp and Authoring information.

@petergrainge

[SL_Amplify]

Thanks for the response, Peter. If I leave the setting to Default, the remote URL opens in a new tab/window, not in the topic frame.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

This would then seem to suggest a bug. But there is likely a workaround for it.

What you can do is to open the external URL via a redirect topic. This is a topic you create that RoboHelp thinks is part of the help system. But the HTML code of the topic simply redirects to the external link.

What you do is add the following to the statements in the HEAD area of the topic:

<meta HTTP-EQUIV=refresh CONTENT="0;URL=HTTP://www.SomeURLHere.htm">

Give that a go and see if it helps you accomplish your goal.

Cheers... Rick

[SL_Amplify]

Thanks for the work-around, Rick. I thought it was going to do the trick, but when the redirected page went to open within the frame, I got a sad page icon and an error message that the external site "refused to connect."

Peter, I tried in Chrome and Firefox. I updated the settings to Default, and I got the same behavior as before - the external site opening in a new tab instead of the topic window.

I'm beginning to wonder if there's something in the code of the external site that could be forcing the site to open in a new tab.

[Captiv8r]

Indeed there are sites that will refuse to allow themselves to be loaded into a frame. Additionally, you may be seeing an issue whereby your actual HTML files are on a basic HTTP domain and the site you are trying to link to is on HTTPS. I think that comes into play with this as well.

[Peter Grainge]

Try adding a link to my site to see if Captiv8r's suggestion is the issue.

---

See www.grainge.org for free RoboHelp and Authoring information.

@petergrainge

[SL_Amplify]

Something strange is definitely happening here, Peter, because all pages regardless of URL are opening in a new tab/window by default.

I added your site as a page in the TOC, and left the Advanced Frame setting as Default (none).

When I generate the project, and click the link in the TOC, http://www.grainge.org/ opens in a new browser window. Here's the source code for the TOC entry:

<li data-class="inactive: @bookid != '_'" data-itemid="_2" class="url">

<a href="http://www.grainge.org/" target="_blank">Peter Grainge's Site</a>

</li>

Does this provide any clues as to what could be happening?

[Peter Grainge]

Try generating the Employee Care sample project and see what that does. If it happens there, then it is definitely something to do with your browser settings.

Let us know.

---

See www.grainge.org for free RoboHelp and Authoring information.

@petergrainge

[SL_Amplify]

Peter, I don't see any links to external sites in the Employee Care 3 TOC when generated with the Responsive HTML5 output.

Is there something I'm missing here?

[Peter Grainge]

You said all pages were opening that way, I thought you meant ordinary topics were suddenly working that way.

Create an external link in the sample.

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See www.grainge.org for free RoboHelp and Authoring information.

@petergrainge

[SL_Amplify]

All TOC entries that link to an external site are acting that way. It doesn't matter if they're to an HTTP or an HTTPS site.

And I just added an external link to that project, and it also opened in a new window/tab.

This is happening in all the browsers I tested (Chrome, Firefox, Edge).

[Captiv8r]

My point about mixing HTTP/HTTPS was related to presenting an external site from inside an inline frame.

[SL_Amplify]

Which is precisely what I am completely unable to do, unfortunately.

[Peter Grainge]

Odd but today I am seeing the same results as you but Rick's method worked just fine. Looking at the thread again, you did not insert it in the way he said.

Create a new topic, remove any text and add

<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;URL=HTTP://www.grainge.org" />

in the head section of the code.

In the TOC, add the topic you just created in the normal way.

---

See www.grainge.org for free RoboHelp and Authoring information.

@petergrainge

[SL_Amplify]

I did try with the external site I'm trying to integrate, and the topic flashed, the redirect occurred, and I got an error in the topic window.

Your site did open correctly in the topic window. So the site I'm trying to reference isn't opening because (a) it's HTTPS or (b) it's coded to prevent being opened from within an iFrame.

[Peter Grainge]

Try different browsers and settings. I think you will find differences with

the same output.

Peter Grainge

www.grainge.org

@petergrainge