[RH2019] %2F in URL without #t= causes hyperlink issues

[GMatharoo]

Three examples, A & B are fine but C is broken.

A: If a page is shown in context, it includes a %2F slash in the URL and it works fine:

localhost/index.htm#t=The_Asset_Editors%2FSprites.htm

B: If a page is shown without context, it includes an actual slash / and it works fine:

localhost/The_Asset_Editors/Sprites.htm

C: However, when an out-of-context page includes a %2F slash, it works BUT causes an issue:

localhost/The_Asset_Editors%2FSprites.htm

What issue does this cause?

In this case, it does not seem to know that the current page is inside the "/The_Asset_Editors/" directory. So if there is a hyperlink that takes you to "Objects.htm", instead of taking you to "/The_Asset_Editors/Objects.htm" it takes you to "/Objects.htm" which doesn't exist.

Also,

I am not sure how a user is reaching example C organically.

Thank you

[Amebr]

Are you using RH2019 Classic or New UI? Do you have all the patches installed (last one was 14)? Which output are you generating? Is context sensitive help involved?

[GMatharoo]

Hi! I'm using the new UI, patch 14 is installed, and the output is Responsive HTML5. Context sensitive help is involved but it is not clear how the broken URL is reached.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I'm unclear on your terminology - what do you mean by "in context", "without context" and "out-of-context"?

[GMatharoo]

Context as in the ToC visible on the left side, because when the page is being viewed on its own it says "View page in full context" and then you see the ToC.

[Amebr]

Because context sensitive help is in play I'd be looking at how the help is called from the application. That seems the most likely place for the path to be escaped like you describe. You'll need to speak to your developers to help.

[GMatharoo]

I've tried and the application seems to open the correct / slash URL.

[Karin Albrecht]

I am not a specialist here, but I have had an issue with thumbnails that could not be found due to a corrupt path. This has been fixed in version 2020 update 4. 

In my case, the problem only occured when the help was embedded within an iFrame. 

For reference, you could see this original post: https://community.adobe.com/t5/robohelp/rh2019-new-ui-problem-with-thumbnails-in-html5-help/m-p/1160...

Maybe this helps you or your developer to find out what is causing the issue.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

AFAIK there's only 2 ways to launch your content - (1) invoke the index.htm page - this would be the full help (with TOC visible) and you'd end up on a default topic as the landing page; (2) invoke the specific topic within the content (this is traditionally called CSH (Context Sensitive Help) because you "know" the context of where you are in the launching application and only want content about that screen presented). This CSH launch traditionally doesn't present the TOC (but offers a link to expose it and show it in its position within the TOC). Some versions of RH have monkeyed with this content-only view because of the impact on Google searches, but I believe that has been fixed now.

I have no idea how you are launching what you call an "out-of-context" page - perhaps you can describe that scenario?

[GMatharoo]

I am also not sure how the user who reported the bug reached that page. I am trying to contact them to get the steps to reproduce it, but right now I cannot reach that link organically at all, even through the app's context sensitive help feature.