Server URL when using RH Server 8 Areas

[RoboColum_n_]

Can anyone help me with a query we have about the URL to use externally to a webhelp pro project that I have published to an area inside RoboHelp Server 8. We are trying to get one of our clients to review some work on a user specific help file and though this would be the way to do it. We have setup a proetcted area which allows them to view the output only using their own userid and password. The problem is that they can not access the help using the link we provided. Having tested it here it appears that whenever you use the link we supplied outside of our corporate firewall the link fails. We must be supplying the wrong link but we are at a loss to work out what the link should be. Our address would be <server>:8080/robohelp/server/<area>/index.htm.

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[tuls_garg]

Hi Colum,

I think the URL should look something like this:

http://<server>:8080/robohelp/server?area=<area>&prj=<project name>

Regards

Tulika.

[RoboColum_n_]

Thanks for this helpful response Tulika but we are not quite there yet. We are protecting our server address with an external IP address that when it is used redirects the user to the server. So if we use:

http://<ipaddress>:8080/robohelp/server?area=<areaname>&prj=<projectname>

we are being redirected to

http://<server>:8080/robohelp/server?area%3D<areaname>%26mgr%3Dagm%26agt%3Dwsm%26wnd%3D<projectname>...>

As you’ll see the path is appended with a considerably longer string but I have no idea where it gets this from. Can you shed any light on this?

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[tuls_garg]

Hi Colum,

That URL with a long string is coming from RoboHelp Server. It contains information about the project and window to be shown and some more information needed by RoboHelp server to display help project. But this url should launch your help project from RoboHelp server. Are you not able to view help porject using this URL?

Regards

Tulika.

[RoboColum_n_]

Hi Tulika.

Thanks for helping me. That URL works perfectly when we use it inside our firewall but fails as soon as you use it outside it. This makes me suspect that the Server is not at fault. I have put a call out to our IT guys to look at the firewall settings. I'll post back when I hear anything.

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[RoboColum_n_]

OK we have got the link working outside of our firewall now. Tulika the link did work as intended. The problem we had was related to the external IP address we are using timing out before it could redirect you to the RH server. Thanks a million for the help and reassurance that I wasn't going mad.

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[tuls_garg · Accepted solution]

I guess I didn't do much here

But glad to know it's working for you now

Tulika.

[RoboColum_n_]

On the contrary Tulika. The path to use with Areas is a new one on me with RH Server 8 and you provided some very useful information. I may have more or less got the path right without you but I'd have guessed and even then been left in the dark as to the logic behind the extended URL. Thanks again.

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