Twisty problem in Firefox

Forum|Forum|16 years ago
October 6, 2009
1 reply
3758 views

This issue is related to one I posted in July here (http://forums.adobe.com/message/2098638#2098638), but since the solution that worked then isn't working now (clearing the cache), I think something else is going on here.

We have recently converted from RoboHelp X5 to RoboHelp 8. We have been using the manual method on http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/twisty/twisty.htm to create twisties in RoboHelp X5. In some cases, we would like to continue using this method rather than applying twisty graphics to the style so that not all drop-down text is using the twisty graphics.

However, when we use this method to create twisties and generate the WebHelp output from RoboHelp 8, the twisties do not work in Firefox on Windows. (I have not tested Mac yet.) When I open the error console, I see a message like this:

Error: dropdown1 is not defined
Source File: file:///C:/Terri%20STAR%20Math%20Help%20Files/SM/ehlpdhtm.js
Line: 2978

Note that it appears to be looking for a definition in the ehlpdhtm.js file. I have verified the following:

-The twisty.js is listed as s source in the header of the topic.

-All code that we added manually matches what we saw on the grainge site cited above.

-Where there are multiple twisties in the topic, I make sure the dropdown numbers are different in both places.

-The twisty.js file is being included in the generated WebHelp folder.

The twisty graphics change, but the drop-down text does not appear.

Any ideas? Peter, if you're available, I'd really like your input.

Tammy

WebHelp

This topic has been closed for replies.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I am dealing with problems of my own right now. Please set up a new project and see how it works there, then post back.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

Use the menu (bottom right) to mark the Best Answer or Highlight particularly useful replies. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here.

T

tspaulAuthor

Inspiring

I have tried this in a brand new clean project created in RoboHelp 8, and the twisty still does not work in Firefox 3.0x or Firefox 3.5x on either Windows or Mac. The graphic changes when the link is clicked, but the drop-down text does not appear. Once again I made sure that the open twisty graphic was in the Baggage folder along with twisty.js, and both are included in generated WebHelp folder.

I can only conclude that this method of creating Twisties will not work in Firefox if created in RoboHelp 8. The error that I see in the Firefox Error Console is still the one I mentioned in my original post yesterday.

I compared the TextPopup functions in the old (X5) and new (RH8) ehlpdhtm.js files (noting that the functions had different names), and I see that the coding has changed in the RH8 function. Perhaps something in the new TextPopup function makes the twisty.js coding incompatible with it.

It looks to me like I will need to recommend to my writers that if they want to use Twisty graphics, they will need to apply them to the Drop-down Text style in RoboHelp. (Some of them were reluctant to do that because they didn't want all cases of drop-down text to use twisty graphics.)

Tammy

RoboWizard

Inspiring

One of our software engineers has come up with a solution that is working for us in Firefox, so I am marking this answered. I'm also providing the information here in hopes that it will help others.

We no longer need to use the twisty.js file at all to add twisties to drop-down text links without using the RoboHelp 8 Style method to apply twisty images. Instead, our software engineer has told us to add

A full sample drop-down link with a manually applied twisty image looks like this:

Note that you will need to substitute your "closed" twisty graphic's name for ddplus.gif, and you'll need to substitute your "open" twisty graphic's name for ddminus.gif. (By "closed," I mean the graphic you use when the drop-down text is not showing; by "open I mean the graphic you use when the drop-down text is showing.)

As we hoped, this approach allows us to choose which drop-down text links will use twisty images and which will not. Since this approach takes advantage of code that's already in the ehlpdhtm.js file, the separate twisty.js file is not needed.

I hope this works for others as well as us!

Tammy

Hi there

I might suggest two little tweaks to that code.

Before tweak

After tweak

Cheers... Rick