Using the search engine of an Webhelp output from a external software

Report · Mar 25, 2020

Hello everyone, I have an internal request.

I work with Robohelp 2017 (and 2019 in one month).
I'm looking to find out if it is possible to communicate with the search engine of a Webhelp output from a software we devellop.
For example: the user works with our software, he can search in it (with a tool we will develop). The charachtere string is sent to the search engine of the online help located in our servers.
The web browser opens, the search has been performed in the online help and the answers are displayed in the usual place.

Is that possible to do that ?

Is there a file in which can we could send the "string" ? whfdhtml.htm ?

Thank you !

Report · Mar 25, 2020

I'm not aware of any built in way.

For WebHelp output in RH2017 and RH2019 Classic, I think your developers would have to dig around in the output to figure out how to do it.

For Responsive output in RH2017, RH2019 Classic and RH2019 New, the url is visible so it should be easy for your developers to build a function that constructs a correct url to send the search term. However, the URL may be different depending on the skin/screen layout you select. The URL may also be different between the RH2017 vs RH2019 version, but I haven't paid a lot of attention, so you should double check.

There's no "webhelp" in RH2019 New. I think it uses a responsive skin with the responsiveness turned off, so theoretically the comments for Responsive output should apply. You'll need to test though.

For Frameless output in RH2019 New, see above for Responsive output.

Report · Mar 30, 2020

Hi Amebr, thank you for your reply.

It helps. I just want to know if someone else have an idea to the communication (link) with the Search Engine.

Thank you very much and take care of yourself.

Etienne