Context-sensitive (pop-up) topic handling in Firefox

[LuckyClover]

I'm using RoboHelp 7 HTML for WebHelp development. The Help project I've built is accessible from a Web-based application, for which I have also created context-sensitive Help. The application will soon officially support Firefox v. 3.5.3, so users can use it to launch the application instead of IE, if needed. The problem is the behavior of Help display within Firefox. When launching Help from the application's toolbar menu or from anywhere in the GUI where contex-sensitive Help is accessible, there is a blank pop-up window that displays and vanishes in the lower right portion of the desktop. The Help topic is launched at the same time as this blank, secondary window, but it displays as intended.

In Firefox, pop-up blocking is disabled. I have checked the Web sites for Peter G., RoboWizard, John D., and of course, Adobe KB archives and I cannot find a clear answer to this issue. What can be done to stop the blank, secondary window from displaying when Firefox is used?

Thanks.

[Peter Grainge]

Usually issues like this turn out to be related to the developer's call, assuming the help opens correctly when you open the start page.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

[LuckyClover]

My WebHelp project, including context-sensitive topics, display as intended except when Firefox is used as the browser.

As I mentioned in the original post, I had already visited Peter's site, http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/calling_webhelp/using_map_ids.htm which contains a reference to http://www.techscribe.co.uk/ta/web-to-help.htm

When you open the TechScribe site in Firefox and you click the links, the same issues are visible: A blank window opens and closes on the bottom right corner of the desktop.

If this site is supposed to contain information that represents the proper way to invoke the context-sensitive Help, I would expect that when using Firefox, there would be no blank window issue.

I'll ask our developers how they are coding the topics in the application.

Message was edited by: Peter Grainge as the text had somehow got munged.

[Peter Grainge]

I see what you are experiencing and have asked someone if they can take a look.

Meantime it might be worth checking your developers are using the API from RH7. I am guessing and just wondering if the cause could be that both Techscribe and your developers are using an old API. This is not happening to anyone else at the moment so there is a possibility it is something like that.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

[LuckyClover]

Thank you for asking someone to take a look at the code, for those sites.

In the meantime, I've asked my engineering contacts to provide me with the code they use to invoke the Help. When I receive it (which may not be until next week), I'll post it--maybe we can compare the results? I thought that I had provided the engineers with the RoboHelp_CSH.js, based on the version with which I am currently using, RH7. Because the Help works fine in IE, I never suspected there would be an issue in other browsers.

[Praful_Jain · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I tried to debug the issue with CSH javascript file which was present in http://www.techscribe.co.uk/ta/web-to-help.htm website, and found the issue.

This seems to be a bug in the RoboHelp 7 javascript file where in it shows a small window before launching the CSH API. This issue has been fixed in RoboHelp 8, and users for RoboHelp 8 donot see this window, when CSH API is called from firefox.

I have modified the CSH API file for RoboHelp 7, and fixed this small window issue. I am attaching a javascipt file which contains modified RoboHelp 7 CSH API.

Download this file and rename it to RoboHelp_CSH.js, and use it. Do let me know if this fixes the issue or not.

-Praful

Message was edited by: Praful_Jain

[LuckyClover]

Hi, Praful,

Thank you for your feedback and for the revised .js file. Unfortunately, I am still encountering the issue, so I'd like to describe what I've done becuase there must be a step that I'm missing or a process that I am misunderstanding:

1. I renamed the .js file as instructed, and replaced it with the existing file on my local drive, where the RH files are installed: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp 7\CSH API\RoboHelp_CSH.JS

2. Recompiled the Help, then swapped the updated WebHelp output files with those that are included with the application.

3. Swapped the existing RoboHelp_CSH.JS that is also included with the application code, with the revised .js file that you provided.

4. Launched Firefox and logged into the application.

5. Checked the Help, but the secondary window appears.

Here is the code that the developers gave me--it is the code that they use to launch the Help from the application. They said that their code calls the function "RH_ShowHelp". Is there something that needs to be fixed with it? Is there something I need to fix for each topic in the Help?

(Note, in the following code, I replaced our actual product name/product references with the word 'bonny'. Also, the file that launches the main Help from the application is index.htm.)

BONNY.HELP_CONTENTS_URL_BASE = "../custom/Bonny/help/"; BONNY.HELP_CONTENTS_URL_PATH = "WebHelp/";

BONNY.openHelp = function (mapNumber, locale) {

if (!locale) {

locale = "en";

}

RH_ShowHelp(0,

BONNY.HELP_CONTENTS_URL_BASE + locale + "/" + BONNY.HELP_CONTENTS_URL_PATH + "index.htm" + ">HELPWINDOW",

(mapNumber == 0) ? HH_DISPLAY_TOC : HH_HELP_CONTEXT,

mapNumber);

}

[LuckyClover]

Hello,

Is there someone who can help me with the last post? Is there an adjustment that needs to be made to the code or????

Thank you.

[Praful_Jain]

Hi,

I am attaching a sample CSH API call in a zip file.The Zip file is uploaded @  https://share.acrobat.com/adc/document.do?docid=60d38f8c-0b64-451a-a330-c5be0bc9347d

Here I have a sample webhelp output which is generated from RoboHelp 7.

It contains 2 html files help.html and help71.html.

Open both the HTML files in Firefox browser. (I am as of now using Firefox 3.5.3). and see that whether the help on clicking the link shows new window dialog.

One html shows the new window, whereas the other HTML which uses the modified JS file does not show window while opening CSH topic.

Hope this clear some doubts.

-Praful Jain

[LuckyClover]

Hi,

Thank you Praful and the Adobe forum for the information about this issue--the help is greatly appreciated. I wanted to follow-up that the reason why I could not see the fix after completing the steps as I described them was because I did not clear the Firefox browser's cache beforehand. However, when I did that, then rechecked the results of the fix, it worked. I have marked Praful's earlier response as the correct answer (that the RH 7 javascript file is the culprit, and that the revised js file fixed the problem).

I have shared this information and the revised RH javascript file with other writers at my organization so they can test/check it also.

Erin

[Mike_Unwalla]

Your file fixes the problem

.

(Peter, thank you for telling me about the problem.)