Popups to bookmarks refocus original page to the top

[NeatsByTheBeach]

I am working on a HTML Help project that contains many autosizing popups to bookmarks (e.g. RefreshScreen.htm#RefreshAll). When I click a popup hyperlink, the page I clicked the link from scrolls back up to the top of the page. So, after I have read the popup text, I then have to scroll all the way back down the page to find my place again.

I have tried autosizing popups and custom sized popups. Linking to another topic without the bookmark works perfectly.

Does anyone know if this is a bug or if there is a workaround?

Thanks!

[NeatsByTheBeach]

A bit more detail. I have narrowed this behaviour down a little more...

Firstly, it occurs in both webhelp and HTML help output.

Secondly, if I comment out this line in ehlpdhtml.js:

  getPopupIFrame(nIndex).location.href = strURL;  // reload again, this will fix the bookmark misunderstand in IE5.

the popup appears in the correct location, but only goes to the top of the popup page, not to the bookmark.

I figure that this line reloads the page so that the bookmark works, but loses the co-ordinates of the popup location along the way. I'm going to keep digging, but thought I would post this in case this information makes more sense to someone who knows about the ehlpdhtml.js file ...

[Amebr]

I think there needs to be a "return false" somewhere in the script, but I don't know where or how to make it permanent. Also, assuming this is correct, I think where and how might depend on the version of RH you are using.

[NeatsByTheBeach]

Thanks, my version is: 8.0.2.208. The code is in the BSSCPopup_ResizeAfterLoad function. I'm not sure where a return false would go... can you explain how it would help, so I can work through the logic?

[Amebr]

Sorry I can't help, it's well past my javascript ability. All I know about it is what I can see in TrueCode in RH and what turned up in a google search on how to stop popup links jumping to the top of the page.

You should probably report it as a bug to Adobe in any case:

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform&product=38

[NeatsByTheBeach]

Thanks, but I think this gets added in automatically when the web help is generated, although it is not added to the HTML help.

Having said that, I don't think this is the key to the problem anyway, as the popups do work correctly if the URL for the popup does not include a bookmark.

I will report the bug though. Thanks.

[Amebr]

Oh, you're using webhelp, not htmlhelp, that makes a difference. I still can't help, though. All I can think is there is something else in the javascript file that is being called that has to change.

If you could post back if you find a solution, that would be great - a colleague asked me for a solution to this just after I posted my first response.

[NeatsByTheBeach]

The output I need is HTML help, but as part of the testing to try to figure out this bug, I generated WebHelp as well. The result is the same - popups behaving badly, but I did notice that the webhelp had return false in the HTML after it was generated.

I'm going to try to find a javascript guru around the office... I'm just surprised that this hasn't been reported before... Worst case scenario, I'm going to have to create duplicate topics for the bookmarked section of the topics I link to from a popup. Urgh!

Thanks for trying to help though - I'll certainly post back if I come up with anything.

[Peter Grainge]

Does this occur if you create a new project with just a few topics?

Also see Item 20 at http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/rh8/using_rh8.htm and try the first script referenced there on a copy of the project. It is not designed for this problem but who knows?

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@petergrainge

[Amebr]

I don't know if it helps, but I have the same issue in RH6.

[NeatsByTheBeach]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I created a 2 topic help file and generated to CHM - and the same problem occurred.

I also tried the script (which I think I may have actually tried previously, but not sure) with no luck. Was definitely worth a shot though.

I think I will need to dig deep and figure out what the javascript is doing, or maybe duplicate the bookmarked topics as a workaround until I can figure it out... unless anyone has a better idea

[Peter Grainge]

Can you share that test project with me? If so, see my contact page for information. Include a link to this thread.

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@petergrainge

[Peter Grainge]

I don't have a solution but I did ascertain the problem is not that focus goes to the top of the page. Using the test file, I changed the amount of text before and after the bookmark. With just a couple of lines you will find that what is happening is the bottom of the popup parks itself on the line above the link. As you increase the amount of content the link gets pushed down the page until ultimately it looks as you describe. However, that is still not what you want. You want the link to stay put.

Now for the odd bit. I created a similar project and whilst the link moves, it stays clearly on the screen. It will take some more investigation to find out what is different.

Do you have the patches installed?

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@petergrainge

[NeatsByTheBeach]

Thanks Peter. I am on 8.0.2.208. I thought that was up to date with patches, but perhaps I have missed something?

Perhaps a silly question, but could it be that I have a different ehlpdhtm.js file to you?

[Peter Grainge]

That is the latest version.

Not sure how we could get a different version. I'll zip up a test project and send it to you but not tonight.

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@petergrainge

[Guest]

Has this issue been resolved? I just installed RH9 (out of the box) and now all of the popups that are attached to image maps display at the top left corner of the topic, instead of close to the link. I haven't installed the v9 update but this problem is not listed in the summary of the update.

Thanks!

[Peter Grainge]

Sometimes things get fixed and not covered in the documentation so why not give it a try?

It might be worth running Tools > Update DHTML effects.

Also try in a new project.

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@petergrainge

[Guest]

Thanks, Peter, for your quick response. I tried running Tools > Update DHTML effects and that didn't fix it. I installed 9.0.2.271 and that didn't fix it either. But when I created a new project, the popups work correctly, appearing close to the link. How do I fix this in my current project? It's pretty large. The project folder is about 300 MB.

[Guest]

I seem to have solved the popup problem. The other less problematic issue I was having since upgrading to RH9 was that the topic titles and background color and border were not showing when I did a View Topic Preview. My Heading1 Topic Title style had a DHTML fade in effect on it, so I thought that might be part of the problem.

Indeed, when I applied the DHTML effect in the test project, the popups appeared in the top left corner. So I removed the effect from Heading1 in my real project, ran Update DHTML Effects, and the popups appear in the correct place. Yay! However, the topic titles, background, and border still do not show on View Preview.

Any ideas on that one?

Thanks!

[Peter Grainge]

When you say "test project" do you mean a project you created or one of the supplied samples?

Try the latter as well and if you get the same result.

I just tested a new project and with a fade in applied, the popup was still good.

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@petergrainge

[Guest]

Peter,

I've now tried it in both.

In the one I created (HTMLhelp), the popups appear in the top left corner upon Preview and also when I compile the .chm.

In the one supplied by RH (Employee Care), it worked at first but when I closed the project and came back in, it no longer works. I applied the fade in to Heading1, copied a graphic from the top of the page and put it at the bottom, created a image map to another topic. When I Preview this, the popup appears at the top of the page. When I compile the project (Webhelp)  and view it, no popup appears at all. I see a message in the lo wer left corner:

javascript: void(0);

Sometimes I see "Internet Explorer restricted this webpage from running scripts or ActiveX controls" so I allow blocked content. Then I see the fade in effect but still no popups.

My project is HTMLhelp and when I reapply the fade in effect, the popups go back to appearing at the top of the page.

The other bothersome problem with popups is the enormous space at the bottom of "auto-sizing" popups. (See attached .gif).This is not due to extra paragraph tags at the bottom.

Thanks for your help,

Sue

[Peter Grainge]

I tried a popup from linked text rather than a popup linked to an image map. See if such a popup works OK for you.

Also try in both webhelp and a CHM.

Let me know what works in what. I will then test again but perhaps not today.

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@petergrainge

[Guest]

OK, I'm confused now, but this is what I got:

1. My HTML test project w/o DHTML on Heading1

      Popups from image map AND text = OK on Preview and Compiled

2. My HTML test project w/ DHTML on Heading1

      Popup on image map, on Preview and on Compiled = popup appears at the top left

      Popup on text, on Preview and on Compiled = popup is OK

3. Employee Care webhelp project w/o DHTML on Heading1

      Popups from image map on Preview OK, on Generated Output = no popup at all

      Popups from text on Preview OK, on Generated Output = there was no link

4. Employee Care webhelp project w/ DHTML on Heading1

      Popups from image map on Preview = popup appears at the top left

      Popups from image map on Generated Output = no popup at all

      Popups from text on Preview = popup is OK

      Popups from text on Generated Output = there was no link

Particularly puzzling to me is the difference between the Preview and generated project, and also that the popups in Webhelp don't work even without DHTML.

I appreciate the time you are taking to help me with this.

Sue

[Peter Grainge]

I will take another look at this.

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@petergrainge

[Peter Grainge]

Let's focus on Test 3 as that is with a known project and I am getting different results. Hopefully if we find out why, it will fix the other scenarios.

I used the Introduction topic and linked to the Healthcare topic.

The image is an image of a table, not a real table. I have attached the image so that you can download it and use the same image.

Both popups appear with the top left corner appearing where I click.

First try using the same topics in Employee Care and see if you still get this problem.

If you do:

What browser are you using?

Have you tried other browsers?

Are you generating to a location on your hard disk, not a network location?

For now set out the exact steps you are taking to create the link. Screenshots can be added using the Camera icon you will see when you reply.

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@petergrainge