WebHelp built in RH 7 produces TOC errors when embedded into product code

[Guest]

I'm using RoboHelp to maintain and generate WebHelp help files for a software product. When the Webhelp is embedded into our software, suddenly errors occur. When the WebHelp has been embedded into our product code and you click on help topic X in the navigation pane, the right-hand pane displays the selected topic content properly -- but, the navigation pane is not updated and the name of the selected topic is NOT highlighted.

However, when I view the help files by themselves (that is, when they're not embedded), selecting a help topic causes its name to be highlighted in the navigation pane, and the highlighting changes if I select a different topic, etc. (In other words, the TOC behaves as it should.)

Does anyone have any idea what might be causing the TOC errors to occur only in the embedded help? The Webhelp files aren't modified in any way before the developers embed them.

[Peter Grainge]

The fact that the topics sync with the TOC when used standalone confirms the help is OK. It is something in the developer's call that is the issue. There is some information in Snippet 1 on my site but I am not sure it will help in this situation.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

[johndaigle]

Hi, kginaz

Since you are synchronizing the TOC in WebHelp, you might want to see a demonstration I put together which showcases the RoboHelp WebHelp API for Context Sensitive Help. It's at this address (be sure to allow popups in your browser)

http://www.showmethedemo.com/bdb

This is a mock up demonstration of calling help in a web application from three different links. Notice that the TOC is in sync with its topic when the Help link is clicked. Also if you bring up the other two topics and Show Table of Contents, the topic is also in sync. This uses the standard Javascript calls provided in the API.

As Peter correctly mentions, a lot of what happens depends on what (among many methods) your developers have chosen to call the help from the application.

Thanks

John Daigle

Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Adobe Captivate Instructor.

[Captiv8r]

Hi kginaz

Hopefully my colleagues won't mind my offering one more tidbit here.

There is one other thing to consider as well. When you generate WebHelp by clicking File > Generate Primary Layout, you choose many different settings in the ensuing dialogs. When you click Next > a time or two you reach a dialog allowing you to choose the Speed Optimization setting shown below.

Sometimes we find that if folks choose the option for Local PC or Intranet, the TOC Synchronization will begin working reliably as opposed to failing sometimes. (The default is for Web Site and is likely the way yours is set right now)

The reason for this is because of the way the TOC elements are created using the Web Site speed optimization.

Perhaps try that setting adjustment, generate your output again and see if things improve?

Cheers... Rick

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