IE 7 and Firefox 3 display issues - neither work as expected

[JGaf]

hi,

I'm having a terrible time trying to figure out how to solve the 2 display issues I have on IE and Firefox. I can't get either one to work like it's supposed to.

I'm using RH8, Webhelp and it doesn't matter what skin I use (nothing custom, just what is available in RH).

On IE 7.0.5730.13, Webhelp only displays information in the information frame (text) when I attempt to resize the panes. If I just click and move my mouse just a little bit to expand the TOC text magically appears for THAT selected TOC topic only. If I move to another topic in the TOC, I have to do the same thing. And by resize, I mean, I click and move a millimeter and the stuff displays. Otherwise, if I do nothing, the TOC displays as expected but the text frame (contents) is blank.

On Firefox 3.5.6, the TOC pane does not display 100% vertically........it's cut off at the end of the TOC and contains scrollbars to move vertically and horizontally.

So, neither browser really works for me.  Am I the only one?

I'm using RH 8.0.0.203

Any advice or suggestions are very much welcome.......

[Peter Grainge]

Is this when you open the help from your application or if you just open it from the start page?

It is not behaviour I can recall having been reported.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[JGaf]

Hi,

Well, we haven't gotten that far yet.

For IE:

The display issue in IE occurs when I view the WebHelp Pro results by clicking on the "View Results" button after generating it AND when I launch the .htm help file (name_rhc.htm), by double-clicking on it, from a Windows Explorer window.  In both cases, IE displays a blank page when clicking topics in the TOC  (or when using breadcrumbs) UNLESS I adjust the pane size (1 mm or less is sufficient) between the TOC and content areas of the help file. If I don't touch the pane, I only see a blank page.

It's interesting to note that if I double-click on a topic .htm file from the Windows Explorer window, the page displays as expected and I can use the breadcrumbs to move forward through the help file. There is no issue when I view the entire help file in this case, but the skin and TOC pane is missing, of course.

Also, note that I receive the irritating "ActiveX" message/prompt the first time I open the help file (name_rhc.htm). I always "allow".  But, could this be causing the display problem?

For Firefox:

The display issue described above for IE does not occur in Firefox (interesting to note I do not receive the ActiveX message/prompt).  The TOC pane still is small (it does not display 100% vertically) and contains horizontal and vertical scrollbars and one must scroll to view the entire contents.  Essentially, it's cut off.  Let me know if you'd like a screenshot. 🙂

thanks!

[JGaf]

Forgot to mention, I've since updated RH to version 8.0.1.204, no change in behavior.

I will try to view the help file on another machine to see if I can reproduce the issue. I'll post my results.

[Peter Grainge]

WebHelp Pro output is designed to work on a server that has RoboHelp Server installed. Would I be right in guessing you don't have RoboHelp Server?

Generate WebHelp and see how that works.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Peter Grainge]

BTW. Please see the sticky topics in the RoboHelp forum. You really should apply the 802 update.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[JGaf]

I updated to 8.0.2.208, thanks.

I generated Webhelp only (not Webhelp Pro) and I still have the same display issues in IE and Firefox.

[JGaf]

An update......

The IE problem is resolved.  It was a conflict with my imported CSS, which was originally used with a frame HTML layout.  I removed a bunch of styles, menu controls, etc.  So far, so good.

The Firefox problem still persists, even with the correct CSS.  Surely I can't be the only one out here with Firefox skin issues.....am I?

[Peter Grainge]

First check out the supplied sample projects and see if you have the same problem.

Then make a copy of your project, select all the topics in the Topic List and select Properties. Change all to the default style sheet and try that.

Finally try a brand new project with a supplied style sheet and some new topics, not imports.

Post back how that goes and I'll look in the morning. Late here now.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[JGaf]

I appreciate your help and patience very much - and on the weekend too!    Cheers to the weekend-workers!

In case I can't finish all of your suggestions by tomorrow, I opened a sample project and generated WebHelp, I can still see the Firefox issue.  I confirmed all topics use the provided MS_Help.css file. I've attached the image.  This is the same display error I have on the project I created.  The horizontal & vertical scrollbars do not display until you open some of the topics and the text becomes greater than the "frame".

This is Firefox 3.5.6.

[JGaf]

Forgot to add - IE displays okay for me on the sample project

-j

[Peter Grainge]

I'll wait until you have finished testing but that is not on of the supplied samples, it is one of your own. Try one of the samples that ships with RH.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[JGaf]

No, the image shown is not one of my projects.  I thought it was one of the sample projects....

I found this project by selecting "Knowledge Base" from the "Create New" column in the Starter pod.

Can you direct me to where I would find the sample projects you are referring to?

Sorry, I'm a newbie.

-j

[Peter Grainge]

That would make it a new project, not a sample.

Look in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Technical Communication Suite 2\Adobe RoboHelp 8\RoboHTML\Samples\en_US

(Delete \Adobe Technical Communication Suite 2 if you have the standalone version of RH).

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[JGaf]

Ok, my apologies.........I had no idea those files were in there.

I assume I had to generate a Webhelp file.....so, I generated one using the samples in:

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp 8\RoboHTML\Samples\en_US\CCC\

And this is my Firefox result.....

[Peter Grainge]

Can you post an image of the full window please?

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[JGaf]

sure.......

[JGaf]

No issue in IE:

[JGaf]

I just noticed the "padlock" icon in Firefox does not work for me, either.  In IE, clicking on the padlock icon displays a revision history table.  Nothing happens when I click on the icon in Firefox.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

Can you please explain what the "Padlock" icon is? I don't see a padlock icon.

Are you using any Firefox add ons? Do things change if you disable any add ons? (Perhaps Peter asked already. Apologies if so)

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 within the day - $24.95! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[Peter Grainge]

Sorry, the one with the world map. I want to see a full screen from a known project.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Peter Grainge]

Isn't the padlock for https servers?

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[JGaf]

For the "padlock icon", I don't know.  The only thing I know is that it's clickable in IE and displays a revision history table.  In Firefox, it does nothing.

***The padlock icon displays within the heading area of each topic.  It's not a Firefox or IE add-on.

[JGaf]

Same page in IE

[JGaf]

Wow........I didn't mean PADLOCK!  Perhaps I need new glasses........

The "warning" icon.......