• Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
    Dedicated community for Japanese speakers
  • 한국 커뮤니티
    Dedicated community for Korean speakers
Exit
0

Eliminate Show link to online help

Guest
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

QA complained that they have to click the Show button in order to open the webhelp. They want the help to open immediately to the 4-part navigation pane (and the main window, which initially displays the splash page).

I think they are right.

How can eliminate the Show link and help the user go directly to the Navigation pane?

Views

1.1K

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines

correct answers 1 Correct answer

LEGEND , Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009
Hi there

Not uncommon and many confuse the two. Here's the deal. The start page is where you point the users. The purpose of the start page is to divide the browser window into different areas for the Main Toolbar, Navigation Pane, Navigation Toolbar and Topic Pane. (Topic content displays in the topic pane). The last action to occur after the start page loads up is to present the Default Topic to the user. So think of the Default Topic as simply the first page of content the user will see in t...

Votes

Translate

Translate
LEGEND ,
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Looks like they are using the wrong file to open the help. If your project is called helpfile, look for the helpfile.htm file. If another .htm file is used you get the behaviour you describe.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Guest
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

For historic reasons, the developers want the default file to be called wwhelp.htm. The Help button in all their GUIs reference default files with that name.

Is there some way to get the wwhelp.htm to work the same as the "helpfile.htm" that you mentioned?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Indeed there is but it's a process fraught with danger and intrique.

First of all, you could simply rename the helpfile.htm to wwhelp.htm but you'd have to remember to do this every time you generate the help. A better way would be to open the properties of your single source layout. There in the "Select Output Folder and Start Page" field change the file name from helpfile.htm to wwhelp.htm.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Be sure you understand the difference between the default topic and the start page.

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

They can also call any topic so that the TOC appears. See Calling WebHelp using URLs on my site to understand the logic. They can call the help in other ways to get the same result but the developers will have to understand how the API works. I cannot help you there but the links on my site may.

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Guest
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Frankly, I do not know the difference between the start page and the default page. I tried to look them up in the RoboHelp Help and could not find the answer. So I turn to you for the answer.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi there

Not uncommon and many confuse the two. Here's the deal. The start page is where you point the users. The purpose of the start page is to divide the browser window into different areas for the Main Toolbar, Navigation Pane, Navigation Toolbar and Topic Pane. (Topic content displays in the topic pane). The last action to occur after the start page loads up is to present the Default Topic to the user. So think of the Default Topic as simply the first page of content the user will see in the Topic Pane.

If you just open a topic directly, the show link often appears (if you have that option configured when you gen the files) because the topic senses it isn't in the WebHelp frameset. Click the show link and the WebHelp frameset presents with the topic. Fellow Adobe Community Expert Peter's excellent site will show you how to create links that will open specific topics with the frameset loaded up.

Note that if you are curious as to how to get the URL to accomplish that, look at your address bar after you click the show link.

Cheers... Rick

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Mar 20, 2009 Mar 20, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Rick,

In your answer, you say "If you just open a topic directly, the show link often appears (if you have that option configured when you gen the files) ".

I actually DON'T want the show button on topics when they're clicked directly. How do I configure it to not appear?

Thanks,
Chris

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Valorous Hero ,
Mar 20, 2009 Mar 20, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi Chris

You click File > Generate Primary Layout so you see the intermediate dialogs. You click Next > to see the second dialog and there is an option labeled "Show navigation pane link in topics". Ensure the check box is cleared.

Cheers... Rick

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Mar 20, 2009 Mar 20, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi Chris.

If you look inside the properties for your Webhelp single source layout and go to the WebHelp Options dialog (two clicks of the Next key) you need to uncheck the "Show Hide Navigation Pane" tickbox in the In Topic Navigation Bar Element section.

However I am wondering if we are talking about a context sensitive help call here? If so, there may be a better way to deal with this issue. If so, click http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/calling_webhelp/calling_webhelp.htm">here

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Mar 20, 2009 Mar 20, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

LATEST
Perfect!

Thank you both!

Chris

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Guest
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Thanks

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Guest
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

thanks

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Guest
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

thanks

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Guest
Jan 21, 2009 Jan 21, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

thanks

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Resources
RoboHelp Documentation
Download Adobe RoboHelp