TOC and Redirect issues with Merging WebHelp.

[Kutra]

Hi:

I am using Peter Grainge's directions on using merged WebHelp for RH8 as outlined in http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/merging_webhelp/merging_method_rh8.htm. I am having the following issues:

1. The TOC is displayed only in Firefox (3.5.3); not in IE8.

2. The TOC is not synchronized when the default topic opens in Firefox (3.5.3).

3. The redirect works [in Firefox (3.5.3)] only when a protocol such as HTTP:// or FILE:// is used, while I want to use a relative path to my HTM file. I verified a gazillion times that my relative path "./mergedProjects/BlahBlah/Blah.htm" is correct. In IE8, only HTTP:// works, but any other method displays a blank page.

Also, I wanted to know that how do I create a Browse Sequence for the parent project? If I only add the child projects to the TOC and not the topic that has the redirect code, I do not see the TOC in Firefox as well as IE. But if I add the topic and then create the Browse Sequence, then I get the results listed in #1 and #2 above. But I do not want the topic in the parent project to be displayed in the TOC.

Please advise.

Thanks,

K

[Peter Grainge]

You should not have any of the numbered problems so the first thing to do is check what results you get from the demo project.

[1] Does the yellow information bar appear in IE?

[2] Let's see what happens when you test the demo project. I assume the sync option is set in all the projects.

[3] I don't see the folder name for the child project in the example you give.

As to Browse Sequences they are unique to each project in the merge. It follows therefore that as the parent only has one topic that is a redirect, no browse sequence would be set up. Within each child project, the sequences will work normally.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Kutra]

Peter:

Thanks for your reply. I compared your demo project with what I had created and everything was similar with one exception. I had checked the Add Mark of the Web option while generating the WebHelp. Unchecking this option did the trick for me.

1. When you have some free time, can you tell me why checking the Add Mark of the Web option was giving problems? I don't publish my files; only generate them since they are delivered on a DVD.

2. Before I allow running of Active X components in IE (yellow bar), the TOC shows the project names rather than the TOC for the project. What I mean is that my child project is called BuyingCameras (without any spaces), but the TOC is called Buying Cameras (with space). Before I allow Active X to run, the TOC displays BuyingCameras (without any spaces), but after I allow Active X, the TOC displays Buying Cameras (with space). This can look odd to an end user. What do you suggest since I do no want to use spaces in folder/file names.

Regards,

K

[Peter Grainge]

Using Mark of the Web (MOW) should allow the help to run normally in IE without having to deal with the yellow information bar. The other way for you is to tick Allow Active X to run (IE Advanced options).

If you were generating to your local drive, then MOW should have allowed the help to open and I would want to see that working before shipping. Where will the help be when it is accessed by your users?

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Kutra]

The Help files are shipped in two ways. They are (1) available on a DVD for customers to install, and (2) they can be accessed online. The online version however is customized with the Zoom Search integration (thanks to your research).

If I check Add Mark of the Web for your demo project and generate, then I run into the same issues I was facing previously (listed in my original post).

Thanks,

K