Help system generated as WebHelp constantly reloading in iOS and Android browsers.

[plabarbera1]

Using RoboHelp 9, I've generated a Help project as WebHelp. When viewing the project in any browser in Windows or OSX, everything looks fine.

When opening the project using the iOS browser or the Android browser, the project re-loads itself every few seconds. This causes a consistent flashing of the page and renders the project unusable. Is there a known solution to this problem?

Here are some details about the project:

• All default WebHelp settings were used when published.
• The only toolbar buttons published were TOC and Search.
• The project has a master page and skin (.zkn) imported from projects created with RoboHelp 8.
• This problem also appeared when using RoboHelp 8.

[RoboColum_n_]

I think the answer is not to use WebHelp. There are other outputs like ePub that you should be using for handhelp devices. Check out this link.

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The RoboColum(n)

@robocolumn

Colum McAndrew

[plabarbera1]

So, WebHelp is out of the question?

The help systems in question aren't integrated in a mobile app. Instead, an HTML link is provided in the app that links out to the Help system. This Help system needs to be accessible and user-friendly on desktops and tablets.

While ePub definitely has its benefits, I don't think we're going to be replacing our help systems with it.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

Sorry, but I agree with Colum. Webhelp likely isn't the way to go. At least not until Adobe builds in compatibility and support for iOS and Android.

Last I looked those weren't listed as being supported browsers, so it's no surprise it fails to work properly in them.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[Captiv8r]

Hello again

One thing I forgot to mention was that you should seriously consider filing a Wish Form to ask for this compatibility to be built in. This will ensure it's on Adobe's radar as a need. After all, if nobody asks, it's not likely to happen!

Link to the Wish Form is in my sig.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[brunt65]

We have had the same issue trying to deploy a web help knowledge base to a mobile platform, the solution we came with was to author in robohelp and then import into another help authoring app and generate the web help in that  which works on the iOS platform with out the flashing.

[Captiv8r]

Hi Brent

Curious here as to the approach.

brunt65 wrote:

...the solution we came with was to author in robohelp and then import into another help authoring app and generate the web help in that  which works on the iOS platform with out the flashing.

My question is to ask what the other app was. Perhaps it will help the original poster. Did you import the RoboHelp project files or the WebHelp output files? And I'm assuming you continued to use this process for updates down the line? If so, why did you continue to use RoboHelp? Why didn't you switch to the other app?

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[plabarbera1]

Hi there,

If you could supply some more details regarding this process, I'd love to hear them!

1. What software did you end up using to generate the Help?

2. Which files did you import into that software? Project files? WebHelp files?

[plabarbera1]

One of our developers found a workaround to this problem:

You can fix the flashing by taking out line 2054 of this file: .../robohelp/tree/sse/whtbar.js

The line in the javascript file intends to make the page reload anytime you resize the window. Make sure to try resizing windows in every browser after removing this line.

[brunt65]

We create the content in Robohelp as this our preferred tool and then copy to a new directory then import into Flare and generate the webhelp output from Flare if our team are going to view via mobile devices. We have had a couple of issues with tables when viewing on the ipad and tab. The Webhelp output has none of the flashing and redrawing the adobe output has.

[Guest]

Using RoboHelp HTML 9.0.1.232

We also see ipad flashing problems when displaying webhelp. Does anyone know if taking out line 2054 of .../robohelp/tree/sse/whtbar.js still works with Version 9?

Thanks,

Dave

[Mark_Southee]

I'm going to be testing this workaround with RH9 in a couple of days to see if it works on a Motorola Xoom tablet (running Android). Like the original poster, we are developing software that is accessed over the web, both for desktop and mobile browsers. With lots of context sensitive links in it, having another help format for mobile devices won't work (ePub doesn't support CSH).

Colum, if you take your blog as an example. Wordpress just works no matter what browser you are in. I'd like to see Adobe take the same approach with WebHelp.

As an alternative to pdf on mobile, ePub is great, but it will never replace context sensitive, browser based help.

I'll post my findings when I've tested the workaround. I've also raised this as a feature request.

[write_stuff]

Did you have any luck with this? I created webhelp for an Android app and it isn't working right on the developer's xoom. It won't scroll.

Doesn't epub require that the user install a reader app and leave the main app to read the help? Kind of like reading a paper manual instead of having integrated help... this isn't an option for us either.

[Mark_Southee]

Hi, sorry but I haven't got around to this yet (but will be at some time in the near future).

Mark

[joannemarie44]

Hi,

Have you found out any more information about this? We have created WebHelp for a web application that works great on computer browsers, but won't scroll on the iPad. Get no scrollbars and you can't scroll with your fingers.

Thanks,
Joanne

[RoboColum_n_]

Hi Joanne. ePub output is the way to go with iOS output. Using WebHelp is a bit like sticking the engine from a Nissan Micra into a Corvett and expecting things to work perfectly.

[Peter Grainge]

Bad example Colum. They have put aircraft engines into cars before now. Around the M25 a Nissan Micra engine in a Corvette would be plenty good enough. 🙂

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Peter Grainge]

Oops, hit Add Reply too soon. I meant to say that Joanne should log a feature request for this. That's what gets things changed.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[joannemarie44]

I will!

[RoboColum_n_]

So maybe you need to look into producing WebHelp AND ePub output?

[joannemarie44]

Yes, I mentioned that to the development team. And I did enter the feature request!

Thanks,

Joanne

[Mark_Southee]

I did say I would test the workaround for this, but I haven't as we decided to do a proper touchscreen version of the application I'm working on, so I'm now constructing help pages using jQuery Mobile. These pages are then added to the application in the appropriate place, and displays correctly on any touchscreen device, phone or tablet. No one will convince me that ePub is appropriate as help for a touchscreen application. In fact given the good PDF readers available for iOS and Android, I'd suspect you'd be better off down that route, given ePub's problems with tables and graphics. However, I would still say that standalone publishing formats are not that useful as touchscreen application help.

A left field choice would be to use Wordpress, with one of the mobile browser detection themes. I did a site using this method and it works well. Visit www.isora.org on desktop and a mobile browser to see what I mean.

Mark

[joannemarie44]

Thanks for the quick reply. The problem is that this is primarily a desktop web application. The application is still under development and full support for iOS isn't in the plan at the moment. One of the product managers just happened to check the application on an iPad and noticed the WebHelp appears fine (no flashing like mentioned above) but there are no scrollbars in the topic pane and scrolling by finger doesn't work to see the full topic either.

Thanks,
Joanne