Robohelp javascript without popup?

Report · Apr 14, 2011

Is there a robohelp javascript command to open help in a given window instead of a popup window?

Currently I'm trying these commands:

<p>Click for <A HREF='javascript:RH_ShowHelp(0, "helpContent/index.htm", 0, 10)'>Help</A> (map number 10)</p>
<p>Click for <A HREF='javascript:RH_ShowHelp(0, "helpContent/index.htm>_self", 0, 100)'>Help in custom window (map number 100)</A></p>

These both attempt to open popup windows which are hitting my popup blocker.

I'd like to tell the help to open in a target div or even just a plain new browser window (not a popup). Is there a command available for this or do I have to re-write the help scripts?

Report · Apr 15, 2011

I think you just need to specify the name of the help window you require the display the help in after the RH_ShowHelp command. For example:

<p>Click for <A HREF='javascript:RH_ShowHelp(0, "helpContent/index.htm">windowname, 0, 10)'>Help</A> (map number 10)</p>

The RoboColum(n)

@robocolumn

Colum McAndrew

Report · Apr 15, 2011

When I try the line you gave I get the following in my error console:

Error: a_pszHelpFile.indexOf is not a function
Source File: http://ux/HelpTest/RoboHelp_CSH.js
Line: 179

Looking into the javascript, the second parameter you gave ("helpContent/index.htm">windowname) equates to false.

Assuming you meant to keep the '>' within the string, I have the same issue as before.

One solution that I have stumbled upon is referring to the resources directly via hashmarks (#).

myIframe.src = 'helpContent/index.htm#myHelpSubtopic.htm#anAnchorWithinMySubtopic';

Report · Apr 15, 2011

(Warning. I'm not a programmer, but play one on TV )

Two things I'm curious about. First you mention an error

<snip>

Error: a_pszHelpFile.indexOf is not a function
Source File: http://ux/HelpTest/RoboHelp_CSH.js
Line: 179

</snip>

Normally when using the WebHelp (JavaScript) API, I place a script src tag under the first Head tag like so:

This way, any functions that are called know where to look. (But I may just be mis-reading your snip?)

As for the call itself, I use this syntax:

<a href="javascript:RH_ShowHelp(0,'WebHelp/default.htm>SinglePaneHelp', HH_HELP_CONTEXT, 5)">Help</a>

...where SinglePaneHelp is the name of my popup window and 5 is the Map Number.

I have an article that might help. It's very old, but still valid today.

http://www.adobe.com/devnet-archive/robohelp/articles/context_help.htm

Hope this helps.

John Daigle
Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate Instructor
Evergreen, Colorado
www.showmethedemo.com

John Daigle
Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate Instructor
Newport, Oregon

Report · Apr 15, 2011

A couple of things I missed upon re-reading your post.The subject line

I forgot to mention that this method does require that popup blockers are disabled. Sorry I missed that obvious point!

Your creative ideas about using a target div are interesting but I've never done this.

Meanwhile, here is another resource for calling CSH that does not use the WebHelp API.

http://www.techscribe.co.uk/ta/web-to-help.htm

You will also want to look at Peter Grainge's site

http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/calling_webhelp/calling_webhelp.htm

If you are going to use the WebHelp API, make sure you have defined a new Window in RoboHelp in the first place.

To create a new window, go to the Project Set-up Pod and create a new window. You can give it a relative size and position on the screen. Then give it a name (no spaces).

I usually have one called WithNavPane and NoNavPane in case I want the CSH topic to open with or without the Navigation Pane.

Then, when you generate the WebHelp, those window definitions will be ready to deliver.

John Daigle
Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate Instructor
Evergreen, Colorado
www.showmethedemo.com

John Daigle
Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate Instructor
Newport, Oregon

Report · Apr 15, 2011

Thanks for the links and tips on using the RoboHelp API.

I need to make a correction to my comments as well...

The method I said worked actually only works for non-Safari. Safari doesn't like having double hashes (necessary to reach an anchor inside a page). You just get the second hash url encoded as %23 . Interestingly I believe that this is proper behavior as #'s are not allowed after #'s in the URL standard.

I have bumped another Adobe Forum thread regarding this here: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3618123#3618123.

So... still searching for an answer on this one.

I'll read through your docs and see if I can find any further insight.

Report · Apr 15, 2011

I read through the pages and tried their links. It looks like the same conclusions as we've talked about.

There's a way to use Javascript (which causes popups), there's a way to refer by HTML (which works fine except except for referencing anchors in Safari).

Hopefully someone out there has a way of using RoboHelp without popups and that can call anchor tags within articles that works on Safari?

Report · Apr 16, 2011

Is the objective to open the help with a link from an HTML page (non RoboHelp) or to open a topic in a different window from the topic with the link?

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

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

Report · Apr 25, 2011

I'm using a floating DIV tag with IFRAME to provide help for a web-based Flash app. Pop-ups are not considered acceptable because of pop-up blockers.

It's all working on non-Safari browsers (Chrome, Firefox and even IE), but I will have to re-write my help pages (which will be sub-par even though it works) to not require anchor level references if I can't get it to work on Safari.

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Robohelp javascript without popup?