Search Not Working in WebHelp - Suspected Java Issue

[Freespirit-ST]

The Search function in our output WebHelp system is not working from one user's laptop.  The WebHelp is generated from our RoboHelp 8.  Search does work in everyone else's access to the system.  This Windows 7 laptop displays an "Error on Page" message when he enters a search value and then chooses the Search button.  He says the same error occurs for the Index. Because no other users have this problem, we are definitely thinking it's something in his laptop configuration for Java - as we see the JS file references in the error details, as shown below.

The details for the "Error on Page" message are referencing the following messages and JS files

Index error messages in details:

Object doesn't support this property or method - whthost.js

'innerHeight' is undefined - whutils.js

Search error messages in details:

Object doesn't support this property or method - whthost.js

'innerHeight' is undefined - whutils.js

'gaFakes[...].nB' is null or not an object - whhost.js

'Node' is undefined - whfhost.js

What should he check in his Java?  He's using Java 6, Standard Edition, update 16.  Any ideas or suggestions about what he should check on this laptop?  I would appreciate your help and expertise in solving this mystery!  Hopefully I've provided enough details here - but let me know what else I need to provide.

Thanks so much,

Susan

[Peter Grainge]

Where is the help that is being accessed? Is it on a server or a local drive?

Have you tried using different browsers?

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Freespirit-ST]

The WebHelp system is on a server, in a Citrix environment.  So, he is accessing via the laptop.  He sometimes VPNs in.

I believe he's only tried IE browsers.  Which others should he try?  The application itself is only supported on IE.

Thanks for responding, Peter.  You're always helpful.

Susan

[Peter Grainge]

I'm not sure I will be helpful on this one, especially if it is a java issue. What I was trying to do to start with was see if the problem was the same with another browser thinking that would rule out java. That could be wrong thinking but it is a start. Try with Firefox.

Can you get someone else to access the help in the same way?

I'm going offline shortly so hopefully someone else can take over helping you. Otherwise tomorrow I will see what you post back.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Willam_van_Weelden]

Hi,

This issue has nothing to do with Java. The files are JavaScript files and there's a big difference. Java is a programming language and requires the Java RE or SDK. JavaScript is a scripting language and is available in all browsers. RoboHelp 8 does not use a Java applet, so you don't bother with that.

What version of Internet Explorer are you using? Do you have any plug ins installed, such as toolbars, ad blockers etc? Please try the help on Firefox and check whether it works on that browser. It might be an Internet Explorer specific issue, but it might also be a problem in your webhelp.

Please also try the following: If you open the help using IE from a differenct computer, do you get the same errors, or does everything work fine then?

Greet,

Willam

[Willam_van_Weelden]

RoboHelp 8 does not use a Java applet, so you don't bother with that.

Sorry, posted and realized the tone is rather harsh: you can ignore Java as it's not related to your issue.

Greet,

Willam

[Freespirit-ST]

Thank you, William, for your information here.  Your "tone" was fine, no worries.  I appreciate your help.

From what this user says, the problem only occurs on this one particular laptop.  And no one else is having the problem on their computers. I will tell him that it's not a Java problem - so at least we know that.

I will ask him if he has any add-ins on this laptop.  And I'll ask him to try Firefox, and point to the starting HTM file of the WebHelp output.

I'll report back what he finds out from further actions on his part.  I'm positive it's not our WebHelp - or we would have heard back from customers and our own QA folks.  But whatever we find out, it could be good to know for other similar situations.

Thanks so much.

Susan

[Guest]

We were getting this error sometimes.

I modified the code in wsutils.js as follows:

Original code:

function    getClientHeight()

{

    if(gbSafari3)

     {

         return innerHeight;   //this is for safari

     }    

return document.body.clientHeight;      }

New code:

function getClientHeight()

{

return document.body.clientHeight;

}

Seems to work (at the cost I guess of losing support for safari browsers - but I haven't tested that), but I can't test that it never fails because it was an intermittent fault...

Pete