Runaway reload, Webhelp on the iPad

[mdevito]

Back in December I created a WebHelp Help file for an iPad application (RoboHelp 8).  Seemed to work fine back then. 6 months later, a developer reported that some graphics and objects were flashing onscreen. He did something to the HTML code, I think on every topic page, which allegedly cured the problem then.

Now I'm redoing the Help file. In looking at the earlier, live Help file, something is very wrong. A few topics render fine, then the reloading starts.  TOC window resizes, nav bar graphics flash, topic content line breaks start shifting around.  After a short while, touch input no longer works on the TOC, and you have to exit Help. In other words, not usable. Nothing like this happens on the full Safari version on my Windows 7 desktop. But the iPad doesn't use that full version. My guess is, something changed in that software. 

The problem goes beyond the live version of Help. Another developer here is testing recent output, the newer Help file I just finished. It's doing the same thing on the iPad.

I have no idea where to start. Is there some setting in my Webhelp output that could be to blame?  Do I have to modify HTML code somehow in topics, or whtopic.js?

Thanks for your help!

Michael D.

[mdevito]

No-one?

MD

[Peter Grainge]

WebHelp is supported on Safari on a Mac but no other Applice device, to the best of my knowledge. If the iPad is using a different version of Safari then, as you have concluded, that is likely the cause.

Try first with a very simple help output and maybe you will get something working. I'm not hopeful.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[mdevito]

Peter:

Thanks for chiming in. I am doing output testing right now.  Thought it might be the autosync TOC feature, but turned out not so. So I'll do whatever output iterations seem logical, and not feeling too optimistic either.

Michael D.

[Captiv8r]

yeah, sorta hard to feel optimistic when you take an engine from a diesel locomotive and try to retrofit it into a Fiat. Doesn't usually go so well...

Cheers and happy Monday... 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

[Peter Grainge]

Sometimes it works.

There were many 1930's racing cars built using aircraft engines.

http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/index.php?/explore/the-24-litre-napier-railton-endurance-record-and-...

I believe it was built on the site where my company's offices now stand.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[mdevito]

At last I can report a solution. Two of them in fact. One problem with the help output was indeed safari-based - blinking graphics. Any graphic in the help skin would do that. Pulled off the "about" company icon from the skin and put it on the intro topic, ditched the search input field (with custom button graphic) from the skin, that left only the close left-side pane graphic to blink.  I can live with that.

The worse problem had been the reloading resizing of topic contents.  This turned out to be related to how our developers were deploying help files. They arranged to load help pages into our application, enabling a one button click return to the main app.  Unfortunately, it nuked all topic right side margins, made Help unusable.  Luckily they tested Help outside our app, as a standalone Safari window. Otherwise, I'd have never known.

Anyway, that "all one app" idea went away. Help is delivered by Safari now, end of reload problem.  Much relief here, and thanks so much for helping me.

Michael D.