RH8 HTML: WebHelp on Mac OSX cuts off search pane

[Guest]

Hi,

I generate Webhelp using a skin.

It looks fine on the PC in IE7 and Firefox 3.5.8.

On Mac OS 10.4 using Safari or Firefox (latest versions), the text that is at the top of the search pane is cut off by the search results pane.

Here is how the search pane looks in browsers on the PC (correct):

And here is how it looks in FF and Safari on the Mac (incorrect - "Search results per page" and checkbox are covered by lower results pane):

Is there some way to prevent this from happening on the Mac? I need to produce a single webhelp file that can be viewed using both platforms.

Thanks for info,

Jeanne

[Peter Grainge]

I've just checked with Safari on a PC and it displays correctly. Sorry I don't have a Mac to test on.

Maybe see if it is the same on other Macs?

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Guest]

Peter - thanks for checking. Good to know it is ok on Safari on pc.

This issue was reported by our QA department who tested it on their macs (Leopard and Snow Leopard), and I am able to reproduce it on mine (Leopard). So this seems to be a problem on all macs.

Jeanne

[Peter Grainge]

I just got our graphics designer to open a help project on her Mac and it has the problem you describe. Report it as a bug.

The more people who report a bug or request a feature, the more likely it is to be actioned. Please follow this link.

http://www.Adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform&product=38

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Guest]

Thanks Peter. I did that.

I'm thinking that this is caused by the js code that generates the search pane (and the index pane - that input area is effected as well, but just slightly). Apparently, once the OS is detected as Mac, something different happens.

If anyone has insight, it would be much appreciated as I have a project going live in 2 weeks that shows this problem. If there is no fix, I will have to leave the Search pane out of help, which makes it less help-ful.

Jeanne

[Peter Grainge]

I just wanted to confirm it is not just your system.

Unless someone has found a solution, you won't see a fix in the timeframe you are talking about.

Take a look at ZoomSearch on my site. Not sure if it works on a Mac but you can test that.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Praful_Jain · Accepted solution]

Hi Jeanne,

Please update the following file on RoboHTML 8 machine

1.  Go to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp 8\RoboHTML\WebHelp5Ext\template_skin

2.  Make a backup of whfdhtml.htm File

3.  Open whfdhtml.htm file in notepad, and modify the following line

strWrite="<FRAMESET ROWS='85,100%' framespacing=0  frameborder=0>";

to

      strWrite="<FRAMESET ROWS='115,100%' framespacing=0  frameborder=0>";

4.  Save this file.

5.  Open the project and regenerate the webhelp output.

6.  Verify again on MAC safari/Firefox browser.

Hope this helps. Do let me know if you find some issue with the steps specified above.

-Praful

[Guest]

Praful,

Your solution worked perfectly! Thanks you so much for your very quick reply.

Another fix is also required (to fix a similar problem on the Index pane)

In the same folder, edit the file whidhtml.htm and change:

if (gbMac)
  strWrite="<FRAMESET ROWS='60,100%' framespacing=0  frameborder=0>";

I just have to add that I am absolutely amazed at the quick reply I received after filing this as a bug report.

Sincerely,

Jeanne

[Guest]

Hi, I know this discussion was from a couple years ago, but I am now having this issue in Robohelp 9. I tried editing the file as your instructions suggest, but when I went to save it, it said access denied. Can you provide me with guidance on this? Should I be able to edit this file in RH9?

[Peter Grainge]

That sounds like a permissions issue. Speak to your IT people to see if you have the required permissions for the file location.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Guest]

Thanks. I got access to the files and fixed the problems, but now I am having another problem. I've been told that the search pane is showing at different widths in different help projects when viewed in Safari on an IPad. In the Search tab in a project that shows the navigation pane at a smaller width, apparently if you enter a number in Search results per page (like 99) it shows up as 9. Any advice or ideas?

[Peter Grainge]

It's definitely not supported on an iPad which has a different OS. It will need either a script guru or possibly RoboHelp 10 which has been announced today. I cannot guarantee that will fix the problem but HTML5 output for all devices is a key feature.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge