Webhelp Deployment

[SANMOD]

Hi,

I am new to Robohelp-webhelp, I have deployed the webhelp on server and assinged map IDs to all topics. Now when I call any particular topic it displays topic without left side navigation panel. Instead it give "SHOW" button on left top side. I want to show navigation panel from all pages

How to do this?

[Peter Grainge]

See the topic on my site about calling webhelp.

[Linux Rules]

Hello SANMOD -

Common oversight...you are calling the desired TOPIC directly but you should be calling the START PAGE and appending the TOPIC in the call-to-help.

The START PAGE doesn't have any project "content" - it is the page that defines the layout of your project (the panes).

The called TOPIC is just that: the page the project displays for a called topic. This page is displayed IN the START PAGE as the topic content.

So, you need to launch the START PAGE file with the TOPIC (map ID) appended, not just the TOPIC file.

Regards,
GEWB

[SANMOD]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply...I have tried to call the help files by following your suggestion but still I am not getting desired output.

I am using following

http://server name/project folder/start page.htm?<id={8}>>java==true

Correct me if I am worng anywhere.

I have used Robohelp word to generate webhelp files. I have assigned Map IDs to all topics

Thanks in advance

Sandip

[Peter Grainge]

I think you need to be looking at John Daigle's article for which there is a link on my site.

[SANMOD]

I have gone through website but I could not found anything related to my query

[1-6]

What did you name your start page in your Primary Layout? That will be the file you need to open. Exclude the ?<id={8}>>java==true. Hope this helps.

1-6

[SANMOD]

Start page is default topic. I am using introduction page as default page. I need to use ?<id={8}>>java==true because from map ID I directly want to call respective topic page. here in this example 8 stands for Map ID.

Thanks

[Peter Grainge]

I'm sorry but I cannot help you with calling webhelp from an application using Map IDs. URLs yes but not Map IDs. Anyone?

[SANMOD]

I am not calling from Application, I have uploaded the help files on server, now if I have to open certain topic I need to use Map IDs. Server name with complete path and respective Map ID will become my URL. Still I am getting problem.

I am using http://server name/project folder/start page.htm?<id={8}>>java==true

but it does not show me navigation pane at left side

[Peter Grainge]

Map IDs are for use with the CSH API. If you are just calling via the browser, use a URL startpage.htm#path/target.htm.

I don't think you can use map ids in the way you want but will leave others to confirm that.

[SANMOD]

is there any other options available??

anybody else can help me out please

[RoboColum_n_]

Peter is right I'm afraid. CSH calls are not designed to be used in the manner you suggest.

[Guest]

Greetings!

I, too, am having trouble with the "show" link and a topic when a WebHelp system loads,instead of the skin with navigation pane and all.

I have a topic linked to the first book in the TOC. It is a cover page, with a logo, title and subtitle. I considered this my start page. I chose this from the "Default Topic" list on the first window of the Publishing Wizard.

In the past, this method has produced WebHelp systems that load correctly, with the skin, et. al. Recently, however, the topic loads with the "show" link in the upper left. When you click this link, the skin loads, with the same topic on display, and all functions are enabled.

Upon further research, I discovered that the "Start Page" and the "Default Topic" are not the same. Both are .HTM files, but the former is a frameset and the latter is topic content. But nowhere do I find a field to set the "Start Page". Any suggestions?

Roboconfused,

Charles Arnold
MetLife DI
Tampa, Florida

[SANMOD]

I am also in same impression that default topic is start page. How to set start page?

[Peter Grainge]

The start page is the first field in the first page of the wizard. It is labelled Select Output Folder and Start Page.

The default topic is further down in a field called, wait for it, Default Topic. :-)

[Guest]

I was experiencing a major lapse of sanity over the start page/default topic issue. The RoboHelp help text is not very clear on this subject. Finally, it came to me. DUH! I tested this inspiration, and this is my take....

Select Output folder and Start Page: The top field on the first dialog of the publishing wizard (Layout=>Properties). This should be an existing folder on your local drive. Robohelp puts the output here when you generate your system. Add the Start page name to the path. I suggest "index.htm" because it is easy to find, and you are unlikely to have a topic file with this name. When it generates your output. RoboHelp creates this file, and builds the frameset, according to your skin configuration.

Default Topic: Still on the same dialog box, but a few fields lower. This, of course, must exist in your help system. It is the topic that displays when users load your help system -- by opening the Start page in their web browser.

I tested this, and discovered that, if you specify an existing topic for your start page, RoboHelp adds a 1 to the existing, and builds the frameset in the file you specified.

This is really quite simple, but not very intuitive. If you open any .htm file besides the start page in your browser, Robohelp displays the topic with the "Show" link in the upper left. When you click this link, the skin loads, with the controls, navigation pane, and all.

Hope this simplifies your life. It has removed a big mean monkey frommy back.

Charles Arnold
MetLife DI
Tampa, Florida

[Peter Grainge]

Charles' description is entirely correct

START PAGE = The three frames, one of which displays the DEFAULT TOPIC. As the start page and default topic are often in the root folder, RoboHelp has to ensure that the name is different so it appends "1".

Charles: You say "If you open any .htm file besides the start page in your browser, Robohelp displays the topic with the "Show" link in the upper left." That depends on how you call it. Using the startpage.htm#target.htm method, it will open any file with the full TOC. Sanmod though is trying to open a target topic using map ids in the browser which cannot be done. Map IDs are for use from the application.

[MergeThis]

In addition:

The "Select Output folder and Start Page" field will be populated by RH with the project name under the default
"!SSL!/WebHelp" folder. For example, if you've created MyProject using the RH defaults, this would be what RH provides in that field:

C:\Program Files\RoboHelp Office\RoboHTML\MyProject\!SSL!\WebHelp\MyProject.htm

YOU CAN SPECIFY ANY LOCATION OR FILE NAME YOU WISH!
For example, if you created the project elsewhere and chose a different start page name:

C:\xyz\index.htm

The START PAGE is simply the RH-generated file that provides all the browser instructions for creating the frameset that displays the top menu, navigation pane, and content pane.

The DEFAULT TOPIC PAGE is your "opening" or "home" page.


Good luck,
Leon