Web Help Glossary not displayed in IE7 but displayed in Firefox

Report · May 17, 2007

If a compiled Web Help project resides on the server hosting the Web Help project integrated in the GUI, the Glossary under the Glossary tab is not displayed (is completely empty) in IE7 but displays normally in Firefox. When the same compiled Web Help resides anywhere else (not called from the GUI using the # method), the Glossary displays normally both in IE7 and in Firefox.

Note that only if "Pure HTML" is utilized during the compilation as the "Navigation Pane Preferred Format" option, the glossary displays properly also in IE7, but I don't like the ascetic look of pure HTML.

RH 5x, IE7, FF 2.0.0.3 used.

Report · May 17, 2007

Are you using a skin?

HK

Report · May 21, 2007

Yes, I'm using a skin.

p.

Report · May 21, 2007

My IT folks are still testing whether IE 7 will support our various applications, which is another way of saying, we don't know yet whether they'll work in IE7. I'm waiting for clearance to install it.

Based on previous cases when IE improvements caused temporary setbacks for WebHelp, I'd suggest looking at all of the new browser's privacy, security and advanced settings in fine detail. I'd look for allow / block options for ActiveX controls in Web pages, scripts and plugins, popup control, Java Applets, and, especially, options not available in IE6 and introduced in IE7.

Good luck, and please let us know what you find.

Harvey

Report · May 22, 2007

Harvey, thank you for your help. I have not changed any internet options and tried the following browsers:
IE7 – glossary not displayed
IE6 – glossary not displayed
FF 2.0.0.3 – glossary displayed OK
Netscape 8.1.2 – glossary displayed OK

Then, in IE7, I changed the security, privacy and advanced options respectively in such a manner that I set, for example, all the security options to “enable” or “prompt” and the result was that the glossary was still not displayed.

Report · May 22, 2007

Not much more I can contribute here.

I do know that RH applies navigation pane code to IE that is separate from the Netscape and Firefox navigation pane code. But since I haven't had this problem with the glossary, am not sure how to troubleshoot.

What have you verfified in the WebHelp output files?

Harvey

Report · May 23, 2007

I compiled the same project without a skin (the “traditional style – no skin” selection for the “Select skin” option) and the result was the same, the Glossary is not displayed in IE when the help system is called from the GUI code on the web server.

I have also found out that the HTML code generated to display the glossary differs in the two cases (IE-called from the GUI on the one hand and IE-not called from the GUI on the other). I used “IE developer toolbar” to get this code:

IE - web help called form the GUI on the server:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML Transitional//EN"><META http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">

<HTML>
<HEAD><STYLE>
/* No matching styles were found. */

</STYLE></HEAD>

<BODY bgProperties="fixed" bgColor="#ffffff" leftMargin="2" topMargin="2" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">
<DIV id="LoadingDiv" style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: black 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; Z-INDEX: 600; LEFT: 0px; VISIBILITY: hidden; BORDER-LEFT: black 1px solid; WIDTH: 150px; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1px solid; POSITION: absolute; TOP: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: ivory">
Loading data, please wait...
</DIV>
<H6 id="fk0" style="MARGIN-TOP: 1290px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px" name="fk0">

</H6>
</BODY>

</HTML>

IE – not called from the GUI on the server:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML Transitional//EN"><META http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1250">

<HTML>
<HEAD><STYLE>
/* No matching styles were found. */

</STYLE></HEAD>

<BODY bgProperties="fixed" bgColor="#ffffff" leftMargin="2" topMargin="2" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">
<DIV id="LoadingDiv" style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: black 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; Z-INDEX: 600; LEFT: 0px; VISIBILITY: hidden; BORDER-LEFT: black 1px solid; WIDTH: 150px; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1px solid; POSITION: absolute; TOP: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: ivory">
Loading data, please wait...
</DIV>
<P>
<NOBR id="Glo_0" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cccccc"><A onfocus="HighLight(0);" onclick="showDef(0);return false;" href="javascript:void(0);" alt="entry1"> entry1</A></NOBR>
</P>
<P>
<NOBR id="Glo_1"><A onfocus="HighLight(1);" onclick="showDef(1);return false;" href="javascript:void(0);" alt="entry2"> entry2</A></NOBR>
</P>
<P>
<NOBR id="Glo_2"><A onfocus="HighLight(2);" onclick="showDef(2);return false;" href="javascript:void(0);" alt="entry3"> entry3</A></NOBR>
</P>
<P>
<NOBR id="Glo_3"><A onfocus="HighLight(3);" onclick="showDef(3);return false;" href="javascript:void(0);" alt=" entry4">entry1</A></NOBR>
</P>

/* Etc.*/

<H6 id="fk0" style="MARGIN-TOP: 1020px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px" name="fk0">

</H6>
</BODY>

</HTML>

It is obvious that the code to display the glossary contents is not generated in when webhelp is called from the GUI on server.

Report · May 23, 2007

The default Glossary offered by every HAT I've ever used (HDK, Doc-to-Help, RoboHelp) since 1991 have usually been found lacking, in one way or another. That led me to the easy way out, which I continue to use today: create a topic called glossary.htm, and link to it from a custom button in the toolbar as well as a redirect page from the TOC.

As with browse sequences, drop-down text, expanding text, etc., the pain is just not worth it when you consider the angst caused by file corruption, WYSIWYG printing, and Printed Documentation issues. It's amazing how delicious it feels when you stop beating your head up against a brick wall! :-)

Good luck,
Leon

Adobe Community

Web Help Glossary not displayed in IE7 but displayed in Firefox