11 Replies Latest reply: Oct 16, 2014 9:13 AM by ktbFL

Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

ktbFL Oct 15, 2014 12:41 PM

Using RH10:

Before I got here, all help was done as CHM... and most of our users go offline during the day when using the software because of the locations they are in (no internet connections available). Our application is not a web based app because of this. We would like to start using a webhelp output however so that we have better working files, etc. The developer states that the webhelp "package" of files can be downloaded onto a laptop with the software. However, he is concerned that when this occurs, because there is no network to automatically map the topics to the correct screens, that once offline, the map IDs will no longer work to bring up the right page of help as a CSH.

Can anyone speak to this? Is this a problem? If so, any idea how to get around this?

Thanks!

1. Re: Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

Jeff_Coatsworth Oct 15, 2014 12:48 PM (in response to ktbFL)

CSH works fine with WebHelp installed locally – our software is installed on the client’s LAN server and is run with a client on the workstations. My help installer creates a folder on the LAN server and unpacks itself into it. The software calls the WebHelp by using the RH-provided CSH method (I think we use the VB or .NET method, I forget) to use Map IDs to launch the appropriate page.
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2. Re: Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

ktbFL Oct 15, 2014 4:41 PM (in response to Jeff_Coatsworth)

Thanks, Jeff... This is what I suspected was the case but needed to
confirm... You totally rock! Thanks for your timely and most helpful
response!
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3. Re: Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

Peter Grainge Oct 16, 2014 12:23 AM (in response to ktbFL)

If you are running webhelp locally and your users are with IE, you will need to turn on Mark of the Web in the SSL, otherwise users will encounter a block that they have the option to ignore. If your help links to PDFs, then you will find the links don't work in IE with MOTW applied.

Not a barrier but something you need to check out.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge
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4. Re: Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

ktbFL Oct 16, 2014 4:19 AM (in response to Peter Grainge)

Thanks so much Peter! I knew about MOTW for web based, but wasn't sure if
i needed it for local stuff... THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!

On Thu, Oct 16, 2014 at 3:24 AM, Peter Grainge <forums_noreply@adobe.com>
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5. Re: Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

Jeff_Coatsworth Oct 16, 2014 5:35 AM (in response to ktbFL)

And make sure that you’re all patched up too for the fixes for Chrome’s security paranoia of local html files.
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6. Re: Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

ktbFL Oct 16, 2014 5:44 AM (in response to Jeff_Coatsworth)

THANKS! I will pass that info along to the Devs!

On Thu, Oct 16, 2014 at 8:36 AM, Jeff_Coatsworth <forums_noreply@adobe.com>
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7. Re: Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

ktbFL Oct 16, 2014 8:13 AM (in response to Jeff_Coatsworth)

Hi again... so I forwarded the information to the developer from both Jeff
and Peter and he asked me to make the following confirmation... I'm a bit
concerned about the answer as far as the PDFs because it seems to me that I
had issues embedding a PDF or Word doc into a webhelp project before.
Anyway, here's his question:

*I would like to confirm explicitly that: “when installed locally, you
don’t have to run a web server and all the internal links work just fine,
including access to PDFs”.*

Thanks for any additional info you can provide for me for him! [?]
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8. Re: Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

Jeff_Coatsworth Oct 16, 2014 8:38 AM (in response to ktbFL)

It all comes down to browser security – recent (last few years) attacks have been made through local (either on your C: drive or on a LAN server) html files, so starting with Chrome, they all started clamping down on displaying local content. In my project, I don’t turn on MOTW explicitly, but I do select the “Local PC or Intranet” option for optimizing speed. I don’t have any references to PDFs so I can’t comment on that aspect, but I do know it’s necessary to let IE10 and 11 know that the LAN server is a “Trusted Location” and to enable all ActiveX/JavaScript to run. All of the functionality in WebHelp is JS dependent.
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9. Re: Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

ktbFL Oct 16, 2014 8:53 AM (in response to Jeff_Coatsworth)

THANKS JEFF!

Can anyone else speak to the issue of embedding PDFs in a project in
Webhelp meant to be used locally? I generally prefer to link to documents
that are available via the login screen or wiki available to the user.

On Thu, Oct 16, 2014 at 11:38 AM, Jeff_Coatsworth <forums_noreply@adobe.com>
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10. Re: Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

Jeff_Coatsworth Oct 16, 2014 8:59 AM (in response to ktbFL)

Where are the PDFs located? On a web location or locally on the LAN server included as baggage files?
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11. Re: Will Webhelp CSH still map correctly when help is used offline

ktbFL Oct 16, 2014 9:13 AM (in response to Jeff_Coatsworth)

I believe they would be included with the "baggage"... but not totally sure.

On Thu, Oct 16, 2014 at 11:59 AM, Jeff_Coatsworth <forums_noreply@adobe.com>
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