Open a "help" WebHelp file from a Webhelp "library"?

[DiMost]

Trying to figure out how to set a "frame=_blank" for Webhelp "help" file accessed from another WebHelp file....

I've been asked to move the "overview and help" part of my Merged WebHelp (which is actually a "document library" not help for an application) so that "overview and help" can be accessed from a >help button< on the original (library) WebHelp's skin toolbar.

Fine, I thought, I'll use a .chm! I thought. I did just that. Created a new help button, changed the overview and help portion to a chm file, and linked it up by adding the button to the top navigation in the main WebHelp (library) file.

It works fine, but -- here's the kicker -- only on my PC ! I've discovered that our friend Microsoft has ruined things for using a chm across a network.

Back to square one, recreated the WebHelp "overview and help" file. Now what? This one has got me flummoxed. There must be a way to call the second (help) WebHelp file from the first (library) WebHelp using the help button on the navigation, and have it open in * a new window*! Right now, clicking the Help button duplicates the toolbar inside the Topic pane, and that's it. I tried setting the _blank in the .skn file, and broke it good. (Lucky me, I have backups.)

Anybody have any ideas? I can manage adding a javascript if someone has one I can use.

Thanks in advance!
--Diana

[Peter Grainge]

Can I clarify that what you want is a button on the toolbar of a merged webhelp setup that calls another webhelp output?

Furthermore, the target webhelp output is in fact part of the merge?

Is that the case? If so I think I can see how to do and will look into in the morning. I'm intrigued by the logic of doing it this way though.

[DiMost]

Eureka!

I found the solution--on the RoboWizard' site (Rick Stone). In the "Skinny on Skins" file, he has a topic "Add Toolbar button to invoke File" that I adapted, with some modifications, for my dilemma.

And yes, the "help" WebHelp is part of the merged files. The merged "help" WebHelp has its own folder in the folder structure, just like any other part of the merged file, and is written to the Generated folder and Published folder structure exactly the same way as other merge files do. It's just linked to the Skin instead of the TOC.

I had already created a help button in the skin to link to, so that was no problem.

What I couldn't get the "help" WebHelp to do was link it to the button, and make it open in a new window! There seemed to be nowhere to add a "frame=_blank" instruction.

So, with some modifications, Rick's solution worked nicely. It took me a while due to my rustyness with Javascripting, but I did get it to work.

Rick's original javascript was:

javascript:window.open(' http://www.desiredsite.com','msg','height=200,width=200,left=80,top=80');


Mine looks like this right now. (It will need adjusting for the relative links I will need when I put it on the server--still working this part out). From the skin file --> Custom Toolbar Item --> Help, on the Action tab, the Javascript "OnClick" is enabled with the following:

javascript:window.open ('file://C:/RoboProjects/mergedGenerated/Main_MSM_Policy_and_Procedure_Library/mergedProjects/Help-Overview/Help_Overview.htm','msg','height=600,width=600,left=50,top=80');

Note: The above links to the merged, generated project, on my PC in the folders Robohelp creates to store each portion of the project after merging.

I still have to figure out how to make a relative link work for the LAN location, and the server. The server location will be easier, because it will be a straightforword HTTP call, instead of the file:///blah blah thing 🙂 I have to be able to demo without going to the server location--that's why the disk-based file.

If you have suggestions for the relative link, that would be great. I've tried various combinations for the "file://:" call, but it hasn't worked properly. It's been about 5 years since I've done anything like this, and I just don't remember how I did it before....

Thanks.

[Peter Grainge · Accepted solution]

That's what I was going to point you at when you confirmed that you were trying to do what I thought.

I was also going to add the next bit. You should just need the relative path from the parent project to the start page of the child. Something like

mergedProjects/child_one/startpage.htm

Post back if that doesn't work.

[DiMost]

When you stated the relative link as:

"mergedProjects/child_one/startpage"

I figured out there should be a dot (.) in front, with a slash, like this:
javascript:window.open ('./mergedProjects/Help-Overview/Help_Overview.htm','msg','height=600,width=650,left=50,top=80');

I tried two dots .. first, but that took the link too far up in the directory--one step up is one dot 🙂 which is what I needed.

Thanks so much Peter!
Now if I can get relative links from one merge file (child) to another to work, I will be all set.

Yahoo!
Diana

[Peter Grainge]

Child / child links are covered in my topic on merged webhelp. They're easy.