RE: IE7: No Context-Sensitive Help

["Keith Hansen" <KRH -at- weiland-wfg -dot- com>]

Lisa,

You wrote:
<<does anyone have any major (read show stopper) cons against having a
web application call a WebWorks 5.0 help page directly by vanilla URL?>>

Here's some background on my situation, for what it's worth...

In our applications, the context-sensitive help is normally called using
Map IDs. (Click in this text box, press F1, and the topic assigned to
Map ID #123 opens.)

However, in the application I've experienced problems with, the
configuration is different. The actual help topic file name is coded
into the application. It apparently is called using the following
format: startpage#target

This method of calling WebHelp is discussed at:
http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/calling_webhelp/using_urls.htm

When I press F1 on my PC, the correct context-sensitive topic opens.
This path is displayed in my IE6 browser:
file:///T:/Application/HelpFiles/Welcome.htm#Topic.htm
Note the "startpage#target" at the end.

However, when my coworker presses F1 on his PC, the context-sensitive
topic does NOT open. Instead, the startpage opens in his IE7 browser.
This is the path displayed in his browser:
T:\Application\HelpFiles\Welcome.htm

This seems to fit in with:
<<IE7 removes the "query string" from URLs calling documents on the
local file system. So, when you pass a reference like
'index.html?context=Group1&topic=MyTopic', the browser only sees
'index.html.' This does not affect server-based helpsets.>>
See:  http://wiki.webworks.com/HelpCenter/Tips/IE7_Issues

I'm not sure what would happen if you just did a direct call to the
context-sensitive topic, such as:
T:/Application/HelpFiles/Topic.htm

Mr. Grainge discusses direct calls at 
http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/calling_webhelp/using_urls.htm

So there's the limit of my knowledge here. (BTW, I use RoboHelp, not
WebWorks. Not sure if that makes a difference here.)  I'm not 100% sure
that IE7 is causing our problem, but it's the best answer I can come up
with!

Keith

-----Original Message-----
From: Hickling, Lisa (TOR) [mailto:lhickling -at- Express-Scripts -dot- com] 
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 11:07 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Cc: Keith Hansen
Subject: RE: IE7: No Context-Sensitive Help

Thanks for sharing this info, Keith. I don't exactly hear Quadralay
shouting this caveat from the mountains.

As a workaround or maybe a general CSH approach, does anyone have any
major (read show stopper) cons against having a web application call a
WebWorks 5.0 help page directly by vanilla URL? 

For example on an app page,
<a id="uniqueLinkInCaseHref2TagMappingIsDesirable" href="
www.verytekkiesaas.com/appbin/help/en/productOverview.html"
target="_blank">Help</a> 
 
Wadda y'all think?

Lisa H.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.