Re: FW: HTML Help: Use of secondary windows & usability

[Jeroen Hendrix <jhe -at- POLYDOC -dot- COM>]

Well yes, you can define a second window, tripane or not ,  in which a
topic can appear. But you cannot implement this in the way you could with
Classic Winhelp. As far as I know it isn't possible to keep it "always on
top" or (more important) create a link in the running text that opens a
topic within a secondary window (which is possible in Winhelp). You can
only open a secondary window by selecting the topic or book from the TOC.
This is not as suitable as the "default" Winhelp secondary window, where
you can keep instructions on top next to the application.

Whether or not users prefer to see the TOC in the secondary window, I don't
know, I have never seen a survey, so your guess is as good as mine.  But,
why would you want certain topics to appear in a secondary window that has
the same functionality as the main window? This way the users can end up
with several help windows open at the time. With two identical TOCs to
navigate with.  What would the advantage of that secondary window be in
this scenario?


Jeroen Hendrix
PolyDoc
the Netherlands

Mail to: jhe -at- polydoc -dot- com
Web:     www.polydoc.com







"Sue Heim" <Sue_Heim -at- email -dot- msn -dot- com> on 26-07-99 03:47:35 PM

To:   Jeroen Hendrix, "Susana Rosende" <SRosende -at- THEFUND -dot- COM>
cc:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
Subject:  Re: FW: HTML Help: Use of secondary windows & usability




This is not quite true... you *can* use secondary windows in HTML Help. And
you *can* create them in RoboHelp HTML Edition. My question related to
usability -- do users prefer to just see the help topic in the secondary
window with no navigational tools, or do they prefer the full tri-pane
window with the TOC autosync'd to the current topic. Which no one has
answered...

...sue


Jeroen Hendrix wrote on Monday, July 26, 1999 4:00 AM:

>Susana Rosenda wrote:
>
>> Sue, my understanding is that RoboHTML doesn't use secondary windows,
>> nons-crolling regions, or pop-ups.
>
>Well, don't blame RoboHelp (or better Blue-Sky), because it's Microsoft's
>HTML-help that doesn't support secondary windows. So no matter if you use
>RoboHelp, Doc-to-Help, ForeHelp or any other HAT, you can't create
>secondary windows. Perhaps in the future you can, but that's up to
>Microsoft.
>But, it is perfectly possible to create pop-up windows within HTML-help,
>and you can create these with RoboHelp with just a click on a button. No
>limitations there.

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