HTML5 Output: Does window.history.forward(); work?

[straygoat]

Has anyone managed to get

window.history.back();

and

window.history.forward();

to work correctly on custom buttons in HTML5 output?

I've tried various experiments, but can't get these to work consistently. They work sometimes, but then will jump to the default page mid-sequence, even if it was able to go back to that page previously.

I've contacted MadCap and they think it is related to a bug in IE9 (and presumably 10), but are not certain.

It's looking more and more like I will have to remove the buttons completely, which is a shame as they would be very useful. We can't change browsers as some of our proprietary web stuff needs ActiveX controls (at the moment).

If anyone has got these working reliably in IE9, I'd love to know how.

Thanks

[straygoat]

I've just had a response from Madcap tech support. The window.history.forward(); and backward equivalent only work in HTML5 output if the help is hosted on a web server. This is a bug, so may get fixed in a later update.

[NorthEast]

Stange.

For me, the back and forward scripts work perfectly for local HTML5 help, when using either FireFox and Chrome.

The behaviour in IE9 is more erratic (if the default page is in the sequence), although I get exactly the same erratic results using the browser's toolbar buttons.

[straygoat]

You're a lucky man, Dave. I've tried to get them to work using IE and Chrome but they are really inconsistent in both. I can't get the Forward one to work at all. MadCap took a look at my files and came back with news that they had discovered a bug...I presume that means there's nothing else in my files that is causing a problem.

The project I am working on has to use IE for contractual reasons, so it is a bit of a problem really. Ideally, MadCap should try and include this functionality as 'built-in' if you ask me - I mean, it isn't an unusual thing to want, is it?

[straygoat]

Well, what do you know - I just uninstalled Chrome and re-installed it. Now the back and next buttons appear to work a lot better...still seems a bit flaky, but not too bad at all. In FireFox, it appears to be working too (I hadn't tested that before).

In IE, it remains horrible. MadCap only looked at IE for me, so I guess the Flare bug is IE-specific (though I would never rule out a bug in IE itself).

[sarrants]

So has this been fixed yet?