Create a topic link that includes nav frames in webhelp?

[techwriterkai]

Hi, I'm looking for a way to create a link to any topic in a web help, mail this link to someone and when they click on it, Flare's web help (not HTML5) opens, shows the topic AND the accordion navigation items and the icon bar, too.

Essentially, I'm looking for the web help equivalent of this type of link in HTML5:
webhelp.madcapsoftware.com/flare9/Default.htm#Nav_Links/About_Navigation_Links.htm

When I replicate the syntax as .../index.htm#folder/topic.htm, I still get index.htm, but not the specific topic I want.

When I mail around a link to folder/topic.htm (without index.htm and #), I get the specific topic I want, but without accordion navigation items and without icon bar.

Any ideas?

Many thanks in advance, Kai.

[LTinker68]

Try Default_CSH.htm in the URL instead. Make sure when you uploaded the content to the server that you included the files Default_CSH.htm and Default_Left.htm. Those files are used for CSH calls in WebHelp output. If you renamed the output to index.htm, then the files would be index_CSH.htm and index_Left.htm.

For additional info, see http://webhelp.madcapsoftware.com/flare ... lopers.htm.

[NorthEast]

Essentially, I'm looking for the web help equivalent of this type of link in HTML5:
webhelp.madcapsoftware.com/flare9/Default.htm#Nav_Links/About_Navigation_Links.htm

An equivalent link for WebHelp would be:

http://webhelp.madcapsoftware.com/flare7/Default_CSH.htm#Nav_Links/About_Navigation_Links.htm

The link provided by Lisa explains how to use URLs for CSH calls.

[techwriterkai]

Thank you very much for prompt help, Lisa & Dave!

It obviously works with MadCap's Flare 7 online help.

But it doesn't seem to work when you're running web help off an internal file server, with a path such as \\intserver\onlinehelp\dev\Default_CSH.htm#Windows/window-1.htm (it doesn't work with the last slash replaced by a backslash either). So I'm guessing the # parameter only works via HTTP protocol.

Thanks again, Kai.

[NorthEast]

But it doesn't seem to work when you're running web help off an internal file server, with a path such as \\intserver\onlinehelp\dev\Default_CSH.htm#Windows/window-1.htm (it doesn't work with the last slash replaced by a backslash either). So I'm guessing the # parameter only works via HTTP protocol.

It will work fine on local file systems and servers.

Your example path isn't the correct format for a file URL, it would need to be in the format:

Code: Select all

file://intserver/onlinehelp/dev/Default_CSH.htm#Windows/window-1.htm

Note you need to use file:// and forward slashes (/).

[techwriterkai]

Thanks, Dave, excellent. Yes, I get the correct result with file:// and forward slashes.

We have some topics that are not in Content/ or child folders, but rather in a sibling to the Content/ folder. These we can reach by adding: ../

For example, we have a topic: ...dev/Tasks/Setup/GettingStarted.htm

The link with navigation is then: ...dev/Default_CSH.htm#../Tasks/Setup/GettingStarted.htm

Thanks again for your help! Cheers, Kai.

[Cardinal Richelieu]

Apologies for reviving an old thread, but I'm tearing my hair out about this. After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I've managed to display the sub-topic alongside the default menu on the left (the reason I couldn't get it working was I was specifying the path to the Content folder when it actually does this automatically).

The problem with this is that the default menu, while visible, doesn't expand to show the location of the topic you are currently in, i.e. it remains stubbornly collapsed at the primary topic. Contrast this to:

http://webhelp.madcapsoftware.com/flare ... _Links.htm

Here the menu expands to show you exactly where the topic is located.

How do I do this with my own project? Is it something as simple as changing the URL, or do I need to change something in the project itself?

Thanks

[techwriterkai]

Have you tried the option that syncs the TOC with the open topic? Should be easy to try out and maybe that's just it...?

See http://webhelp.madcapsoftware.com/flare ... Topics.htm

Cheers, Kai.

[Cardinal Richelieu]

That's perfect Kai. Solved all my problems (well, Flare related ones anyway). Apologies for being a doofus

[techwriterkai]

You're welcome, Cardinal! No worries - it IS kind of a hidden option...

Glad I could help! Cheers, Kai.