Topics can't be displayed when CHM moved

[Hakan]

First, the patch(es) for HTML Help in 3.1 is installed, but the result is the same whether the new checkbox (under Target, Advanced) is checked or not.

I generate the target CHM file to a local output folder. When doubleclicking it it works fine.

The URL for that page is (right click on topics pane, Properties):

Code: Select all

mk:@MSITStore:C:\Data\Utveckling\Hjälptexter\HTML%20Help%20EP\Output\Edison%20HTML%20Help%20EP\Hjalp.chm::/Valkommen.htm

But, if I copy that CHM file to another folder (on R: wich is mapped to a folder at a server), and then doubleclick, no topics at all can be displayed. When then default page should display I get the standard IE error "Navigation to the webpage was canceled". Trying to navigate to another page from there always shows the standard IE error "This program cannot display the webpage".

The URL for the default page (1:st page to load) is:

Code: Select all

res://ieframe.dll/navcancl.htm#mk:@MSITStore:R:\Hjälptexter%20Ex\HTML%20Help%20EP\Hjalp.chm::/Valkommen.htm

Any ideas?

-- HÃ¥kan

[Pete Lees]

Hi, HÃ¥kan,

Because you're opening the .chm file from a remote location, it is subject to some security restrictions that Microsoft introduced a few years ago. You can read more about these in the following article, which also describes how to work around the restrictions by making changes in the Windows registry.

http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/ ... 896358.htm

The free HHReg utility available from the address below provides a nice user interface for making the registry changes, which is otherwise a slightly error-prone task.

http://www.ec-software.com/products_hhreg.html

Pete

[KevinDAmery]

To add to Pete's point, remember that those registry entries have to be made for every system that needs to access the CHM from a remote location. That would include end users if they are to access it over a network rather than locally.

Realistically, CHMs are now a local help system. If you need to deliver help remotely, you should seriously look at a format like WebHelp instead.

[JasonSTI]

The other problem we ran into while distributing is that Vista doesn't like those registry entries at all, so won't display topics even if you do override the registry. We were working with Microsoft via e-mail and were told that this would be "addressed", but not explicitly how or when.

[alidafranco]

I believe I am having the same problem. When I build an HTML project, I am able to generate a CHM file, but I can't display the topics as I clicked through the TOC. Oddly enough, my co-worker is working on the same project and is not having this problem.
Please advise. Thanks.

[doc_guy]

alidafranco,

Welcome to the MadCap forums. If you have two computers, and one can display the help project and the other can't, then I'm going to say it must be a configuration problem on the computer that can't. What is different about the two computers? OS?

Can the co-worker view the help produced from your version of Flare? Can you view the co-worker's help produced from their version of Flare? Answers to these questions might make it easier for us to help you solve your problem.

Best wishes,

[KevinDAmery]

Just to cover the absolute basics, are you reading the file from a local drive or over the network? Microsoft in their infinite wisdom decided a while back to block CHM files from being readable over the network - as has been mentioned elsewhere, it is possible to over-ride this with a registry setting if you really need to. So for example if you're building the CHM to a drive on your co-worker's system, the results you are describing make sense.

[Steve_SCL]

This is so frustrating. I've just generated my first HTML Help version of my help files and then spent the past two hours trying to figure out why it wouldn't show me the pages.

Your tip worked perfectly - just move the file to your C: drive. Brilliant! Now all I have to do is tell all our customers ...
No, actually I'll get the help embedded with the application and let the application developers worry about it.

What I want to say here, is thanks for tip. Is there any way that this information could be included in the Flare documentation or help files when describing how to build HTML Help? It would have saved me a lot of time if that warning had been more obvious.