MadCap Software Forums

Is there a way to create a "jump" from a link in a topic directly to the SEARCH tab on the main page of an online help system?

see attached mock up... we want to make it so that we can have a search button on every help page 9via page level help) that will take the user directly to the search help function.

Thanks for any suggestions.

kb

Our search pane was actually brought forward as part of a CSH call from our application, but you can do the same thing from a link in a topic, with a slight modification.

First, copy your skin file and rename it to "Search" or whatever you want. Modify that skin file so that the default pane is the Search pane, not the TOC pane.

Second, in the topic with the link, create a normal link, but append the skin name to the URL, and set the link to open in the parent window, so that the new skin replaces the entire current help window. So it would look similar to the following:
The |Search part of the URL tells it to open the help using the Search skin. And since the default pane specified in the Search skin is the search pane, that's what will appear.

The Flare Help has some examples of how to pass search parameters as part of an URL, if you want to jump start the search from the link in the topic.

Hi Lisa (and anyone else reading this),

First, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your response... I get the gist of what you are suggesting... and I got as far as copying my skin... but as far as the changes to the url... i'm thinking that might be a dev task? passing parameters is something THEY would do.. correct? If not, I need more specifics on where to make this change...

Can you please advise?

Thanks,

kb

If the button is part of the application, then yes the developers would do it. However, in this case it appears the button is part of your help system - in that case, you would pass the parameters, since all you are doing is telling the help system how you want the link to behave.

yes.. the button is part of the system.. and I've found a section in Help about Inserting Shortcut Controls into Topics.. I assume this is where the parameter needs to be set... but not sure of the full URL i need to use.. If i copy and paste the link that shows up on that search button that has a hyperlink it shows only as "../Getting_Started/Search.htm" and i'm not sure what the "..." should be as it's not showing the complete link? also.. is this the URL that needs the appendage as Lisa described?

i'm at a total loss when it comes to this kind of stuff.. sorry.

Thanks,

kb

In the Flare Help, go to Features > Output (Distributing) > Connecting WebHelp to Applications > Connecting WebHelp - Developers. Go to the second subsection titled "How to use a URL to open WebHelp". There are numerous examples in there of how to format a link, including how to open the help in the new skin with a search string included.

ok... I went and followed your link within the Flare online help... and i've tried constructing some sort of link... your example from earlier looks like a cross between what they show for Code and what they show for using a URL... which do I use... am i entering Code or a URL...

also, i am having difficulty translating your "code" and theirs into my own defaults and links... and i need it to work from the button click... but when i entered the link/code information into the short cut control, it deleted my graphic.. and nothing appears there...

I'm sure i've screwed this up... and i'm trying but i'm still lost.

What is the name of the help output file (e.g., MyWebHelp), what is the name of your search skin, and what are the search parameters you're trying to pass? Also, paste the code for your button (img src="???"). We can construct the URL (text link) and Javascript (button link) from that info.

Hi again, Lisa..

I just want to say again.. THANK YOU for your help.. and for your PATIENCE.. i know it's not easy to deal with someone like me...

anyway.. here's the info I can provide..

Output file name: ApplicationHelp.htm

Topic on which the search button appears (to be linked FROM): Client Search.htm
(however, the Search button will be on about every single page of this system.. but once I have this code stuff figured out I can easily apply it to the pages as needed.. right?)Skin name: SEARCH

Button: “code for the button”? not sure what or where this is… I just attached a hyperlink to the button. The button graphic name is “search button.jpg” and I have the path on my directory- which is what shows as the URL…

And again.. as being as “code challenged” as I am.. the parameters? Not sure what that requires.. but I want the user to be able to click on the search button (on each page) and have the “search pane” (with the main page of the online help system appear.. just as it shows above in the image I attached previously.

I’m sorry I’m not more "code savvy" than this… I would love a job in the low tech world… I’d be a great receptionist.. but unfortunately, fate has dropped me here!

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

First, I misspoke, er, mistyped before. You don't need to create a Search skin for this situation, because you're calling the search parameters from within your own help.

So, select the "I want to search for more information" text in your topic, go to Insert > Hyperlink, set the link type to Website, then enter the following as the destination:
Where http://www.yourwebsite.com is the website that's hosting the help output, YourHelp is a subfolder containing your help output, ApplicationHelp_CSH.htm is the CSH version of the help output, ? is the character that indicates a parameter is about to be passed, and Criteria Screen is the search phrase to be passed. Make sure to set the Target Frame field to "Parent Frame".

Then, right-click on your button image and select Hyperlink Picture from the popup menu. The Insert Hyperlink screen appears again. Set the same URL and target frame.

Save the project and build the output. See if it works.

You'd do the same thing on all the other pages, except change the search criteria portion of the URL.

If you want the help button to do a specific search that is different from topic to topic, then this is the best solution (that Lisa describes).

If, however, you just want a link to the search page (but not perform a search), you can add the link that she gave earlier, but do it in the WebHelp master page. That way, it is applied to the end of all your topics, but you don't have to add it manually.

the object is to allow the user to click on the SEARCH button.. and take him/her to the Search "pane" in the system... to allow them to do a global search... without having to go to the TOC pane, then click on the SEARCH pane... I'm not sure if Lisa's solution is the same as what i'm seeking to do, I'm still working on it.. and seeking help... since we aren't ready to launch this on the web.. i just need a local demo version.

Thanks tho.

ktbCA57 wrote:yes.. the button is part of the system.. and I've found a section in Help about Inserting Shortcut Controls into Topics.. I assume this is where the parameter needs to be set...

A shortcut control isn't the right thing to use (Insert > Help Control > Shortcut control), if that's what you're still doing.

I think the right solution is the first one LTinker suggested, i.e. have a link that opens a second skin, which has the search tab set as the default.

I don't think LTinker's second solution is what you were asking about. You would use that if you want to display the search results for a particular search term, not to display a blank search pane ready to start a search.

Anyway, to do the first solution you need to:

1) Make a copy of your skin file, and set the Search pane as the default...
a) Make a copy of the skin file, for example call it 'Search'.
b) On the skin's Basic tab, highlight the Search box (make sure it's still ticked) and click Make Default.

2) Insert a link to the new skin in your topic...
a) If you're using an image as the button, insert the image in the topic.
b) Right-click the image and select Hyperlink picture.
c) In the Link to list on the left, select Website.
d) In the Website box on the right, enter the link (URL); e.g. What this means...
- The '../' bit in the link means go up one folder level to the parent folder. Say your topic is Client Search.htm and is in the Content folder; in the WebHelp output, the ApplicationHelp_CSH.htm file is in the parent folder to Content folder where your topic is.
(If you're putting this on a website, then you could also use the format LTinker suggested, with the full 'http://...' path to the page.)
- The 'ApplicationHelp_CSH.htm' is the name of your WebHelp file set in the target.
- The '#CSHID=undefined' bit means you don't want to open a topic (as it will expect one).
- The '|Search' bit means display the 'Search' skin, this needs to match the name of your new skin file.

e) In the Target Frame box, select Parent.

THANKS DAVID LEE... AND LISA!

I think between the two of you, you may have gotten this concept thru my rusted and sieve-like brain.

I haven't tried your solution yet.. but it's making sense... sort of... i'll know more when i get into it.. and my son, who seems to have a natural talent for understanding this stuff may be able to walk me thru it as well.. even tho he's never used an authoring tool..

THANKS!

Yep, just a note on the link, I'm assuming the topic is in the Content folder. If it's not (e.g. it's in a folder inside Content) then you'll need to modify that link to take into account your folder structure.

Also, when you build the WebHelp, Flare will display an error saying that the link points outside the project. The link will work though.

GOOD TO KNOW! thanks... AGAIN!

Just thought I'd pass on the result of all this... couldn't get the jump to work the way i needed it to... so I contacted Tech Support... and Alvaro (great guy) helped us figure it out.. and it turns out that any time youw ant to do something like this, it requires a "call" in the script.. so the Developer(s) have to set it up...

Thanks to you all for your help!

Just to pop in: I followed the original instructions, creating multiple skins and then crafting links that called them.

Worked great!

I've now got "Search" and "Index" buttons in topics where I need them, and can use the same URLs to jump from our software directly to a search or a index listing.

Thanks so much for the folks who worked all this out and posted help.