When no javascript

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Peter Carr
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Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2016 1:03 am

When no javascript

Unread post by Peter Carr »

I am using the latest version of H&M and one of the latest V3 skins to create Webhelp.

If I disable Javascript in my browser, the Webhelp becomes an unusable mess. I would like to have a fallback for users of my app who may have Javascript turned off. Please could you suggest the easiest way to do that? The fallback might be just to display a message that Javascript is required.
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Tim Green
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Re: When no javascript

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Peter,

In the past we used to have skins that worked even without JavaScript. In fact, it used to be one of our absolute requirements, but we have now dropped that. In the meantime, the development of HTML and websites have progressed so far that this is no longer possible or even worth trying. So few users now have JS turned off that we haven't had a single complaint about the missing "you need JS" message since the introduction of these skins. Not one. However, you're right that it should be there anyway. I'll put it in the next update, which is also going to replace the font-based icons with SVG sprites, which will make it a lot easier to use your own icons. 8)
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Tim Frost
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Re: When no javascript

Unread post by Tim Frost »

What types of applications (if any) are your web help describing? In our case, for Windows applications, it is pretty simple task (in our install manager) to check whether scripting is enabled in IE (which affects E-Book and web help). We then offer to enable it for the user, 'to get access to all the advanced features of our documentation'. This is a trivial registry change. We do the same for downloaded fonts (until the next release that Tim mentions!). Of course when the apps are installed in a tightly locked down environment this process may fail: but then so would a user's attempts to do the same manually. If the app that makes the change is running elevated (as are most installers) then the change can be made 'for all users' also. And it avoids the need to ask the user to do scary things in the 'advanced' settings in IE.
Peter Carr
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Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2016 1:03 am

Re: When no javascript

Unread post by Peter Carr »

I'm developing a technical program for general sale. I felt that some purchasers might have Javascript disabled by their organization's security policies. In the event that there are such users, I didn't want them to think that my help system was broken.

I'm encouraged by your remarks about the rarity with which Javascript is disabled these days. Still, I think a warning message is a good idea.

I don't feel the need to help users turn on Javascript. In the scenario that I'm envisaging, they would not be able to turn it on anyway. I just would like the Webhelp to fail gracefully.

I'm developing my program in Delphi Firemonkey (latest version, Tokyo 10.2) for Windows and MacOS desktops. For WIndows, I will use Webhelp. For MacOS, I'm thinking of using an Apple Helpbook. I have purchased Help Crafter for that since HM doesn't offer it as a publishing format.

The advantage of a Helpbook is that it's the standard way of offering help on a Mac and it is local help so should work for users on closed networks who cannot access the internet (though maybe that's a rare case that users on closed networks are using Macs).

For Windows users on closed networks, I'm not sure what to do. I could include CHM help but that doesn't work on networks so I may just use PDF. I thought about E-Writer but while it works fine on my Windows 7 machine, I have some issues with it in my Windows 10 virtual machine that I'm using for development. I haven't as yet tested it in non-virtual Windows 10 machine.

Have you thought about including Apple Helpbook as an additional publishing format? Since a Helpbook is just a collection of HTML files packaged in a certain way, HM Webhelp should in principle be convertible to a Helpbook.
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Tim Green
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Re: When no javascript

Unread post by Tim Green »

Peter Carr wrote:For Windows users on closed networks, I'm not sure what to do. I could include CHM help but that doesn't work on networks so I may just use PDF. I thought about E-Writer but while it works fine on my Windows 7 machine, I have some issues with it in my Windows 10 virtual machine that I'm using for development. I haven't as yet tested it in non-virtual Windows 10 machine.

Please do contact us on support AT ec-software.com (replace the AT with @) for any issues you're having there, we'd be happy to test any problems you may have and correct them if possible.
Have you thought about including Apple Helpbook as an additional publishing format? Since a Helpbook is just a collection of HTML files packaged in a certain way, HM Webhelp should in principle be convertible to a Helpbook
This is a definite possibility, although I can't give you a specific time frame for it at the moment. Apple Help is actually a very simple and basic format with extremely limited capabilities, so it's more a question of removing features than adding them. 8)
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Tim Green
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Re: When no javascript

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Peter,

Thanks for mailing me the sample. Unfortunately, your mail server blocks even the simplest plain-text mails claiming that they are spam or virus-ridden. I'm afraid it won't be possible to communicate with you on this until that problem is solved. :?
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Peter Carr
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Re: When no javascript

Unread post by Peter Carr »

Hi Tim,

I just now sent you a dropbox link to my sample file.
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Tim Green
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Re: When no javascript

Unread post by Tim Green »

Peter Carr wrote:I just now sent you a dropbox link to my sample file.
The problem isn't that I can't receive your mails -- they are coming in fine -- but that you can't receive my replies. Your mail server is blocking everything from support AT ec-software.com, even plain text mails. I've sent you a copy from our fallback Gmail server, but I can only do that once. You need to get it fixed. 8)
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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