eWriter Help Slow to Jump to Topic

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Sheri Steeves
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eWriter Help Slow to Jump to Topic

Unread post by Sheri Steeves »

I'm looking at integrating my application help as eWriter instead of CHM, which is what I've used in the past. I'm testing with the default new project and its generated dummy topics, so only about 5-6 topics with little to no text. I created my eWriter with one of the PPV4 eWriter skins.

I have noticed a few issues with error messages, and speed and performance:

1. When I open the book by double clicking, clicking a topic will give me the following message. I also get this message again if click the Home button, and then another topic.

eWriter Error.png

2. When launching the book from my app for the first time and jumping to a specific topic, there is a definite lag (3-4sec) before I see my topic. Also, the TOC selection doesn't change to reflect the loaded topic. I'm not sure if eWriter does this, this may be an option I just haven't found/set yet.

3. With the eWriter already open, I moved to a different topic, then "launching" the help again from my app (which uses the already running eWriter), it looks like the help is completely reloaded - the eWriter window area blanks, loads the main page and then moves to the requested page, again with a 3-4 second delay.

I am running on Windows 10 but using the eWriter.exe redistributable from the ewriter-viewer-setup.exe from H&M, not the Windows store app. We have to support the lower platforms so this is how we're planning on bundling this with our application.
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Tim Green
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Re: eWriter Help Slow to Jump to Topic

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Sheri,

There appears to be a new delay in building the TOC with the standalone viewer with the updated version of these skins in Premium Pack 4. The error on selecting a topic is happening when you click in the TOC before it is fully rendered. We're looking into this. In the meantime, try using one of the V2 combined WebHelp/Ewriter skins. Those have a pre-rendered TOC and that will actually be faster for the time being. Alternatively, if you still have Premium Pack 3, the V3 versions of the eWriter skins will also not have this delay.

We've located the cause of the issue and we'll be releasing a maintenance update for the eWriter skins soon.
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Sheri Steeves
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Re: eWriter Help Slow to Jump to Topic

Unread post by Sheri Steeves »

Thanks Tim, the older V3 skin is definitely faster on the initial and subsequent loads.

The main eViewer screen area still blanks out and is redrawn each time I call the eViewer with a new topic - is this normal for eViewer?
I tried it with eViewer.exe and my eWriter book separate as well as bundled into a single EXE.
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Re: eWriter Help Slow to Jump to Topic

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Sheri,

Thanks for the confirmation, that's helpful. The issue is caused by an excess of caution in starting the rendering the TOC, which isn't visible in regular WebHelp but has a negative impact when used on the encapsulated web server in the eWriter viewer. :roll:
Sheri Steeves wrote: Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:39 pmdaThe main eViewer screen area still blanks out and is redrawn each time I call the eViewer with a new topic - is this normal for eViewer?
I tried it with eViewer.exe and my eWriter book separate as well as bundled into a single EXE.
I need to check this with the developers responsible for the viewer. I'll get back to you on it.
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Sheri Steeves
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Re: eWriter Help Slow to Jump to Topic

Unread post by Sheri Steeves »

Tim,

I'm just getting back to this now with the latest PP 4.03, V3 eWriter skins and the latest H&M installed.

The eViewer screen area still blanks out and is redrawn each time I call eViewer with a new topic in the same file, even when I've already opened that same file. I'd really like to switch to the eViewers from CHM - any timeline on this?
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Sheri Steeves
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Re: eWriter Help Slow to Jump to Topic

Unread post by Sheri Steeves »

Tim,

Another strange issue. I have my "main" help button set to open my eWriter. By default it opens it at the top of the TOC.

I'm calling <path>eViewer.exe "<path>my_ebook.ewriter" for this call.

If I click that button again, the eBook is closed and I'm left with the eWriter opening screen. I can work around this by using a context ID at the top level topic but the behaviour didn't seem correct.
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Re: eWriter Help Slow to Jump to Topic

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Sheri,
The eViewer screen area still blanks out and is redrawn each time I call eViewer with a new topic in the same file, even when I've already opened that same file.
That is normal, unfortunately. When you call an HTML page externally you always need a full page reload -- and eViewer is a normal HTML website, and the viewer is a combined encapsulated web server and browser. The advantage over a regular web page is that you stay in the same viewer. In a normal web browser every call would open a new tab or window.
I'd really like to switch to the eViewers from CHM - any timeline on this?
That is physically impossible. CHM is a completely different and unfortunately now obsolete system. The CHM viewer is a Microsoft product and Windows component that was abandoned by Microsoft soon after it was originally released with Windows 98. It hasn't been developed or changed since then and all the programmers at Microsoft who knew anything about it left the company many years ago. It is basically a black box that can only be used for CHM and nothing else. It doesn't support Unicode or high-resolution monitors or any kind of customization of its interface, so it is now basically dead in the water. :|
If I click that button again, the eBook is closed and I'm left with the eWriter opening screen. I can work around this by using a context ID at the top level topic but the behaviour didn't seem correct.
That is definitely a bug that we will fix asap. Thanks for reporting it. 8)
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Re: eWriter Help Slow to Jump to Topic

Unread post by Tim Green »

Update: The problem with calling bookname.ewriter twice has now been fixed, along with another issue where the viewer window became too small if it was opened maximized and then reset to "normal" size. The updated version of the standalone viewer is included in both the current pre-release version of Help+Manual 8.1.1 and the viewer installers:

HM 8.1.1 Pre-Release:
https://www.helpandmanual.com/download/ ... p-v811.exe

Viewer installers:
https://www.helpandmanual.com/ewriter/index.html
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Sheri Steeves
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Re: eWriter Help Slow to Jump to Topic

Unread post by Sheri Steeves »

Tim,

Thanks for the fix for calling eWriter twice, and the explanation on the screen refresh.

Unfortunate, like you say. How is calling the eViewer again with the same file and a new topic different than just clicking on that topic in the TOC frame? That doesn't cause a whole page refresh.

You misunderstood me on the CHM - I want to get away from them too! I was really hoping that the eViewer behaviour would be more like the CHM when switching topics - only the topic page is refreshed. I've integrated the eViewer and will see how the user testing/QA on it goes. Luckily, H&M makes it so easy to build all the formats if I'm forced to revert back.
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Re: eWriter Help Slow to Jump to Topic

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Sheri,
How is calling the eViewer again with the same file and a new topic different than just clicking on that topic in the TOC frame? That doesn't cause a whole page refresh.
Unfortunately, this is how HTML works. When browsing within the WebHelp (which is what eWriter is, essentially) there are no main page reloads happening, and in a V3 or V4 skin there are no page loads at all. It is just the new content being updated within the current WebHelp page. When you call a topic from outside it is essentially a link from one page to another page. That is always a full page reload. That is why when you link to regular WebHelp in a browser from an application you always get a new browser tab. There is no way to communicate with an existing window from outside like that and make a script within it do something. Browsers are very strict about that because that would open up a vector for all kinds of deep malware tricks. :?
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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