Clickable ID links in Report Tool

[Martin Wynne]

When using the Project Report Tool, the listed topic IDs are clickable.

I'm sure that in the past I have clicked these links and been taken to the relevant topic in the editor. Indeed, there doesn't seem to be any other reason for them to be clickable.

But now in HM6 these links do nothing. Or at least they do nothing for me. The link is showing as an Ajax command, but I can't find any relevant code to execute it. The report now displays in the browser, so it's difficult to see how this could ever work. But I'm sure it used to work. Was the report previously displayed internally in THtmlViewer?

What am I missing? Anyone else seeing the same?

regards,

Martin.

[Tim Green]

Hi Martin,

I just checked this in both the current release and the upcoming maintenance release and it's working fine. Note that it uses HM2GO as the web server. Have a look in the address bar of your browser in the report window, do you see anything odd in the address there, particularly in the port number? If you already have a server running on your computer HM2GO should automatically increment the port it uses to avoid conflicts, but if you are getting a conflict that might be the reason.

[Martin Wynne]

I just checked this in both the current release and the upcoming maintenance release and it's working fine.

Hi Tim,

When you say it is working fine, what exactly should be happening when I click the topic ID links in a project report?

I have just now: restarted Windows7/64; re-installed H&M6 build 2352; created a new default project; clicked Report Tool > Short Project Report > OK; and tried clicking the blue links in the Topic ID column.

Result: zilch. Nothing happens at all.

The URL (in Firefox address bar) is:

Code: Select all

http://127.0.0.1:8000/?fcid_{628D4F86-A8F5-473D-A8A3-467FE633E43B}

The page source for the links is:

Code: Select all

<a href="javascript:callAjax('/iexec?command=Welcome_topic');">Welcome_topic</a>

The relevant js script is:

Code: Select all

function getTransport() {
  if (window.ActiveXObject) return new ActiveXObject('Microsoft.XMLHTTP');
  else if (window.XMLHttpRequest) return new XMLHttpRequest();
  else return false;
}

function callAjax(url) {
  var xmlHttp = getTransport();
  xmlHttp.open("GET", url, true);
  xmlHttp.send(null);
}

(This script is actually in the page body rather than the head section, but that usually works ok.)

What am I doing wrong?

regards,

Martin.

[Aitch]

Martin,

I have just checked a report here too, and it works for me as well.. Although my report opens on IE.
Because I use two monitors, I always noticed what happens. - when you click on a link, you get navigated to the relevant topic file on the H&M project.
I tried it again with the IE screen over the H&M screen, and it does appear that nothing happens.

If you resize the IE (or firefox), you should be able to notice what happens on H&M.

Hope this helps

[Tim Green]

Hi Martin,

When you click on the links in the report the topic in question should open in the editor in HM and be highlighted in the TOC, provided that it is still open in HM, of course. It's a bit of a mystery, I've asked Alex to look at the thread.

[Aitch]

I closed and opened my H&M project (while leaving the report open).. and it seems to only work for the session until you close the document...
for me at least :S

[Martin Wynne]

If you resize the IE (or firefox), you should be able to notice what happens on H&M.

Hi Heidi,

Many thanks for that. You are quite right -- red face time.

However, in my defence:

1. I have the other monitor displaying the software which I am documenting, so all of H&M has to run on one monitor, and Firefox normally comes up maximized.

2. This is in fact working ok with a new default project. If I minimize the report in Firefox I can see the changed topic in H&M. I should have thought to try that before my previous post. Sorry Tim.

3. But it's not working for my actual project. The current topic doesn't change. So I need to delve a bit further to see what I've changed to prevent it working. I do tend to tinker with the code.

4. In WindowsXP when you click the link in the report, Firefox minimizes so that you can see the H&M editor. But not in Windows7 -- Firefox stays maximized on the screen. I've been used to working in XP, so I was expecting the same behaviour in Windows7.

Just to take this a bit further -- is it really necessary to display the reports in an external application? Dave Baldwin's THtmlViewer component would be ideal for displaying the HTML reports directly in H&M, and it would then be under full program control -- window sizes, visibility, focus, links, etc. Or in a TRichView for that matter, or simply in the editor in a new tab.

regards,

Martin.

[David Makulec]

I can confirm Heidi's report. This is working for me as well.

It worked under XP, and still works under Win7/64.

Under XP, the report opened in my default browser (at the time, Opera), and clicking a topic link in the report shifted the H&M project view to the clicked topic.

Under Win7/64, the report opens in my current default browser (Firefox), and clicking a topic link in the report shifts the H&M project view to the clicked topic.

NOTE: Like Heidi, I'm working with a dual-monitor setup. The browser is open full-screen on the secondary monitor, while H&M is open full-screen on my primary monitor.

Martin: I often have the software I'm documenting up and running, and occasionally wish I had a third monitor (and perhaps a second set of eyes ) so I could see all three at once, just to avoid the issue you've encountered.

[Aitch]

I would LOVE to have bigger monitors ... and a third monitor as well. It'll be just grand.

Actually - I wonder if I can get EC Software to put in the system requirements that I need 5 monitors. Will I get away with it? For writing manuals of course!

[Tim Green]

Hi Heidi,

Were we thinking perhaps of something like this?:



I'm a great fan of multiple monitors. I just got a 14" Lenovo USB monitor for my laptop, which is absolutely brilliant. It only weighs 900 grams and both power and signal are provided by a single USB cable. It works really well and is a huge plus for laptop productivity.

[Aitch]

6 monitors... if you can put that in the System Requirements list, they can't possibly say no, can they?

All our office equipment is Lenovo and I'm really enjoying it. Including the thinkpad. Especially since I only found out (nearly a year after starting) that my laptop has a reading light!! hahaha.
Now.... with you saying that you have a USB monitor, does that mean I can have as many monitors as my laptop will allow? actually, I have one spare USB port.. still!! one Underused port!

ps. Sorry for the thread derailment.

[Tim Green]

Hi Heidi,

I mean this product here. You just plug it in with a USB cable and you instantly have a second 14" monitor on your laptop. The USB is the only connection, it provides both the power and the image. Brightness and color quality are not stellar but perfectly adequate, and it provides a wonderful productivity boost.

[Aitch]

That looks SO handy!! I didn't know it was that portable!

Need to show this to the people here. Always handy to have something that doesn't require another power source AND uses only a USB cable.

Want!