Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)
Moderators: Alexander Halser, Tim Green
Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)
When the screen is not wide enough to show both the TOC and the topic content at the same time, the TOC slides over the topic content. In the H&M standard skin, when you then select an entry in the TOC, the new topic loads and the TOC automatically closes. Is it possible to activate this very same behavior in the Premium Pack V4 Skins as well? In the Premium Pack V4 Skins the TOC remains open, covering part of the loaded topic until the users explicitly closes the TOC - which makes it difficult for a user to see whether the selected topic privides the seeked content and somes some extra, avoidable interaction.
- Tim Green
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Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)
There is a setting for this. Edit the .hmskin file in Toolbox and activate the Configuration Settings filter to make it easier to find the setting. Then look in the TOC, Index & Search variables group. Change the MOBILE_TOCAUTOHIDE setting from false to true. Note that the Premium Pack 4 is currently at version 4.0.4, see here for update information.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)
Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)
Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)
Currently I can only download Version 4.0.4, so I am referring to this version (Modern_Standard_Very_Plain_WebHelp.hmskin).
The variable that you mentioned (along with the variable DESK_TOCAUTOHIDE, which is the one I need in the particular case) only change the behavior so that the TOC automatically is closed when the entire help is opend for the first time. When you then open the the TOC and select a topic, the TOC remains open on top of the newly selected topic anhow. But what I would like to achive is that the user fully sees the topic he or she has selected without having to manually close the TOC first ...
The variable that you mentioned (along with the variable DESK_TOCAUTOHIDE, which is the one I need in the particular case) only change the behavior so that the TOC automatically is closed when the entire help is opend for the first time. When you then open the the TOC and select a topic, the TOC remains open on top of the newly selected topic anhow. But what I would like to achive is that the user fully sees the topic he or she has selected without having to manually close the TOC first ...
- Tim Green
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- Posts: 23186
- Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
- Location: Bruehl, Germany
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Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)
That is correct and intended.The variable that you mentioned (along with the variable DESK_TOCAUTOHIDE, which is the one I need in the particular case) only change the behavior so that the TOC automatically is closed when the entire help is opend for the first time.
This is not currently supported. We may provide an option to enable it optionally in a future update but it will definitely be turned off by default. It is one of those things that only sounds like a good idea until you actually try it.When you then open the the TOC and select a topic, the TOC remains open on top of the newly selected topic anhow. But what I would like to achive is that the user fully sees the topic he or she has selected without having to manually close the TOC first ...
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)
Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)
Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)
OK, so I need to live without it.
Why that? For good reasons, the Help & Manual standard skins do it this way (so does the menu on the Help and Manual web site). And also pretty much every Webhelp system produced by other HATs hides the menu after a topic has been chosen when in responsive mode.
- Tim Green
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- Posts: 23186
- Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
- Location: Bruehl, Germany
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Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)
The logic is to prevent the navigation pane from disappearing constantly while you are just browsing in a long TOC. However, as I wrote, this will be added as an option in the next update, even though I personally think it's a terrible idea (also in the standard skins).Marc wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2020 2:27 pmWhy that? For good reasons, the Help & Manual standard skins do it this way (so does the menu on the Help and Manual web site). And also pretty much every Webhelp system produced by other HATs hides the menu after a topic has been chosen when in responsive mode.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)
Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)
Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)
The standard skins handle it so that the TOC remains open when a user just clicks a book icon of a topic that has child topics. Else you are right that the TOC would be pretty much unusable. It would be interesting to know whether users actually are aware of this possibility or just always click/tap the text. Probably it depends on the audience, so an option would be great, but indeed you have a good point here.
Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)
By coincidence today I came across a help system that in my view handles it perfectly: When a user in the TOC taps a topioc that has child topics, the TOC remains open and expands the tree. When a user taps a topic that has no subtopics, the TOC automatiaclly closes.