Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)

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Marc
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Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)

Unread post by Marc »

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.
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Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)

Unread post by Tim Green »

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.
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Marc
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Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)

Unread post by Marc »

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 ...
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Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)

Unread post by Tim Green »

Marc wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2020 8:12 am Currently I can only download Version 4.0.4,

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.
That is correct and intended.
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 ...
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. 8)
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Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)

Unread post by Marc »

OK, so I need to live without it.
Tim Green wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2020 11:50 am It is one of those things that only sounds like a good idea until you actually try it.
Why that? :o 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.
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Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)

Unread post by Tim Green »

Marc wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2020 2:27 pm
Tim Green wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2020 11:50 am It is one of those things that only sounds like a good idea until you actually try it.
Why that? :o 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.
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). :?
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Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)

Unread post by Marc »

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.
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Re: Auto close TOC in responsive mode? (V4 Skins)

Unread post by Marc »

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.
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