eWriter -- call topic

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John Johann
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eWriter -- call topic

Unread post by John Johann »

Hi,
I've published a project with the Premium Pack 4.3.0\V3 EWriter Skins\Minimalist_Blue_eWriter.hmskin

When I try to call a topic via <path>eViewer.exe "<path>my_ebook.ewriter" "index.html?this_page.html", I only ever get the Top page.

I can call the topic directly <path>eViewer.exe "<path>my_ebook.ewriter" "this_page.html" - but then I don't have a refreshed TOC/breadcrumbs.

Where else do I need to check? -- (the skin is an unmodified original)
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Tim Green
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Re: eWriter -- call topic

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi John,

You need to update to 4.4.1, using the download link and installation credentials you already have.

If you are on the current version of Help+Manual, the eViewer has been updated with new calling syntax for developers, because of the simultaneous release of the MacOS version. The changes were necessary to make the syntax the same on both systems. Currently, you need to download the full developer package for this, which contains PDF documentation of the new syntax and a lot of other details. It's available further down on this page, under the "eWriter as Application Help" heading:

https://www.helpandmanual.com/ewriter/index.html
When I try to call a topic via <path>eViewer.exe "<path>my_ebook.ewriter" "index.html?this_page.html",
That syntax has always been deprecated for all V3 and V4 skins, even though there is a certain amount of backward compatibility. With those skins you only call the topicname.html, index.html is just another topic (the default topic).

The new eViewer does nominally still support the old syntax, but if you aren't running the latest copy of eViewer since the release you may still have issues with it. Basically, the new syntax would look like this for your sample call:

Code: Select all

"<path>eViewer.exe" "ewriter://<path>my_ebook.ewriter?loadpage=this_page.html?anchor=anchor_id"
Note that even though there is a ? in the URL after the eWriter file, you also use a ? character as the first separator after the topic page name. Only use the & if you use any additional URL switches after that.
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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John Johann
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Re: eWriter -- call topic

Unread post by John Johann »

Hi Tim,
Thanks for the fast reply.
I'd copied those calls according to the H&M help. I'm on 8.4.1 Build 5881.

I've now installed the newer Premium Pack and the eViewer 3.1. And republished with a v3 skin.

The call with ...loadpage... brings up the topic without the index.
I'll need to experiment further.
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Tim Green
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Re: eWriter -- call topic

Unread post by Tim Green »

I'm on 8.4.1 Build 5881.
The current version is 8.5.0 Build 5980. You need to be on that for the current eViewer.

Make sure you're really referencing the current version of eViewer.exe directly. Also, what do you mean with "without the index"? I'm not sure what you're referring to with the word "index" here, as people use this to refer to many different things indiscriminately, and it doesn't seem to make sense in the context of the sample URL you referenced. :?
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John Johann
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Re: eWriter -- call topic

Unread post by John Johann »

I'm afraid I'm on the highest H&M version I can be on for the moment.
With "index", I actually meant TOC.
I had downloaded and installed the eViewer.exe from the link you posted so I'd like to think it replaced the previous version and the path is ok -- but I'll check that again.
I dug up an old test with a different skin, and it worked as expected in that the correct topic was displayed and the TOC was opened at the right place.
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Tim Green
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Re: eWriter -- call topic

Unread post by Tim Green »

If you're on an older version and you get the new eViewer.exe, you need to copy it into the Help+Manual program folder, overwriting the version there. Otherwise it will continue to use the old version for a number of things, including exe eWriter Help files.

If you continue to have problems, please zip up your skin and a demo project and mail them to support AT ec-software.com (replace the AT with @).
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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John Johann
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Re: eWriter -- call topic

Unread post by John Johann »

Hi Tim,
Is it better to install the 32 bit version and copy it across, or can I use the 64 bit version I've already installed?
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Re: eWriter -- call topic

Unread post by Tim Green »

John Johann wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 6:17 am Is it better to install the 32 bit version and copy it across, or can I use the 64 bit version I've already installed?
The 64-bit is fine. Note that it was updated to 3.2 on October 1 with a number of improvements:

https://www.helpandmanual.com/ewriter/index.html

The old syntax should now work throughout, for example.
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Tim Frost
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Re: eWriter -- call topic

Unread post by Tim Frost »

Is there a published changes list for ewriter 3.2 ? I could not find one.
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Re: eWriter -- call topic

Unread post by Tim Green »

Tim Frost wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 9:11 pm Is there a published changes list for ewriter 3.2 ? I could not find one.
There is not really anything new, just some corrections for better support of the old syntax, which should now work without changes. The only real changes are removal of the "open" arrow in the menu heading when the menu is turned off, and the ability to open another .eWriter file with an Internet link instead of a file link, for which you need to use the ewriter:// link protocol.

The best way to get the full documentation, also for using the MacOS version, is to download the developer package, which includes a detailed PDF help file:

https://www.helpandmanual.com/ewriter/index.html

It's in the "eWriter as Application Help" section a little further down on the page.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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