HTML VI Documentation not working

[Jim Kring]

It seems that using HTML files (*.htm or *.html) for VI Documentation (VI Properties>>Documentation>>Help Path) does not work in LabVIEW 8.5. I've got both Firefox 2.0.0.11 and Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.11 installed and I've tried setting each of them as the default browser, which doesn't seem to help.

You can test this by trying to open the online help for any of the OpenG Dictionary VIs (which can be installed using VIPM).

Another simple way to test is to drop the following two files into your <LabVIEW>/help directory:

Download File:post-17-1199576257.vi Download File:post-17-1199576262.htm

Then, open test.vi in LabVIEW, view it's context help, and click on the Detailed help link.

This is dissapointing because HTML help is the only real cross-platform help file format

[crelf]

QUOTE(Jim Kring @ Jan 6 2008, 09:43 AM)

It seems that using HTML files (*.htm or *.html) for VI Documentation (VI Properties>>Documentation>>Help Path) does not work in LabVIEW 8.5.

Oh dear - that's not good, not good at all. We just about to (and I mean this week) roll-out an internal reuse system that relies heavily on that connection - staff can search through them to determine what components to install off our local network.

[Tomi Maila]

When I open help for Dictionary Create with LV 8.5 on Windows XP, a new Firefox 2.0.0.11 tab is opened and the following file shown

file:///C:/Program%20Files/National%20Instruments/LabVIEW%208.5/help/OpenG/dictionary/Dictionary_Create.htm

So I guess it works for me.

Tomi

[Jim Kring]

QUOTE(Tomi Maila @ Jan 5 2008, 06:32 PM)

When I open help for Dictionary Create with LV 8.5 on Windows XP, a new Firefox 2.0.0.11 tab is opened and the following file shown

file:///C:/Program%20Files/National%20Instruments/LabVIEW%208.5/help/OpenG/dictionary/Dictionary_Create.htm

So I guess it works for me.

OK, maybe it's just that my machine's messed up. I notice that when I try to launch the OpenG Dictionary help from LabVIEW 7.1 with Firefox 2.0.0.11 as my default browser, Firefox shows me the following error message:

Firefox can't find the file at /C|/Program Files/National Instruments/LabVIEW 7.1/help/OpenG/dictionary/Dictionary_Create.ht.

[Jim Kring]

QUOTE(Tomi Maila @ Jan 5 2008, 06:32 PM)

When I open help for Dictionary Create with LV 8.5 on Windows XP, a new Firefox 2.0.0.11 tab is opened and the following file shown

file:///C:/Program%20Files/National%20Instruments/LabVIEW%208.5/help/OpenG/dictionary/Dictionary_Create.htm

So I guess it works for me.

OK, maybe it's just that my machine's messed up. I notice that when I try to launch the OpenG Dictionary help from LabVIEW 7.1 with Firefox 2.0.0.11 as my default browser, Firefox shows me the following error message:

Firefox can't find the file at /C|/Program Files/National Instruments/LabVIEW 7.1/help/OpenG/dictionary/Dictionary_Create.ht.

[Jim Kring]

I just checked and "Open URL in Default Browser (path).vi" is not working for me in LabVIEW 8.5, either

[PJM_labview]

QUOTE(Jim Kring @ Jan 5 2008, 08:10 PM)

I just checked and "Open URL in Default Browser (path).vi" is not working for me in LabVIEW 8.5, either

I have the same issue here. In LV 8.5, it does not work at all with no error. In the same fashion, the Open URL in default browser [path] does not work either with no error.

If I try with an older LV version (for example 7.1), I got the URL, but it is truncated (in firefox).

So basically, this is a no go for me as well.

Some staring at the "Open URL in Default Browser core.vi" binary data seem to indicate that this function call a LabVIEW export function called WWWOpenURLInBrowser. This is probably were the issue is.

http://lavag.org/old_files/monthly_01_2008/post-121-1199595693.png' target="_blank">

I will be curious to find out why it work on some computer but not on other though.

PJM

[Jim Kring]

I just tested on another machine and it's working fine. So, it must be an issue on some machines, but not others.

Philippe, I think that the issue with 7.1 and firefox is a bug in Firefox with the last character getting truncated when using DDE to open a file -- it's not related.

I think that the only way to solve this is going to be to get NI involved.

[Tomi Maila]

My machine, where everything works properly, doesn't have NI drivers installed. Could there be something installed with NI driver CD that could mesh up with things?

[Tomi Maila]

Actually one thing came into my mind. Opening a web page using ActiveX intefrace may be a security issue. As a result it may be that some security software such as virus protection or malware protection may disable this feature from Windows. So I suggest you investigate if disabling your virus protection has an affect to this HTML help issue.

Tomi

[Jim Kring]

QUOTE(Tomi Maila @ Jan 6 2008, 10:56 AM)

Actually one thing came into my mind. Opening a web page using ActiveX intefrace may be a security issue. As a result it may be that some security software such as virus protection or malware protection may disable this feature from Windows. So I suggest you investigate if disabling your virus protection has an affect to this HTML help issue.

I tried disabling all my virus, firewall, and spyware protection software: PC-cillin, Windows Firewall, Windows Defender, and Spybot - Search & Destroy. Still LabVIEW 8.5 cannot open HTML help

[Ton Plomp]

QUOTE(Jim Kring @ Jan 6 2008, 11:56 PM)

I tried disabling all my virus, firewall, and spyware protection software: PC-cillin, Windows Firewall, Windows Defender, and Spybot - Search & Destroy. Still LabVIEW 8.5 cannot open HTML help

Did you install the HTML help files locally or on a network share?

I know MS HTML help viewer doesn't like network shares (it can only open the index and not browse the content.

Ton

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

ZITAT(Jim Kring @ Jan 6 2008, 11:56 PM)

I tried disabling all my virus, firewall, and spyware protection software: PC-cillin, Windows Firewall, Windows Defender, and Spybot - Search & Destroy. Still LabVIEW 8.5 cannot open HTML help

Jim, are you able to open URLs in your default browser from within other applications e.g. chats, or your mail client?

Henrik

[TobyD]

QUOTE(Tomi Maila @ Jan 6 2008, 07:19 AM)

My machine, where everything works properly, doesn't have NI drivers installed. Could there be something installed with NI driver CD that could mesh up with things?

I just tested this in LV 8.5 running on Windows Vista and it works as it should. Internet Explorer does give me a warning about "running scripts or ActiveX controls" but all content is viewable. Open URL in Default Browser.vi also works as expected. I do not have NI drivers installed on this machine either for what its worth.

[Jim Kring]

QUOTE(hskupin @ Jan 7 2008, 01:35 AM)

Jim, are you able to open URLs in your default browser from within other applications e.g. chats, or your mail client?

Henrik

Henrik, yes, all other apps (e.g., Skype and Thunderbird) are able to open URLs in the default browser just fine.

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

ZITAT(Jim Kring @ Jan 7 2008, 06:40 PM)

Henrik, yes, all other apps (e.g., Skype and Thunderbird) are able to open URLs in the default browser just fine.

Then you could try to find it out with the help of the Process Explorer from Sysinternals. Perhaps you will see some information why it doesn't be handed over to the default browser.

Henrik

[Ton Plomp]

QUOTE(tcplomp @ Jan 7 2008, 06:20 AM)

Works on 8.0 and 8.2

Works not on 7.0

QUOTE(hskupin @ Jan 8 2008, 01:45 PM)

Then you could try to find it out with the help of the Process Explorer from Sysinternals. Perhaps you will see some information why it doesn't be handed over to the default browser.

Henrik could you help me how I could do that?

The strange thing is that 8.0, 8.2 and 8.5 work and 7.0 not (at least for me)

Ton

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

ZITAT(tcplomp @ Jan 8 2008, 02:00 PM)

Henrik could you help me how I could do that?

The strange thing is that 8.0, 8.2 and 8.5 work and 7.0 not (at least for me)

Just download the zip-file from MS technet: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinte...s/bb896653.aspx

When running the application you should be able to enable the log. Perhaps you should only filter for LV7.0 in your case first. Otherwise you will get thousands of entries. Now click on the detailed help. Stop the logging process afterwards and have a look at it. Hopefully you will find a warning/error.

I haven't done that for a while. So just try it out.

Henrik