Configuring a Web Browser to View Help Topics

The context-sensitive help system is implemented in HTML and JavaScript. Invoking help automatically launches a Web browser (or opens a new tab in an existing Web browser window). Any JavaScript-enabled Web browser can display AccuRev GUI help topics. By default, the operating system’s default Web browser is invoked.

You can specify the complete pathname of the Web browser to be invoked with the AccuRev preference AC_BROWSER. Each user can use the setpref command to set this preference. For example:

accurev setpref AC_BROWSER "C:\Program Files\Opera\Opera.exe"

The preference is stored in file preferences.xml in the .accurev subdirectory of the user’s home directory.

Notes on Internet Explorer

The following sections apply only to Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, running under Microsoft Windows.

Configuring Internet Explorer as the Help Topic Browser

You must set the AC_BROWSER preference to configure Microsoft Internet Explorer as the Web browser to be used for context-sensitive help, even if it is your default browser. Example:

accurev setpref AC_BROWSER "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE"

Allowing "Active Content" with Internet Explorer 7

Use the following procedure to enable execution of the GUI help system's scripting components with Internet Explorer 7:

1. In IE7, invoke the command Tools > Internet Options.

2. In the Internet Options window, go to the Advanced tab.

3. Make sure that Allow active content to run in files on My Computer is checked.

4. Exit and restart IE7.

"Help for This Screen" Doesn't Work with Internet Explorer 7

The documentation always opens to its home page, and you must navigate to the topic of interest.

This issue is due to IE7's behavior.

Notes on Mozilla FireFox

The following issue applies to Mozilla FireFox on Windows and Linux platforms.

Contents tab is Sometimes Disabled

The Contents tab in the Navigation Pane is sometimes disabled.  Clicking on book nodes doesn't work: they won't open or close.  This problem typically happen after one or more searches or glossary lookups have been executed. There following workaround usually works.

1. • Refresh the screen with View > Reload (or by typing <Ctrl>+R).

   • Click the Hide Navigation Pane button.

   • Click the Show Navigation Pane button.

If the tab remains disabled, click a few times on leaf nodes or other book nodes.

Search and Glossary Frames are too Small

The frames for Search results and Glossary lookups are very small.  (Linux only.)