I have an application today that includes a basic help document reader
within it:
http://www.quantmethods.com/Demo/Help/
This is implemented entirely with static HTML and a "frameset"
document. However, I want to get rid of the "frameset" partly to
embrace the somewhat overstated need for good web standards hygiene,
but mostly to simplify printing of the help pages for my users by
using CSS to suppress the menu when printing. (Of course, the user
can typically right-click in the help document frame and accomplish
the same thing, but most of my users will not be familiar with any of
the mechanisms for printing just the help document.)
I also want my help document maintainers to continue to use the HTML
editor of their choice (within some limits) to edit the documents and
I want the menu and pages to be accessible to search engine indexing.
To do this, I need the menu and the help pages to remain static HTML.
With JavaScript disabled or unavailable, the reader should first view
the menu document and then follow the links as necessary to each help
document. They can then use the back button or equivalent mechanism
to return to the menu. With JavaScript enabled, they should get a two
panel reader similar to the current "frameset" implementation.
One additional complication is that new development now involves two
applications with overlapping functionality. This means two help
menus with a number of common entries as well as a few unique entries
in both.
Now, this all seems pretty straight-forward and Ian Bambury (http://
examples.roughian.com/) has implemented something very close to what I
need, but not quite. So, I would appreciate suggestions on how to do
the following or something that will accomplish the same goals:
1. Maintain the menu and help documents as static HTML.
2. Use CSS to style the pages and to suppress printing of the
menu.
3. Enable resizing of the menu panel (or just hide it).
4. Use the help menu documents as the "index" or "start" page for
the reader.
5. Handle help menu events to load the appropriate help document.
6. Enable links within help documents to load other help
documents.
Something like the Google "docreader" would provide the kind of user
interface I would like to have.
I realize this seems very simple, but I have been spinning my wheels
on it for a while now and would appreciate help in getting some
traction.
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