136647 - Make Help window float in front of other windows.

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(SeaMonkey :: Help Documentation, defect, P2)

Description

[Sean Cotter]

Our recent usability test showed conclusively that the biggest obstacle to using
help is the fact that the Help window keeps disappearing. It would be much
better to let it float on top (in front of all other windows), so users could
keep it in view while they follow instructions.

Even if this can be done only when the window is opened from the Help window or
from nonmodal dialogs, it would be a huge improvement. 

Ideally it would also be good to be able to keep the Help window both nonmodal
and floating when opened from a modal dialog, as well.

Comment 1

[Sean Cotter]

nominating for nsbeta1+, marking adt1

Comment 2

[Terri Preston]

Would be great! marking new

Comment 3

[rudman]

Sorry, this is on the "new feature" side of things, and it's late to add this
for beta. It's not a stop ship, which is what we should be considering at this
point for fixes to beta. Marking minus for now.

Let's try to get a handle on what it would take to implement. Because of the
great usability win, and on the assumption that
implementation is not too difficult and impact elsewhere is minimal (born out by
testing), we might be able to get this in for rtm. Once we understand the impact
better (awaiting answers to that in separate email thread), I'll mark
appropriately (with new milestone, etc.).

Comment 4

[scottputterman]

It sounds like Steve meant to nsbeta1- this.  Removing [adt1] to get it off the
radar.  If I misread the last comment and this ends up being a plus, please add
the impact back.

Comment 5

[Blake Ross]

So, has this missed the rtm boat, too?  It's probably easy to do on Windows. Let
me see if I can figure it out.

Comment 6

[Ian Oeschger (gone)]

Blake--any luck here? I haven't looked at it myself, but this is waxing in
importance as an improvement to the help system.

Comment 7

[timeless]

mpt was actively trying to wontfix a generic version of this bug. but this is a
reasonable justification for the feature.

Comment 8

[Dan M]

You want to add "alwaysRaised" to the window.open flags in
extensions/help/resources/content/contextHelp.js. That is,

<window.open(MOZ_HELP_URI + "?" + encodedURI, "_blank",
<"chrome,menubar,toolbar,dialog=no,resizable,scrollbars");
--
>window.open(MOZ_HELP_URI + "?" + encodedURI, "_blank",
>"chrome,menubar,toolbar,dialog=no,resizable,scrollbars,alwaysRaised");
 
This works on Windows and Mac OS9 (and I believe on OSX as well (can't check
that right now, ugh, did I screw up my Mac build)) but unfortunately this isn't
implemented on Linux.

Comment 9

[robinf]

Marking nsbeta1+ for Buffy and re-setting milestone.

Comment 10

[robinf]

See also bug 161342 (help loads as modal window from Publish dialog [help] button). 

Comment 11

[Ian Oeschger (gone)]

Attachment: floating window patch

unfortunately, I only have a linux build with me here, but I will test this
further at home. thanks a lot, dan. will want to get this r/sr'd for check-in
ASAP.

Comment 12

[Dan M]

Comment on attachment 96315 [details] [diff] [review]
floating window patch

I am kind of reviewing my own code but between the two of us there should be
warm bodies enough for an r=. Now the trick is implementing this on linux...

Comment 13

[Ian Oeschger (gone)]

ACCEPTING. But do we want this behavior all the time--like when you open the
Help window directly from the Help menu in the browser? There, the always on top
behavior seems a little annoying--and unexpected. 

Perhaps we could define two functions for getting help, and use this
always-on-top one only for context-sensitive help? Is that what we mean that we
want?

Comment 14

[robinf]

I'm inclined to want to always have the Help window on top, no matter how you
got to it.

Comment 15

[Ian Oeschger (gone)]

Well, that's easier for me. The patch in this bug gets us that behavior. Just
need an sr now.

Comment 16

[rudman]

We definitely want Help window on top, always. 

Comment 17

[Alec Flett]

Comment on attachment 96315 [details] [diff] [review]
floating window patch

sr=alecf

Comment 18

[Ian Oeschger (gone)]

Marking as FIXED (since it is fixed on windows/mac and there is no easy way to
do it on linux)

Comment 19

[Brant Gurganus]

v

Comment 20

[Daniel B.]

Re Description:
> Our recent usability test showed conclusively that the biggest obstacle to 
> using help is the fact that the Help window keeps disappearing. It would be 
> much better to let it float on top (in front of all other windows), so 
> users could keep it in view while they follow instructions.

Right: *let* it float on top, but don't *make* it float on top--make it an
option, on by default, that users can turn off.

As for usability tests, don't test only with novice users!

Re:

> We definitely want Help window on top, always. 

No, not always--only when the user wants it that way.