Problem Launch Pad "Help" wont display

[jambooger]

When I click on "Help" on the Launch Pad the new window opens and has all the contents in the left pain, but when I click on a subject I get "Navigation to Webpage was Cancelled" in the right pain. I cant get anything to show on the right side.

 

[martins]

It's a Vista thing. You need to unblock $orbiterroot/html/orbiter.chm (and any other chm files you may want to browse). Don't forget to tip your hat to Microsoft for making your life even more exciting.

Alternatively, use the MSI orbiter installation package.

 

[jambooger]

It's a Vista thing. You need to unblock $orbiterroot/html/orbiter.chm (and any other chm files you may want to browse). Don't forget to tip your hat to Microsoft for making your life even more exciting.

Alternatively, use the MSI orbiter installation package.

I am using Win 7. I have hated it since the first day I installed it. This gives me another reason. Thank you for the info, I will google it and find out to unblock it, and Thank you for Orbiter!

 

[martins]

Thank you for the info, I will google it and find out to unblock it

Can't help you there. I haven't yet had the pleasure of a close encounter with Vista or Win7.

 

[martins]

Btw, it appears that the same restrictions regarding chm files were introduced to XP SP3. Given that Microsoft seem to do all they can to make chm useless, what is the proper way you are supposed to write help files these days?

 

[Xyon]

I believe this is the reason they added those restrictions:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896358

Some kind of hastily-put-together workaround to an exploit with the .chm system of some kind. I'd have thought a better long-term solution would exist, but it seems not to be the case.

This document from Microsoft details their "solution" to working around the lockdown, which amounts to end-user "unblocking" of the files as mentioned. Doesn't look like there's a better way to do it.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/902225

 

[martins]

I see. So the solution to the vulnerability is to lock all downloaded chm by default. If a user unlocks it, and it turns out to be malicious it's his fault.

 

[Xyon]

Yes indeed. Microsoft's apparent method of protecting users from an exploit in their systems is to make you permit the file yourself, thus absolving them of responsibility in the matter. What fun.

 

[martins]

Since there seem to be a lot of problems with those chm files lately, I've compiled some useful advice:

After downloading a CHM file, approach with utmost caution! Prod it with a long stick, from a safe distance. Does it spit or bite? Does it smell funny? Does it scratch itself a lot, or wipe its behind on the carpet?

Also check the previous owner. Does he look shifty? Does he have a nervous tic? Does he wear an eye-patch or a wooden leg?

If all looks in order, you may try unlocking the file, but on your own responsibility! We did warn you, so don't blame us if your hard drive catches fleas or measles or worse! Why do you need help anyway, are you stupid or what?

---
As you can see, it only takes common sense and a few simple steps to keep bad CHM files off your system. I guess this answers all questions, so hopefully the problem is now closed.

(Now where did I leave that wooden leg ...)

 

[jambooger]

Great! I unblocked the .chm files in orbiter and now the "Help" works fine.

 

[fort]

In fact, since, as Xyon says, a 2006 security patch for XP SP1 i think.

Some other infos here, and about javascript, too, with IE7:

http://geekswithblogs.net/evjen/archive/2006/06/29/83567.aspx

 

[Traunmark5]

Heres an idea

Can the help system be saved in a different format? Perhaps a .pdf for adobe or something?

 

[orb]

For downloaded from Internet files, there is stored additional "Zone.Identifier" NTFS stream for each file, which contains:

[ZoneTransfer]
ZoneId=3

All files with this Zone.Identifier have an option to unblock them, and after unblocking, the "Zone.Identifier" stream is deleted (or when this stream is deleted by something else, the unblock option in file properties just disappears).

I think that the stock Windows ZIP handler ("Compressed folders") might cause the unpacked files from the Orbiter archive inherit this zone identifier from the archive's zone identifier.

I don't use the "Compressed folders" feature of Windows, but I use an external (7-zip) unpacker to extract files from the archive, so I think this is the cause why zone identifier isn't inherited by extracted files for me, but I still have an option to "unblock" for example orbiter100606.zip archive.


I think that solution for these files "not originating from this computer" might be either:

1. Unblock the Orbiter archive, before extracting files from it.
2. Use an external ZIP extractor (like 7-zip), so Zone.Identifier isn't inherited in additional NTFS stream for those files.

---------- Post added at 15:44 ---------- Previous post was at 15:12 ----------

Alternatively, you can use Microsoft/Sysinternals Streams command line application to remove those streams from already extracted files by using wildcards (e.g. "streams -s -d *.chm").