Safari 10 - does not display Vectorworks Help properly

[PVA - Jim 2,296]

The most recent update of Safari (10) is incapable of properly displaying the Vectorworks Online Help system. This issue has been reported to Apple directly. For the time being, the Help system functions properly within other browsers, such as Chrome and Firefox, as well as Safari 9. We recommend one of those browsers instead.  
 

[zoomer 638]

Thanks,

I didn't even realized Safari was updated.
I always thought the help was down from time to time because you were updating it 

[Diamond 70]

Hi Jim,

 

Since this has come up, it would be great if Vectorworks Help was also fixed on Safari for iOS. It was broken there since first release. I suspect that Safari 10 has unified the underlying code between Apple's OSs. Thanks.

[RGyori 35]

I use Safari frequently as part of my work flow, sourcing materials, details, spec's, etc. and have bookmarked a large array of resources over the years. So without changing my preferred browser to say Google Chrome, is there a setting by which I can point VW Help to a non-Safari browser?

[PVA - Jim 2,296]

Unfortunately no, Macs only let you set one default app for web links. You can just bookmark the help in another browser however and access it directly through that until Apple addresses the browser issues, this one is on their end and we have filed a bug with them.

[RGyori 35]

Understood. Thanks Jim.

[RGyori 35]

Quick follow-up... As an interim measure I reset Chrome's default opening page to Vectorworks Help and then put an alias of Chrome on my desktop (renamed VW Help of course!). Not holding my breath on a timely Safari update on this issue from Apple.

 

Now back to work.

[Bruce Kieffer 92]

OSX 10.12.1 with a Safari update and this is still broken. I too am now using a bookmark in Chrome to access the VW help.

[zoomer 638]

I also tried today. No chance.

[PVA - Jim 2,296]

No, I wouldn't expect Apple to fix it soon. They do not respond rapidly other than in high profile cases.

[RGyori 35]

Same here. Well at least it's raining today.

[Kevin McAllister 970]

1 hour ago, JimW said:

No, I wouldn't expect Apple to fix it soon. They do not respond rapidly other than in high profile cases.

 

@JimWI have to call you out on this since you've now made this comment in two threads. I'm not sure how this is different than how NV and most other software companies respond to bugs. Case in point, the VW2017 layer switch bug which has already been fixed. I would have never been affected by this bug because I don't change the layers of my object in the OIP. However it was seen as high profile so it was fixed quickly. The bug I would like to see fixed is the symbol scaling bug. It is my Safari Help bug.... I've encountered it on almost every project I've done over the last few years. I'm sure there's some behind the scenes reason why it hasn't been solved yet.... maybe its not high profile enough, maybe its dependent on something else, maybe its WAD.... but it is something that has cost me a lot of time and effort.

 

NV needs to find the JimW of Apple and talk to him. From my own experience, I can say that having someone who at listens to the problem is a good first step.....

 

Kevin

[PVA - Jim 2,296]

4 minutes ago, Kevin McAllister said:

@JimWI have to call you out on this since you've now made this comment in two threads. I'm not sure how this is different than how NV and most other software companies respond to bugs. Case in point, the VW2017 layer switch bug which has already been fixed.

 

There are more restrictions on what I can say here about Vectorworks than on what I can say regarding other companies.

(That's my political response voice.  )

[Kevin McAllister 970]

6 minutes ago, JimW said:

 

There are more restrictions on what I can say here about Vectorworks than on what I can say regarding other companies.

(That's my political response voice.  )

 

That's a perfect response   after all I was calling you out as an employee of NV......

 

KM

[zoomer 638]

Safari 10 does work with VW help !

 

- Load Help Page

- Open Safari Preferences > Security : 

- activate internet plugins

- open plugin settings : Java

 

- go back to Help Page > "Reload with Plugins"

(Will make it work for one session only)

 

- go back to Safari Preferences

- "app-help.vectorworks.net" appears  under current websites

- set drop down to "On"

(Will make it work after Safari restarts again automatically)

Edited October 28, 2016 by zoomer

[Kevin McAllister 970]

Interesting. I went to go try @zoomer's method and help was working just fine without it....... something has been fixed.

 

KM

[zoomer 638]

I realized last night in bed with my iPad that the help seems to work again on Safari 10.

But when I tried the same today on OS X I saw that when playing a bit the help felt

back in the previous state.

Since activating Java permanently it works consistent for me.

[PVA - Jim 2,296]

It's now become intermittant it seems, they've definitely changed something but I am not sure what.

[Kevin McAllister 970]

It didn't work after the Safari 10.0.1 update the other day. There was an iTunes update last night..... not sure why that would affect it.

KM

[RGyori 35]

It worked for me.. finally.

 

In my case I had to update my Java plug-in, which I dutifully did. After following Zoomer's sequence (thanks!) VW Help appeared  in Safari but without the table of contents. The other VW Help features were present and usable. I went back to Safari's plug-in settings and wouldn't you know that the Java update had re-actvated Adobe Flash Player... normally OFF. I turned it off, reloaded VWHelp "with plug-ins",  and now the Table of Contents appears. 

 

I had already updated iTunes earlier.

 

Regarding Jim's comment about it being intermittent, I will see how it goes from here.

 

Bob

 

 

[zoomer 638]

Looks like it is heavy in the works.

Also German Help Sites, which currently does not work again at the moment.

[RGyori 35]

Update... I'm now fully on board with Jim's intermittent. For me it turns out to have been a one-time fix. After closing VW help and reopening, the Table of Contents is again not to be found. Fiddle with the plug-in settings and it returns. Close and reopen and it's gone again. I could repeat this all day.

 

Back to Chrome for me.

 

Bob

 

[Bruce Kieffer 92]

I can't say why, but VW Help in Safari is working fine for me now. Didn't do anything. Quit Safari, reopened, launch VW help, still works. Go figure!

[zoomer 638]

Yes, they did "something"

Works fine here too.

 

Just the german help version needs still some extra love. But we had long weekend here ....

VW Hilfe DE

[RGyori 35]

OK, I now have moved from Jim's "intermittent" category into Bruce and Zoomer's "it works for me" category. The only change since my last post is that I shut down my computer over the weekend (I do work home, well sort of...). Come Monday morning all is well and VW help works as designed on Safari 10.0.1. 

 

Bob