Inventor 2014 Won't Access Online Help

[D_FControls]

I have a problem accessing the online help files for Inventor 2014. Users have no problem accessing the internet, and can navigate to "http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/" but when you click the "?" while inside Inventor it takes you to the page telling you to download the offline help files since you are not connected to the internet. I made sure that the HelpIds.xml - UseOnline="1". Is there some other variable which controls this? Thanks

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi D_FControls,
I'm not sure that I have any answers for you but, here's something to check.

Can the users access this link? :

http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2014/ENU/

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[D_FControls]

Hi Curtis, Thanks for the help. Yes, and navigating to the help manually is the solution we have been using. It would just be more convenient if clicking on the hyperlinks inside inventor took you to the proper context in the online help.

[Cadmanto]

Are you running the latest hotfixes and SP's?

The help comes up when I select it inside of an Inventor session.

If this solved your issue please mark this posting "Accept as Solution".

Or if you like something that was said and it was helpful, Kudos are appreciated. Thanks!!!! 

      

[jeanie.wayker]

Hi D_FControls,

I am very sorry to hear that the Help button is not redirecting you to http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2014/ENU/

Some questions for you:

Were you ever able to access the ONLINE help from the help button, and then it just stopped working?

Did you ever configure your help to access the OFFLINE help and then change back to UseOnline="1"

Are your users accessing Inventor locally or from a network?

Just curious, How many users are you supporting?

I apologize for this inconvenience. I have forwarded your issue onto SWD to see if we can come up with other ideas why this is happening.

Thank you,

Jeanie Wayker

[jeanie.wayker]

Hi again Hi D_FControls,

After consulting with SWD, we suspect you may be useing a “Proxy configuration script” in your Local Area Settings dialog.

I am attaching the instructions from Product Support that solves this issue for most customers.

In a nutshell, it was explained to me that adding “*.autodesk.com” as an exception rule should solve the issue

Please let me know if it does fix the issue!

Thank you,

Jeanie

[dbmccowan]

I am having the same problem.  Context-sensitive help cannot be accessed within Inventor Pro2014 either. I just get a blank browser page with what seems to be the correct address in the address bar (example -- http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2014/ENU/?contextId=TOOLTIP_APPAPPLICATIONOPTIONSCMD).

But I do not use a proxy server. So is there another possible cause / solution to the problem?  The problem seemed to start when approx 150 updates automatically came in when I shut the PC down about 3 weeks ago.

(Windows7  64-bit and Inventor Pro 2014 Build 246 Release 2014 SP2  Date Fri 4/11/2014)

Many thanks.

[blair]

Can you restore your system back to a state prior to the updates?

You can also change Inventor to use the Local Help, it does require installing the Local Help: http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/downloads/caas/downloads/content/inventor-20...

You will have to change the setting in Inventors Application Options from Online to Local

[dbmccowan]

Thanks Blair,

I used to set restore points on my XP laptop, but never got in that habit with this WIN7 desktop. Wish I had.

I tried to download and install Update 3 for Inventor Service Pack 2 -- INV18230.zip . Now I need to mention a couple of other problems:

1a)  Downloading applications does not work with Internet Explorer ... "could not be downloaded" (even after PC re-start and resetting IE to defaults)

1b)  Downloading applications with Google Chrome does not work either -- unless I "Save Target" to the same folder used by Internet Explorer -- C:\Users\Owner\Downloads.

2a)  After finally downloading INV18230.zip using Chrome, INV18230_64-bit.msp extracted ok. But I cannot install it. I received the message "Error 1723. There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A DLL required for this install could not be run". I ran a FixIt application but it did not find problems with the PC.

2b)  Looks like the same problem with downloading Local Help for Inv2014 from http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/downloads/caas/downloads/content/download-an...

Do you think these 3 problems are all related? Should I post this to a new thread?

Thanks and hope you have some ideas for me to try.

[blair]

Sounds like you turned off your machine during that point in the MS updates that says "don't turn off your machine". If you don't have a restore point, It sounds like a re-install of Windows is going to be required. A good USB drive to back up your data prior to doing a fresh format of the HD and installation of Windows O/S sounds like your next option. Possibly spend a couple of bucks at a good computer service department before the wipe and re-install. They might have a couple of tools to fix your system.