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Jerry_F_at_RedSeal
Jerry_F_at_RedSeal
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RoboHelp not updating FrameMaker variables

May 18, 2012 10:41 AM

I have a RoboHelp project linked to a FrameMaker book. 

 

I've updated the product version variable to 5.8 in FrameMaker...

 

title_pg_frame.jpg

 

..but RoboHelp still shows the old version, 5.1...

 

title_pg_robohelp.jpg

I have checked the Frame-to-RH linkage by trying to re-link the book, and RoboHelp tells me it's already linked.

 

I can change the text in the FrameMaker file (adding words to the subtitle, for example) and the changes do show up in the RH output. So I know RH is reading the right FM file and updating to my latest changes in that file.

 

But it won't update the FrameMaker variable from what FrameMaker said it was at the time the RoboHelp project was created. This error appears in the file-edit view in RoboHelp, and in the generated output in both the WebHelp and JavaHelp layouts.

 

Suggestions?

 

Thanks.

 

Jerry

560 Views   6 Replies   Latest reply: Jerry_F_at_RedSeal, May 22, 2012 11:37 AM
 
Replies
  • Jeff_Coatsworth
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    1. Jeff_Coatsworth,
    May 22, 2012 9:48 AM   in reply to Jerry_F_at_RedSeal
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    First, what versions are you using & are they all patched up?

    Second, have you tried updating the FM docs, saving them, closing them (leave FM open at starter screen); then do a Force Update All in RH?

     
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  • Jerry_F_at_RedSeal
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    2. Jerry_F_at_RedSeal,
    May 22, 2012 10:35 AM   in reply to Jeff_Coatsworth
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    Technical Communication Suite 3.5, FrameMaker 10.0.2.419, RoboHelp 9.0.2.271. Yes, all up to date.

     

    I have tried updating the docs, saving, closing, forcing updates, changing variable definitions, everything short of standing on my head and whistling Dixie . 

     

    Nothing happens. 

     

    RoboHelp still sticks with the value of the variable as defined at the time of the RH project creation.

     

    I have since located the file  rhvariable.apj in the RH project root directory.

     

    This XML file contains definitions for a subset of variables, including the version string I am trying to update, that are defined in my FrameMaker project.  This file's date/time stamp indicates it was created the day the RH project was created, and I have verified that it does not get updated on subsequent updates of either the Frame book or RH project.

     

    It appears to contain user-defined variables from one of the files in the Frame project (which one I don't know, but it does mean variables are limited to one meaning per book so I can't assign a variable different meanings in different files in the book).

     

    My current work around is to edit this file manually whenever I change the version string. That doesn't happen all that often, so I won't have to edit this file frequently, but it does happen, and I will have to remember to make this edit in the RoboHelp file. Not exactly what I was hoping for with my conversion to RoboHelp as authoring tool.

     
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  • Jeff_Coatsworth
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    3. Jeff_Coatsworth,
    May 22, 2012 10:56 AM   in reply to Jerry_F_at_RedSeal
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    I’d report it as a bug – according to the help (http://help.adobe.com/en_US/techcomsuite/tcs/using/WS1b49059a33f77726- 31aee1b1342288940d-7fe6.html) it should convert over each time. You didn’t accidentally mark the RH topic as not to be updated, did you?

     
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  • Jerry_F_at_RedSeal
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    4. Jerry_F_at_RedSeal,
    May 22, 2012 11:18 AM   in reply to Jeff_Coatsworth
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    I have not intentionally changed update options for anything.  If inadvertently, where would that have happened? which topic? what would need to be changed to revert to correct update behavior?

     
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  • Jeff_Coatsworth
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    5. Jeff_Coatsworth,
    May 22, 2012 11:24 AM   in reply to Jerry_F_at_RedSeal
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    The topic that is showing the variable not changing – check by right-clicking the topic and see Properties – there’s some tab in there that you can use to tell RH not to update the topic (to preserve edits you’ve made in RH and don’t want creamed by FM again).

     
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  • Jerry_F_at_RedSeal
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    6. Jerry_F_at_RedSeal,
    May 22, 2012 11:37 AM   in reply to Jeff_Coatsworth
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    Okay, I did check that location previously, and no changes have been made on the File Update Settings tab for that---or any other---topic.

     
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