RH 10 generating webhelp viewing with IE11 - Error reading masterData.xml

[rtkwolf]

I’m using RoboHelp 10 and generating webhelp outputs for a merged project with 10 child projects. I’m using IE as my default browser. Early this week windows updates and a Java update (version 7 update 51) were installed on my laptop. I generated my merged project (same as I’ve always done and never had any issues) locally on my laptop. When I went to view the project the following error message displayed: Error reading masterData.xml. At that time I noticed that my IE had updated to IE11. I’m making a presumption that this error is due to the updates because last Friday I published my project viewing on IE 10 and did not get the error. As a side note, the project does go thru the complete generating process its just when I go to view the project is when the error occurs. I can close the error message but when I select another topic the error appears again.

I searched the Adobe discussions to see if this is a known issue but I didn’t see anything specific to RoboHelp 10 or IE11. I did not try any of the previous workarounds that I read about in the discussions because they weren’t specific to RH10 or IE11. I did read thread 931964 and Peter Grainge topic on Merging Help but I’m not sure that this is the same issue since I’ve never had this error previously.

Currently on a second laptop I’m in the process of evaluating RoboHelp 11 and did try to generate an output using a copy of the same project from the second laptop and I got the same error. The second laptop also is using IE11. Neither laptops get this error using Firefox (version 26) or Chrome (version 32.0.1700.76) as my browsers. My laptop is a Dell latitude E5530 64 bit OS windows 7 professional service pack 1.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Where is the “masterdata.xml” file located – can it be opened in IE or Notepad; how is it all behaving under Firefox?

Have you checked the security restrictions on running active content? Is Mark of the Web enabled?

[rtkwolf]

I did a search and I found 2 results, both are dated 11/05/2012:

C:\Projects\Master Project\!SSL!\Adobe_AIR\BrowserBasedHelp\mergedProjects\RB-ERP Help

C:\Projects\Master Project\!SSL!\Adobe_AIR\BrowserBasedHelp\mergedProjects\RB-ERP Release Notes

Yes they open in notepad, i've attached a screen capture of the properties. I'm not even sure what this file is or does.

I don't have any issues in Firefox.

Yes, the IT person here checked the active content and set it as allow.

Yes the Mark of the Web is enabled.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Are you totally patched up on RH10? Because there was an issue initially (I seem to recall) that was including other flavours of SSL outputs when you generated your help. If you’re doing WebHelp, you should only see a WebHelp folder in your \!SSL!\ folder & no other flavours.

[rtkwolf]

I'm on version 10.0.1.292.

I ran updates and it said I was current.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Ok, try clearing the \!SSL!\ folder and generating again.

[rtkwolf]

Still getting the error.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Is that folder for browser-based AIRHelp still present in the \!SSL!\ folder?

[rtkwolf]

No

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Ok, so where is masterdata.xml hiding now?

[rtkwolf]

I did a search within the complete project directory and it says no matching files.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

So where are you getting this message then?

[rtkwolf]

I'm in my master project and generate webhelp layout from single source layouts. When it finishes before I publish I click View Result. IE opens and I get the message.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

What happens if you say “No” and then browse outside of RH to the output folder and open up the index page?

[rtkwolf]

If I go out to the generate folder and open the index I still get the error.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Think I found the warning – it’s inside the whtopic.js file – it’s some function that does this –

//project info

function setRelStartPage(sPath)

[Willam_van_Weelden]

Have you tried the IE11 fix for RoboHelp 10? It's available from

http://helpx.adobe.com/robohelp/kb/robohelp-output-issues-ie-11.html

PS: RoboHelp 11 supports IE11 out of the box.

Kind regards,

Willam

[rtkwolf]

I tried this fix that William recommended and I'm still getting the error message when I try to view the results of the generated project using IE11 as my default browser.

As I stated earlier, I have 2 completely separate laptops, one running RH10 and one running RH11 and both using IE11 as my default browser. I'm using the same copied project on both machines. Each time I generate the project and try to view it I get the "Error reading masterData.xml" message. If RH11 supports IE11 out of the box I wouldn't think that I would get this message. If I use Firefox or Chrome its fine. This project worked absolutely fine when I was running IE10. My IT dept refuses to go backwards so its not an option to go back to IE10.

[Willam_van_Weelden]

Could it be that not all child projects are available in your output? In

that case masterData.xml is missing and I know that Firefox throws a

similar error in this situation.

For Firefox, the fix is to create an empty masterData.xml based on the

xml for another child project. Add the empty xml in the child project

folder and the error disappeared.

Kind regards,

Willam

[rtkwolf]

They are all there. I did a search for this masterData.xml file and the only place I see it is in my empty master project. This file isn't in any of the child projects. 

This project worked on Friday Jan 17, Monday Jan 20 my computer had windows updates that automatically updated my IE10 to IE11. From that point forward this project created this error. I don't have any problems when my default browser is Firefox or Chrome.

[Peter Grainge]

Please see http://helpx.adobe.com/robohelp/kb/robohelp-output-issues-ie-11.html

Apply that fix and then post back to advise whether or not it has fixed this problem.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[rtkwolf]

I already applied this fix and I'm still getting the error message on both laptops RH10 & RH11.

In thread #14 from Jeff Coatsworth he mentions something about the whtopic.js file, I'm not sure if he is making a suggestion or just a comment. Can anyone tell me if this file might have something to do with my error?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

My post was just about where I was finding a reference to that xml file – What happens if you try generating one of the sample projects? Are you getting that same message about the xml file?

[rtkwolf]

Both Salesbuilder and EmployeeCare projects generate fine without error but neither one of these are merged projects. What is the comparison?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Since I have zero experience with merged help, I was wondering if it was something in your install that was getting in there throwing an error. Doesn’t Peter Grainge have a sample project you can download for merged help on his website? (grainge.org)