.chm not compiling

[gambacher]

I am trying to compile a rather lengthy document with a large number of imported MS Word 2003 files. The Output View gives me the following warning and does not complete the compile:

"HHC4001: Warning:
The following alias line does not contain an '=' character separating the topic IDs: .

FOSS_Spiral_1_Master_Document.hhk

Fatal Error: Unexpected error from Microsoft HTML compiler.
Finished compiling HTMLHELP in 23 sec(s)"

Please help me. I'm on a tight deadline.

Below is the full output view:

Starting compilation...
HTMLHELP preprocessor 7.00.145

Compiling C:\Documents and Settings\ambacherge\My Documents\My RoboHelp Projects\FOSS S1 Master with imported files\!SSL!\FOSS_Spiral_1_Master_Document\!chm_tmp_folder_0\FOSS_Spiral_1_Master_Document.chm ...

Preparing to create HTMLHELP...
Clearing output folder...
Preparing files for HTML Help...
Copying files...
Updating files...
Finished preparing in 6 sec(s)

Initializing compiler...
Generating HTMLHELP (7.01.001)...
Updating topics...

Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/_Discussion_Papers/An argument for role types.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/_Meeting_Agendas_and_Notes/Architecture Conference Call 11-12-2008.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/_Meeting_Agendas_and_Notes/Architecture Meeting Notes 110408.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/_Meeting_Agendas_and_Notes/Architecture Meeting Notes 111208.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/_Meeting_Agendas_and_Notes/FIS Architecture Meeting Notes 100108.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/_Meeting_Agendas_and_Notes/FIS Architecture Meeting Notes 100608.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/_Meeting_Agendas_and_Notes/FIS Architecture Meeting Notes 100708.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/_Meeting_Agendas_and_Notes/FIS Architecture Meeting Notes 100808.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/_Meeting_Agendas_and_Notes/FIS Architecture Meeting Notes 111808.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/A_Project_Leadership/Business_Process_Definition_Effort/Process goals.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/A_Project_Leadership/Spiral 1 - PMP.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/B_-_Technical_Architecture/B - Technical Architecture.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/C_-_User_Scenarios/A suggested User Scenario Syntax.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/C_-_User_Scenarios/Spiral 1 - User Scenario 1 (revised).htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/C_-_User_Scenarios/Spiral 1 - User Scenario 1.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/C_-_User_Scenarios/Spiral 1 - User Scenario 2.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/E_-_Portal/CLI Portlet UI Requirements.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/E_-_Portal/Portlets requirements.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/F_-_Catalog/FOSS Metadata Model 111408.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/F_-_Catalog/FOSS-Cat 20081114 Meeting Minutes Draft.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/F_-_Catalog/FOSS-Cat 20081119 Meeting Minutes Draft.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/F_-_Catalog/NMFS EDM Data Categories.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/G_-_Hub/NOAA_FOSS_SRS-V1.0.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/H_-_Adapter/H - Adapter.htm...
Updating Document_and_File_Viewer/I_-_Quality_Assurance/I - Quality Assurance.htm...
Updating FOSS Consolidated Files Document.htm...
Updating FOSS Spiral One Documents Title Page.htm...
Updating Revision_History.htm...
Updating Spiral_1_Consolidated_Documents_List.htm...




C:\Documents and Settings\ambacherge\My Documents\My RoboHelp Projects\FOSS S1 Master with imported files\!SSL!\FOSS_Spiral_1_Master_Document\!chm_tmp_folder_0\FOSS_Spiral_1_Master_Document.hhp
Microsoft HTML Help Compiler 4.74.8702


Compiling c:\Documents and Settings\ambacherge\My Documents\My RoboHelp Projects\FOSS S1 Master with imported files\!SSL!\FOSS_Spiral_1_Master_Document\FOSS_Spiral_1_Master_Document.chm


HHC4001: Warning:
The following alias line does not contain an '=' character separating the topic IDs: .

FOSS_Spiral_1_Master_Document.hhk

Fatal Error: Unexpected error from Microsoft HTML compiler.
Finished compiling HTMLHELP in 23 sec(s)

Compilation complete.


Thanks.

gambacher

[RoboColum_n_]

Hi gambacher and welcome to the RH community.

As a start I'd look at the alias file and add the missing = character.

[gambacher]

Thanks for the quick reply. Could you tell me which is the alias file?

[MergeThis · Accepted solution]

"Compiling C:\Documents and Settings\ambacherge\My Documents\My RoboHelp Projects\FOSS S1 Master with imported files\!SSL!\FOSS_Spiral_1_Master_Document\!chm_tmp_folder_0\FOSS_Spiral_1_Master_Document.chm"

Man, that is some output destination path! Try creating a new folder "C:\FOSS" and another HTML Help layout that generates its output to "C:\FOSS\S1_Master.chm." You'll probably experience less grief.


Good luck,
Leon

[johnmccallum]

The alias file is the one with an .ali extension. It is a text file so you can open it in Notepad and edit and save. Good luck.

[johnmccallum]

The alias file is the one with an .ali extension. It is a text file so you can open it in Notepad and edit and save. Good luck.

[Pete_Lees]

Hi, gambacher, and welcome to the forum,

The strange " " string that you see in the error message may indicate another possible cause of the problem: if RoboHelp has somehow encoded the alias file in anything other than ANSI format, the help compiler displays the HHC4001 message.

This was a problem that a number of RoboHelp users reported earlier this year. See:

1st row of ALI-file does not work

Pete

[gambacher]

Thanks everyone. I've got it fixed now. It was the lengthy path names.

Gene