broken RH HTML 7 project

[Guest]

I'm using RH HTML 7.0.3 on Windows XP Pro, SP3. Two disturbing symptoms have suddenly begun to occur, only within the last week.

Symptom 1: In only one project, my compiled CHM file no longer displays browse sequences. Nothing relevant in the project has changed (for example, the windows definition correctly specifies that browse sequences be displayed) as far as I know. Other CHM files in other projects that were compiled over a week ago and earlier all display browse sequences (the HHActiveX.dll file is installed). Browse sequences in the broken project CHM file are displayed neither on my PC nor on other PCs.

Symptom 2: Another problem has begun to occur within the same time frame (within the past week): when I click any TOC book or any TOC topic in the CHM file, the following HTML Help Author Message appears: "The window name "<name>" passed to HH_GET_WIN_TYPE has not been specified." But it HAS been specified, and correctly. (I've even checked all the XML project files.) Other CHM files that were compiled over a week ago and earlier do not evoke this author message. The HTML Help Author Message appears only on my PC (where RH is installed)—it does not appear on other PCs (where RH is not installed), and it appears only in the CHM that I'm currently working on. (I should add that I've deleted all my RH Window definitions and created new ones, but this has not changed the behavior.)

One other odd symptom that I suspect might be relevant: after I compile the CHM, the following three files appear in the top level folder of the project: ~$<projectname>.BRS, ~$<projectname>.hhc, and ~$<projectname>.hhk

Does anyone have an idea what might be causing these two symptoms? or where to start looking in order to fix the problem?

[RoboColum_n_]

You may have already checked this, but if you have deleted/readded your window definitions did you reactivate the Browse Sequence option on them? They aren't selected by default. If this doesn't work, try creating a new single source layout (don't copy the existing one).

[RoboWizard]

Hi all

In addition to what Colum said, for the Browse Sequences, I might ask if you installed the RoboHelp 8 trial and uninstalled. I recently attempted to install the trial version of RoboHelp 8 and it didn't work for me. So I uninstalled it. When I did, I believe part of the process may have unregistered the HHActiveX.DLL. So Browse Sequences failed to appear for me. After re-registering the HHActiveX.DLL on my PC I was once again able to see Browse Sequences in CHM files.

Cheers... Rick

[Guest]

Rick, thanks for your reply. I have not tried to install RH 8. The HHActiveX.dll is not unregistered—after all, I see browse sequences in all other CHM files. No, the problem is somewhere in the project files, I'm pretty sure. I just don't know where.

[Guest]

Colum, thank you for your reply. The Browse Sequence check box is selected in all cases. And I did delete and recreate the three layouts that I need. Everything in the RH interface windows is filled out properly.

I have managed to resolve the problem described in my "Symptom 2" paragraph. I found code in the xml project files where the Window was defined incorrectly. In the RH interface windows, everything was defined correctly, but for some reason the xml project files were not getting updated. When I manually edited the xml project files, replacing the incorrect Window definitions with the correct one (as it is in the RH interface), everything came right, and the annoying errors disappeared.

I stilll do not understand what broke this RH project, and I am still looking for something in the xml project files that controls the display of browsing sequences.

[NL_Derek-GsBV5a]

A week or so ago I also noticed the three strange files in the top level folder of the project: ~$<projectname>.BRS, ~$<projectname>.hhc, and ~$<projectname>.hhk. A quick glance sugegsts that they are copies of the `real' Browse, ToC and Index.

I moved them out of the way but have not noticed anything else strange with the project.

Has anyone else any news about these files?

--- Derek

[Guest]

I accidentally stumbled upon a solution! I renamed the CPD file, regenerated the CHM files, and the browse sequences reappeared!