• Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
    Dedicated community for Japanese speakers
  • 한국 커뮤니티
    Dedicated community for Korean speakers
Exit
0

Robohelp output opens blank on software that utilizes Apache

New Here ,
Apr 06, 2009 Apr 06, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi,

Has anybody got any ideas about Robohelp running on software that uses Apache. My file opens fine locally if I open the start page manually, but as soon as the help file is loaded into the software product it opens as a blank page in Firefox. Apparently this is to do with the fact that the software package in question uses Apache web server.

I'm not well enough informed on this side of things to even take a guess so any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks

Alex Samson

Views

1.7K

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Valorous Hero ,
Apr 06, 2009 Apr 06, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi Alex

What is your output type? To my knowledge, if you are using basic WebHelp, the server software should not matter. I've seen some isssues reported with FlashHelp, where navigation doesn't show if you are running an IIS server. But this would be the first I've ever heard of WebHelp not being served. (if that's your output)

Cheers... Rick

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Apr 06, 2009 Apr 06, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi Rick,

Thanks for the swift response. The output is Webhelp. Basically, when the file is opened straight from the output folder - i.e., clicking on index.htm, it opens fine in any browser. The moment the client incorporates the help file into their product it seems to go wrong. The product is a browser-based interface and the help file start page is accessed simply by clicking on a help link. Clicking on the help link simply opens a blank page with a couple of asci-like characters a the top of the screen and nothing else. This only happens in Firefox apparently.

Alex

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Apr 06, 2009 Apr 06, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I think this is because your server has not been configured for UTF-8 encoding.

See Item 22 on http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/rh7/using_rh7.htm

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Apr 06, 2009 Apr 06, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Thanks Peter. I've regenerated using MOTW and sent the encoding information to the customer. I'll let you know if that works.

Alex

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Apr 07, 2009 Apr 07, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi Peter,

Still having problems.

In the example you sent me via the link there is talk of:

  1. Set the char-set attribute in HTML meta data to be UTF-8. This tells           the browsers that the HTML content is UTF-8 encoded.
  2. Set the 3 bytes UTF-8 BOM at the very beginning of the file to tell           any kind of text file editor  that it is UTF-8 encoded file.           These 3 bytes are invisible characters so you won't see them in any           editor. These are optional bytes and browsers don’t require them           to render a UTF-8 encoded HTML file.

I checked the code at the top of my pages, it currently reads:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

So utf-8 is already defined. I'm not sure I understand point 2. How do I 'set the 3 bytes utf-8 BOM' at the beginning of the fle if the characters are invisible?

Sorry for my general ignornace; this is all quite new to me.

Alex

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Apr 07, 2009 Apr 07, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

You have done your bit.

It is for the administrator of the server to set it up to recognise UTF-8.


See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Apr 09, 2009 Apr 09, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi Peter,

I'm still having no joy with this encoding issue. I passed on to the customer that they need to configure their apache server to recognise utf-8. They say they have but it has made no difference. One thing they have passed back to me is that on some of the pages there is a space before the first HTML tag. I've looked through every page and cannot see a space.

Do you have any more suggestions that I can try? I'm at a loss to explain this. The most frustrating thing is that when I open the files my end, direct from the output folder and into any browser, they open fine.

Very frustrated

Alex

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Apr 09, 2009 Apr 09, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Nothing else to suggest unless you are using RoboHelp 8. If you are, email me via my site and I can send you an amended file that may help.


See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
May 20, 2009 May 20, 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

LATEST

Hi All,

I've found the solution to this problem yesterday. In a nutshell the issue relates to the fact that RoboHelp outputs HTML with UTF-8 encoding, while the Linux web server I was uploading the Help to was onlu compatible with UTF-16. I fixed this by entering the following header informationa the top of every page of code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16" ?>

I suppose the other fix would be to have the web server configure to support UTF-8, but from a quick, short-term fix point of view, inserting the above header information worked really well.

Alex

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Resources
RoboHelp Documentation
Download Adobe RoboHelp