Screen shots not showing up in WebHelp (RH7)

[Guest]

Hello:

I'm having an issue where screenshots (all are .png) aren't showing up in WebHelp. I'm not sure what happened! I have added and edited tons of screenshots since I started my project, but I have no idea if that would affect WebHelp.

Basically, when I try to view results, it just shows white space where the screenshots are supposed to be, and then at the bottom of Intertnet Explorer it says something like "(11 items remaining) Downloading picture file....." And it just sits there. It doesn't appear to actually "download" even though... it's right there on my computer! Any ideas?

Thanks,

Dan

[Peter Grainge]

The first thing I would try is to move the project so that the path is not so long. Generally it is best not to keep them within Docs and Settings for that reason. C;\MyProject is better.

If that makes no difference, were all the PNGs created using the same tool? I believe it can be worth opening the PNG and doing a Save As retaining the same name and location. The act of resaving can make a difference.

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[Guest]

Hi Peter! I finally tried resaving a section's worth of screenshots, just to see if there was a difference. Unfortunately there was no difference.

I do appreciate the help, though, from everybody! I guess I'll just keep trying different things. I'll post if I figure it out, or if I have other questions.

Best,

DJ

[Guest]

Hello Dan,

I have long and painful experience of using PNG images in RH4, 5 and 6, which caused a random instability in that a topic would suddenly lock up RH completely when trying to open a topic that had PNG images.

After much frustration, lost time, experimenting and advice from other Forum members (thanks guys), I changed all images to GIF, and never had a problem since. I've not risked tested PNG images in RH7; enough is enough!

(The PNG screenshots were created in Paint Shop Pro, if anyone is interested).

I don't know if this will help.

Regards,

Philip Tory

Authorgraphic UK

[RoboWizard]

Hi all

Just to balance it out.

My experience with PNG images has been quite the opposite. I've used them nearly exclusively with RoboHelp since the Adobe version 6 and can't say I've ever seen a problem.

However I do suppose it could boil down to the application used to create them. Peter alluded to that earlier.

The tools I use for creating PNG are TechSmith SnagIt version 8 and good old Microsoft Paint. I know that Adobe FireWorks works with images in a similar manner to PhotoShop. By that I mean that you can work with layers (I think - I only have a passing familiarity with it and don't use it often enough to really know it). I believe FireWorks saves in .PNG format to store its layering information. You probably have to "flatten" it to make a PNG like SnagIt or Paint creates.

For what it's worth (after factoring in exchange rates and the current economic climate, that may not be much!) Rick

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[Guest]

Thanks for the information, all!

I use SnagIt 8. I hope it's not the PNG. That would be such a headache! I tried moving the RH Projects folder to C: and that didn't make a difference. I still have to try re-saving the pics, but I'm curious how that will have any effect on the screenshots showing up in WebHelp. Do I need to open them in RH ScreenCapture and save the screens using that?

Also, has anyone had trouble with screenshots not showing up when using Preview in RH7? That started happening around the same time and I think I forgot to mention that. Sorry.

[Peter Grainge]

Do the missing images show in Project Manager?

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Visit www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

[Guest]

Yes. They are in the Images folder under Project Manager.

This is interesting. If I right click to view Image Properties of a PNG in the Images folder, it says "File format not supported" (see attachment). However, if I right click to Edit or View (still in the Images folder), the image shows up fine (Opens in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer for both Edit and View -- not sure why...)

I need to point out that screenshots DO show up in printed documentation and HTML Help.

FlashHelp is having the same problem as WebHelp - no screenies. 

Message was edited by: D. Johnson

[RoboWizard]

Hi there

Yes, RoboHelp has an issue with showing them in its own preview. Weird, I know.

Are you open to a screen sharing session? I'd be happy to take a look at your setup if you like. Perhaps we might sort what is happening.

If not, no big deal just thought I'd toss out the offer.

Another thougt occurs here as well. You mentioned it's happening in IE. Have you tried the special ex wife process? You know the one. It's called clearing your cache.

Cheers... Rick

[Guest]

Hi Rick,

Yes, I've tried clearing the cache. Alas, to no change!

Let me know how this screen sharing thing works.

I'm also going to try opening this project at home. See if that works.

I'll let you know.

Best,

Dan

[Guest]

I'm beginning to think that Internet Explorer may be the culprit. I was trying to run WebHelp on IE 6 here at work. Then I tried running WebHelp on IE 7 at home. Nada. I ran WebHelp on Firefox and.... it worked!  Perfectly!

So I guess my next question is, what is up with Internet Explorer?!?  Any ideas?

Thanks again to everyone who offered suggestions.

Message was edited by: D. Johnson

[RoboColum_n_]

I've just found this post http://24ways.org/2007/supersleight-transparent-png-in-ie6 about transparent PNG in IE6 and below. Could this be your problem?

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Read the RoboColum(n) for mutterings on RoboHelp, Technical Communication Suite and technical communication.

[Guest]

Ah!  That link led me in the right direction! Not long after reading up on it, someone else told me that png is notoriously inconsistent with web work. I think this may be browser-related (*cough* Internet Explorer *cough*), since Firefox handled things just fine.

So I did two things. I selected Allow active content to run in files on My Computer (IE 6), since I was testing on my computer...

And I went ahead and batch converted everything to GIF (used SnagIt). At first I didn't notice any changes, but then I restarted my computer.

It worked! Woo hoo!

Again, thanks to everyone for all the suggestions.

Now, on to playing with making a custom skin!