Files not compiling

[Guest]

Hello,

RH 8 and outputting a CHM.

When I generate CHM, I get an output message (in the Pod) that tells me 'the following files were not compiled.'

I've checked the files and they seem fine to me. In essence, they are no different than the myriad files that compiled successfully.

I know the ultimate solution will be to recreate the offenders...

But, are there any ideas about the cause?

An observation...things were generating fine until I output the same project as WebHelp. Post WebHelp, compilation has been wonky.

Thanks.

[Guest]

In reference to my post, the three offending files are HTC files.

[RoboColum_n_]

Has the CHM ever compiled with these HTC files? I ask because I've not seen a post about these files being used inside a RH project. Maybe someone else can come in here. Out of interest does the project compile using Microsoft HTML Help Workshop? If it doesn't, I think the answer is that these HTC files are not supported.

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Read the RoboColum(n).

[Guest]

Thanks for your reply. While I can't say for sure, I think I compiled successfully with the 3 topics.

I ran through HTML Workshop (new to me) and encountered error HHC6000 and HHC5007 errors. After a bit of research, it appears that the former is nothing but the latter indicates that I am missing an H1 tag. I verified the existence of the tag in all 3 files, so I'm back to square 1.

The only dhtml I use is expanding text. Aside from that, it's a flat file. Are HTC files associated with DHTML?

Thanks.

[RoboColum_n_]

My very limited knowledge of HTC files (basically googling) shows that they provide a mechanism to implement components in script as Dynamic HTML (DHTML) behaviors. An HTC is an HTML file that contains script and a set of HTC-specific elements that define the component.

This leads to the question as to why you are using HTC files if all you are using is standard RH functionality.

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Read the RoboColum(n).

[Guest]

Yes. I had the same response. Why the HTC files... I'll rebuild the files and see what happens.

Do you think the WebHelp generation (just before chm-ing) could have made something go bad?

Thanks again.

[RoboColum_n_]

Generating WebHelp output does not change the underlying source HTML so this wouldn't affect how a CHM compiles. As we can't be sure that a CHM was ever produced I think recreating the topics as HTM files is the way to go.

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Read the RoboColum(n).

[Captiv8r]

Hi all

Not intending to tread on Colums toes here, but I think deeper investigation is warranted. Was this project inherited from another author or have you always been the sole author?

Perhaps the .HTC files have a purpose you aren't currently aware of.

I'd say make a backup copy of the .HTC files before you do anything. You may be destroying something that took eons for someone else to create.

Just my $.02 worth. (Which means I think I owe you $250.00 given today's economy!)

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 within the day - $24.95! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[Guest]

Thank you for your two cents! No need to compensate for the plummeting economy!

I am the sole author of the topics. I am pretty fastidious about stuff and I'm fairly certain I didn't do anything "wrong."

One of the offending topics conatins nothing more than some text with a few links to other topics. The others, as I mentioned, have some expanding text.

I will post a resolution, if I find one.

Thanks to all.

[Guest]

A few more things to add to the mystery.

I imported the offending topics into a new project and compiled successfully.

In a last ditch effort to avoid a lot of rework, I deleted the offending topics from the original project and imported them from the new 'clean' project. Then I compiled the original. Ugh. Even more files were excluded from the compile, including PNGs.

So, I created yet another new project, recreated the project manager folder structure and imported all topics, offending and not, from the original project. I recompiled frequently and encountered no problems.

This seems to indicate a corrupt project. I still wonder whether the preceding WebHelp generation had some ill effect. I say that because when I viewed the chm with offending  topics and opened the topics, I got a can't find page message that seemed to be looking for a URL.

So, no real solution, but at least I'm back on track.

Thanks.