Robo8Crash before opening a project

[AmramPriest]

Robo8Crash before opening a project. No projects will open! The opening splash screen listing “Recent Projects” and such appears for about two seconds, then disappears leaving a 'null' workspace -– the application doesn’t completely crash, that is. Opening any project directly opens the RH application but not the project. No error messages, no nothing.

A few weeks ago upgraded from RH HTML 7 to RH HTML 8, but not using any RH8 features yet. Everything was fine until this Monday morning. (Everything usually is fine – until it’s not, eh?)

It’s a simple straight-ahead HTML Help with no bells or whistles. Working  on local drive. No source control application used.

I blew off the .CPD file but to no avail. This one is a real stumper. Help!

[MergeThis]

"Everything was fine until this Monday morning. "

I suspect that your IT peeps were doing some creative stuff over the weekend (there'll be heck to pay getting them to admit it, though).

Suspects: new/upgraded anti-virus software, new "virtual" networks on user machines, inadvertent removal of user privileges, etc.

Good luck,

Leon

[AmramPriest]

I even uninstalled then reinstalled Robo8 -- still no joy in Mudville.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

Are you opening by double-clicking the project file? If so, what happens if you use the Desktop or Program Files shortcut to open the applicaiton? Does the application open then?

Cheers... Rick

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[Guest]

Rick,

I find that this happens fairly often (maybe 10 percent of the time) when opening RH8 from the desktop and/or program files shortcut. I usually have to reboot in order to open the project files, and they will open from the

I am using RH8 HTML and the files are located on my C drive.

More frustrating than the inability to open files is the issue of application crashes. They were rare indeed in RH7, but frequent in RH 8.

Helen Schmidling

[RoboColum_n_]

Just a hunch but is your desktop networked? if so, this may be the issue. Perhaps you can also tell us if there is a pattern about the crashes. Are they on the same projects? If so, do they still crash if you open via a different method?

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Read the RoboColum(n).

[Guest]

Colum,

Yes, I am on a network, but both the project and the application are on my C drive.

I recently divided an extraordinarily large project into three smaller projects, using RH8. In response to your question, it doesn't have a preference for one project over another -- it's an equal-opportunity party crasher.

The program crashes are random, but there is a greater likelihood of RH8crashing when I am doing a drag-and-drop from the project manager to WYSIWYG. It doesn't seem to matter which method I use to open the files. And, it doesn't matter which type of drag-and-drop I'm using, whether it's a hyperlink or a baggage file.

I've used RoboHelp since the old eHelp days, and I find that while there are some nice features of RH8, it's the least stable of all of the versions.

Helen Schmidling

[AmramPriest]

I had Robo7 on my machine and Robo8 in which I was working.

So here is what I did which seems to have cured the wierdness:

1. I  totally un-installed both RH& and RH&.
2. Edited the registry for all traces of “RoboAnything”.
3. I then ran every firkin tool I could think of – CC cleaner, Advanced SystemCare, and Malwarebytes, re-booting after every de/reinstallation and cleaning.
4. I then did a minimal install of RH8 HTML.

It now seems to work (spit three times).

We shall see. (Meantime, MadCapFriar called me....)

[Captiv8r]

LOL, or as I'm fond of saying...

Meanwhile, back at the outhouse, things were backed up!

Or...

Meanwhile, back at the outhouse, things were running smoothly!

Loved the spit three times reference. I love VooDoo.

No Go Do, that Voo Doo, that You Do... So Well!

Cheers... Rick

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[Guest]

Rick, step away from the coffee machine. Cuz - WOW.

[MergeThis]

I don't think Rick needs the coffee machine anymore; I heard that he's now hooked up to an IV drip.

[Captiv8r]

LOL - Yep... and at 5:00 they swap out the IV with Margaritas! Wooo Hooo!

As Zig Ziglar says... LIfe was never meant to end it with your body fully intact! You gotta slide into home with a Margarita in one hand and a Chocolate Bar in the other while laughing hysterically and shouting.... What a ride!!!!

Cheers all... Rick

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[AmramPriest]

The behavior is the same regardless of which method I attempt to open the project! I took the PC off the network (even tho I am working strictly locally and alone) -- same behavior. ALL projects effect the same odd crash -- new projects, ancient projects. And Robo8 files are not backward compatible to 7!!! I'm on the verge of useing another tool. Perhaps Madcap Flare can work with Robo8 files.

[MergeThis]

Yeah, but I'll bet their user forum doesn't have such good-looking, brilliant, and sainted participants as this one!

[Captiv8r]

And they are angry! Mad Caps! LOL

Seriously, if that's what you want, go for it. If you aren't happy with RoboHelp, perhaps you will be happier with Flare. Then again, be prepared for a bit of a shock in learning a, ummm, different style of working if you choose to go that way. I'm not sure how much may have changed since I beta tested their original product, but it was nowhere nearly as intuitive as RoboHelp is.

And one other thing before I go. Keep this in mind. The Madcap developers seem to take great delight in slamming RoboHelp at every opportunity. They will tell you what awful code it has. How the code is spaghetti code fraught with twigs and twine to keep it all together. Just keep that in mind when they tell you about how Flare is so much better. And it's been written by the same folks that originally wrote the code they are pointing at and saying is so crummy and awful. Sorta makes me wonder what bits of stuff are in their current code?

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

[Peter Grainge]

Given that it was working and that this is a problem you have, it does as Leon pointed out, suggest an environment change. If it was normal, nobody could use RH. The fact that it is all projects and not just some, also points that way.

Have you involved your IT people in this problem?

Could your profile have been moved to a network drive?

Have you tried the supplied sample projects?

Have you tried on another machine?

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips