Problem with running rhcl.exe in batch file

[evillen]

Hi,

I'm running Robohelp 8 and trying to use rhcl.exe to generate multiple help projects. I'm having a problem with the folder where the rhcl.exe is generating the web help. It seems to ignore the "-o" switch and gets the generation folder from the project all the time. As you can see from the log file below, the exe appears to pick up the "-o" path  (......\Test\Opportunities.htm), but writes the generated files to the path in the project (.....\Opportunities\index.htm).

Anyone else come across this problem?

MY BATCH FILE IS:

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp 8\RoboHTML\rhcl.exe" "C:\Data\RoboHelp\RoboHelp Projects\SubProjects\SupplierPortal\Opportunities\Opportunities.xpj" -l Webhelp -o "C:\Data\RoboHelp\GeneratedWebHelp\SupplierPortal\mergedProjects\Test" -g "C:\Data\RoboHelp\GeneratedWebHelp\Generate.log"

THE LOG FILE CREATED IS:

Adobe (R) RoboHelp Project Command Line Compiler version 8.0.0.203
Copyright (C) 2006-2007, Adobe Systems Incorporated and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Project: C:\Data\RoboHelp\RoboHelp Projects\SubProjects\SupplierPortal\Opportunities\Opportunities.xpj
Layout: WebHelp.
Output: C:\Data\RoboHelp\GeneratedWebHelp\SupplierPortal\mergedProjects\Test\Opportunities.htm.

Scanning project for compilation....
Scanning finished.
Warning: No baggage file description.
Starting compilation...
WebHelp preprocessor 8.0.0.203

Compiling C:\Data\RoboHelp\GeneratedWebHelp\SupplierPortal\mergedProjects\Opportunities\index.htm ...

Preparing to create WebHelp...
Clearing output folder...
Preparing files for WebHelp...
Copying files...
Updating files...
Finished preparing in 1 sec(s)

Initializing compiler...
Generating WebHelp 5.50 (8.0.0.203)...
Processing TOC data...
Processing Context-sensitive-Help data...

Updating HTML topics...
Updating opportunities/e-auctions/how_do_i/creating_a_new_bid.htm...
Updating opportunities/e-auctions/how_do_i/creating_a_response.htm...
Updating opportunities/e-auctions/how_do_i/viewing_auction_details.htm...
Updating opportunities/e-auctions/how_do_i/viewing_bid_details.htm...
Updating opportunities/e-auctions/how_do_i/viewing_a_list_of_auctions.htm...
Updating opportunities/e-auctions/how_do_i/withdrawing_from_an_auction.htm...
Updating opportunities/e-auctions/screen_level_help/list_of_auctions.htm...
Updating opportunities/e-auctions/screen_level_help/new_bid.htm...
Updating opportunities/e-auctions/screen_level_help/view_auction_details.htm...
Updating opportunities/e-auctions/screen_level_help/view_bid_details.htm...
Updating opportunities/e-auctions/introduction_to_e-auctions.htm...
Updating opportunities/introduction_to_opportunities.htm...
Finished updating HTML topics in 0 sec(s) : total 12 topic(s).

Processing Full-text-search data...
.............................
Finished processing Full-Text-Search data in 0 sec(s)

Applying WebHelp 5.50 Template...
...................................................................................................
Finished applying Template in 1 sec(s)

Processing Mark of the Web...
Finished compiling WebHelp in 3 sec(s)

Compilation complete.

[Gravenstein]

Hi evillen, and welcome to the board!  A few questions:

1. Is your SSL literally named "Webhelp"? If not, that might be the problem.

2. Can you generate successfully to a different folder?

3. Do you get the same results with other projects?

4. Does leaving off the log switch help?

I don't have much run time with RH8 yet, but I've used RH6 rhcl extensively with a batch file without too many problems.

G

[evillen]

Hi Gravenstein,

Thank you for replying.

1.  Yes, the SSL is called WebHelp - see attached screenshot.

2.  Yes, I can generate to any folder when I put it into the SSL definition.

3.  Yes, I've just tried it again with another project - results attached.

4.  Leaving off the log switch makes no difference

I've tried a few more things:

1.  Putting a file name on the output path in the same way as in the SSL definition but that just gave me an error.

2.  Creating the required output folder before I ran the batch file, and checking that there are no wierd permissions on it - no difference.

3.  I'm using Vista, so I tried running the batch file as administrator - no difference.

It's definitely picking up the SSL because it is outputting to the path defined in the SSL.  However, it is picking up the required output path but then ignoring it. Perhaps it is a Vista thing? Perhaps it is permissions on the folder?

[Gravenstein]

Are you running 64-bit Vista perchance? At one point, I think that might have been a problem. Maybe someone else can weigh in on whether that would be an issue with RH8.

G

[evillen]

I'm running Vista 32bit. I've just tried running the batch file on someone else's laptop which is XP Professional and it does exactly the same thing....

Anyone else got any ideas?

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

What happens if you configure the path exactly as you want it to be in your Single Source Layout properties?

Actually, in thinking about it, why wouldn't you want both to be identical?

Cheers... Rick

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

[evillen]

Hi capiv8r,

The utility always outputs to the path/file held in the project.

The path/file in the project SSL is setup so that the people writing the help can generate to their local disks for testing. The batch file is for an automated build process. I want our MSBuild to use the rhcl.exe to generate each of our 30+ help projects/sub projects and then place the generated code into the relevant folders within our build.

The RHCL.exe just doesn't seem to work correctly and ignores the path switch.......

I'm close to just giving up and letting rhcl generate to the folder in the SSL and then getting MSBuild to copy the files...... 

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

How awful would it be to suggest creating a special Single Source Layout that had the desired path in it. Those that need to work locally can still do that and simply ignore the additional layout.

Might be a workaround... Rick

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

[evillen]

Hi

That's a good bit of lateral thinking.... I'll try that out.

Shame that the utility doesn't do what it says on the box...

[Captiv8r]

Hi again

And that's why we call them bugs.

Did you remember to report it as same to Adobe? The link is in my sig.

Cheers... Rick

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

[evillen]

Just reported it as a bug - many thanks for your help.

[RL_writer2]

I'm having the same problem with Windows XP SP3 and RH8 using the following command:

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Technical Communication Suite 2\Adobe RoboHelp 8\RoboHTML\RHCL" C:\WebHelp_test\RMS_help.xpj -o "C:\output\webhelp"

The output is always place in the following directory: C:\WebHelp_test\!SSL!\WebHelp. The directory specified by -o is ignored.

The above command has worked for years with RH6 with no issue.

As with Evillen, I need the -o option to work within the developer's batch files to add the compiled projects to the their builds.

[evillen]

Hi RL_Writer2,

Might be a good idea if you reported it as a bug as well - the more voices the more chance of getting it patched. 

[RL_writer2]

Hi

I've filed a bug report. Did you eve hear anything back from Abobe?

[MergeThis]

When we were looking into command-line mode several months back, I thought I read somewhere that the output must be published once manually (through the RH UI). Once that publishing path has been "seeded" in this manner, it can then always be published in command-line mode.

Or maybe I dreamed it...

Good luck,

Leon

[RL_writer2]

I tried your suggestion - but it did not work.

[RL_writer2]

This has been fixed in 8.0.1.

I tried it today and it seems to work!

[RL_writer2]

Hi Evillen,

Have you tried the 8.0.1 update?

It appears to work - i.e the output is now written to the correct directory, but upon further investigation, only 23 topics out of my 442 are being processed and when you open RH HTML project it then only shows these 23 topics. Even though the remaining 419 topics are still available.

Retain a backup of your entire project before testing the RHCL options.

Regards,