Conditional Build Tags for Text Blocks Applied to Entire File

[Rapa49]

RoboHelp 8.0.0.203.  This post also deals with conditional build tags, but in this case the conditional build tags have been associated with sections of text and text blocks within a topic.  The design was implemented originally in RH7 and the project has since been updated with RH8.

For example, you could have three blocks:  Purpose, Procedure, Tips, and a Notes block.  They are disabled by applying blocks Tag A, Tag B, Tag C, and Tag D respectively.  If Tag A is applied to the Purpose, it is cross-hatched in the design window and does not appear upon generation.

The problem is that tags that are seemingly unrelated to blocks, such as Tag C and Tag D, are spontaneously applied to those blocks -- by the software.  In fact, they would be spontaneously applied to all of the blocks and text in a some of the files (for no apparent reason), cross-hatching every element and every block of text in the file.  When we unapply the tag and store the file, when we re-open the file, the tag is mysteriously re-applied to all the blocks -- again by the software.

Has anyone seen this type of problem in RH8?

Below is further detail about the problem

An example of how tags shold be applied involves a block involving three banners

<div class="banner">

     <?rh-udv_start name="Banner A" ?>BANNER A NAME<?rh-udv_end ?>

     <?rh-udv_start name="Banner B" ?>BANNER A NAME<?rh-udv_end ?>

     <?rh-udv_start name="Banner C" ?>BANNER A NAME<?rh-udv_end ?>

</div>

Under normal conditions, an associated tag would be applied to "unselect" two classifications, thus selecting the third by default.  This is done by highlighting the associated banner, right-clicking and selected the "UnselectedBanner" tag,  Below, banner C is selected by unselecting Banners A and B.  T

<div class="banner">

     <?rh-cbt_start condition="UnselectedBanner"?>

     <?rh-udv_start name="Banner A" ?>BANNER A NAME<?rh-udv_end ?><?rh-cbt_end ?>

     <?rh-cbt_start condition="UnselectedBanner"?>

     <?rh-udv_start name="Banner B" ?>BANNER A NAME<?rh-cbt_end ?><?rh-udv_end ?>

     <?rh-udv_start name="Banner C" ?>BANNER A NAME<?rh-udv_end ?>

</div>

The <?rh-cbt_start condition="UnselectedBanner"?>  indicates that the section is de-selected.

Note, that the "<?rh-cbt_end ?><?rh-udv_end ?>" are in opposite order in the example (but that's how it appears in the file).

In the cases where this problme occurs, we the html riddled with "Tag D" and "Tag C" condition tags for all the elements.

<?rh-cbt_start condition="Tag C, Tag D"?><div .......     </div><?rh-cbt_end ?>

I cannot attach any files because these files are on a classified system.

Thank you much.

[MergeThis]

I cannot provide hard evidence for this, but I believe that conditional build tags should not have spaces (or even underscores, I think). Try changing them to BannerA, BannerB, BannerC instead.

Good luck,

Leon

[Rapa49]

As a further clarification, I double checked and there were no spaces in the tag names involved.  The above were submitted as examples.  Consider the problem with no spaces in the names.  I apologize for the confusion.  Thanks much.

[tspaul]

We are also having a problem like this, where conditional tags that are applied to text blocks within the topic spontaneously get applied to the entire topic. This looks like a bug to us, but if there are things we can do to avoid it, solutions would be greatly appreciated.

[Rapa49]

I have not solved the problem, but have reported it as a bug.  There is a work-around:

Backup the files/ project frequently.

If the problem occurs, open the backup file in IE and then open the source in Wordpad (not RH)  View->Source

Look for the offending tag.  If the bug has hit there, the bug is throughout the file.

If the bug has not hit the backup file, copy it to the current project.

Remove all instances of hte tag in Wordpad

The tag starts with <?rh-cbt_start_condition="TagTitle" ?> and ends with <?rh-cbt_end?>.

I think part of the bug is that the tag ends with two end-tags or that rather than having tags nested, they overlap

Save the file.

Close the project in RH and re-open it.  Then, you get around the bug.

Hope that helps.

[tspaul]

Thank you! It is good to know the bug has been reported as well.

Tammy

[Captiv8r]

Hi Tammy

It will also be helpful if everyone that encounters the issue reports as a bug. It's like a voting system. The more reports of bugs that are seen, the more weight is given to the priority. This directly translates to the fix being posted sooner rather than later.

So even though the bug has been "reported", you and others should take a moment and report as well!

Cheers... Rick

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[tspaul]

I'll certainly post the bug, then. Thanks! We have at two writers who are running into this problem regularly.

Tammy