How to fix "Adobe RoboHelp 7 has encountered a problem" error?

[LisaFinn]

I am using Adobe RoboHelp 7 to create WebHelp, with Windows XP. I haven't worked on my help project for about 10 days, and suddenly when I try to open the project I get this message: "Adobe RoboHelp 7 has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience." Other help projects DO open, so it's something about this one. I went to the TechNote called "Troubleshoot system errors and freezes in RoboHelp 7 (Windows XP)" and followed its first steps: downloaded all the updates for RoboHelp 7, installed current Windows service packs (except for IE 8, which gave me a problem last time I tried to install it), and deleted temporary files. None of these solved the problem. Now I am defragmenting my disk, but I don't have much hope for that.

Can anyone help? I'm near the end of my project and am under time pressure to make some changes!

Thank you!

[Willam_van_Weelden]

Hi,

First, make a backup of the project even if it's broken right now.

Then, rename the CPD file and reopen the project. RH will try to rebuild the CPD file. If RH opens, check if Robo sees all the files and check the broken links/missing images.

If this doesn't work, you'll have to dig a little deeper. See http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/opening/opening_projects.htm for step by step instructions.

Greet,

Willam

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[LisaFinn]

Ii renamed the CPD file and that didn't work. Then I tried opening using the HHP file, but unfortunately I get the same error message as when I try to open using the hpj!

[Peter Grainge]

HPJ is a file associated with RH for Word and should not be in a project that has a CPD file. Something is wrong here.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[LisaFinn]

The something that's wrong is my spelling. I meant the .xpj file. I can't open the project with the project .xpj file, or with the .hhp after renaming the .cpd file.

[Peter Grainge]

It is very rare for a project not to open after renaming the CPD and when it does, the HHP is the fallback. I cannot recall a project failing to open from the HHP, albeit with some damage.

As Willam says, I think you are going to have to look at the article on my site.

Many files have names based on the project name. Are they all correctly named? What I am getting at is whether a filename has got out of sync.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[LisaFinn]

This project would not open from the HHP file. I had a colleague double-check it, and she experienced the same thing. Her solution was to delete the xpj and then import the HTM file to recreate the project. I noticed the FPJ files were not the most up-to-date after this, however, and I finally decided to go back to an earlier version of the project and redo changes that I had already made.

Thank you,

LisaFinn