Microsoft Html w/Front Page to RoboHelp WebHelp

[dobryden]

Dear All:
A user has sent me a Microsoft HTML project, created using FrontPage, for importing into RoboHelp. I've read the help, I've searched the forum but not sure I have my answer. When I import the .chm file, all sorts of attributes disapper including formatting, images, ToC, the style sheet is changed even after I bring it in, etc. In other words, for me to use these files, I would need to almost start from scratch. I tried simply importing the raw html files and applying the style sheet but that did not yield better results.

When I go to edit the html files, I receive a message that they are locked for editing by a 3rd party editor. Yes, I can get around that but the results are very poor when I switch editors. Do I need to (or can I?) import an editor into RoboHelp?

Is my only option to find some html utilities (as per a post I found discussing FAR, etc.) or am I missing some core step? We are using RoboHelp X5.

Thank you for any help.

LJ

[Captiv8r]

Hi LJ

How exactly did you go about bringing this project in? You should be able to decompile the .CHM and easily access the topics. Take a look at fellow ACE Peter Grainge's site.

Click here to access Peter's Site

Cheers... Rick

[dobryden]

Dear Rick:

Yes, I have looked at Peter's site, thank you. The security issue is why we're looking at a RoboHelp solution and maybe that's the issue (chm file), RoboHelp or not.

I've extracted the file using HTML Help Studio. That method caused the broken links, dropped images and changes to formatting, etc. Too much work to bring the project back to original format.

I've decompiled the CHM file as per RoboHelp instructions and this did not seem to make any difference.

Next, I tried linking to the CHM file and it worked well in 'preview mode' but not when I compiled it. (Is this simply because of the security update?)

Lastly, I decided to simply link to the individual html files and again, all worked well in preview mode, no broken links, etc. - until I compiled it. Then I had the url not found issue again.

So, if I'm understanding correctly, the compiled version does not work because of the security update even though it's 'wrapped' in RoboHelp? And any known workarounds are in Peter's document?

Thank you again.

LJ