importing PDF into IFrame crashes RH8?

[kmaddox1]

I'm using RH8 and producing WebHelp. I'm trying to use the new IFrame feature to display a PDF in my webhelp output, but get an Adobe Acrobat error, followed by a RH crash.

Here's what happening:

1. From RH8 topic, insert IFrame and browse to a one-page PDF.
2. Click View Selected Item to preview topic. The PDF appears as expected (and it's way cool).
3. Generate the WebHelp.
4. View the topic in the Webhelp using IE8. The PDF does not appear--just an empty rectangle.
5. Go back to RH8 and try to preview the same topic. This time the system hangs with the Adobe Acrobat error:   "Initialization of the font server module failed."
6. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and shut down non-responsive Robohelp.
7. Repeat several times with the same results, realize I'm crazy, and post this message here.

Any ideas?

[Captiv8r]

Hi Kathy

I'm confused about why you would need an  Iframe to view the PDF. Doesn't it display in the topic pane? Or are  other elements surrounding the Iframe and that's why you want it?

Perhaps  you need to add the PDF to your baggage files list?

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin a self guided voyage of discovery learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 moments from now - $24.95! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcererStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[kmaddox1]

Yes, I have text in the topic before and after the PDF, which is why I thought an IFrame would be a good option. Plus I don't know how to display a PDF by itself as a topic. I'd like to try that--can you give me some basic instructions?

And, yes, the PDF is listed in the baggage files.

Thanks!

[Captiv8r]

Hello again

To display a PDF as a topic, you just link from wherever (TOC, Another Topic, Index, etc) to the PDF.

Now as to whether the PDF is presented in its own window or into the Topic pane, I believe that may depend on the settings of the PDF Reader. I believe there are settings that govern the behavior of PDFs. I further believe these settings are machine specific and not exactly able to be influenced to behave identically across machines.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 moments from now - $24.95! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcererStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[kmaddox1]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for instructions. I didn't realize you could do that and, in theory, that works like a charm, but I'm still having issues. Here's what I just tried:

• Added a new page to the TOC and linked to the PDF in the baggage files directly. I was still unable to view the PDF in the generated output (nothing happened when I clicked the page in the TOC), but RH8 didn't crash and I didn't see the Adobe error message.

• Inserted a hyperlink in the topic and linked to the PDF file. This time I got the "Initialization of the font server module failed error", followed by a dialog saying "There is a problem with Adobe Acrobat/Reader. Please exit Adobe Acrobat/Reader and try again." But there was no specific instance of Adobe Reader running, just Robohelp. After wating a couple of minutes, RH8 stopped working altogether.
• Created a brand new project in RH8 (Since the other was migrated from RH7) with one topic that contained a hyperlink to a PDF. I could see the PDF in preview mode, but the project froze when I generated the WebHelp output

Since I just installed RH 8, I suspect that what I'm seeing is more of a problem with how Acrobat and Robohelp are interacting. I had Acrobat 8 Professional installed before installing Robohelp 8. Could that be it? If so, what's the best way to recover?

Thanks!

[kmaddox1]

I fixed at least part of the problem by uninstalling and reinstalling Acrobat Pro. But the other part of the problem had to do with PDFs and Mark of the Web. Since that's a separate issue, I'm starting a new discussion....