Why does content conditionalized out still shows up in webhelp?

[lpatryas]

Using RoboHelp HTML 7

I looked at my RoboHelp project for my product and discovered that an obsolete topic that appeared in library search results was in fact flagged with an Obsolete conditional tag. And my Conditional Build Expression explicitly said not to include topics tagged Obsolete. So I was confused.

I generated the output again, and one of the early RoboHelp messages says that RoboHelp is “Clearing the output folder.” I thought this meant that RoboHelp was clearing my !SSL!/WebHelp folder of files and preparing to populate that empty WebHelp folder with fresh output. When the generate process had completed, I looked more closely at my WebHelp folder and of course new output had been written there. However, the topic I had tagged “Obsolete” was there as well. It had an earlier date/time stamp, but it was there nevertheless. So a week ago, when I had delivered my WebHelp folder to the final library build area, that WebHelp folder had contained topics that I did not want in my help. And search found them. Yikes!!

I think a workaround solution is:

Before generating RoboHelp output, browse to the !SSL!/WebHelp output folder and remove all files and folders and subfolders. Then generate the output into that empty WebHelp folder.

Can anyone tell me why conditional text that is selected to not be included in the webhelp is included? Is my understanding about what is happening (above) correct?

[RoboColum_n_ · Accepted solution]

Your investigation work is spot on. I tend ot use Beyond Compare http://www.scootersoftware.com/ to compare my output and publish locations to get around this issue. Deleting the output from both the generate and publish locations before generating and publishing would also do the trick though.

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The RoboColum(n)

@robocolumn

Colum McAndrew