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Is a CHM file appropriate for my project?

New Here ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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Hi,

I've been asked to document our API codes in a help file to be provided to customers. Is a CHM file the most appropriate way to go?

Also, can pages in the CHM file be bookmarked? This is one of the requirements and as far as I can see, they cannot be.

If not CHM, I would appreciate any recommendations for output that I can generate with RoboHelp8.

Related question: in a CHM file that I just generated, the topic content is not displayed. I am receiving pages with the error message: The address is not valid. Again, would appreciate understanding why this is occurring.

Thanks very much,

DGR

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

LEGEND , May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

CHM files are designed to be installed locally on each users PC, something that more than likely explains your related question, typically as part of an application. As they are installed locally, it means updating is more difficult. Web based output (e.g. WebHelp) is stored on an intranet, server or web location and can therefore be more easily updated. It sounds like you may be better to go the WebHelp route but without knowing more detail that decision is best left in your court.

As for "bookm

...

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LEGEND ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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CHM files are designed to be installed locally on each users PC, something that more than likely explains your related question, typically as part of an application. As they are installed locally, it means updating is more difficult. Web based output (e.g. WebHelp) is stored on an intranet, server or web location and can therefore be more easily updated. It sounds like you may be better to go the WebHelp route but without knowing more detail that decision is best left in your court.

As for "bookmarks", do you mean the ability for a user to store a page of the help that they can refer to again at a later date? If so, this can be achieved inside a CHM file. In the window properties inside your project, there is a "Tri-pane Tabs and Windows" section. In there is a Favorites option which when ticked adds a tab to the left hand tri-pane of the CHM. Adding a bookmark in this fashion is a little more complicated than in a browser, but it does work. It also has drawbacks in that the data behind these favourites is stored in a HH.DAT file. If this is deleted, the user looses their favourites as well as other information.

Finally as I intimated earlier, CHM files are best run on a local drive. The reason for this is that Microsost issued a security update a few years ago rendering them next to useless unless they are. You can find further detail about this update here.


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New Here ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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Thanks very much for all the help and advice!

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New Here ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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Dear Colum,

I thought that adding the 'Favorites' tab would be a piece of cake but for the life of me it refuses to appear 🙂

I've defined my file as the primary layout, created a new window, selected all the right options but no favorites tab. I understand that there could have been a corrupted file at work - HH.DAT - so I've deleted it also but still no favorites tab.

Any other ideas please, perhaps the placement measurements.

Thanks again, DGR

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LEGEND ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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Hi there

If your Favorites tab isn't showing, you may need to simply define a new window definition and use the new definition in your CHM layout recipe. Sometimes we see where CHM window attributes become horked. (yes, horked is a technical term! Betcha didn't know that, huh? )

Anyhoo, try creating a new window with the attributes and configuring the SSL to use the new window.

Cheers... Rick

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New Here ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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Hi Rick,

Could you please walk me thru the procedure? I'm still a bit new to this.

Thanks so much for your help, DGR

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LEGEND ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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Participant ,
Feb 14, 2011 Feb 14, 2011

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(using RH 8.0.2.208)

Thanks for posting the vid link. I followed the steps, but I noticed that although my 'Microsoft HTML Help' is my Primary Layout, whenever I try to create a new 'NewWindow', it says it's a 'WebHelp Pro' window. Huh?

If I set any other output as the Primary Layout and choose to create a new 'NewWindow', I get the correct window for that output type - just not for 'Microsoft HTML Help'.

Any ideas?

Something else I noticed too: when I right-click the Microsoft HTML Help layout and select 'View' I'm presented with a message box that says that my 'Microsoft HTML Help output is out of date'. What does that mean? How to I fix it? Is it related to why I can't create a new Microsoft HTML Help window?

Thank you.

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LEGEND ,
Feb 14, 2011 Feb 14, 2011

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Hi there

I've never seen that happen before. I'm wondering if your project is possibly corrupt. If you create a totally fresh project do you see the same thing?

As for the "out of date" message, I believe all that really means is that changes have occurred with your project since the CHM was last compiled. Because of this, it no longer matches or reflects what the project contains. So it needs to be recompiled in order to bring in all the changes so you see them in the CHM.

Cheers... Rick

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Participant ,
Feb 14, 2011 Feb 14, 2011

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Thanks Rick.

Yes, this occurs with all my projects, and new ones! I've even tried creating new 'Blank' projects, and 'Application Help' projects to see if there would be a difference, without success.

Thanks also for the feedback re the 'out-of-date' message.

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LEGEND ,
Feb 14, 2011 Feb 14, 2011

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LATEST

Hello again

In that case I might be led to believe the install has somehow become corrupt. I'd probably try doing the uninstall/reinstall hokey pokey and see how it goes.

Cheers... Rick

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LEGEND ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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  1. Make sure your default Single Source Layout is "Microsoft HTML Help".
  2. Open your Project Set-Up pod
  3. Right click on the Windows folder
  4. Click New Window.
  5. Set-up the properties as required.
  6. Open the Single Source Layouts pod.
  7. Right click on the Microsoft HTML Help layout.
  8. Click Properties.
  9. Select your new window in the Default Window field.

That's about it. Let us know how you get on.


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LEGEND ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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Nice one Rick. My keyboard's worn out now. LOL!


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LEGEND ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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LOL, they say a picture is worth a thousand words. I'm guessing a video is worth a million pictures!

Cheers... Rick

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LEGEND ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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Too bad there are still words you can't express with even a thousand video's... Love, Friendship, Justice, etc...

Greet,

Willam

This e-mail is personal. For our full disclaimer, please visit www.centric.eu/disclaimer.

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LEGEND ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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LOL, Willam you need to get out more! I've seen many videos that have literally moved me to tears while expressing all those attributes.

Cheers... Rick

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LEGEND ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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If you think that's the same, there's only one remedy: Take a long vacation, go out, experience the real thing... 😛

Greet,

Willam

This e-mail is personal. For our full disclaimer, please visit www.centric.eu/disclaimer.

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New Here ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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Rick and Colum,

Rick - thanks for the excellent video! and Colum for the step-by-step instructions.

Unfortunately, still no favorites.

Once again, thanks to you guys, this forum is great.

I think I'll open a support case with Adobe....

Thanks again, DGR

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LEGEND ,
May 13, 2010 May 13, 2010

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Hold on there. We haven't given up on you yet Can you try and see if the same is happening on all projects. Perhaps create a simple new project and see if the same is happening there. If it works, try renaming the original project's .cpd file and reopening the project.


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New Here ,
May 13, 2010 May 13, 2010

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Hi Colum,

Finally it works!!

I created a new project and instead of selecting "Blank Project" at the outset, I selected "Application Help" this time.

The Favorites tab appears when I generate the file.

Thanks again to you and Rick for all the advice and patience,

DGR

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LEGEND ,
May 13, 2010 May 13, 2010

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We're glad you got it sorted. The default single source layout is vitally important when performing certain RoboHelp actions. One of them is window creation as the default value controls various things. I have a blog post on them which you can read here. By selecting the "Application Help" option you are making the Microsoft HTML Help single source layout the default, thereby enabling the window feature that allows the Favourites to appear.


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LEGEND ,
May 13, 2010 May 13, 2010

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Hi all

I'm pleased you managed to coax the Favorites tab into showing. As Colum said (and I advised in the video I created) the primary layout governs certain features in RoboHelp.

I'm going to suggest that you file a Bug with Adobe on this issue. The link to do that is in my signature. I'm suggesting you file a bug because the steps I provided in the video should have been totally sufficient to coax the Favorites tab into showing. The fact that you appeared to try them and they didn't work seems to suggest that RoboHelp may have a bit of a bug in this area. If so, it really needs to be reported.

I do know and respect that your issue seems to be solved, so not sure if you will want to try this. The CHM file that results when you compile is dependent upon other files that are created and maintained by RoboHelp. So if you want to give this a try please do so and report back whether it works. Open your project using Windows Explorer (The Windows File Browser). Locate the ProjectName.HHP and delete it. Or just rename it if you are overly cautious. When RoboHelp sees that it is missing and you attempt to create a CHM file, it will bake a fresh one up to use. And that may resolve the issue. At least it would be interesting to know if it does.

Cheers... Rick

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New Here ,
May 16, 2010 May 16, 2010

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Hi Rick,

I followed your steps and yes, the new CHM file was generated properly with both the search and favorites tab.

Thank you again for all your help.

Best, DGR

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LEGEND ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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Can you confirm that you have selected the options as below:

Capture1.png

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New Here ,
May 12, 2010 May 12, 2010

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Yes, I have. Thanks.

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