Linking to PDFs but not generating them

[Carol Elkins]

I'm using RoboHelp HTML on RH8, formerly using RH6. In RH6, I think there was somewhere to indicate that links to PDF files that exist in the same folder as a topic could be excluded from the compile. That allowed me to maintain one copy of the PDF that was not overwritten. I can't find how to set this in RH8. As a consequence, all of the PDF files that I link to (hundreds of them) are being copied to the Output folder, resulting in horrendous build times. Does anyone know where this setting is located in RH8? ~Carol

[Peter Grainge]

The only thing I can think of is applying a build tag to the PDF. That would stop the PDF being included in the output. As the output folder gets cleared every time it would also mean those links would either fail or possibly even not show as links. In RoboHelp 8 PDFs are part of the search so that may account for the longer build time.

I wonder if perhaps rather than the generated output you are thinking of the published output? If so there is a setting that only uploads changed files.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Carol Elkins]

Thanks, Peter. I don't publish the project, I

just generate it and then manually FTP the files

to my Web site. I have deselected the "Republish

all" setting in the WebHelp (Primary Layout)

Generate options to upload only changed files,

but that doesn't affect the time to generate. I

didn't realize that RH8 includes PDF files in its

search. That certainly is NOT something that I

want in the particular applications that I use RH

for (not traditional software Help). Is there any

way to disable that, do you know?

In the RH Help Viewer, it says this: "Search

Office and PDF files (WebHelp/Pro, FlashHelp/Pro)

You can search for baggage files (such as PDF,

Word, and Excel files) in published output. To

appear in search results, these baggage files

must be referenced in a topic through a

hyperlink. Note: You must have iFilter for

Microsoft and PDF installed on to enable baggage file search."

My primary layout is WebHelp, not WebHelp Pro. A

quick Google indicated that this iFilter thing is

the AcroIF.dll, and I'm pretty sure that if I

uninstall it, it will hose my Acrobat

application. How can I force RH to ignore baggage file search?

Since I don't have a support account any longer

on RH, do you know of any way I can pose these questions to a RH developer?

Regarding your idea of applying a build tag to

the PDF, I don't see how this is possible. When I

select a PDF file in the Project Manager, the

Format>Apply Conditional Build Tag options are

greyed out. Do you how I could do this?

Again, thanks for your time Peter. You have

helped me so much with the resources you provide on your Web site.

Carol

[Peter Grainge]

I have deselected the "Republish all" setting in the WebHelp (Primary Layout) Generate options to upload only changed files, but that doesn't affect the time to generate.

It will not. That setting is only relevant to publishing. RoboHelp always clears the generate folder and recreates it, as explained earlier.

Is there any way to disable that, do you know?

See Using RoboHelp 8 on my site.

In the RH Help Viewer... ...Note: You must have iFilter for Microsoft and PDF installed on to enable baggage file search.

That's the first time I have seen any reference to the need for iFilter. I will try to find out more but meantime work on the basis that the search is automatic and, in RoboHelp 8, cannot be stopped via the interface. However, as above you can stop the PDF search.

Since I don't have a support account any longer on RH, do you know of any way I can pose these questions to a RH developer?

You get what you pay for.

Even with paid support, you do not get direct access to a developer.

Regarding your idea of applying a build tag to the PDF

It wasn't meant as a suggestion. What I was trying to get at was that a build tag was the only way I could see to stop the PDFs ending up in the output and I explained that had a downside.

****************************************

See what happens when you exclude PDFs from the search.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Peter Grainge]

Looking at the RoboHelp Search topic again, the iFilter information is for WebHelp Pro and FlashHelp Pro only.

In WebHelp PDFs are searched automatically unless you follow the steps on my site.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Carol Elkins]

Thanks again, Peter. I guess I will use a

combination of approaches. When I initially build

the project, I'll include the PDFs so that the

PDF files are copied to the Output file, thus

enabling links to them to remain valid. Then I'll

exclude PDFs from the search as instructed on

your Web site so that all subsequent builds are

completed quickly. I'll manually upload the

changed .htm files just as I've been doing.

Carol

[Peter Grainge]

Exclude them from the search first time. It will not stop RoboHelp adding the files to the generate folder, it just stops them being searched which should save time.

Just uploading the HTM files is not the best policy as other files change. Better to publish and tick the box so that only changed files are published.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge