Browse sequences not saved in RH8

[EileenPalsson]

I just created browse sequences using Auto-create using TOC and ...down to level 3. When I look at the browse sequences while the Browse Sequence Editor is still open, they look great. But as soon as I close the Browse Sequence Editor (by clicking OK) and reopen it, all but the first-level topics have disappeared.

So I'm not sure how to say what the problem is:

• Browse sequences are not actually being created past level 1, even though the Browse Sequence Editor is displaying them.

OR

• Browse sequences are being created but not being saved properly.

I tried using ...down to level 2, instead – with the same result.

I tried emptying the BRS file and deleting the CPD file – identical result.

I tried manually adding a bunch of topics to the browse sequences – these disappeared as soon as I closed the Browse Sequence Editor, as well! The only ones saved were the topics that are on the first level in the TOC.

This is so weird! Seems like a bug to me. Any ideas?

Note that this has nothing to do with getting the browse sequences to show up in the output. I've managed to do that.

Thanks.

Eileen

[Peter Grainge]

If it was a bug I think we would have seen it reported before, more to the point though it would happen in other projects. Have you tested any of your other projects or the sample projects?

Even if it proves to be project related I don't have any answers at the moment but at least you will know what you are dealing with.

Post back when you have checked another project.

Hmm, one idea. Assuming the project you test works OK, check the browse sequence is empty and copy its BRS file to your rogue project, renaming it as required. Open the project and try again. Maybe a file from a good project will help. Although your BRS file may look OK, it's always possible there is some hidden problem.

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@petergrainge

[EileenPalsson]

Hi Peter, and thank you for the suggestions. Through further testing I figured out what was causing the problem: The topics that were not being saved in the BRS file were the ones that had a title (Topic Title in the Topic Properties dialog) beginning with a special character, namely left bracket ( [ ).

I know that seems like a strange character to start a topic title with, but this particular help project describes our system's INI files. Each section of each INI file has a header like "[Scan Settings]". Thus each help topic that describes a section has a name that matches.

I consider this a bug. As far as I know, there is no restriction that prevents us from naming help topics like that. Those topics work just fine in the TOC, Index, inter-topic linking, etc. In my eyes there should be no reason why they can't be used in browse sequences, as well.

Any suggestions on how to solve this (short of renaming about 100 help topics in 3 different help projects)?

Thanks and regards

[Peter Grainge]

Is the bracket also in the file name? If it is, then on the one hand I can understand things falling over but on the other hand you should not be able to create files using illegal characters in the file name and routines that use file names should also throw an error.

Otherwise those characters are valid for a topic title and topic heading so, as you say, they should also work here.

As to solutions, in copies of the projects you may be able to do some behind the scenes finding and replacing if the filename is not involved. You would need to trash the CPD before reopening the projects and I cannot guarantee that will work. It is simply what I would try. If the filename is involved then you have to make the changes in RoboHelp to avoid broken links.

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@petergrainge

[EileenPalsson]

As I said, the bracket is the first character of the topic TITLE. Not the file name. The corresponding file names begin with an underscore -- which works fine (I tested it). Since brackets are allowed in the title, I consider it a bug that the topics can't be included in the BRS.

I might try changing topic titles behind the scenes, as you suggestioned. It's not all that straightforward, though, as there may inter-topic links, and the topics are listed by title in the TOC and HHK, etc.

[Peter Grainge]

You said the character was in the Topic Title but you did not mention the file name so I could not tell from your answer. That was a more likely cause and for that reason I asked the question.

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@petergrainge

[EileenPalsson]

No need to get testy. I meant no disrespect. RH will not let you create a topic with a file name beginning with a bracket. Never has.

[Captiv8r]

Hi Eileen

EileenPalsson wrote:

As I said, the bracket is the first character of the topic TITLE. Not the file name. The corresponding file names begin with an underscore -- which works fine (I tested it). Since brackets are allowed in the title, I consider it a bug that the topics can't be included in the BRS.

I might try changing topic titles behind the scenes, as you suggestioned. It's not all that straightforward, though, as there may inter-topic links, and the topics are listed by title in the TOC and HHK, etc.

The Inter-Topic links, TOC HHK and other places should be totally unaffected by changing Topic Titles.

This is just an observation on my part, but I didn't sense Peter was getting testy. I think he was simply trying to explain why he may have answered the way he did.

Cheers... Rick

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