Why don't bullets print?

[Bernadino50]

I'm running RoboHelp 9.0.2.271 and I'm generating output using Adobe AIR browser based help and FlashHelp Pro. I'm sure this is a user error, but I can't figure out why my bullets used to show up when  topics were sent to the printer, but now the bullets are missing when topics are printed. The bullets look fine in the Design view, the RH preview, and in the generated output--they just won't print.

So far I've:

• Compared the current CSS file with the CSS file from a project with bullets that do print. No discrepancies were readily apparent.
• Copied a bullet icon that was successfully printed (in another project) to the project in question. Edited the styles to reference the test bullet. The test bullet displayed correctly, but still didn't print.

Does anyone have an idea what might cause such behavior?

Thanks!

[Peter Grainge]

Create a new single topic project using the same CSS and graphic for your bullets. Generate the outputs and verify the problem still exists in the outputs. Then see the contact page on my site and send the dummy project as instructed there.

I will see if I can find the problem.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Bernadino50]

Peter,

I did create a new single topic project, as you suggested. Using the same CSS and graphic, I saw the same behavior as before, where all seems well until I either look at a print preview in the browser or actually print--then there are no bullets. Interestingly enough, I discovered that if I rename the CSS file, without changing its content at all, and associate my single topic with the renamed CSS, then my generated output doesn't seem to use the style I want--but the bullets do print. (In this instance, the Design view and the RH preview continue to look the same as they did before the file was renamed.) I will send the dummy project to you, per your instructions.

Thanks for taking a look at it.

[Peter Grainge]

If I generate browser based AIR help from your project, the bullets print as they should. I cannot test FlashHelp Pro as I do not have RoboHelp Server - you do realise that is a requirement for the Pro versions of OLH?

It could be a printer problem, have you tested on more than one printer?

The other thing that could be wrong is that both the list style and the paragraph style specify the bullet image.

.p-Topic-Text-Bulleted {

    text-align: left;

    font-family: Arial;

    font-size: 10pt;

    margin-top: 3pt;

    margin-bottom: 1pt;

    list-style: url("Graphics/smallblack.gif");

    margin-left: 5pt;

}

li.p-Topic-Text-Bulleted {

    margin-top: 3.00pt;

    margin-bottom: 1.00pt;

    text-align: left;

    font-family: Arial;

    font-size: 10pt;

    margin-left: 5pt;

   list-style: url("Graphics/smallblack.gif");

}

Only the LI style need specify the image so try deleting that line from the paragraph style.

See Lists on my site and in particular the content re upgrading.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Peter Grainge]

Bernadino

Did the above fix your problem?

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Bernadino50]

Thanks for taking a look Peter.

Thanks also for the heads up regarding the Pro versions. I was trying that output as well since we just purchased the server product.

Since your post of the 15th, I've tried printing to more than one printer, but I get the same results--no bullets. (Some of my other projects do show bullets when sent to these same printers.)

I've also removed the image reference from the paragraph style, with no apparent change in behavior.

This morning, I took the CSS file from a similar project where the bullets do print and copied it into the "problem project." Then, I changed the properties of a topic containing bullets so that it would look to the other CSS file. When previewed in RH, I could tell the topic was using the "new" CSS file since a different bullet graphic was displayed. (The graphic file exists in the "problem project" too.) However, when the project was generated and the topic was sent to the printer, once again, no bullets were printed.

I'll keep working on this... Any additional ideas will certainly be appreciated.

[Peter Grainge]

This is very odd as I had no trouble sending it to my home printer. I will try again next week with an office printer.

"I discovered that if I rename the CSS file, without changing its content at all, and associate my single topic with the renamed CSS, then my generated output doesn't seem to use the style I want--but the bullets do print. (In this instance, the Design view and the RH preview continue to look the same as they did before the file was renamed.)"

You say that after changing the CSS name it works OK in Design View and Preview but not in the in the generated output. Have you checked the renamed CSS file is in the generated output.

Is your project on your local drive?

Have you tried generating webhelp (not Pro version) to your local drive?

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Peter Grainge]

Prints fine here on other printers.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Bernadino50]

I've discovered a bit more information:

• The bullets in question do print correctly from Firefox, Opera, and Safari. They do not print when IE 9 is the active browser.
• The bullets I'm trying to use are image files. However, if I change the bullets to the generic "disc," they will print in IE.
• While the image file bullets do not print in IE when the output is Air, WebHelp, or FlashHelp, the bullets do print when the generated output is Microsoft HTML Help (which is not surprising).
• Since I believe that my image file bullets previously did print, when my ouput was Adobe Air--Browser based help and my browser was IE 9, could there have been a change in the latest RoboHelp 9 update that broke this functionality? (I noticed that the Adobe Application Manager installed a new RoboHelp update for me, a few weeks ago.)

My goal remains to get my image file bullets to print from IE, as well as from other commonly used browsers. Thanks.

[Peter Grainge]

I will look again tomorrow.

[Peter Grainge]

I can confirm the bullets print with IE8 although I have to say they are not as sharp as a font based bullet.

The bad news from your point of view is that they also print using IE9.

Have you tried IE9 from another location?

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Bernadino50]

I am perplexed as to why the bullets print properly in your environment but not in mine. However, since I have the workaround of using font based bullets instead of graphic files, please don't spend any more time on this. I will continue trying various things (like IE9 from another location, as you suggested), and will post again if I eventually discover a solution to what appears to be a problem in my production environment. Thanks.