Display Result does not display

Report · Feb 23, 2012

Hello again,

One of the projects that is merged into my Main Project will not display the compiled version when I click the "Display Result" button ... others work just fine.

was gibt?

Lon

Report · Feb 24, 2012

Can you tell us what happens if you click on the Display Results button. What happens if you navigate to your output directory and launch the project from there?

The RoboColum(n)

@robocolumn

Colum McAndrew

Report · Feb 24, 2012

Interesting...

I went to the output directory and tried to open the .chm file and got this message:

Cannot open the file: mk:@MSITStore:P:\staff\groups\IT\ITHelp\SQL.htm

... also, this sub-project does not appear in the Main Project, into which it has been merged...

lon

Report · Feb 24, 2012

Just for giggles - where are your projects located?

Report · Feb 24, 2012

for "giggles"? get ready to guffaw: they are on the network drive...

<sigh> I know, I know ... I've broached this issue with my supervisors a number of times (it's come up here a number of times), but it appears I'm stuck with the current situation...

just out of curiosity (and to further bolster the idea of having projects on my machine), how does having the projects on the network result in these occasional problems? Any solution to the current one?

thanx

Lon

Report · Feb 24, 2012

Hi Lon. At the heart of each RH project is a .CPD file. This is a database file and these little blighters are well known for causing issues when located on a network drive. There is nothing Adobe can do about this. If you are only getting the mk@MSITStore message you should count yourself very lucky. Many have suffered a complete corruption of their RoboHelp project causing many hours/days of getting the project back to its original state. As this corruption could happen at anytime, try telling your bosses that they could miss their deadlines if it happens to you at the 11th hour.

The RoboColum(n)

@robocolumn

Colum McAndrew

Report · Feb 24, 2012

Hey Colum! What are you using to respond to posts? Your posts are coming into my Outlook mail client really wide, but when I check the Web interface, they look fine.

Report · Feb 24, 2012

Jeff, I think it's because Colum is using columns! (in a table, of course)

Cheers... Rick

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Report · Feb 24, 2012

Funny! Your posts come through fine - I think you mentioned something a while ago about how you monitor traffic one way & post through the web interface another. Seems to work fine to me ;>)

Report · Feb 24, 2012

Looks like I'll have to look at a different solution for my signature. Was thinking of a rebranding sometime anyway!

Report · Feb 24, 2012

LOL!

This is a definite no-no - the explanations that I've seen run something like this:

RH projects are stored in not-so-carefully disguised Access databases. Access databases have known issues with corruption when run over networks. You may run fine for quite a while, but eventually lightening will strike and your project will get pooched.

Best practice dictates working on your projects in a c:\projects\[project_name]\ structure. If you're not having multiple authors working on RH (in which case you'd employ some sort of Source Control), Peter Grainge advises working on the project locally, zipping it up & storing that zip copy on your network for backup & safety purposes.

As far as your current issue goes - I'd try making a zip copy from the network and unpacking it on your local machine, delete the .cpd file and try opening the project and generate your output. Nothing ventured if it doesn't fix the issue.

Report · Feb 24, 2012

If I may...

Jeff_Coatsworth wrote:
...RH projects are stored in not-so-carefully disguised Access databases....

Well, yes and no.

Each RoboHelp Project has within the file structure a "Cache Project Database" (CPD) file. That file (and only that file) is a Microsoft Access Database file. The other files are part of a linked system of XML files.