Version 9 upgrade issues

[Guest]

Hello, I was just upgraded to RoboHelp 9 after being on 7 for the last few years, and there are two issues that are stumping me.

1. This particular project is in HTML and not WebHelp, but it compiles in a browser window, which it never did before. (Only WebHelp projects would do that.) Anyway, I can do a workaround by going to Batch Generate and selecting Microsoft HTML Help, but I then have to go to my project folder in Windows Explorer and then to the SSL folder and open the .chm file manually. There has to be a more efficient way, isn't there? Oddly, by the way, when the HTML opened in the browser, the option to allow blocked content didn't appear making the left TOC/index pane jumbled with the alphabet at the top.

2. I noticed that in RH 9, templates are now called Master Pages. When I opened a new project, I noticed that three templates were already in there. They are three that I usually use, but I didn't import anything. I found that curious but no harm done. Once I compiled the help, though, I noticed that the template (master page) content has been added to each topic. It does not show this in the project itself, so I can't literally delete the content from the project. It's probably something simple, but does anyone know why the template's generic content get added to the htm files and how do I get rid of it? Never seen this before in using RH for 13 years.

Thanks very much for any suggestions on these two issues. I really appreciate it.

Kevin

[Willam_van_Weelden]

Hi Kevin,

You say the project compiles in the master window. Is your default layout HTML help or did it somehow get changed to WebHelp? What happens when you generate the HTML help straight from the SSL pod?

As for RH adding master page content: What kind of content is RoboHelp adding on generation? RoboHelp does add headers and footers on generation but those are also visible in the topics that use the master page. In the SSL settings you may also have chosen to apply a certain master page to all your topics on generation. Can you verify in your SSL settings whether this is the case?

Greet,

Willam

[Guest]

Hello William,

Thanks for responding. Well, I think I figured out the master page issue. Hmm, I think. It was placing the sample content from the template (master page) back into htm files after I had removed it when I added the real topic content. Never seen that before. So, the compiled topics actually had both the file's content and the template sample text content. So, I now put all of the sample content in the new "Insert Body Placeholder" setting, and that seemed to fix it. Is that the right move? The output looks as expected now.

In RH 7, if my project was WebHelp, upon compilation, it would open in a browser window and I would have to allow blocked content with a simple click in the IE toolbar. For HTML help projects, it would compile in a windows help file (with the question mark icon). I never needed to change any settings in RoboHelp.

Most of my help files are HTML. Development just grabs the CHM file for those projects. In my other projects, Development has to grab all of the files within the WebHelp folder. So now, I just went to Single Source layouts and selected Microsoft HTML Help, and that finally opened the compiled help like before (without having to go into Windows Explorer and open the chm file. So, your pod suggestion seemed to do the trick. Thanks very much. 

I think there remains just one more source of overall befuddlement with RH9. When a project opens in the web browser, as I mentioned, I always just unblocked contents. Minutes ago, I went into RH tools and unblocked it, and it looked fine like it did before the upgrade. But the next time I compiled (for the proverbial grins and giggles) it reverted back to the blocked state, e.g. alphabet and spaces in the Index and Search tabs. So, I go back to Tools-->Pop-up Blocker, and Turn On Pop-up Blocker is available but Pop-up Blocker Settings is not. So, I can't allow the content now for WebHelp. Sigh.

So for a Cliff's Notes summary: I believe the master page content generation issue is solved. I believe the compilation of HTML projects is solved. The only remaining issue I see at this time (I just upgraded Thursday) is how to continue to unblock WebHelp so I can see the compiled help the way an end-user will see it (without the alphabet and specing problems on the Index and Search tabs).

I'm quickly beginning to wish IT would not have upgraded me.

Thanks again,

Kevin

[Willam_van_Weelden]

Hi Kevin,

If you add content into the master page body placeholder, you only see this default content on new topics based on the master page. RoboHelp does indeed not updated existing topic with that content.

As for your allow blocked content problem, I don’t get what is the problem. Normally, allowing blocked content is shown by Internet Explorer when you open WebHelp locally. (AKA, yellow information bar.) What has that to do with your popup blocker? I might be extremely daft, but I don’t get it.

Greet,

Willam

[Guest]

Thanks again, William.

When they upgraded me on RH, Adobe PDF, Office, Snag-It, etc., they also upgraded me to Windows 7. I also noticed some browser issues on our Knowledgebase Editor today as well. I believe it was an issue with the compatibility view in the OS. I think I've got it how I want it now.

I opened a couple other help projects, and they are acting as I would expect them to act, so I believe it's all back to normal now. Your SIngle Source Layout suggestion was really helpful and answered the big problems about compiling. Thanks.

Kevin

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

Hopefully Willam won't mind my popping in here.

As for WebHelp vs Microsoft HTML Help, look in the Single Source Layouts pod.

Likely you need to nominate Microsoft HTML Help as your primary layout.

As for the Yellow Information Bar and popups, you likely need to configure the Single Source Layout recipe so it adds Mark of the Web.

Choose the Navigation section and enable the Add Mark of the Web option.

Let us know how it goes! Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[Guest]

Rick,

Thanks, I put the HTML as the default single-source layout and that seems to work wekk. I have not tried Add Mark of the Web option, but I will.

Actually, I am now starting to work on my help again - all the help that was created in RH7. When I open a project (xpj) for the first time, it says I should back up and upgrade. No problem. But there is a big problem.

Robohelp crahses and fails to respond during the upgrade process. Has anyone else noticed this? When IT upgraded RH, they also upgraded my OS from XP to Windows 7 64-but - not sure if that matters.

Thanks very much,

Kevin

[Captiv8r]

Hi Kevin

You need to isolate whether you are dealing with an Operating System issue or a project issue.

Try opening RoboHelp 9 and see if you can create a new blank project and work with it okay. If so, things are good and you just need to deal with your project in the new environment. From there, you could try using that blank project and importing a few topics at a time from your old project. You may find that the process chokes on a single topic.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks