How do I UNmerge indexes when I can't find the subproject icon?

[Guest]

I inherited a huge project in RoboHelp HTML 7. The index in this project is merged with the index in another project. I need to UNmerge the two indexes, but I cannot find the subproject icon in the TOC pod. Is there any other way to UNmerge the two projects - especially the two indexes?

[Willam_van_Weelden]

Hi,

If the index is merged, you need to look in the index file to unmerge the index. If the table of contents is merged, you need to look in the TOC.

You can find the index in the Project Manager pod.

Greet,

Willam

[Peter Grainge]

Merged Help proper must have the child projects listed in the TOC of the parent project. Anything else must be a home brewed merge.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Guest]

Is there any way to completely wipe out the merged index and start from scratch? I do not see a child project in the TOC (nor the Index) pod, and I've been trying to resolve this for days and days. The project is convoluted, but the people who created it have left the company.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

I've personally never seen any sort of a "merged index" indication in any RoboHelp project I've ever worked with. AFAIK, the merging totally occurs within the TOC by virtue of adding that special Merged icon that points to another TOC which is part of a different project.

The actual merging does not occur at edit time. It occurs when the help output is displayed and presented to the end user.

Are you saying there are entries you are seeing in your main project that belong to a child? Can you please post screen shots? (You will need to reply using the web interface and click the camera icon appearing in the tool bar above where you type.)

Cheers... Rick

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[Guest]

Rick,

In RoboHelp (the project I'm working on), the index tab has these entries:

In the compile project, the index suddenly has additional entries (that I can't see in the main project), and they go to a different project called the KODAK PROFESSIONAL Digital Analyzer. I don't want ANY entries for the Digital Analyzer to appear for this index. I want it for ONLY the product I'm working on, but I can't find where/how the two projects are linked.

[Guest]

Forgot to post the screenshot of the compiled Help - the same portion of the index:

[Captiv8r]

Okay, so if you aren't seeing any reference of the odd diamond icon in your TOC structure but are still seeing merged stuff, this certainly indicates something is amiss somewhere.

It could mean that you aren't truly looking at the file you think you are. To test for that, add a topic with a really bizarre image with the text RedRabbit or Boffo on it. Then compile and see if you find that topic. If you don't find that topic, it then indicates you aren't looking at the latest and greatest file. Happens more often than you would think!

If the added topic DOES show up, then it means we need to examine other areas. I'd begin by closing RoboHelp and clobbering the .CPD of the project. Also locate the ProjectName.HPJ and rename it. (That file is used when compiling CHM files. It would also store any references to the other CHM files). Restart RoboHelp, recompile or regenerate and test again.

Let us know how it goes... Rick

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[Guest]

If I rename the .xpj file, I take it I don't open the renamed file. So how do I open this project?

(Adding new topics resulted in the topics appearing, so I am generating a new index file and looking at it.)

[Peter Grainge]

Just in case Rick is off duty, don't delete the XPJ file. That is different to the files Rick mentioned and will likely add to your problems.

There are occasions when it has to be done but wait until Rick says so.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Guest]

I can't find an .HPJ file.

(The project name is NT2.)

[Captiv8r]

I never said to rename the Xpj. What I said to rename was the Hpj.

Xpj is used by RoboHelp and is an XML file to track the project.

Hpj is used by the Microsoft HTML Help compiler and is used when compiling CHM files. Hpj may also be used to create a new Xpj if you need to.

Cheers... Rick

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[Captiv8r]

So sorry

Not sure what was put in my coffee today. The correct extension is HHP, NOT HPJ.

Cheers... Rick

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[Jeff_Coatsworth]

LOL - starting the weekend early, Rick?

[Captiv8r]

LOL, I wish.

Too many things going on at once.

Working on PPT for Sunday Church service.

Separate PPT for a different service.

Two other PPTs for an event.

Working on three different "contracts" for services I provide.

Preparing to head out to do some plumbing work on a toilet. (helping some out of town friends with a rental property)

Needing to edit a video, then upload to Vimeo, then post on a contracted web site for maintenance.

Learning Photoshop/Premiere Pro/After Effects.

Whew! Rick

[Guest]

Took a long weekend, but I'm back at this. Did what you said - renamed the HHP file (that's the index file, isn't it?) and removed the CPD, then regenerated the project -- but the problem remains.

I was thinking about it over the weekend. This project, though now in RoboHelp 7, is about 13 or 14 years old. The combination of indexes was probably done in an older version of RoboHelp. If that's the case, would there be some symbol or something in another part of RoboHelp to indicate the merge?

If UNmerging fails, is there a way to wipe out the index altogether and start from scratch? I'd rather do that than deal with links to another project and index words appearing only after I compile (because they are from the other project).

Thanks for your help.

[Captiv8r]

Hello again

Sorry you are having the issues. Normally when a merge is in a TOC structure, you see something like this:

But it sounds like you aren't seeing the icon. So I'm guessing that RoboHelp has somehow become lost about knowing it has a merge going on. In that case, try right-clicking in your Project Manager pod and chosing Explore. That should open your project location inside Windows Explorer. From there, you should see all the project files listed. See if you find a file there with the extension .HHC. This will be an XML based file that contains your Table of Contents data. Open that inside Windows Notepad, then click Edit > Find. Search for the following string:

merge=

If you find it, that section of the TOC structure is what is saying to merge the other file(s) and needs to be removed. Remove the area beginning with <item name... up to and including </item>

Close and save the file and try compiling or generating again.

If you DON'T see this section, we need to do more sleuthing. But let's see what you find with this exercise first.

As for clearing the Index, you can try just clicking to select the first entry, then pressing and holding the delete key as you watch the entries disappear. If there are so many that this will take too long, you might then want to just clobber it by locating and opening the .HHK file in the project location. Open it using Windows Notepad, selecte everything inside and delete. Then copy and paste the code below into the file and close it and save it.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<index version="1.0">

    <properties>

    </properties>

</index>

Hope this helps... Rick

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[Guest]

I tried looking for the "merge" in both the main project's and the sub-project's HHC files. But no luck. No "merge" in either file.

Guess I'll try clobering the index next. Fortunately, this project is backed up on a server...

[Guest]

OK, next I deleted ALL the entries in the index (in the Index pod in RoboHelp), saved, then recompiled. Although the index pod is empty, there is a new index that now has ONLY index entries from that other "sub" project!!!!!!! Arg!

[Captiv8r]

Okay, backing up a step or three here.

What is the output type? CHM? WebHelp? What?

Where are you testing it from? Clicking View after compiling/generating? Using a link on the desktop?

Perhaps by learning more we can better ascertain where the issue really is hiding.

Cheers... Rick

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[Guest]

Output type is indeed a CHM file.

I compile, and then select View Primary Layout.

[Captiv8r]

When you edit the Single Source Layout, try renaming the output file from whatever it is to something different. Then compile and see if the issue resolves.

Cheers... Rick

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[Guest]

Please remind me how to edit the Single Source Layout and rename the output file...

[Captiv8r]

Here's a thousand pictures for you...

(If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a thousand pictures!)

Click here to view

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

[Guest]

Thanks for the video. I renamed the output file, but it didn't resolve the problem. Currently all that is left in the index are topics from that sub-project that I'm trying to unlink from!