Encoding problems with index panel

[Louisa_de]

Hello everyone!

I'm using RoboHelp 9 and I'm working on a project in Arabic. Yes, I know, sore subject when it comes to CHM files.

I managed to produce a fairly decent CHM with one exception: the index panel. Major encoding problem. Lines after lines of questionmarks.

I'm not expecting anybody to have a solution for this encoding problem (although I'd dance for joy if somebody had an idea) but is there maybe a way that I can get rid off the index panel alltogether and just have the TOC and the Search panel?

HTML help is not an option I'm afraid, we need context-sensitive help texts inside the product etc..

As it is, this is probably the last project we're handling with RoboHelp or even Adobe. Shame, been using it since RH5.

I'm very much looking foward to hearing your suggestions.

Thank you very much in advance!

louisa

[Peter Grainge]

The window properties do not allow you to turn off the index without turning off the TOC.

CHMs are also known as Microsoft HTML Help. The HTML Help to which your refer is WebHelp and you talk about that as if context sensitive help does not work with WebHelp. It most certainly does. See Calling WebHelp on my site.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Louisa_de]

Dear Peter!

Thanks for your answer.

You can switch off the TOC? How do you do that?

I wonder if there are any editors which make it possible to take out the index panel. I'm yet to find one but maybe somebody else already has an idea?

(WebHelp is no option that would require structural changes to the product. If I had that much time I wouldn't have worked with RoboHelp in the first place because I know RTL with RH means a lot of hassle.)

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

If you want to banish the Index, try creating a fresh empty one and define that as the one to use when you generate. I find that if there are no entries present I don't get an Index tab in the CHM.

To turn off the TOC, edit the Window properties,

Cheers... Rick

[Louisa_de]

Ah great, Captiv8r or better Rick, that seems to work.

Thank you very much!

[Louisa_de]

Hello everyone!

To test it, I have created an Arabic Webhelp and now I'm encountering the problem as described here: http://forums.adobe.com/message/5131936#5131936 (Content, Index and Search panel remain empty when Webhelp is viewed with IE).

Does anybody have a solution for this and maybe has just forgotten to post it in that thread?

Thank you all and best regards

Louisa

[Peter Grainge]

You seem to have moved from CHMs to WebHelp. Correct?

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Louisa_de]

No, as mentioned above it's for testing purposes to see whether WebHelp actually offers an acceptable solution.

Which - until now - it doesn't because with a CHM I have at least the TOC, with a WebHelp viewed with Internet Explorer I don't even have a TOC.

[Peter Grainge]

Open one of the sample projects. Click Open on the RoboHelp Starter page and then click Samples in the ribbon on the left.

Does the TOC work there?

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Louisa_de]

Dear Peter!

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my problem.

However, I seem to be missing a step... Are you suggesting that I copy the Arabic TOC in a sample project and generate a WebHelp project from the sample project with the Arabic TOC and then test with IE whether the Contents panel has any content?

Or did I misunderstand your post?

[Peter Grainge]

No, generate the sample with the TOC as is. I want to establish whether you have a general problem or one unique to this left to right project.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Louisa_de]

Oh, ok, sorry, I'm a little slow today.

Uhm, what can I say, the TOC can be viewed with IE in the English sample version. I also tried the English source project of the Arabic project, as well as a Korean and a Russian version and here the TOC works, too.

I then went back to Arabic and generating with a different skin, it seems to work there, too. At least before I make all the amendments necessary to change the WebHelp to RTL.

That the Search field now contains strange numbers (only when viewed with IE), but I haven't investigated on that yet.

[Peter Grainge]

Please post an image of the search field. Use the camera icon you will see when entering your reply.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge