RoboHelp Setup Problem

[brianp2005]

Okay, i just dished out $1000 for this thing and can't even create an HTML project. The sample projects won't even open and i've confirmed they exist.

Details:

installed RoboHelp 6. When i run RoboHelp HTML, and try to open one of the sample projects, i get the following dialog:

Open project was cancelled or the application was unable to load database for :
"C:\program files\adobe\robohelp 6.0\RoboHTML\Samples\ApplicationHelp\applicationhelp.cpd"

I navigate to the path above and confirm the path is correct and the applicationhelp.cpd exists. So i press OK at the dialog, and just try to create my own project. It only gets worse.

I perform the following steps:

1-In RoboHelp HTML, go to File/New/Project.
2- the "New Project" dialog opens
3-select WebHelp and click OK.
4-the "New Project Wizard" dialog opens
5-I enter a title and select a path "C"\RoboHelp6\Project1"
6-I click "Finish". The New Project Wizard closes and returns me back to the "New Project" dialog.
7-(hmmm...must have done something wrong i think)
8-In the New Project dialog, i click OK.
9-I'm now taken back to the "New Project Wizard" dialog.
10-i repeat the same steps - entering Project1 as and C:\RoboHelp6\Project1 as the path
11-i click Finish and get error:

Unable to creat enw project. Specified folder is not empty.

12-My only option to leave the "New Project" dialog box is to click Cancel
13-i click cancel
14-i look in the folder and have the following files:
!SkinSubFolder!
HtmlHelp.css
project1.cpd
project1.hpr
project1.syn
default.css
MS_Help.css
project1.glo
project1.ppf
w95help.css

Where's the project file? When i go to open a new project and select the directory no .xpj or mgj files are listed!!! Anybody know what i'm doing wrong?

BTW: i uninstalled and re-installed the product 4 times now. Still can create an HTML project.

PLEASE HELP!!!!

[Peter Grainge]

That has the hallmarks of not having installed RoboHelp with your logon and with admin rights attached.

Take a look at this topic. http://www.adobe.com/devnet/robohelp/articles/get_started.html

I'm signing off now but post back if you still have problems. Either someone else will pick this up or I'll pick it up in the morning.

[brianp2005]

Thanks for the reply peter. During install i am logged in with my own user ID. and I am Admin and Domain Admin.

One more note: I can create projects under RoboHelp for Word. The RoboHelp HTML just seems to be broken.

Also, I did have a trial installed. At one time it may have been X5. Anyway, i removed it prior to installing RH6, but i did notice that RH6 setup still prompts me stating there is a previous version of RoboHelp on the system. It then asks me if i would like to un-install it. I click Yes, the dialog closes (and nothing sems to be "un-installed") -- and the initial RH6 setup continues with setup.

One more note:

I just installed RH6 in a "clean" virtual machine on the same XP box. The RoboHelp HTML works fine. It just won't work on my main "host" XP install. It sounds like the un-install does not remove all left over files. Please Adobe don't make me wipe out my hard drive just to install RH6!

[Peter Grainge]

Just to clarify, these forums are mostly supported by other RoboHelp users rather than Adobe employees. The Community Expert is simply a recognition by Adobe of the work I do in these forums, I am not employed by them. I mention this as you ask Adobe not to require you to wipe your hard disk. Actually you will need to wipe the entire network to fix this one. OK, I'm lying.

It does sound like X5 has left something behind and that does sometimes happen. First uninstall RH6. I am not sure what effect installing it on a virtual machine will have had so fingers crossed there. (Uninstall both instances though). Then go to my site and see the instructions there for Installing. They cover some extra steps that are sometimes needed. Try those which involve some registry edits so usual warnings about backing up etc.

After you have done that, reinstall RH6 and then everything should be OK.

Let us know how that goes.

[brianp2005]

Thanks Peter, i appreciate your help and understand you and the people in these forums are not adobe employees. When i called Adobe's support line saturday i was shocked they don't provide 24/7 support. I guess they don't consider any of their products enterprise worthy or "mission critical" -- even though i have a deadliine to get a user guide/help project out by this tuesday. I was hoping to get a lot of work done over the weekend (except during the super bowl 🙂 ). Anyway, I was just a little shocked and disappointed which has led to my frustration. (this is my first experience dealing with Adobe. so far not good.)

Currrently the install on the virtual machine is working fine and allowing me to get some work done. When i have time i'll deal with the un-install again and let you know how it goes. Again, i appreciate your help.

[Linux Rules]

Hello brianp2005 -

Two other ideas...

First, RoboHelp writes to the Master Boot Record of the hard drive during installation. If you have a security program enabled while trying to UNINSTALL the previous version, this may be a problem.

Second, have you searched the Windows Registry for "left over" references to the old version of RH?

Regards,
GEWB